The Literary Works Of Norman Molesko

By Norman Molesko

THE WAY I LIVE MY LIFE

Life is not passing me by.

I am here. I’m alive.

I am able to breathe, am able to sigh.

This makes me beam,

like the gleam in my father’s eye.

It’s the attitude I have.

It’s the way, I look at life.

I don’t need sorrow. I don’t need grief.

I don’t need to complain.

My thoughts and my feelings are mine.

They make me shine.

I smile for awhile.

I hum for awhile.

That’s part of my life style.

I glance around and I can say,

Lucky me. Look at me. I’m a lucky me.

I’m pleased. I’m blessed.

I keep in touch.

with the harmony within me.

Lucky me. Look at me. I’m a lucky me.

I am able to give life to myself.

Ah yes, you can be lucky too.

Ambassador For Seniors

EACH DAY I KEEP STAYING ALIVE

I am blessed that the corona virus

has not reached me, has not invaded me.

I am lucky that I am free from symptoms,

from suffering, from fear, from anxiety.

Yet, I need to pay my respects to all

in the world, who have succumbed.

But life still keeps going on for me.

What matters is what I have become,

what I can give to and share with others,

goodness, trust, compassion and some fun.

Ambassador For Seniors

WEATHERING THE VIRUS STORM

Preface: if I were to see myself as feeling isolated and helpless, then I might say the following:

At times, I sense I am becoming depressed.

I feel more isolated and helpless than I used to be.

At times, I don’t want to get up from bed

in the morning, to hear or think about the virus.

I must not become overwhelmed by the virus.

Many things seem to be just coming at me.

Everything is happening all at once.

One thing too many, when feeling isolated and helpless.

The idea of the virus can be emotionally draining.

The idea of the virus can be nerve wracking to me.

I must make a conscious effort to change my thinking.

I must stop fretting and worrying about the virus.

No more concern and anguish about getting the virus.

I will take firm control of my life and what I have to do.

I will take care of me and not feel isolated and helpless.

Norman Molesko, 2020

Ambassador For Seniors

PATIENCE

At times I ration my time.

At other times I have

little or no control of my time.

The situation requires patience.

Patience can be a positive.

We are not spoiled by patience.

Patience indicates waiting..

We are blessed by patience.

Patience can cause calmness.

Patience can allow a person

to catch his or her breathe

in our fast-paced world.

Norman Molesko, 2020

Ambassador For Seniors

THOUGHTS IN MY MIND

My mind is thinking about something.

Then it turns away from that thought abruptly.

It simply moves into another thought

or maybe into a former thought

or reaches out to a new thought.

Many thoughts come into my mind frequently.

Most of them give me peace of mind.

Norman Molesko

Ambassador For Seniors

I’M REALLY LUCKY DURING THIS PANDEMIC

I have opposable thumbs, can walk upright

and can communicate with others.

I’m really lucky during this pandemic.

I’m an optimist you can see.

I view things in a positive light.

I’m really lucky during this pandemic.

I turn bad stress into good feelings.

These good feelings work well for me.

I’m really lucky during this pandemic.

Wearing a mask and gloves when outside,

and social distancing, keeps me non-infected.

I’m really lucky during this pandemic.

Norman Molesko, 2020

Ambassador For Seniors

THE VALUE OF MAN

I respect my fellow man.

I learn from each.

Everyone is valuable to me.

When one behaves

in a way different from me,

that person does me a favor.

One’s behavior shows me,

what I want to be,

what I don’t want to be.

I respect my fellow man.

I learn from each.

Everyone is valuable to me.

Norman Molesko, 2020

Ambassador For Seniors

RHYTHMS AND FEELINGS

I know well-intentioned folks,

advising me to exceed what I can do.

Some moments I may be carried away,

trying to do more than I can do today.

I need to realize what my abilities are,

What I can handle and not to overdo.

When I follow my rhythms and feelings,

I find this approach most appealing,

Norman Molesko, 2020

Ambassador For Seniors

AGING BUT STILL ME

I am getting older with bent shoulders.

