Do they catalog their pantries,
do they alphabetize the soup,
and make labels for the kitchen shelves
and arrange vegetables into groups?

Or perhaps it’s to the closets,
their attention they might turn…
and transform their wardrobe chaos
using skills they long ago learned.

No shirt will be uncatalogued,
No dress shall lack a space,
their undies, socks and ties will all,
have a Dewey inspired place.

Then of course there is the attic,
with items saved, set aside and hoarded,
the photos, knick-knacks, and sundries,
of course… must all be sorted.

But when these tasks are finished
and to leisure the bibliophile looks
The pot of gold, is their long amassed,
patiently awaited…
greatly anticipated…
glorious stack of unread books!

Lyla Brekke
Sept. 10, 2009

Monday morning –  and the sun shines bright.

The birds are all singing, my spirit is light.

The library is calm, though it’s busy as a hive

Then my world turns to chaos when I hit F5.

My Inbox was clear…everything in its folder.

I’d conquered the beast, could I feel any bolder?

But quick as a flash, instant karma did arrive.

My confidence crumbled when I hit F5.

With diligence and tenacity I worked even harder.

I answered and archived and deleted with fervor.

My heart was now racing, and my fingers were flying

I again beat the enemy, and sweet victory was mine.

But still I had to look, just to make sure.

To see that empty screen was, of course, the allure.

Was my foe defeated or did it survive

I just had to know… so I hit F5.

Oh, how could this be, what force was against me?

67 new emails appeared there to mock me.

The junk mail, and assignments, the clear and confusing,

the questions and answers, the urgent and amusing.

The trivial and critical, penological, and otherwise…

Were all there again to torment and demoralize.

What evil had invaded, as in vain I did strive?

What power could eradicate the curse of F5?

To ignore this plague, was of course, not an option.

There were those who were watching and awaiting discussion.

Respond quickly I must, though there are books that need shelving,

There’s CDs to be cleaned, and I-L-L-s that need sending.

That and more must now wait, for the emails still gather,

Amassing like crows, Hitchcock’s birds on a wire.

Now conceding defeat I will write my last line…

“Imagine all she could’ve achieved, had she not hit F5”.

Lyla Brekke

Nov.2008

Of Program Managers and Leporidae*

It has recently been suggested,

(and although this may sound funny),

our esteemed leader has been likened to…

an iconic little bunny.

So listen now, pay close attention.

Give your dozing neighbor a nudge.

How we came to this conclusion, I will explain.

And then you can be the judge.

Going here, going there, going everywhere…

she makes the most of every minute.

She presides over the lot of us,

each branch and all that’s in it.

A thousand emails beg her response.

Hundreds of decisions to decide,

A dozen plus branches to oversee…

From the rainy West to the arid East side.

All this and more she does every day.

I can’t even imagine the load.

I’m sure if we tried to fill her shoes,

Our poor heads would surely explode.

What force within drives her we may never know.

She keeps going through dark days and sunny.

So in awe and with gratitude…we salute you Laura…

Our own Energizer Bunny!

Lyla

12/03/08

* Family of animals to which rabbits and hares belong.