lemonade sunrise-
world awakens
under dew blanket

❈❈❈❈❈❈

bird songs-
wordless poems
of love

❈❈❈❈❈❈

EMPATHY

Trashcan light
Reveals man sleeping
Beneath naked woman
Made of stone.

❈❈❈❈❈❈

hydrangea
flaunts last flourish
of summer

❈❈❈❈❈❈

fireman
washes face
with snow

❈❈❈❈❈❈

WALKING THE DOG

The sweet smell of a woman
right here in the grass.
Ahh, another and another-

Stop pulling my chain
you silly twit.

She left promises of love
right here in the grass.
This way toward the meadow-

Again with the chain
you are insane.

❈❈❈❈❈❈

glistening
one pearl of water
on the screen

❈❈❈❈❈❈

forsythia-
explosion of yellow
atop spring snow

❈❈❈❈❈❈

TEMPEST

From the tropics she came
with a roar, dark and prolonged,
sketching herself with rain
playing her squally song
on roof-tops and windowpanes.

❈❈❈❈❈❈

puppy love
candy and a charm
on Valentines Day

❈❈❈❈❈❈

in one gulp
we have swigged down
a winter

❈❈❈❈❈❈

TIME

time stops-
if you stop
long enough
to hear it
passing

❈❈❈❈❈❈

carefully
selecting mate
a feral cat

❈❈❈❈❈❈

snowstorm
morning forecast
a hip ache

❈❈❈❈❈❈

THE TIPPING POINT

The state of things in play
evokes a time near reached
where the dreadfulness
we are running from
is no worse than the horror-
we are running to

❈❈❈❈❈❈

on ladies day
she tips generously
at the carwash

❈❈❈❈❈❈

snow captive
persistent garden waits
the pardon of spring

❈❈❈❈❈❈

ALONE

Inside a heart ache
Chilled to the bone
Struggle, no escape
Scared to be alone.

❈❈❈❈❈❈

spring-cleaning
basket of fetch-balls
can’t toss

❈❈❈❈❈❈

evening fog
steals the landscape
seagull witnesses

❈❈❈❈❈❈

THE BUFFET

Taste the whispers
Their truth is deeper
Than the screams.
Smell the silence
Embrace the odor
Of everything.

❈❈❈❈❈❈

Sun setting in west
gentle breeze blowing in tree
impatiens snag rays

❈❈❈❈❈❈

frost covering all
this morning, reminder of
winter yet to come

❈❈❈❈❈❈

GONE

The contour of loves gone
Are far more elusive than the
Stubborn shapes drawn
Of loves that never were.

❈❈❈❈❈❈

mild autumn breezes
flowers beginning to sing
summers siren song

❈❈❈❈❈❈

what pals we were then
flying June bugs on a string
boys at summers end

❈❈❈❈❈❈

MATERIAL

Memories-
good and bad
are the rich earth
in which art is born.

❈❈❈❈❈❈

summer-
throws out arms
with abandon

❈❈❈❈❈❈

mourning tea-
the fortuneteller
cleans glasses

❈❈❈❈❈❈

BE BRAVE

Summer love beware
hearts may stray by Fall.
Love lost but once flared
better than no love at all.

❈❈❈❈❈❈

reason
to be alone
ice storm

❈❈❈❈❈❈

small dog
pees on snow bank
cold walk

❈❈❈❈❈❈

PATH

From dearth of use
The path once walked
Embraces wonders lost
Awaiting return of you

❈❈❈❈❈❈

snow bank
radiant bright
car lights

❈❈❈❈❈❈

light snow
silently falling
plow scrapes

❈❈❈❈❈❈

QUESTION

A tree of lost loves
Grows in the wetlands
Of silence

Bearing poison fruit
For the soul
Of the romantic

Love asks of you
Once and once only
Live in the moment

❈❈❈❈❈❈

maple turns
little dog stops sniffs pees
on impatiens

❈❈❈❈❈❈

cardinal bathes
in terrace dish
a divine splash

❈❈❈❈❈❈

FASTBALL

The batter digs a solid ditch,
catcher decides on a pitch
batter squares - strike three.
Fastballs high are such a bitch.

