Places
dropped
t i m e
in the Pacific
and swam away
away to Kilimanjaro
but there’s
a grain
in my eye
that got stuck
in the recess
and it swims
in the puddles
each time …
a body dies
a bottle breaks
a ring doesn’t fit
or a child is
no longer
TL
Midst
thieve
an hour
TL
Revolve
it was
morning
where she was
in the world
and her porcelain cup
a plastic jug
she’d drag for dregs
and lug it lukewarm
same as her mom
and it was fun
as a child
to run to the well
up and down
the hill
barefoot
and all
TL
Freeze
what stops
someone
what leaves
them there
to sit in snow
so long
when winter
left
long ago
why then
do you sit
there
in icicle
a black and white
shot
when over
the hill
there are bluebells
and buttercups
and birds bursting
with song
and color captured
in light
why then
do you sit
so long
TL
Just
the last piece
of pie
dried flowers
revived
the whirl
of the dryer
the sound
of running shoes
feeding
the birds
the length
of a road
rain falling
on a field
mountains
in steam
the ocean
still big
church bells
ringing
good sleep
all night
a book
you’d read again
understanding
being understood
dropping your plans
to play
pouring batter
in a pan
turning off the camera
to be there
making up the bed
messing it up
sharing a meal
with someone
taking a song
in
picking a plum
off the tree
not having to say
a thing
TL
Bridal Blessing
When the moon is about
and the stars are many
and the silhouette, in the window,
is two …
be at peace
When the moon is missing
and the stars away
and the silhouette, in the window,
is one …
be at peace
For night is a stranger
to none …
keep your candles close
your memories closer
And remember always
the face of the moon,
the promise of a star
are never really missing …
are never really away
just under the veil
of clouds
TL
Funeral
she looked
same as she did
30 years ago
and with her
ready smile
she pointed out
her three
grown sons
her only daughter
and introduced
her teen grandkids
and on the surface
she seemed fine
as she waved to folks
she knew
who knew her
but her hands
kept fidgeting
with the sack
on her lap
she used
as her purse
and her eyes
darted around the room
seeming to see
everything
in slow motion
“This must be hard for you,” I say.
“Yes … it is,” she says. “You never get over it.
You go through all the emotions. I was angry for a long time.
Sometimes, I’ll be somewhere and something
reminds me of him, and I cry.”
she tells me how she still drives by her old house
the one she brought him home to …
the one he grew up in
became a young man in
and she can still see him out in the yard
playing basketball with his brothers
can see him under the hood with his dad
can see him sitting on the porch
can see him backing out of the drive
can see him waving back to her
can see him …
TL
Hours
he sits
in his chair
feet in the air
picks up a cup
and sets it down
punches the mote
and picks up the ring
says, “Hello …”
says, “Goodbye …”
picks through the page
scans the segment
lies back with a sigh
and closes his eyes
wakes up when
and walks around
tile to tile
then back down
sits in his chair
feet in the air
TL