Enjoy

americans have more to enjoy life with
than others around the world
but enjoy it less
we are workholics
that think we need
very expensive lifestyles
always wanting more bigger better
it becomes larger than we are
because there is always something
that needs to be fixed or done
that we don't like to do
so we hire someone to do it
and because we can't cope with them
leave it all behind
and go on exotic vacations
to get away from what we work ourselves
to death for every week
because we want it all
it takes a lifetime of distress
to figure out work worry and stress
are not really what we want
we need to do everything slower
drink more wine be happy and laugh
be content with what nature gave us
and don't take ourselves so seriously
we need to forgive and forget
we need to love ourselves
before the society we are creating
becomes more and more impossible
and finally there is no place
to go to enjoy

" Study a Mirror "

my theory is this
if you don't go
see it for yourself
you have someone elses
opinion of it
we tend to read
accept and enjoy
the printed word
when it is agreeable
with our beliefs
we tend to think
if it is in print
it must be true
we are easy
if it doesn't effect
our lifestyle
we are for it
when we hunted
so many thought it terrible
and said so as they cut
another bite of steak
what would you eat
is you were starving
your intellectual
critical judgements
self serving superiority
in with the new
most popular trends
society dictating your path
young skinny cool
recreating yourself
like movie stars
who never play themselves
only reel life
see it for yourself
seal yourself
study a mirror

"Kite Strings"

rule breaker
cruel taker
oh look out
you may
think beyond
the end
of your
own nose
as it grows
selfish sniveler
simple snipe
terrified twit
wondering why
you don't fit
skimpy braker
lonely faker
heartbreaker
kite strings

"Tile"

down the aisle
single file
mile wide smile
in style
not in denial
not a trial
not vile
smiles pile
single file
down the aisle
tile

"Steering Wheel"

how can it be
I just can't see how
a little steering wheel
in my car
can take me so far

on the dashboard it waits
holding its horn to honk
at trouble near or far
for the twisting and turning
big heavy car

big job for a small wheel
no one will dispute
there is none other like it
it deserves a salute

we all remember well
are very first car
and the little steering wheel
that took us
so far

"Camera"

camera camera
shutter to think
where you have gone
can't be positive
only negative about
where you are going
you have developed
into the fast food
of photography
instant pictures
settling for french fries
instead of a baked potato
with everything on it
rolls no longer
moving slowly
through a dark body
click after click
grabbing instant light
creating wonder
what will I get
what did we see
my camera
and me

Stoplight

the small texas town was quiet
no cars had come by
it was a dark rainy night
the only sign of life was a stoplight
flashing its red yellow and green
the only evidence of what
once might have been
we wondered why it was there
where had the need for it gone
the light from the stoplight formed
red yellow and green raindrops
that disappeared like the town
on the dark wet streets
deserted by time
no place to stop
no place to wander
no place to go

"Remembering"

I am losing her
I heard it in her voice
when she called me tuesday
from half way across the country
I heard her struggle to put
thoughts and words together
trying to put a place or a time
on bits and pieces
she knew should fit
but didn't
her past threatened by the present
thoughts from here and there
and now and then swirling
unable to find order
unable to make sense
unable to remember
where they had gone
in time there will be only today
for her to deal with
how can you live without memories
why does this happen
the worst thing is
she knows she knows
and is doing what she can
we have shared our lives
sisters who bond with a common past
our parents long gone
now slowly quietly
her memories disappear
I don't want to lose her
what can I do
but sit and wait
as the tears come
remembering

"Believers"

Jesus
come and walk with me
as you have done so often
bring believers with you
a comfort for us misfits
we need to visit a sickness
of one who does not know you
they have searched so hard
for answers and found none
somehow they need to meet you
come walk with me into their hearts
heal them and set them free
they are waiting as are so many
so many who will never know you
one at a time we will call
one at a time you will answer
how can we let them go
how can we let them fall
believers

"Cool"

how hard would it be
to live like Jesus did
would it be possible
would the world reject you
considering you weird
He had few things
we consider necessary
would we consider
Him successful
by todays standards
the very reason
we need all these things
is because we have
separated ourselves
farther and farther
from His word
and shaped it to
self indulgent lifestyles
telling ourselves
its ok
the new today religion
bigger better
famous faster
cool

"Lost and Found"

I lost the world
and found myself
what in the world
do we worship
fame power money
what traps us
pride greed envy
Jesus has a book
His plan for you
is on the first page
what page are you on
the devils plan
stress illness frustration
always reaching always late
apologizing periods
filling your story
running fast lost
now old fingers
still losing their grip
why must it be this way
Jesus promises a new day
it starts with the heart
take His hand forgive forget
trust Him love Him
open His Book

"Hoi Polloi"

indulge all dreamers
know yourself well
rake the flickering embers
ride the tail of a comet
find keys to locked doors
know what feelings mean
don't be everyone else
be what you were meant to be
time stitches minutes like film
creating spinning connecting
city searchers country cameos
tinkering with their motives
dwellers dwelling fearfully
filling their dream space carelessly
tightening their frames like a corset
easily losing their grip
crippled from ordinary banal lives
tenderfoots on a twisted frontier
forever snared by the world
where are you
who are you
what do you want
daydreamer