❈❈❈❈❈❈

frostbitten
cherry trees once full
of blossoms

❈❈❈❈❈❈

what shape is our place
unseen companion on walks
brief glimpse in glances

❈❈❈❈❈❈

DRIFTER

Wondering Gods clutter land
Full of good starts and bad endings
A child of another where
Longing for my home.

❈❈❈❈❈❈

small dog walking
sturdy silver haired lady
braces for cold breeze

❈❈❈❈❈❈

harvest moon
rooster on the gate
quiet night

❈❈❈❈❈❈

$50 FORTUNE COOKIE

after evening tea-
the fortuneteller
cleans her glasses
riveted guests await
her erudite predictions
parsing every phrase,
word, and syllable
Looking for love, joy,
fame, and fortune in-

“Those who look west
will miss the sunrise.”

❈❈❈❈❈❈

autumn looms
cold rain gusty wind
dampens spirit

❈❈❈❈❈❈

harvest moon
sips from terrace dish
at summer end

❈❈❈❈❈❈

LINE DANCING

Watering her flowers
with her new device.
Cute as a ladybug
pumping and spraying
now once now twice.
Dancing on the line
between a moment poetic
and coveting a wife.

❈❈❈❈❈❈

nor’easter
cold air from regions north
announce autumn

❈❈❈❈❈❈

window north
spring and summer
arrive and go forth

❈❈❈❈❈❈

CRACKERS IN BED

Eating his crackers in bed
Thinking of chardonnays and reds
Puzzled by woodas and shouldas
He wished he had chosen Goudas
A top these crackers instead.

❈❈❈❈❈❈

greatest treason
not against governments
lies to people

❈❈❈❈❈❈

wind gust
shirt flies open
at mailbox

❈❈❈❈❈❈

NAUGHTY GIRL

No use she made
of young boys at all
except for the late-night
booty call.

❈❈❈❈❈❈

small fruit fly
looking for the pear
just ate

❈❈❈❈❈❈

vivid dream
conflict no resolution
rainy day nap

❈❈❈❈❈❈

TIMING

Your last lover entered the room
Silk shirt and a Stetson hat
Tight jeans ready to act
Heads turned eyes did moon
Dear lady-friend of mine
This would be a perfect time
To place your tender hand in mine.

❈❈❈❈❈❈

cannot decide
to be fat with no wrinkles
or skinny with them

❈❈❈❈❈❈

blue sky
oh to be a small fluffy
white cloud

❈❈❈❈❈❈

THUNDER IN THE EAST

Grackles evicted
Robins in the topiary
Crows shot up tulips
During prayer meeting
Catbirds had a
Visceral response
Doves pray for peace

❈❈❈❈❈❈

fall moving
winters gusting breath
will soon begin

❈❈❈❈❈❈

treason
committed against people
devil dance

❈❈❈❈❈❈

BARGAINING

Something’s wrong
I can feel it
Hiding inside a sunny day.

Trees burning,
People drowning
We’ve had our better days.

Ice is melting
Earth is shifting
Nature doesn’t love us anymore.

Crimes of diversion
By us, and our fathers
Bring shame to her planet.

What held it together
In good and bad weather,
Finished grieving and moved on.

She cleans another of many,
Good starts, with bad endings
Unless, we woo her love today.

❈❈❈❈❈❈

storm off shore
deciding to come or go
hunker down

❈❈❈❈❈❈

warming sun
woodpecker tapping
roof shingle

❈❈❈❈❈❈

HOME SWEET HOME

In this land to the bone
There are two kinds of folks
Quality ones who count and
Trashy ones who don’t.

Nothing we won’t forgive
Quality folks who count
Nothing we wont do to
Trashy ones who don’t.

