Hello Smile,
hide that person’s frown
let him or her wear you
as a badge of peace

add beauty to their heart
brighten their mood
When the mood is bright
judgement shines as star
which could lead to
dream promotion

Save the long day in the workplace
from the storm cloud,
getting the job done
of which our boss can be proud,

for workplace is the second home,
where we are tied by common goal,
to where we go everyday.

(by Byung A. Fallgren)

The empty red stocking
Envies the twinkling lights
In the corner of vacancy
Of lingering shadows
Of laughter
Strewn wrappers
Rainbow strings
The lights keep on twinkle
For one package still tucked
Under the tree
With loving memory
As the angelic ghost
Kisses and hugs them
As they slept
Bids them a goodnight

Some families remember their loved ones who are no longer with them,
especially at this time of year.  I wish them happy holidays and a new year
filled with love and peace.

(By Byung A. Fallgren)

As the little stockings doze
Soft laughs and gentle voices
of yesterdays echo in the tree adorned
with the images of loved ones
Grandpa’s cane thumps
against the wooden steps,
the bug-eyed doggy with the grandson
Thanks Giving dinner with
the uncle returned from the war
They vanish into the cherished time
waving at the loved one with the camera
Gift packages wait in anticipation,
the renewed love,
reconciliation,
seeds of spring bloom,
the past echoes the present

©by Byung A. Fallgren

Season’s greetings, says the letter
from overseas, the same as the year before
which seem only yesterday
No tears for the fleeting time
Neighbors moving in and out overnight
no time to be acquainted with
as the post buries in seconds in the mass of new ones
One must crawl out often from the burrow
to observe the world with keen eyes,
or be outdated soul like discarded junk mail
yet, turtle like me is still kicking,
struggling to catch up with packaging and mailing
As being Crosby sings let it snow
goodness is in the air
like morning coffee aroma
like new followers on the social media
Bake some cookies for the new neighbor,
catch up, and I live that much more.

(by Byung A. Fallgren)

We strive for our dreams
in each passing seasons,
soft and fragrant spring
deep hues of summer
vibrant colors of autumn
in gold and orange of maturity
We often fail to reach our goals
in the wayward wind
in the path of storms
we rebound in sunny days
in the end, we see ourselves mirrored
in each different form and texture,
assess what we have done
by the opinion of others
by the impact on our world
we then embrace ourselves
just as we are.

(by Byung A. Fallgren. Photo by Collin A. Maag.)

(by Byung A. Fallgren. Photo by Collin A. Maag.)

At the end of day, a pile
of laundry waits in the corner
I feed them to the machine
toss them into the dryer
embrace the warm and clean ones
into my open arms, sniffing the scent
that reminds me of new motherhood
of the joy and wonder
of the time long gone
Thank the fresh scent dryer sheet
for the sweet memory
leads to the woman who birthed me
on the day of long gone December,
the serene face as Virgin Mary’s
chides me for staying up so late
I’ll get a taller tree this year
just so it’ll reach the women
in heaven a few feet closer

(by Byung A. Fallgren)

In my youth
I often felt as though
I had stumbled into
an unexpected place
like a rabbit in wonder land
sort of lost and depressed,
wandered in the deep forest
infested with brain-eating bacteria
Doggedly I’d pursue the glitter
between the trees that seem closer
yet untouchable like stars,
regret for the wasted time,
In bitterness, I’d nurse a bottle of beer,
brooding then shake it off,
emerge with an insight
that helps me move on.

(by Byung A. Fallgren)

Outside the window
snowflakes mimic
the rain upon the soul
hoping we can reconcile
our differences
north and south
see ourselves in the face instead
of peripheral vision from afar,
say I love you
Roses on the wall
expel the winter blue,
fly on the invisible wings
to imbue the strangers and enemies
with holiday spirit, for we can
coexist in peace
as the land and ocean
like the stars in the galaxy,
wishing the rosy holidays

The above painting is one of my old paintings I did on the side of portrait.
It’s been a quite a while since I stopped painting, but I still remember
the technics.  I should’ve kept on painting.  Well, I might take up the old
brushes and start doing it again.  The painting had no title, but now I call
it “Rosy holidays.”  I wish you, my friends and everyone, Rosy holidays!

(by Byung A. Fallgren)