E-TAE-WON

diane and I went to Korea
in September of 1982
to do some christmas shopping
we took our tennis rackets
but of course it was winter there
with ice on the courts
we pulled on our ear lobes
all day and night
to prevent jet lag
and laughed all night
diane lost her key to the hotel safety deposit box
where she had put her shopping money
and they had to jackhammer it open
before we ate I checked my food and dianes
and got whatever had no garlic
canned figs with heavy cream for breakfast
free of the garlic I did not like
the people were friendly and helpful
we bartered for everything
and got cash on the black-market
we had to be in the hotel by midnight
when the city lights went out
according to marshal law
when we visited the DMZ
there were four of us on the bus
for the three hour bus ride
through no mans land
from Seoul to the DMZ
the young korean man who accompanied us
wanted us to be sure we told the americans
to keep their troups at the DMZ
and that the Koreans wanted an undivided country
many had family in north korea
it was a very interesting trip
the rest of the time we shopped
Seouls main shopping area
E-TAE-Won where we bargained for everything
we ordered all the eel skin items we could
and hand picked all that we bought
we flew back to Seattle with twenty korean toddlers
and a bag full of christmas gifts
the kids were being adopted by american families
don picked us up at LAX and we drove
to snowy big bear california
diane put a hot water bottle in my bed
it felt good on that cold snowy night
sleep came quickly full of visions of shopping
E-TAE-WON

Wishes and Dreams

I am dreaming of the way I felt
as a child on christmas morning
my sisters and I knew there would be
gifts under our christmas tree
we knew santa would come
we always put cookies and milk under the tree for him
and in the morning found them gone but for the crumbs
after the excitement of christmas eve we finally fell asleep
awakening early unable to curb our growing excitement
we gathered at the top of the stairs where at the right moment
janny and nedy and I were released
we came down the stairs with great anticipation
our eyes were filled with two huge gray and blue balls
that seemed to sparkle against the christmas lights
we were delighted and played with them all day
there were other gifts for everyone as well
but the best gifts of all
for these happy children
were that early in life they learned
that wishes and dreams can come true
gifts that have lasted us our lifetimes

Youths Secret

is youth
really wasted
on the young
it is hallowed
by the old
if not desperate
to remain young
standing on the hands
of the clock
pushing them back
trying to stop
father time
my mom always said
remember how it feels
to be young
that's the secret

Words On Sale

words are on sale
they have no
good arrangements
they use to be well written
and have staying power
continuing even when the author
who wrote them died
sometimes they did even better
they were cozy nestled together
on pages even chiseled in stone
however when shouted or whispered
or misspelled or mispronounced
they became confused
they sought forgotten silence
and were soon forgotten
if well spoken to suit the occasion
they linger alittle longer
listening to themselves
with the ears of all listeners
becoming wordy using
words of no value
sale rack words

Rock and Roll

the rock and roll marathon
is tomorrow in San Antonio
it has been going on here
for a few days
my neice Dr. Laura
sent me some requested medication
for a common ailment
it was a nice thing for her to do
I was anxious to get started
well get started I did
I should have know when
she used words like
work up to
slowly work up to
that I should do so
now let me point out
this is a small cabin
when I am at my desk writing I am
ten steps from the bathroom
in my tv chair 8 steps
at the kitchen sink 12 steps
all hell broke loose
with little warning
at 72 I don't move like
a spring chicken anymore
but spring I did
barely making it to the toilet
why did they put it back in the corner
my life has changed
I have moved my furniture
am keeping my path to the bathroom clear
the second my body issues a warning
I am on the move
am trying to figure how
I am going to leave the cabin ever again
should have known with words like
thorne, active path and fermentation process
on the medication I was in trouble
I think the sprinting exercise is good for me
Nick my doctor son
says 4 or 5 days a week 45 minutes exercise
how about 7-24 Nick?
if you can give your patients
the stuff Laura gave me
that rock and roll marathon
will be easy

Get It Right

never alone
sharing
helping
easy
hard
alone
+
another
together
get it right

Luckiest Person

every morning
I remind myself
I am
the luckiest person
in the world
pitch black darkness
found my sleep
now awakens me
the lacework of the trees
from the first light
is beginning
must not be missed
two red hibiscus blooms
bobbing in the breeze
just outside the kitchen window
bright beautiful cardinals
are busy at the feeders
it is quiet in the cabin
until Elvis sings
why can't everyday
be like Christmas