❈❈❈❈❈❈

brown sparrow
breakfasting on scraps
lodged in deck

❈❈❈❈❈❈

snowbird
drinking from
terrace dish

❈❈❈❈❈❈

WARNING

A-Tisket a-Tasket
You wouldn’t get a-vaxit
Now your prideful ass-kit
Rests in a casket.

❈❈❈❈❈❈

willows turn
yellow to green
one spring day

❈❈❈❈❈❈

colorful
songbird in willow
spring mating

❈❈❈❈❈❈

WASP IN TERRACE DISH

She was struggling
Bound by the water
Soon to die
I fished her out
Laid her on the deck to dry
She flexed gossamer wings
Until she could fly
Days later, the same refrain
To her rescue again, I arrived
To prevent her repeated
Attempt at suicide

❈❈❈❈❈❈

napkins
taken from old car
picnic’s past

❈❈❈❈❈❈

blackberry creepers
with fragrant pallid blossoms
social distance

❈❈❈❈❈❈

ECHNOMICS

Pockets filled with stones
We sink in the same sad river
If at the end of a week of work
You can’t afford ten percent to
Church or charity, fifteen percent
Put away for a rainy day
And fashion a happy life on
The seventy five percent left over
Regardless of political opinion
There is nothing here for you.

❈❈❈❈❈❈

squirrel
foraging in oak
breakfast

❈❈❈❈❈❈

chilling rain
dark and gloomy day
fell asleep

❈❈❈❈❈❈

GUNPOWDER DREAMS

Tombstones pearly white
Heel toe plant the colors
Ore rolling hills out of sight
Gunpowder dreams gone a flutter
This for you my better brother

❈❈❈❈❈❈

phone rings
nap interrupted
dream lost

❈❈❈❈❈❈

man watches dog
terrace flowers wind dance
basement door closes

❈❈❈❈❈❈

THE OFFERING

Poor man gives a biscuit
Baker gives a loaf
God savors the biscuit
Devil gets the loaf

❈❈❈❈❈❈

spring perfume
locust trees in bloom
calming walk

❈❈❈❈❈❈

old moon
sees clearly in the
rear view

❈❈❈❈❈❈

ONE MOMENT

walk in the park
hand in hand town clock tolls
moment well played
on the harp of an angel
glorious performance

❈❈❈❈❈❈

turkeys
chasing man in van
blithe fall day

❈❈❈❈❈❈

four thirty a.m.
the gentle touch of her hand
we napped until eight

❈❈❈❈❈❈

THE QUESTION

Their love songs, sung
the stardust comes,
carrying the essence of life.
Could this be the one
to bring their child?

❈❈❈❈❈❈

sun setting
gentle breeze blowing in tree
impatiens snag rays

❈❈❈❈❈❈

pretty girl walking
young man throwing away trash
he never noticed

❈❈❈❈❈❈

NOT FORGOTTEN

Her love was easy
Like footsteps of a breeze.
My love was contraband
Like ragweed in the sand.
On a plain in my heart
The Lord not to be
Battles could have been.

❈❈❈❈❈❈

optimistic day
brightly shines a joyful sun
do something fun day

❈❈❈❈❈❈

blackbirds frolicking
selecting suitable mates
their nests soon to make

❈❈❈❈❈❈

SOFT LOVE

Love soft as a sweet potato sky
Three geese lumbering in formation
Eastward towards the sound.
I know enough about precious.
To bide here at this moment,
For longer than a while
When you write about it and you will
Don’t weigh it down
With metaphor and symbol.
Remember I was here
And I love you.

❈❈❈❈❈❈

tranquil dawn
gull banks against wind
quickly gone

❈❈❈❈❈❈

shadows longer
breezes wafting cooler
evening birds bathe

❈❈❈❈❈❈

ELSA

From the tropics she came
with a roar, dark and prolonged,
sketching herself with rain
playing her squally song
on roof-tops and windowpanes.

