Nightowls

My neighbors think that I'm strange.
Sometimes, I think they are right
For what they do in the morning,
I usually do late at night.

At five, my neighbor asked me once,
"Aren't you washing rather late?"
I said, "No, this is tomorrow's wash;
But why should I procrastinate?"

It's not uncommon to find me
Mopping floors at nine or ten,
For the children are not underfoot
Because they're in bed by then.

Into the early hours of morn
My lamp is usually burning.
I like to use this quiet time
For working and for learning.

It is the time when others sleep
And take their needed rest,
But it's the time when nightowls,
Such as I, do our very best!

circa 1973

The Word Weaver

Like a spider spinning a great web, the poet weaves words for a reader.
Every verb must be placed just so; every line must have the right meter.
The spider's strands must go in just the right place to catch his prey,
and so too, must a writer's words be spaced in a very deliberate way.
The spider walks around and around, connecting each filement just so.
He measures out each silken thread, ever so carefully because he knows
that each space he leaves must be just so big or he'll not dine tonight;
there'll be no fine flies or moths with red eyes to quench his appetite.
If he is impatient in his work and tries to do it in a hurry, out of greed,
there'll be no delicacies ensnared therein, upon which he can satiably feed.
The poet also must not write in haste, but carefully measure each thought,
or he too will go hungry tonight; hurried words shall bring him but naught,
for it is not just what he says that make his poems worthy of your sharing,
but how he makes you sense the world, and that his soul to you he's baring.

circa 1994

This part of my site is dedicated to all those who inspired me over the years to keep writing: In order of appearance in my life: Hal (HaroldNoel Clarke - 12/26/35-11/6/58) who had time for his little sister, when everyone else was too busy; Franny, who was like a mother hen with her little sister, doing all those little things that made me feel special;( I don't remember if I ever told you, but I know where that doll carriage came from the Christmas I was eight.) Father Schuyler Jenkins who showed me the path to God, and blessed me with his guidance; God who provided the inspiration and the talent to put down on paper what lives in my heart and mind; Tom, my husband, who has loved me all these many years, even when I have been unlovable, who has forgiven me all sorts of mistakes and nasty moods and has always been there for me when I needed him; My children, Michele, William and Kathleen, who have filled my life with love, laughter, memories, tears, ideas for poems, things they made for me at school, and who taught me how to see the world differently; My lovely granddaughters, Crystal and Alexis who continue to inspire me to write down those things that are often so hard for me to say out loud, but are teaching me to say them; Edna Barker, a local poet and old friend from church, who encouraged me to keep writing, especially poetry; My family and friends who took time to read my first two books of poetry and gave me feedback and encouragement to continue with my writing.
Thank you so much, every one of you who has blessed my life with your presence and your caring.

For ease in locating certain poems and faster loading of pages on the net, I have divided my poetry into sections according to types. Some of them could have been classified differently, but this is my website, so I did them the way I felt that they fit best.

Some of my Views of Life

More of my Views of Life

Inspirational Poems

Nature and Such

Thank you so much for coming by to visit. Please send e-mail, especially if you find a broken link or have some comment to make concerning my home page.

E-mail Nightowl 1944 at:
nightowl1944[email protected]

if you can catch the little bugger!!

Please sign my Dreambook, so that I know you were here!

Thanks for visiting with us, and come backagain soon.

To Open Elevator
(Page changer)

Background made from an owl graphic sent to me by
a House Of Love And Support sister-friend, Pammie B.

copyright 1997-2005 by Betty Lee, Glens Falls, NY