"Just Another Day"

texas hill country what a unique and beautiful place
its where our cabin in the woods is located
we searched and searched not finding it easily
the pin drop quiet ended when gypsy made her noise to go out at 6am
espresso at dawn with her on the cabin porch
another wonderful day on its way we love it
checking on progression of the swine flu on tv
checking things on my computer and ordering my espresso coffee from Vashon island
reading "Addiction" poem from david my writing friend in plano
checking daniels "Smogranch" youngest sons blog to see what he is up to
sometimes puts some of my writing on this blog yea
put bedspread 3 month old granddaughter Hadley
had an accident on back on my bed after washing
listened to "the times they are a-changin" by bob dylan
saved a cat that mistakenly got in gypsys fenced area
broke up a cat fight on their porch between to mother cats
deciding who was going to maintain access to the feeding dish
lucky brought her 4 kittens to to eat another mother boss bobtail objected
waiting to get big mowing weed eater out to see if it rains
will feed birds squirrels cats dog deer fox 2 neighbor dogs rabbits turkeys
and anything else that shows up here in the woods
but what makes this a really great day is seeing an indigo bunting and a blue bird
on the feeder just outside my kitchen window hallelujah
if nothing more happens around here this spring seeing these birds will do it
the hills are alive and well and so are we
we are glad we do not have to go in the car today
time to put a burger on the grill

" Swine Flu"

the bogeyman
is here
scaring us
in our fear

who to believe
what is true
to relieve
what to do

we will talk
too much
let it kill
not closing the gate

we never learn
afraid to do
will get burned
by this swine flu

"En masse"

don't fool yourself
the sick won't tell
swine flu on the loose
coming for you and me
oh say can you see
it won't let us be
no shots will do it
no vacine yet
a wild child
starting south
of the border
and it is coming
en masse in fear
to escape
bringing it with them
not knowing they
are infecting
their escape and ours
close the borders
or close your eyes

"Spring Fever"

rain awakening
the cabin
still dark
espresso
favorite day
since jan of 38
springtime
after so many
trickling drops
falling softly
finding life
honeysuckle blooms
red roses
hummingbirds
rock pile kittens
spring fever
spring flowers
spring peeper
wet birds
bugs under rocks
sunrise
mornings
old dog gypsy
on our porch
still together
writing thoughts
born in solitude
a rain claim
abundance of pleasure
our secret treasure

"Vortex"

the river meanders
moving you slowly
the way you are
not changing a thing
you walked away
to determine a path
to unhook the world
that held you
in its pattern so long
cutting equal squares
of monotony
arranged in rows
of bored sameness
you walked away
and its ok
some come to see
how it would be
alone in the vortex
in the river

"Still On Top"

do you glower
from your ivory tower
at each flower
flashing power

do you stoop
stay in the loop
out of the coop
so you don't droop

do you flail
over the mail
losing the trail
slow as a snail

are you a shaker
no kin to a quaker
son of a baker
fan of a laker

who are you
what do you do
give me a clue
something new

are you simple
have a pimple
wear a wimple
have a dimple

are you lazy
this is all hazy
much too mazy
driving me crazy

better stop
before I drop
or pop
still on top

"Hadley Jace"

joy to behold already bold
three month old girl
knowing what she wants
as happy as the sun
on a cloudless day
eyes knowing when they
identify mom and dad
knowing their voices
a tiny beautiful girl
crying for food
and absorbing the love
of those lucky enough
to get to hold her
returning it easily
with a smile
spoiled don't think so
too small for that
it comes later
grandmas job
a loving brother
bursting with pride
along side all who know her
Hadley Jace has entered the race
winning each and every heart
with perfect special grace

"Not If I Can Help It"

an old friend asked me
now that you are old
are you happy with your life so far
I said I wasn't sure
they asked if I was happy now
I said I think so
they asked what do you
still want to do
I said I didn't know for sure
they asked if I had
any regrets
I said I didn't think so
they asked if I had figured out
the real meaning of life
I said no
they asked me if grandchildren
were easier than your own kids
I said yes
they asked why I didn't
color my gray hair
I said why would I do that
they asked if I had had
any surgery
to make me look younger
I said no because
it would take too much
they said don't you know
gray hair and wrinkles
will make you look old
I said I am old
I asked them if they were afraid
to get old and if they thought
their lives would not be good
anymore if they had
gray hair and wrinkles
I asked them what they would lose
if they just let
nature take its course
I asked them why they can't
just be what they are
isn't it more important
to look after what you
look like on the inside
they asked if that is what
I had learned from life
I said I guess so
they asked if I wanted
to live to be one hundred
I said not if I
can help it

"Sassafras and Papaws with Dad"

sassafras and papaws
good memories you see
sweet as can be
from the wild
enchantment to the
mind of a child
dad and I
in grandpas woods
eating papaws
drinking sassafras
tea spawned from
an ohio springtime
along the river
just us just us
with the mosquitoes
and bees all visitors
on a warm afternoon
walking together
gathering tidbits of time
so special to
a nine year old daughter
she remembers them at her
writing desk as an old women
counting her blessings
because she has such
memories

"Too"

it is quiet
so quiet
under water
bubbles going up
out of your nose and mouth
bursting on the surface
what do they tell
who will hear
in no particular order

let the sun go
leave action alone
contemplate
draw deeply
skitter
work your line
post no bail
a scorpion sleeps
under a rock
in the dark
he has found
his place to park
be still and see
how the sun follows
itself so you can see

