Facets
there is
a silver stream
that trickles
through a village
and weaves its way
through town
and country
and state lines
covers continents
and boarders and walls and fences
over mountains
sea and air
it seeps into the street
through doors
and windows and bars
can get at anything
anywhere
at anytime
the armored man
the strongest woman
no difference
in the pocket
or the purse
the silver drops
the same
TL
Seeker
just yesterday
the train whistle
blew through
Opelika, Alabama
wherein lies
Historian Henry Stern
TL
Drift
the distant
rumble
reverberates
the ripple
a drop effect
of summer
saturated in sheets
hung out
on the line
to dry
like the bills
of bark
that fall
and scatter
in circular motion
picked up
like a sail
TL
Mortal
if it meant
she could
she would
she’d suit him up
and send him
high
straight for
the magic pie
that Armstrong ate
the slice that made him
dance on air
and nothing was hard
up there
like it was down here
where a maze of medicine
can slow it
not stop it
and she knows those
who’ve been there
who are there
but it’s different
when it’s your door
and the kids are yours
and they don’t know
what you know
and how can you explain
what you haven’t yourself
only that
we but live
of us all
on a watch
of gold
not ours
to wear
and so it is
and so it was
and so it will be
for we are
what we are
not born
of this
lest we forget
from time to time
He will remind
TL
No More
he looked up
with those sad droopy-eyes
and almost caved
but steeled myself
and turned away
two’s enough
no more dogs
no more rabbits
no more birds
woke up
the next day
to a tiny panther
and she looked up
with those bright yellow eyes
and said, “step aside”
so now I say
no more dogs
no more rabbits
no more birds
no more cats
TL
White Dove
Sam i am
was a quiet man
who talked a lot
about simple things
like where to put the comma
in a sentence
he’d call me up
close to midnight
to make sure
and I loved him for that
for caring that much
about that
dog tired
and red-rimmed
he never gave in
put himself in their shoes
he understood the product
the first-read
and nobody knew
out there
but I like to think
they did
just didn’t know it
all those years
’til that morning
when they were left
wondering
what was missing
something was missing
somewhere between the line
the day Sam i am
turned off his lamp
put down his red pen
and never called me again
TL
Baby Blues
she’ll get in
her car
and drive
and maybe she’ll
put on some music
and maybe she won’t
she’ll be hot
from the run around
and crank the AC up
full blast
so she won’t mess
her makeup up
but it won’t be the sweat
she has to worry with
she’ll stop at the light
and wait for it
to change
and she won’t see
the scene
in the shield
the grass, the trees
automatic movement
she might take a sip
if she has a cup
and her cell might ring
and she’ll pick it up
and probably answer
and depending on
who it is
she’ll talk or won’t
and the closer she gets
to the brick
the further she’ll go
inward
so the outward
will be light and bright
and ready for hugs
and “welcome back”
and repeat questions
and repeat answers
and she’ll laugh
like she does
and show pictures
and it’ll be ok
‘cause she knows
the clock on the wall
never stops
and being busy
makes it tick faster
so she’ll stay busy
and when it’s time to go
she’ll get in
her car
and drive
back to him
TL
Tourist
there’s this
segment series
new
that comes on
T.V.
between Redemption
and Flay
and I record ‘em all
and watch ‘em
when it’s just me
play
rewind
pause
and the kimchi
burns my eyes
TL
Ballerina
still has
glitter
on the toe
this small slipper
gold
spray painted
for the show
it turned
a kid
from nowhere
into a star
somewhere
TL
Pilot
the trees
stood uniform
in passing fields
of golden hay
still and strong
untouched by man
or natural disaster
their grand simplicity
made perfect
in ladder limbs
brimmed in giant tears
that brush against
the feathered bird
that lights upon its rung
to rest a bit
before it up and takes off
and flies
over yonder
TL
Knowledge
don’t you know
what don’t you know
i know i don’t know …
that’s what i know
then you know
what you need to know
TL
Danaus Plexippus
they have
but a month
or so
to live
before
they die
and so
they fly
across
blue sky
and kiss
the forehead
of a flower
and travel trunks
to land the lofty leaf
nearest the light
that’s why their wings
get burnt
why they get thirsty
and drink all the dew
in Mexico
and if spotted
by a child
they might
linger there
for a beat
or two
less there’s a net
or the jail of a jar
or a greedy grab
then it’s like
they were never there
at all
for Monarchs know
when to stay
when to go
they live
as if they know
they only have
but a month
or so
TL
Dear Dad,
she’ll be
eight
at the end
of the month
and taller
than me
by this time
next year
she’s got big feet
and likes to part her hair
straight down the middle
like Alfalfa