"Being"

being in this moment
this was a morning to be
sitting on the cabin porch
the rain clouds were stacked
on the horizon like stairsteps
misty drops found your arm
the leaping frog woods was still
so quiet you could hear a pin drop
gypsy was on the porch next to me
mesmerized by our big calico cat
who was quietly sitting
on the end of a porch log
it was a stand off
the cat finally walked by gypsy
turned around and left
making her statement perfectly
the only sound we heard
was a dove landing in the feeding area
the stillness and quiet
worked its magic spell
until the north wind found a breeze
and brushed against our faces
and reminded us how lucky we were
to be here for this morning moment

"The Search fo Hadleys Antigue Highchair"

searching for Hadleys antique highchair
gave rise to interesting twists of fate
it took me to the local thrift shop
near bulverde on 281
no highchair but they told me of a thrift shop
in Blanco just down the road that might have one
went there and drove around and couldn't find it
and ended up lost at the coffee shop and ordered espresso and lemon
met an interesting young man who was also having coffee there
he improved a shoulder problem kayaking on the blanco river
sounded like a good idea to me
I thought it might be fun to get back on the water
and if it helped my shoulder all the better
I didn't remember much about the klepper kayak
we had years ago and would need to get informtion about them
I could get one my grandson Kody and I could use for fishing
went back to the cabin with no highchair for Hadley
my daughter Sarah called and I told her about it
later she called back and said her boss Jerromy
told her to tell me to try Craigs List on the computer
I did and the first thing under baby was my highchair
I called Ron the guy with the chair
and we set up a time for me to look it over
on my way I decided to stop at Target
and get some of my favorite raisin cinnamon bagels
when I pulled into their parking lot
right in front of me was a truck with a trailor
full of kayaks and people around
I drove over to them and motioned to a lady to come over
she owned Texas Paddle Sports and gave me her card
hummmmmmmmm? coincidence
then I went and picked up the antigue highchair
Ron and his wife had used it for their three boys
they told me sadly were all grown now
it needed to be reglued so the next day
I took it to the furniture refinishing shop
it will be ready in three weeks
so the search for Hadleys antique highchair was over
and I was looking at kayaks
like piano keys following the notes
playing the unknown tunes of chance
my life took an unexpected turn in the road
looking for Hadleys antique highchair

"Hadley and Gypsy"

gypsy is my old hunting dog
she has been with me for years
Hadley is my six month old granddaughter
who comes for a visit now and then
a strange thing occured
gypsy spent the first two years of her life
in a kennel and on a hunting dog string
in Colorado to escape the texas heat
a string is a chain hunting dogs are hooked on
while they wait their turn to be trained
they already know how to hunt
they just need a few adjustments
she never had puppies
we found her when she was two years old
she is now eleven and spends her days
inside the cabin on her highway 281 red leather chair
sleeping off a squirrel or cat chase
Hadley came to the cabin for the first overnight stay
gypsy knew she was coming as I prepared the cabin
for this fast moving little girl
she is a good baby with a smile for everyone
here is what happened
gypsy was asleep on her chair
Hadley was crawling around on the floor
everytime I walk away from her left her alone
gypsy would get up and go over to her
sniff her and sit down next to her
she was watching over Hadley
when Sheri Hadleys mom came we checked this out
we walked away from Hadley and sure enough
gypsy got up and went to sit with Hadley
as soon as we returned
gypsy went back to sleep on her chair
somewhere in this old hunting dogs mind
motherhood found its place

"Rain at last"

rain at last
red radar
came fast
near and far

changing days
airtight
wet plays
what a sight

for today
more drops
on the way
weather tops

burn ban out
100 heat
losing clout
finally beat

two year drought
stomped by storms
down and out
wet reforms

"What Time Is It?"

is it time
to make another rhyme
look at the clock
is it time
is that what tells you
what to do
I have been reading
what I wrote
a long time ago
I like to think about it
and what at the time I wrote it
told me it was time
I think I am smarter
than what I write
I am not sure
time will tell

Jimena

another hurricane
where will it go
to put on its show
radar is tracking its twirls
in the baja curls
like a baton twirls
some last and some fizzle
but all bring wind rain and drizzle
and if they come your way
don't make your day
each on its own track
does not look back
landing with force
staying on course
the eye watching and wanting
chewing with force
the helpless land holding its prey
floods and folly it reaps
promises it keeps and then it sleeps
declared a remnant by the weather guy
Jimena closed its eye
and said goodby

Crooked Day

it was the start of a crooked day
things were going to get in the way
a hummingbird came with a headache
from fighting over a feeder
a dove flew into a window
breaking its neck
a chilling killing wreck
a cat was up a tree
not a good place to be
a toad came out to drink
to close to a cat we think
feral kittens arrived hidden
their location to us forbidden
chickadees have no bath
because of bees in their path
blue jays showed their brass
throwing food into the grass
the deer ate our flowers
neighbor dogs barked all night
as we stopped a cat fight
the early morning was hot
but its what we got
I drank my espresso
with my arm around
my old hunting dog
as we sat and watched
a white feather headed
male cardinal came to eat
a new view its true
looking for blue
we have no clue
it was a crooked day
stuff got in the way
that's all we can say