❈❈❈❈❈❈

dresser drawer pull
wobbly becoming unscrewed
find the screwdriver

❈❈❈❈❈❈

frost covering all
morning reminder
winter yet to come

❈❈❈❈❈❈

MIXED BAG

the position that
conservatism is set to
defend is the state of things
both good and awful
liberal best possible
state of things.

❈❈❈❈❈❈

the world struggles to
awaken from enthralment
time dances to night

❈❈❈❈❈❈

geese flying
along the tree tops
frost nibbles

❈❈❈❈❈❈

MEDOW OF TIME

Summer and fall fell in love
Winter, a sweet child cool and fair
Left home for a bluebird
With flowers in her hair
Unsheathed together
On the meadow of time
Spring and summer
Smelling the emotion
I knew you before
But when and where

❈❈❈❈❈❈

dark and gray
muted colors snow lingers
throw seeds to bird’s

❈❈❈❈❈❈

unlucky sperm knock
on equally hapless eggs
asking to be borne

❈❈❈❈❈❈

FIRST DAY OF AUTUMN

From this window north
I have watched summer
Arrive and go forth
Autumn flaunts some color
Promising days of wonder

❈❈❈❈❈❈

on the doves release
sympathetically we
dream of lasting peace

❈❈❈❈❈❈

shallows of
the mind birds chirp fish fracture
the surface for food

❈❈❈❈❈❈

UNFINISHED DREAM

Three dogs, frolicking
at the bottom of a steep hill.
Illuminated by a dim street light,
one brown, one black, one white.
A metaphor in the making for sure
of what remains obscure.

❈❈❈❈❈❈

clouds race in the sky
talking to the vale below
we are white with thirst

❈❈❈❈❈❈

woke this morning
hip hurting
snowstorm coming

❈❈❈❈❈❈

WONDER

In the catacombs of my mind
I taste the smell of you
Will linger here for a while
The sun warms my face.

❈❈❈❈❈❈

soccer ball
colorful reminder
of youth.

❈❈❈❈❈❈

in the yard
weed crusade rages
unwinnable war

❈❈❈❈❈❈

ONE FINE DAY

fresh morning coffee
dripping into carafe
from terrace dish
a chickadee gently drinks
new day awakening.

❈❈❈❈❈❈

cold january
meteor stripes night sky
bell rings afar

❈❈❈❈❈❈

boiling in a pot
jumbo shrimp for mom and pop
dipped in butter yum

❈❈❈❈❈❈

RAIN

If in your life it starts to rain
You could jump on a bus
Maybe even an airplane
As for me I prefer a quatrain.

❈❈❈❈❈❈

wild turkeys in yard
eight days after thanksgiving
can’t fault their timing

❈❈❈❈❈❈

terrace flowers
drooping from autumn rain
dismal gray day

❈❈❈❈❈❈

LAMENT OF A SHAGGER

The contour of loves gone
Are far more elusive than the
Stubborn shapes drawn
By loves that never were.

❈❈❈❈❈❈

close friend his knife
working calmly on a feast
mr. chopper and he

❈❈❈❈❈❈

what's for dinner
sausage and peppers with a
side of bright string beans

❈❈❈❈❈❈

BELIEVING IN TOMORROW

In the depth of winter,
I am buoyed by your spirit.
One lingering flower,
Determined to open
In a season of adversity.

❈❈❈❈❈❈

Haiku composed
with nature not listening
is it Haiku

❈❈❈❈❈❈

barbara’s garden
captive in snow awaiting
the pardon of spring

❈❈❈❈❈❈

THE NEXT LIFE

I decline a ridiculous request
You angrily suggest
In our next life I will recover
Keep in mind, my dear lover
The bargain is ‘til death do us part.
Should you find me, in your restart?
You will need again to woo me over.
A benefit, you will discover
In slivers of lives past reflection
I chance glimpse none of this one.

