" Leave Me Alone"

the gate will be closed
the lights off
the door locked
the shades drawn
the computer off
the dog asleep
the cats silent
dead phone batteries
the wind is quiet
the woods is still
the sky is rumbling
tattered and tumbling
aliens are coming
fumbling and stumbling
my world in crumbling
topping for my salad
of starts and finishes
let the aliens dimise
who was wise
lost in my cries and tone
life in a cone stone
left by a drone
leave me alone

"A White Flower in the Dark"

I am the tiny white flower
in the black endless darkness
framed by the bright white light
will I make a difference
to anything
may I be presumptuous
and say that I matter
I am matter
how can I not matter
as a matter of fact
there are those who matter
like the tiny bright white stars
matter to the dark night sky
holding on to each other
because they need to be needed
by this tiny white flower
in the black endless darkness
of her white frame

"What do you know"

the wind whispers
where are you going
what do you want

have you found
a single answer
for sure

your search is still

those about you
wander without rhyme
in the stillness of time

the silent seeds
buried deep
begin their growth

far from wandering eyes
revealing all
we need to know

"Pumpkin Sunrise"

the last days of 2008
it's a cold pumpkin sunrise
the blackness of the woods
lingers in the orange light
we hold our hot cup of espresso
close to feel the warmth
as we merge with the first rays
of a new day on the cabin porch
another year has gone by
we will see 71 soon
our mind scanning the years
we wander in a cloudless sky
perpetuated by the storms
that created our journey
dancing to the weathered song
beside the chance of circumstance
a leaf in the wind falling floating
finding the shore resting at last
where we happily stay inside the pumpkin
and watch the sunrise

"A Christmas Wish"

Goodness is rare someone does care
Larry and Charlotte have given
to many beyond compare
big or small it matters not
their gifts are not measured
just treasured care and time
waves of blessings floating away
into space continuing to spread
their message over the world
making it a better place
a never ending journey
goodness never dies
Jesus lives in their hearts
His message strong directs them
His footsteps they follow
from Him they saw how to live
a Christmas wish for you
continued good health and peace
as we celebrate the greatest giver
may His blessings hold you
safely in His grace
God bless you and your family

"Baby Jesus"

follow the star
come all ye faithful
joy to the world on high
a savior is born
in a manger in a small town
called Bethlehem
angels were watching over them
shepherds and kings came
He will change the world
and be known to all
still still still
a baby is born
He will live to show us how
He will die to save us
His name is Jesus

"Feliz Navidad"

decorations of red on a green Christmas tree
it's beginning to look alot like Christmas
better watch out Santa Claus is coming to town
Rudolph the red-nosed raindeer will be leading the way
button up your overcoat baby it's cold outside
all I want for Christmas
is an electric rock and roll guitar
we will rock around the Christmas tree
and try not to have a blue Christmas
with out you the most wonderful time of the year
let it snow let it snow let it snow
so Frosty can come home for the holidays
through the foggy air with the most
famous raindeer of all
the candle is in the window
I'll be home sweet home for a holly jolly Christmas
because we need alittle Christmas
I'm dreaming of a white Christmas as
the little drummer boy calls us
from Christmas island where dreams come true
I wish everyday was like Christmas
although its been said many times many ways
Merry Christmas to You
Feliz Navidad

"Texas Snow 2008"

the texas snow
came quietly in the dim light
it was 81 degrees at noon
and snowing at midnight
the changes came fast
with a cold blast
at 3am Gypsy and I
went out to see
a picture to be
snow on the metal roof
gave us proof
its beauty is quiet
and we did try it
our hand cold as a snowball
flew and did fall
this snow was not done
for Houston it was fun
childrens angels under the sun
a rare visit from a lovely guest
showing us its best
dripping icicles melting quietly
white moonlight on white flakes
tracts in the morning snow
in its white magical glow
what a show

"Husband Goodby""

the spin of the dial
a life with trial
sadness and grief
then relief
fixing suffering and pain
was your aim
you served him well
as all could tell
then the farewell bell
tolling the end
of times you did spend
sorry to hear he had died
how hard he tried
God Bless you Jeanne McKay
you made bright each day
remember the good
with God in life
with God in death
winning in all ways
husband goodby
for you we cry

"A Poem a Poet"

a poem a poet
writers of trance
framed to show it
in their own stance

thinking in lines
short from the start
words of all kinds
horse before cart

poems spew
oozing and gushing
words that are new
with no rushing

come what may
all poets know
to write each day
lines in a row

chitter and chatter
is what we do
it does not matter
when we are threw

write just one more
on this day
don't keep score
all you can say

tickle your fancy
be daring today
write something chancy
throw caution away

poets are artists
painting words in ryhme
hanging their discs
on the hands of time

"Lonely City Christmas"

it's christmas in the cities
dusk finds them as the lamplighters come
leaving the gaslights flickering
on these lonely people caught by nets
with no way out their loneliness floating
in a river of tears finding its way to
unfulfilled hopes and dreams
photographed by the flash of empty tv screens
alone with their quiet doubts
am I enough or do I need to surf the net
to find more to fill my hourglass as the sand
falls spinning around the satelite
that sends the world to me
and Judy Garland sings telling you
to have yourself a merry little Christmas now
and next year your troubles will be far away
a twitching cat sleeps dreaming of a life it never had
Bing Crosby sings I'll be home for Christmas
if only in my dreams
slowly silently their loneliness is absorbed by
their fathers old cloth handkerchief
they are the old metal rollerskates
the key screwed tight to their spaulding saddle shoes
if they fall they will skin their knees
they cannot see the bottom of the hill
but will start down it anyway
a childs childhood caught in rerun memories
tinsel still on the christmas tree as the needles fall
catching them as they hear the cities call
merry christmas to all

