Back Road
split second
turn
took me
from town
the list and laundry
and what to cook
saw the land
unfold
like the sea
rolling
and the seed took
down an endless row
where long I looked
the length of barbwire
where the crows were cawing,
“the crop is good, the crop is good, the crop is good”
and still were the tractors
under the oaks
and clear was the sky
a drop-less blue
and where was i
TL
Whatever Ails
take the sun
and pour it
in your hand
and spread it
over your body
and go to sleep
and when you wake
you won’t be cold
or lonely
no more
TL
Lace
the spider
so small
climbs so high
up the trunk
higher and higher
she follows the line of the limb
and takes her thread and spins it
to the other side
and back and forth
and round and round
and up and down
she goes
sewing her doily
just so
TL
Lest
in the mess
of it all
we forget
the lessons
of the little
what children know
the earth
is not exclusive
to the few
they know
what the birds know
scribbles on paper
mean what
to a squirrel
signs and deeds and dedications
human manifestation
the blue butterfly
has no plan
the crickets
no audience
the fish
no direction
and yet
they move
as one
TL
Open Space
essential
to the soul
of man
of woman
of child
is roam
a place to roam
wild and free
and travel we
to the edge of time
we do
for none of us
is without this want
this need
this desire
to leave
all we know
for an unknown place
a silent glade
an untouched blade
this sense of searching
an internal longing
a restless breath
a solitary sigh
is there
ever in the eye
where all things lie
sitting in the Sahara
listening to the sea
meditating on a mountain
swimming in aquamarine
sleeping in an igloo
dancing in a teepee
walking in wildflowers
standing in snow
tasting the rain
feeling the gust
watching the wind
rush and rush
running where
there are no roads
or dead end signs
or gates to climb
or walls to rope
or doors to push
or windows to close
where there is
no beginning
no end
only the middle
of the page
where no pen
has been
TL