"Easter Grace"

we must determine
whether or not
we will walk
in the Lords footsteps
no one can force us
seek and ye shall find
only you can separate
yourself from Gods love
He has loved you
from your first breath
and sent His son
to save you
so the way is clear
open your heart and let his
light shine on the path
that leads to His love
Easter Grace shines its
heavenly light over all
if you do not yet
believe in Him
rest assured
He believes in you
Happy Easter

"Pattern in Lace"

I sit alone outside in the dark quiet night
the moon is rising behind the trees
in the woods outlining them
making them look like a pattern in lace
lace that would be found
decorating the neckline and cuffs of a dress
maybe a lace tablecloth
like the ones my grandmother had
I wonder if she sat alone
and watched the moon rise on a dark quiet night
I wish I had known her even a little
and watched a moon rise with her
then maybe I would understand
why she wore the lace on her dress
and dried her tears with that
same lace handkerchief
maybe then I would understand
about lace

"Showtime"

showtime sunday morning
countdown to the first
of three chuch services
the first for the old folks
quiet, not too much music
the second for their children
and a few of their older grandchildren
keep it under control
the third is for the teenagers
lots of rock and roll hymns
what it takes to get them there
the babies are in the nursery
so they don't disturb
the service well rehearsed
who is sick who died
who are they we don't know
a few well placed hymns
sung by all communion offering
hymnals replaced by movie screens
directing the production
like the theatre a play
but what is missing
we are so busy with the business
should not the family
go to church together
babies and all
separated the minute
they enter the sanctuary
like life separates them
religion has become big business
too much for one pastor
now many pastors
catering to the congregation
how can we get them to come
how about the joy of Jesus
a new building make it entertaining
keep it moving faster and faster
pull up the church website
a schedule to equal any
and a life history of the pastor
scratching his ego
what qualifies him to preach
where does God fit into all this
the hustle and bustle follows
the families through the church doors
looking for answers to quiet
their bruised souls and stressed out spirits
going through the motion
can we fill this church service
with families together
will the crying of a baby
really cause the curtain to come down
make a joyful noise unto the Lord

"Give me that Old Time Religion"

churches have merged
nicely into the new world
who has the most members
most popular minister
best part of town
and has been able
to adapt the bible
to the comfortable congregations
present day language
and lifestyle
tv has many churches as well
housing preachers who proclaim
their worth earned
by those who have
been swept up by their words
and believe them
and give money to them
make a pledge plant a seed
in return for their new book
pamphlets and promises
that tell them they will reap
rewards if they give
you can see by these showtime
ministers sitting in their
golden chairs expensive clothing
showing that they
have been given the promise
success measured still
by how many come who is most popular
living well on their donations
so much time spent on big business
strangers look at each other
sunday morning wondering who
they might meet as they plan
meetings of small groups
so they will not be looking at
stranges next sunday morning
the searchers searching
hoping God will forgive them
fearing their darkness
because they can't find their light
wondering but not asking
what is wrong
give me that old time religion
give me that old time religion
give me that old time religion
it's good enough for me

"Preacher Preacher"

preacher preacher
standing before me
quoting scriptures
with certainty
someones words
held in fallen
centuries of change
this tells me you know
the scriptures
tell me the rest
of the story
how to live
inside the fence
of the ten commandments
how to forgive
dastardly deeds
that tore at your soul
like cold hands
ringing out
a hot wet sponge
how to find your way
in a world
so far off track
it shakes from its depth
and devours its surface
show me how to
move the stone
and get back to the one
whose words you
so easily speak
denying the time
on the dim road of truth
tell me preacher
if you can

"Dogs Deserve better"

don't make me shoot your dogs
keep them home
keep them quiet
keep them
the noise late
goes beyond your gate
on others property
seals their fate
owners in fear
because they know
they don't know
how to live
in harmony
with their neighbors
so their dogs do their
suffering endlessly crying
barking at fearful shadows
with no one to comfort
lost animals in fear
left to make their own way
the people must not get caught
not knowing or admit to
the truth in the cries
of their trouble dogs
they no longer hear the barking
or see what is coming
change is coming
and it won't be stopped
dogs deserve better

"She Asked"

she asked
have you written anything today
no I said
I have not written anything today
actually I am thinking about taking
a break from writing a vacation
now I begin to feel guilty
because I haven't written
anything yet today
she ask how can you write
so much so fast
does it just come to you
from somewhere
I said yes
she said she likes the fact
that there is no punctuation
she said she can read it
so many different ways
and it can mean so many
different things
I told her punctuation
gets in my way when I write
that's what my sister Janice
said when I called her
to wish her a happy birthday
as she finds her way
through her seventies

"Downtown"

downtown
for the wealthy
just bought a loft
in an old warehouse
for 450 thousand
with a swimming pool
on the roof and
a view of the city
am able to walk anywhere
in this renewed area
of shops and restaurants
safe and sound
you can still buy
comfort and convenience
in downtown
your success the walls
that surround you
isolating you
from the reality
of what you will find
if you go just
across the tracts

"Lonely Cities Lonely People"

our cities are crying
where did they come from
why are they failing
where are they going
trapping the old and poor
their lives in anguish
losing themselves
in once nice neighborhoods
running around the loops
that just go around
and around and around
the smog crime noise clutter
no place to run
no way to run
when they can no longer
remember the dreams
that got them there
lost waiting waiting waiting
the lonely people
looking for purpose
in the shadows
of the walls of skyscrapers
because they did not know
the price they would pay
to live this way