1955

class reunion
the dress
too small
for 2010


another look
time reflects
reality
paved to gravel


unless
diet
exercise
miracle


time flies
sneeky aging
where have
I gone


gray hair
bulges
glasses
hearing aid


I will walk
my dog
when the coffee
kicks in


when life
kicks in
1955
who knew

Trouble

has anyone noticed
there are no more rainbows
since the Antichrist arrived
saying and doing whatever it takes
to cover the truth of what he does
talk abounds with no results
the earth shakes and rumbles
destroying itself from within
just like us
we will need what it takes
to survive in the rubble
of trouble
perhaps we already are
the false Christ the false people
build your boat

Gladly Living

the joy we share
as we tarry there
a special time
just for you
no computer phone or tv
alone with you
getting my heart
in the right place
to feel your peace
knowing you go
with me each day
along the way
just to be sure
all will be ok
we wait each day
for your footsteps
on the path we made for you
through the woods
gladly giving
gladly living

Chupacabra

who what where
wolf coyote fox dog
no one knows for sure
what is it
where did it come from
the ugly chupacabra
shot in a barn
near a small texas town
another in a field
no rhyme nor reason
you can plainly see
for this creature to be

Catch Me If You Can

today is not the day
to write about blessings
can't seem to find a line up
that makes sense to me
saying what I want
to the right tune
write delete
write delete
ho hum
like me
trying to write
about blessings
as they dance around me
like words falling down
crooked steps
calling out catch me
if you can

The Rest of My Life

1944
small town in norhern ohio
the room is cold outside the snow is falling
sisters in the other bed nearby are asleep
a little girl sits propped up on two pillows
because she is struggling to breath
she has been scratched and injected revealing allergies
and has been told she has asthma
her lungs feel like they are full of glue
breathing is so difficult she is frightened
guilt trickles into her thoughts in the quiet morning
because of this the family gave up their only pet Butch the cat
he was saddly taken to grandmothers farm
special covers for her bed and oil mopped floors followed
removing and protecting from the terrible house dust
mom sat her on top of the wooden painted white chest
brown coffee like powder fizzled smoked and burned as it sat
in the small saucer next to her in the closed up bathroom
where she sat alone inhaling the smoke to help her breath
no running and playing for her today just another trip
to the doctors office where the two allergy shots a week had begun
the serum came in the mail in a small brown box
from the doctor in the city where her mom and dad had taken her
as the injections progressed they became more and more painful
mom bought her a small pink music box bribing her to behave
and let the doctor give her the shot
sometimes she was screaming on her back on the floor of his office
of shinny metal and the smell of ether
this is the same doctor that came to the house
when this child was sick in her teenage years
he announced to her family she had to go to the hospital
to have an appendectomy
he said do you want to go with me or wait for your parents
I went with him
this is the child of 10 who was dropped off at the dentists office
crying as she walked up the old wooden steps of the old building
to his office where he drilled with the old rough drill and no anesthetic
because I wasn't taking care of my teeth and he thought this would
motivate me to do better he was right
the small statue patients got when finish wasn't enough
to remove the dread that would accompany me to the dentist
for the rest of my life

Who Shaved Soccer?

mysteries come and go
some we figure out
some we don't
soccer a big long haired
black and white cat
showed up here
a few weeks ago
I tried to scare him off
by shooting my beebee gun
near him
didn't work
he liked it here
with my 11 feral cats
good company
didn't know where he came from
he slithered and slunked his way
into an accepted place
on the cat porch
spraying everything in his path
we admired his determination
and stopped shooting at him
well, a few days ago
he showed up shaved
looking good
at first we thought
we had yet another cat
but decided he is
a member of atleast two households
ours and the one that shaved him
feral cats are amazing
they find a way
to get what they want
and survive

Alex

Alex came early wobbling its way
into the gulf of mexico
from warm southern waters
it went right left right again
and finally left making landfall
100 miles south of brownsville texas
its 100+ mile an hour winds
only reached 60 miles
so brownsville was spared
just lots of rain
some saw small tornados
we got four inches of rain
on and off for a few days
we needed it
typical texas weather
always wanting for something
thanks Alex

Ironman

the ironman competion
a race ride
on destinies wagon
puppets on strings
of strength and desire
wanting to finish
wanting to win
the possible impossible
race of the mind
body and soul
mustering more strength
from a secret source
deep within over and over
to survive
overcoming agony
maximally
swimming biking running
reaching for the stars
and finding them
the ironman

Black Sand

troubled trembling tears
etch the black volcanic sand
fire ashes gone cold
the breath of life
whispering for the surf
to send its waves
to cover the lopsided
axis lines and angles
designing motion
moon pulling destiny
liaison to what lies beyond
the suns searching strands
weaving wantonly
chased by wind swept clouds
sacredly selecting
the path of life
in the black sand