❈❈❈❈❈❈

new color
in a russet yard
crocus blooms

❈❈❈❈❈❈

like a bird she sang
stunningly in her school play
proud witness were we

❈❈❈❈❈❈

QUESTIONS OF DEATH

Somewhere in my mind
I know I have been stealing time
From the reaper silently summing.
Will I die for the person I was
Or the person I see coming?

❈❈❈❈❈❈

made golden by sun
clouds drifting past window
speak softly of springtime

❈❈❈❈❈❈

brisk spring day
garage door installer
takes screws from pocket

❈❈❈❈❈

BEAN BAG CHAIR

After Sixty years- please
Consider this sage advice
In conservation of dignity
Asses should never be
Beneath their knees.

❈❈❈❈❈❈

earthworms leave
small mounds of black dirt
spring aeration

❈❈❈❈❈❈

cardinal inserts red
to gray-brown
monotone terrace

❈❈❈❈❈❈

DUST DEVIL

Gently carrying Blossoms
From fruit trees plucked
Around her a dust devil-swirled
As she braced the crisp
Morning air.
She was an old wife
Not mine.
Silently she went her way
Me another.
In the moment
Some love was discovered.

❈❈❈❈❈❈

uncle skitter roams
round the ghettos of my mind
sweet gentle hobo

❈❈❈❈❈❈

in the crystallized
hollows of the mind
a vision of you

❈❈❈❈❈❈

GARBAGE MAN

Refuse man comes
leaving debris behind.
Wind scatters small
Bags and containers
Once proud holders
Of choice fruits, ripened.
Now discarded, all
Usefulness eclipsed.
Evoking loves forgotten.
Unseen drifters wafting
On the winds of time.

❈❈❈❈❈❈

walk along
a snow covered path north
please sweet louie shit

❈❈❈❈❈❈

stress is a mad dog
randomly biting in all
directions at once

❈❈❈❈❈❈

RIVER AND THE SEE

Bidding good buy
to her spring beginnings
River heads for the see.
Never to return
to where she came from
canyon walls rise above her
carved by ancient siblings.
An eagle soars above her
breakfast trout in its talons.
Eroding her rock-lined floor
part sun part stone
River becomes a share
of all, she washed over.
River will be the see.

❈❈❈❈❈❈

bad news today
whats-app out of date
how to go on

❈❈❈❈❈❈

daughter joy for life
imprinting with warm stare
that’s father there

❈❈❈❈❈❈

LOSING

When I lose -
and I do quite often
I start again
with added caution.
Dusted off
I count my blessings
But I never -
lose the lesson.

❈❈❈❈❈❈

small buds on the trees
forecasting the strength of spring
outside calling

❈❈❈❈❈❈

soon snowing
men attach blade to pickup
truck becomes snowplow

❈❈❈❈❈❈

PATRIOTIC FOX TROT

Uncle John, always carping,
Felt no need for stopping
At stoplights or signs
In the summer of 1949
Said he had no crave
Of any government faction
To tell him how to behave
At a traffic intersection.

❈❈❈❈❈❈

clubhouse door fastened
pandemic distress showing
charon awaiting

❈❈❈❈❈❈

spring
flower caddy
empty

❈❈❈❈❈❈

WINTER BREEZE

A slight breeze
From the west-north
Entice the willows
To dance in the nude
To a symphony
Of bird song

❈❈❈❈❈❈

sparrows
vibrantly bathing
terrace dish

❈❈❈❈❈❈

small dog barking
at small dog barking
ladies turn away

❈❈❈❈❈❈

RISK-REWARD

A wise man once said
Risk it all to be free.
If your anger be crimson-red
It will limit what you see.

❈❈❈❈❈❈

stay with me
until my last breath
covid 19

❈❈❈❈❈❈

forsythia
nature’s declaration
spring is here

❈❈❈❈❈❈

AMERICAN PUB

It’s someone’s fault
There is no doubt.
The beer, cold and stout
But the chips have no salt.