If you recognize me, you know that.

My physical features keep changing.

I am showing the effects of aging.

My hair is white and my hearing is poor.

I have an Elder’s perspective in the world,

an Elder’s way of thinking and acting.

I continue to offer wisdom and insights.

Many people just stay in their own world.

I have kept connected to the world.

If I connect with one person, I am blessed.

I have so much still to learn and to share,

that is what I care to, and intend to do

Norman Molesko

Ambassador For Seniors

POETRY LAN

What can poetry do?

Poetry can recognize the soul

Poetry can mould one’s thoughts.

Poetry can excite the savage soul.

Poetry can calm the anxious soul.

Poetry can grab a moment in time.

Poetry can plunge one’s ideas into another’s mind.

Poetry can wear many faces.

Poetry can affect the ordinary man and woman..

This is what poetry can do.

Norman Molesko, 2020

Ambassador For Seniors

PEOPLE

There are all sorts of people.

There are people of all ages,

languages, religions and races.

They have their own lives

and their own experiences.

There are people who are friendly,

who can easily connect with me.

Other people stay distant

when in the presence of me.

I realize there are all sorts of people,

not the same people.

I realize there all sorts of people,

who are dissimilar people.

I view each, him and her,

unique from the other,

not better, not worse,

from one another.

All sorts of people

comprise our community.

And in our community

there’s a need for overall harmony.

There’s a need for overall harmony

between you and me.

But first there must be

inner harmony within me.

That inner harmony is

blessed by a sense of natural flow.

I respect that inner harmony,

that tranquility within me.

It cannot be handled roughly.

It has fragility. Don’t you see?

And in our community,

there’s a need for overall harmony.

There’s a need for overall harmony

between you and me.

But first there must be

inner harmony within me.

Ambasaador For Seniors

A RIGHT CHRISTMAS DREAM

I am dreaming of a right Christmas,

a Christmas with no COVID 19 around.

I can shake hands with people I meet.

I can hug people I care for with joy.

We will not be waring any face masks,

any gloves and no need for social distancing.

The church bells will ring and people will sing,

the COVID 19 virus is not around anymore.

But, we, the people, need to work together,

for this right Christmas dream to be mainstream.

And this right Christmas dream can comes true

after we, the people together, make it come true.

Norman Molesko

Ambassador For Seniors

LUCKILY A HAPPY ME

I am older in age than the Lone Ranger.

I am luckily, a happy me, you can see.

I am called LA’s Young Oldie Poet by some,

an Elder Bard or Poet Laureate by others.

I am feeling swell and am aging pretty well.

My heart continues to keep bouncing along.

The COVID I’m doing my best to keep it away.

The following is my big message of today..

Being optimistic is the kind of guy I be.

At my age of ninety, I am luckily, a happy me.

Norman Molesko, 2020

Ambassador For Seniors

YOUNG ODIE’S OPTIMISM

I am one of those young oldie Elders

who relish the joys of being my age.

I generate sparks of innovation

as I outreach to empathetic souls.

I’m a ‘goody-goody’ poet, people say.

My thoughts and intuitions envision

good feelings and uplifting days.

Call me an optimist and that’s okay.

Optimistic people live longer, healthier lives,

lives with better functioning immune systems,

than pessimistic people living less healthier lives.

Norman Molesko, 2020

Ambassador For Seniors

I AM GLAD I HAVE WHAT I GOT

I am luckily a happy me,

but I have lots of hearing loss.

My hearing is not perfect.

What did you say?

Face me!

Please say it again!

Clearly. Slower. Louder.

I want to understand you.

I know you said something to me.

It may not be what I heard.

May not be what I think you said.

My hearing is not perfect.

Not all sounds are clear to me.

Not all sounds can be heard by me.

Some sounds are difficult to hear.

Some cannot be heard at all.

I don’t want to be unsure of myself.

Please repeat what you said.

Clearly. Slower. Louder.

I need to understand you.

My hearing is not perfect.