she hates to brush her teeth
or be told to brush her teeth
she doesn’t like tomatoes
or putting things back where they belong
or being told to put things back where they belong
she likes to run the show
and for the most part
I let her
she makes straight As
and can comprehend
whatever she reads
and this helps her to write
her short stories, poems and letters
she takes ballet
and moves across the floor
with natural grace
and when we’re at home
I teach her karate
and we spar in the kitchen
and when we’re upstairs in the gym
she watches me lift weights
and does the same
with her weights
and we both love music
and dancing
we do a lot of dancing
and I think she’s awake now
‘cause I hear her feet
coming down the kitchen
yep
she’s awake
and reading this …
but before I go
want you to know
what an artist she is
her paintings and drawings
have such dimension
and feeling and movement
and something all her own
so for her birthday
this year
we’re going to turn a room
into an art studio
and let her paint murals
on her walls
the sun
and the clouds
the rain
and the snow
the moon
and the stars
and the green
that grows
oh, and one more thing
did I tell you she’s fearless
she has a pink go-kart
with a pink helmet
and a four wheeler
with a medal foot
and she’s pretty good
at golf
too
TL
Dr. Pittard
he was
by my side
through it all
and I knew
he’d see me through
come what may
he knew my fears
even if I never said
he sensed it
like he did
with so many
before
with so many
after
but it was more
than that
more than I would admit
my mother died
giving birth to me
that’s what I always believed
always would
nine months …
of being afraid
then I heard her cry
and he was by my side
telling me how good I did
then he sewed me back up
and my life began
that day
eight years later
he’s the one
who needs to be sewed back up
it’s his heart
that needs mending
no doctor can cure
and I wish there were something
but there’s nothing you can do or say
when someone you love so
passes away
TL
Korea
cherry blossoms
are in full bloom
this time of year
as they stroll the streets
softened by the palest
of pink petals
in years gone by
they had their dreams
that one day
someday
they’d give their children away
under those pale pink arches
and the piano would play
their song
and those would be happy tears
that fell
her hand in his
but the bride she’ll never be
the groom gone, too
and the parents
on the bank
don’t see
the cherry trees
across the shore
they only see
the branches bare
this time of year
TL
“the Lord
is close
to the brokenhearted;
He rescues those
whose spirits are crushed.”
Psalm 34:18
Easter Eggs
hard shells
will nest
in pink
inner tubes
and run
through fields
of yellow buttercups
and float across
an azure sky
and play ball
at Wrigley Field
and stroll along
Wisteria Lane
and come close
to a sunset swirl
before cracked
and peeled
and salted
white
dipped in
red hot
spice
TL
Missed
a dog
didn’t even
register
content the two
but after
that day
he run out
into the road
those three years
they had him
and all those years before him
and all those years after him
it registered …
what a dog can do
to the contentment
of two
TL
Just Joe
if he’s
scared
he won’t
show it
he’ll think of
something funny
to say
and we’ll all
laugh
cause that’s his way
but she knows him
too well
he’ll make
the best of it
in that Birmingham bed
and when he comes to
the skeleton crew
won’t feel sorry
for him
cause he won’t
let ‘em
he’ll say he’s sorry
they had to work
Easter weekend
stuck with him
and they’ll laugh
out loud
and fuss all over him
ask him if he needs
anything
and he’ll have
this laundry list
of made-up things
nothing near
the truth
and when he sees
the worry welling
in her eyes
he’ll tell her
to go home
and rest
and come back
later
cause he ain’t going
nowhere
his son will be
right there
and as she goes
to go
he’ll holler
loud as his stitches
will allow
“Reba, don’t forget
to bring me back
a plate …
Jennifer, don’t let her forget
to bring me back
a plate …
Tim can have
my tray!”
TL
Grow
she Will
in her off-white dress
in the country church
a few trees between
where she lived
with her parents and
two brothers
across the street from
her aunt and uncle’s house
through the woods
to her grandparents’ house
not far
from where she graduated
high school
and she could have been
a nurse anywhere
but she never thought about
leaving home
how could she
granny’s cooking Sunday supper
and her cousins are coming over
and Easter’s next weekend
and the baby’s almost here
and her daddy will be plowing
the field soon
like his daddy did
and something good Will grow
in the garden
so long as
you take the time
it takes
to walk the rows
pull the weeds
water the seed
and fix the fences
don’t forget to fix the fences
so the garden Will grow
do this daily
and you’ll never go
hungry
and chances are
you’ll be happy
TL