Reassurance
an ageless
dance
we do
moment we appear
to the moment we disappear
the bundled baby
we say,
“you’re so beautiful”
the dying
we say,
“it’s okay … you can let go now …”
and the wind sweeps
leaves away
and the rain rolls down
ridges of bark
dispersed
even, uneven
and the butterflies
won’t be back
‘til spring
and the sun
won’t be back
‘til summer
and this is how
the story goes
for the young
for the old
so if you love
love now
while love is
TL
Submission
summer storms
are like fire in the night
flashes of youth
in the east
show the destruction
in the west
where the wind
spins the sand
a cyclone
of dust and debris
and just as sudden
the stillness
takes hold
and there looms the moon
smiling at the stars
between the sheet
of night
TL
Self
what would
you say
to yourself
if you knew
yourself
what would
you say
to yourself …
would it be
sticky sweet
or a bitter rind
would it be
light and airy
or a weighted stone
would it be
giving and kind
or eerily sublime
would it be
replete and replenished
or drained and dug
would it be
happy and whole
or a sad, sad soul
what would
you say
TL
Blades
many a morning
she sat on her narrow drive
and scooted along with a pair of scissors
conforming each blade
no wild weeds here
and in the fall
she’d gather dead leaves
and black bag ‘em
and carry ‘em across the street
lining them up just so
but some things could not be controlled
bike treads and hydrant dogs and solitary soles
would come and go
and if she were in her right mind
this day
those cars parked on her lawn
haphazard
would be towed
far, far away
TL
Cracked Porcelain
Roman
are the numerals
that tumble the face
round and round
a polished stone
gleaming like sun on snow
you throw it in the air
toss it in the deep
chunk it over the fence
cross the street
through a window
against the wall
under the stove
rolls to stop
and lays there
helpless
in the dark
TL
Infancy
yesterday …
she had no teeth
today …
she lost two
and so
tonight …
the good fairy
will wing against her window
and leave dust in her hair
ballet on her breath
and a token of truth
to temper the void
morning brings
TL
Blue Moon
she went about
the necessary
all that was expected
practice perfected
so while her body
moved in and out of doors
and the talk was small
ticks on the wall
up and down the sun
sliver to circle
stand here, turn there
switch on, switch off
take it out, put it there
prepare, purpose, plan
throw up your hands
let it fall
inside you know it all
doesn’t matter
anyway
long as
you know
you were here …
really here
once upon
a time
TL
Music
like a melody
deeper than sound
you don’t know why
just does
something inside
like all the records
you never heard before
all the notes you never knew
and it fills some part of you
some place you missed
long the way
and you know it now
as you walk away
TL
Sacred
be there no
possession
save the possession
of thyself
TL
The Desk
it was old
made of torn trees
and brushed amber
covered in scars
felt how deep
the mar
slid the drawers
open and closed
and saw
the inner workings
still intact
untouched by time
knew it mine
and emptied
my pockets
then and there
for there is
no price …
TL
After
happy
is all
anyone
is after
and we,
all of us,
have had
it
in some
shape
at some time
somewhere
and once
you’ve felt
it
it’s all
you want
out of this
this thing
we call
life
for happy
is all
anyone
is after
TL
Nobody
were always
with somebody
would you
know anybody
everybody says
they’re fine
everything’s fine
but everybody lies
on the street
the mailman with his wave
the mother with her buggy
the old man with his cane
the little boy with his eyes
the lady with her dog
the rich man with his money
the poor man with his pockets
the widow with her house
the out-lived with their hours
the short-lived with their moment
the white-collar with their gloves
the blue-collar with their hands
the neighbors with their smile
the crowd with their voice
the singers with their song
yeah, they all belong
TL
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