❈❈❈❈❈❈

are dreams disposed of
raging on the winds of time
dead bird feathers

❈❈❈❈❈❈

morning frost gone by
noon winter possesses dawn
spring emerging

❈❈❈❈❈❈

SAFE TO SAY

Though not in fashion
I would never regret
Even under a threat
Following my passion

❈❈❈❈❈❈
what shape is the wind
unseen companion on walks
brief glimpse in grasses

❈❈❈❈❈❈

after fifty years
asses should, certainly not
be below their knees

❈❈❈❈❈❈

ACCEPTANCE

Once we walked hand in hand
Two hearts beating as one,
But now you've gone and left me
And the love we had is done.
 
I thought we'd be forever,
But forever was too long,
Our love was just a moment,
Now it's time to move on.

❈❈❈❈❈❈

making the bed
one thing completed
fruitfully today

❈❈❈❈❈❈

an acorn necklace
contouring her native breasts
drifters gaze caught

❈❈❈❈❈❈

THE FIRE

I seized a dry stick—
When snapped, it made a click
I endeavored to use it as a wick
But sadly, it was woefully thick

❈❈❈❈❈❈

cold acerbic wind
man bundled in warm layers
shivering small dog

❈❈❈❈❈❈

winters day
on the border of
freezing rain

❈❈❈❈❈❈

WHAT’S SHAKEN?

Bacon in the Smokehouse
Becky left the door open.
Tommy gonna sneak a piece
Poppa gonna be so mad.

❈❈❈❈❈❈

spring child
gift of love
for life

❈❈❈❈❈❈

the season of lent
make a promise to yourself
keep it forty days

❈❈❈❈❈❈

PRACTICAL

At the door, he stood with candy
I would have chosen flowers.
I am not a girl so fancy
My boyfriend needs to cower.

❈❈❈❈❈❈

grocery shopping
forgot the coupons
shoppers faux pas

❈❈❈❈❈❈

february
valentine day shopping
candy for lovers

❈❈❈❈❈❈

UNASKED-FOR

From the time born
I have been alone.
From mother’s womb torn
Unwanted skin and bone.

❈❈❈❈❈❈

dog wets shrub
disapproving dog
barks anger

❈❈❈❈❈❈

suddenly
breath-to-breath we meet
covid19

❈❈❈❈❈❈

YESTERDAYS

In the catacombs’ of hearts
Storms from yesterday
Endanger today
Threatening tomorrow

❈❈❈❈❈❈

face in tree
moment of wonder
just timber

❈❈❈❈❈❈

small bird looking
for seeds on balcony
will fly should I rise

❈❈❈❈❈❈

GREED

Though greatly we try
the hungry cannot be fed.
It's not the will we lack
or ability, in fact-
the rich, we can’t satisfy.

❈❈❈❈❈❈

rider approaches
while alert to recognize
the unexpected

❈❈❈❈❈❈

hellos and goodbyes
we seem much better at those
than the space between

❈❈❈❈❈❈

THANKSGIVING

On the dusty road of my heart
I taste the love of all of you.
Tomorrow will be the after
Enjoy today for longer than a while.

❈❈❈❈❈❈

rooster on the gate
illuminates a calm night
harvest moon

❈❈❈❈❈❈

truth imposed
is not equivalent to
truth arrived at

❈❈❈❈❈❈

hot day the cold beer
crackled, slurped and swooshes to
life in a cold glass

❈❈❈❈❈❈

in the corridors
of a heart vainly seek
fragments of hope

❈❈❈❈❈❈

glasses await
atop doctors head
summer check-up

❈❈❈❈❈❈

keep eyes on the line
draw economically
eye hand together

❈❈❈❈❈❈

doctors waiting room
watched like ripening fruit by
the angel of death

MEMORIAL POEMS FOR DOROTHY

END MEMORIAL