"Flash Gordon"

for some reason the other day
while thinking about things on the porch
my mind started returning to the past
I decided to try to remember the very first
thing I could really remember
being seventy years old
it is difficult to find the beginning
I searched the pictures in my mind
and as far back as I could remember
was Flash Gordon my first space guy
now, you might ask how is this
and I would have to tell you
that back when the first tvs came out
probably somewhere in the late forties
my dad, who was a Chrysler dealer
made a deal which included one
it was a big day when my family
found out we were to get a tv
we gathered around the day it arrived
a big console, a three speed record player,
we had no records
an am-fm radio and a pretty big black and white
tv screen flat on the top and rounded on the sides
the two doors that covered the front
had two lion heads with brass
rings through their noses
I was impressed beyond belief
I suppose we had an antenna on the house
I don't remember that but after it was hooked up
and the big moment arrived
my dad turned it on and who should appear
but Flash Gordon in his spandex space like jump suit
with a belt that looked like a wrestlers champion belt
his space ships looked like the drainage pipes
they use to move water under the roads
with a top on them that looked like the tin hat
the tin man wore in the Wizard of Oz
to me it was an amazing miracle, a moving pictue
in our living room for the first time
I was spellbound knowing now because
my mind moves in pictures
like when you pull the handle down on a slot machine
the other thing I remember is the rug my mom
had in our living room which did not cover
the entire surface of the floor
it had a big butterfly on each corner
I thought it was beautiful
it held our brown horsehair sofa and chair
my sisters and I grew up here in the two bedroom
house with one bathroom with a tub no shower
our fox terrier dog slept on the bed
this was the best house in the world to me
and now we had a tv with Flash Gordon
how could it ever get any better

"Happy Birthday Nick"

the snow was blowing forming deep drifts
as it settled quietly where assigned
it was a cold wintery day in northern Indiana
it was St. Nicholas Day, December 6th, 1962
my husband John and I were anticipating
the birth of our first child
I wondered as I waited whether
the baby would be a boy or a girl
it didn't really matter, just be OK
as things progressed, we decided to
warm up the four wheel drive car
and make our way to McCray Hospital
in our small town of Kendallville
it was a snowy slippery trip
the hospital was being remodeled
and it was cold in the hallways where
I walked waiting for Nick
my good friend, a nurse, Norma Robinson
was to be present at this event
just because I wanted her to be there
Dr. Bryan, my doctor knew better
than to argue with me
things did not go as well as we wanted
the hipnosis I had trained so hard for
fell by the way when we discovered
Nick was in a bad position
his elbow was the first thing out
perhaps this was foreshadowing
the ether I was given got to Nick
it hit him hard, so Dr Bryan ask
Norma who was looking out for us
to immediately put him in a rock-a-bed
an incubator that rocks
babies to keep them breathing
I did not get to see Nick right away
however, when I did he was amazing
perfect in every way, toes, fingers
arms and legs, eyes, nose, mouth,
penis and testicles amid the bruises
made by the forceps that helped guide him
into his cold new wintery world
I ask them to bring him to me
whenever he cried no matter how soon
it was after I just nursed him
I had problems with the feeding and a nurse
kindly showed me how to do it
and told me to ask that they did not
give him a bottle, except for water
the grandparents showed up fast
excited to see the new baby
my mother said he looked like a prince
after a week at the hospital
John came and took us to our West Avenue home
we were grateful Nick was OK
it was a difficult time for both of us
but wait, perhaps just as difficult for papa John
who locked himself out of the house
and had to put a garbage can lid through
a double pane kitchen window
scaring the dog nearly to death
this story made it into Grandfather Cliffs
column, Lines and Angles
in the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette newspaper
now we were truely a family
what we had hoped and planned for was beginning
what a ride this would be
Happy Birthday Nick

"The Filter""

what our eyes see
is in color
film sees black and white
colored photography ok
or black and white
imagination photography
color makes it easier
to see the total picture
not as much to figure out
black and white
tells us so much more
by doing so much less
we see life in color
everyday on display
take it away and what falls
into take its place
is the real story
like playing in the sand
when you feel something and
start to brush the sand away
to see what is underneath
our eyes give us color
black and white film
brushes it away
color is comfortable but it
conceals as it distracts
us from searching our
imagination to determine what
we actually see
pretty red dress
pretty dress
what color is the dress
perhaps lazy eyes are
too busy to want to work
to see a complex image
influenced by someone else
free falling photographer
can't you catch what you want
for yourself which would
satisfy the pallet
of all those who have
found the filter

The Library

picture a big dictionary
on a large wooden stand
at a big city library
alone in the dark
after the people have gone
the words on the pages
begin to rock and roll
they swirl up in the air
like a south texas tornado
finding the crack in the roof
at the edge of the skylight
they escape into the night sky
into the maps of stars
winding their way
around in space
aliens hear them
and write such as this
earthlings how is it
you let so many words
wander here and there
keep them at home
write about
your beautiful planet
sort out the right words
to show you how
to live in peace
with good health
listen to the message
from the library
grab some words
wish for peace on earth
goodwill towards all
there is a way
when we can see
moving in the words
of the night
at the library