Ink in the Blood Posts

Timeless

crack open

the round rind

and the rain spills out

sending the seed

South

where the sun

melts in your mouth

and the fields

are gutted

ready for rebirth

and the cattle is king

for a day

and the corn

for another

and the clouds are bleached

and the red clay

is baked

and rising

and the fish in the drink

are leaving a wake

and the stadiums are split

in four quarters

and a beauty queen

is crowned cream

and you can walk to church

if you want

and there’s the radio

dialed FM

and there’s the lift and fall

of shadow boxes

buried beneath

the bleach

TL

The Line

mortal eye

below

snagged

a morning

shadow

ever small and meek

soar contained

wing reposed

and body bowed

it stood alone

in perfect balance

long a lofty limb

where there

it held the line

not against

the wave of wind

but ever with

immersed

TL

Star

the tree

at the end

of the drive

had a halo of light

that shown each strand

of blinking bulb ever more

in the pitch ever more

in the shadow, height and width

and without a cord, without an outlet

this tree did shine

for drops of rain

need no line

TL

Love Song

the base

of beginning

may be covered

albeit forgotten

but no less

there

for a baby’s needs

are but basic

neath the shelter of trees

be it

food or drink

clean diapers

or sleep

or someone

to sing

a certain song

that will last

however

long

for when

the lullaby

is neigh

and the back

too stooped

to see stars

and the grass too brown

to be green

and the faucet too hard

to turn

there is

but the base

neath the shelter of trees

be it

food or drink

clean diapers

or sleep

or someone

to sing

a certain song

that will last

however

long

TL

History

the stories

of old

were bought

and sold

and taken

a……………………………………………………………..part

piece by piece

and put back how

forced or fell

depends on the puzzler

what dreams, what doubt

child or cynic

“man or mouse”

piece for piece

what’s left out

TL

Sent

in and out

of Grace

we go

and we

live

as if we

know

as if we

were

meant for

this

not for that

yet if

you’ve ever

heard

an infant cry

in sleep

and heard

how deep

the by and by

how hurt

the weep within

then you know

the longing

of the soul

from whence

you come

whence

you go

TL

Rainbows

under

crayon clouds

the grass

is always green

and the leaves

never leave

the trees

and the rose petals

never droop

and the sun

is never sad

and the water

is always blue

and the stick figures

have lollipop faces

and the random heart

always means

love

TL

 

Old

too late

if you wait

too long

TL

Waiting Room

and the clock

on the wall

folded its hands

and away in my mind

thought of a different time

and it still doesn’t make sense to me

and I’ve talked to God about it

seven to date

and it always starts with, why

my mortal mind needs answers

my soul needs none

and I thought about this

as we waited

from sun to moon

for the clock

on the wall

to unfold its hands

for the boy-man to walk down the hall

through the double doors

to tell us what we needed to hear

“she’s born”

TL

Seashell

when you

have outlived

your shell

left it

in the sand

would that

you sea

and begin

again

TL

Aside

mid the excess

the access

the possess

there is an aside

of which we long

and cannot find

at darken door

nor roaming room

for there is

no ware

better than the breeze

the rustle of leaves

the way of the water

the skin of a tree

the aimless insect

the rinse of rain

methinks it a shame

to go the day long

distant and wide

without this aside

TL

Here

have you ever

been aware

of where you are

and watched others

where they are

and they’re talking

and walking

and so alive

and so are you

and so are they

so much so

it seems …

TL

Grains

there are

watches in the drawer

and when I was young

I wore them all

tick, tick, tick

round and round

the carousel

but something happens

as you age

and somewhere

long the way

you put those watches away

and wake with the sun

and sleep by the moon

and smell the air

scent of the season

and take the time

to greet the day

and put it away

TL

Stray

why do you

whistle

when you know

he won’t come

even if he’s hungry

homeless

and hurt

why do you

whistle

as if he’ll come

TL

Wilderness

thought it was

a dog

run out

cross four lanes

like a shot

out of nowhere

but when the car ahead

hit the dog

and it fell to ground

saw it was

no dog at all

but a baby deer

lost its way

and there was

the hospital

just to the right

of the roadway

TL

Chopin

bring a key

an ivory key

that can open

all the locks

of all the doors

castle or cardboard

let it turn

hardened heart

to yearn

not for that

but for this

rise and fall

the procession

of us all

“Funeral March”

TL

Raindrop

sit by

the river

watch the water

whence it comes

whence it goes

over rock

and sand

past time

and place

puddle to brook

stream to sea

the water moves

endlessly

TL

Featherweights

little brown

birds

fight at the feeder

one, two

one, two

then away

to their corners

they wait

‘til the belted Blue Jay

takes off

then back to the ring

the little brown birds

bob and weave

and pay no mind

to the carrier Cardinal

or the white wing Dove

but the Jungle Cat,

who tiptoes on silent leaves

round the rooted tree,

is like a bell

that rings

“Fight Over!”

TL

Sacrifice

over your shoulder

what do you see

was it the way

it had to be

or did it have to be

that way

at all

was it hard

to see

what is hard

to miss

was it worth

the weight

how much

is too much

and if you could

bear it

would you bear it

sunk in soil

far from ray

would you lift it

this weight away

or would it be

too much

how much

is too much

TL

Endurance

the tea

is ever green

steeped in ancient herb

blended balance

for the beam

A to Z

come what may

sting of rain

or buzzing bee

heel to toe

don’t look down

just let it go

TL