Norman Molesko, 2020

Ambassador For Seniors

A NEW AWARENESS

Each morning I awake

with a brain to regain

my dangling thoughts.

I have become sensitive to

a baby’s cry, a person’s sigh,

a hello and a goodbye.

Nowadays different events

occur, touching my awareness.

Many may not be fully sensed before.

I now take note of this contrast,

for I am able to focus around,

in a world I had not previously found.

Norman Molesko. 2020

Ambassador For Seniors

THE POWER OF THE CANE

To walk is hard without a cane,

for some who are in pain or lame.

When I walk I can use my cane,

with no shame for my weakness or pain.

If I begin to trip at all,

the cane saves me from a fall.

It aids when picking up a ball.

I’m even secure in the mall.

The cane improves my endurance.

I’m more stable and balanced.

In crowds I navigate faster.

It helps me be my own master.

Ambassador For Seniors

THE SECURITY OF THE WALKER

I stand alone on my weak feet,

arms stretched out in front of me.

My hands grasp my walker.

I apply a slight force,

push the walker forward,

take very small steps,

roll the walker along the ground.

I am controlling the walker,

Stopping, pausing, walling.

I apply the brake to the walker.

I am relaxed, looking around,

standing alone by myself,

dreaming of things that I desire.

The walker gives me support,

for my knees, legs and feet.

The walker relaxes me,

provides me the security I require.

Ambassador For Seniors

BLIND AND ALIVE WITH A WHITE WALKING CANE

I put on dark specs and grab my white walking cane.

I navigate myself carefully along, in a territory

familiar or unknown, outside of and beyond me.

I handle such challenges with calm and no alarm.

With extended reaching of my arm and cane,

I guide or tap the tip of my white cane along the ground,

for ups and downs or to move the white cane around.

It is through the spaces in front or on either side of me.

As for possible obstacles, I detect their locations.

My white cane gives me independence.

It allows me to orient and ascertain

how to walk over elevations and on a flat lane.

I may have to stop and re-negotiate

how to reach some desired destinations.

So much out there to enjoy, to experience.

Ambassador For Seniors

STAMINA

As an Elderly person I find

my activity level varies widely

now and then. It depends when.

At times my body and my mind

functions well all day long

with none or minimal recharging.

There are temporary shifts

on some days when I am in high gear

or at moderately lower levels.

My stamina bounces up and down

as part of my growing older.

I realize this when l Iook in a mirror.

Unexpectedly my activity can falter.

I readjust to two speeds, Slow and Stop,

or I may go between these two and Flip-Flop.

I also take a snooze during some of my days.

This is the way I stay alert and smart.

This is the truth.

Norman Molesko, 2020

Ambassador For Seniors

CAN’T HEAR TOO WELL

What did you say?

Face me!

Please say it again!

Clearly. Slower. Louder.

I can’t hear too well.

I want to understand you.

I know you said something to me.

It may not be what I heard.

May not be what I think you said.

I can’t hear too well.

Not all sounds are clear to me.

Not all sounds can be heard by me.

Some sounds are difficult to hear.

Some cannot be heard at all.

I don’t want to be unsure of myself.

Please repeat what you said?

Face me!

Clearly. Slower. Louder.

I need to understand you.

I can’t hear too well.

This is the truth.

Norman Molesko, 2020

Ambassador For Seniors

I KNOW THAT I RESPECT LIFE

I have been pondering about life.

I avoid drifting toward a mental abyss.

No longer can I further resist.

I need to tell you what for me exists.

When I focus on the time ahead,

today I will be living one day less.

When I think about the time since I was born,

today I will be living one day more.

Like many folks who are Elders,

I glance forward and glimpse backward,

reflecting on life and what I know now.

I know that I respect life to its very core.

Norman Molesko, 2020

Ambassador For Seniors

Norman Molesko is recognized as Ambassador For Seniors. He is the Poet Laureate for the Congress of California Seniors and the California Retired Teachers Association in the San Fernando Valley. Norman Molesko is the Resident Poet for the Valley Voice Newspaper in the San Fernando Valley.