Reefraff

it is easier to be loved
than to love
the reefraff of years
for protection
shores up your heart
be careful
the original heart
floundering
lost in the rhythm
of the waves
that never stop
silenced only by
shores that allow
frosted time
love joy contentment
quiet souls
by the sounding sea

Where The White Morning Glories Grow

there is peace
there is time to reflect
there is time to dream
there is a cushion
to catch the fall
there is love to fill
the empty places
isn't it strange
we need the empty places
to find peace reflect and dream
where the white morning glories grow

Imagine

this morning I am in the Northwest Territories
standing on the shore of Great Slave Lake
with my husband drinking our last cup of coffee
we will go duck hunting today
our young indian guides
are doing last minute packing
preparing our small aluminum boats
for the trip to the duck blind
they will use satelite trackers
to keep on course across the big lake
have had a breakfast with the other hunters all men
and am in my hip boots and down jacket
my winchester 101 pidgeon grade 12 gauge shotgun
will make this long exciting trip
for the first hour it will be full speed
under the stars in the pitch black dark
I will position myself as low in the boat as I can
to stay out of the wind and stay warm
hope the guides know their stuff
you only survive minutes in the cold water
there is no swimming in hip boots
during the beautiful sunny day
we saw many ducks geese and other wildlife
we left with only ducks
geese mate for life
as soon as we got back to camp
we headed out to go fishing
imagine

Dust Gathers Everywhere

mom was asleep
when I walked into her bedroom
full of her lifetime
old things addressing the log walls
she liked it that way
when I reached out and touched her hand
her eyes opened slowly
showing her figuring out who I was
she smiled and squeezed my hand
I wondered when she got old
I never really noticed it until now
she said she had a story to tell me
so I should come close and sit down
she reminded me of the visions
that came to her over the years
and how they they leaked into her life in so many ways
she thought it was time she told me of some
one of which was going to be fulfilled soon
this is the story she told
years ago before my father died
she told me she had a vision of an american indian brave
standing on a hill not far away from her
it was evening and he was outlined
against the bright red summer sunset
his long flowing black hair had some feathers braided into it
he was wearing brown fringed buckskin pants and brown moccasins no shirt
he was young and she wondered who he was
she wondered what this meant
she was silent and watched
he turned towards her and reached out his hand
he wanted her to take it
he wanted her to go with him
she was afraid it might mean leaving her life behind
for some reason she wanted to go
but knew it was not yet the time
it was difficult to say no
but her husband was in poor health and needed her
the indian turned and walked away and the vision ended
a few years later he returned standing on the same hill
looking exactly the same but there were many indians with him
she still did not know the meaning of this
he again reached his hand out towards her and motioned for her to come
all the indians seemed to be waiting for her
she knew it was not yet time
she did not take his hand and they all walked away
she wondered if he would return
not long ago she saw him again in another vision
she was tumbling over and over in pink golden clouds
he was standing off to the side laughing as she tumbled by
she was laughing as well
then the vision changed and she was disappearing off in the distance
still in the clouds and he was gone
she knows she will finish her journey soon
and she and the indian will be on their way
he has been patient and so has she
she said it will be the beginning of her next life and she is looking forward to it
she had thought of these visions often and knew she would know when to take his hand
they will walk along a path next to a beautiful mountain stream
and perhaps meet a man with a horse a dog and a fly rod
she said she would not see the end of this vision
but that you would see the dust gather everywhere
she said when she took the indians hand
she would be young again


in a vision my mom had she saw where my father was after he died
he came to her walking down a path next to a beautiful mountain stream with a horse a dog and a fly rod
he said to her "our time apart for you will be years for me minutes"

Writ

just good and proper
right is right
perfectly positioned
left right?
the rite
words write
writ

Right Rite Write

46 Years

January 23 2005
he didn't die alone
Amy and Dan were with me
we stayed close
talking to him knowing
we were losing him
saying things like hang on
we love you
everything is going to be all right
as we watched his life quietly
slip away
ems tubes shocks too late too late
death took him to a hospital
in Del Ray Beach Florida
where we waited for the doctor
in the small gray dimly lighted room
where you wait for them
to come and tell you
what you already know
what has happened
it couldn't be
I said I wanted to see him
the doctor said maybe not
because he still had tubes and stuff
they used to try and save him in place
I said I wanted to see him
I wanted to be sure they were right
I wanted to see for myself
when I stepped into the small
cold room everything stopped
there he was so still
he would never move again
why wasn't he breathing
I walked to him and reached out
and touched his face
his cheek was so cold and hard
I thought he is not here
it was so cold in that room
even today as I write this
I can't stand to feel that cold
I get up and go to the hook
on the back of the bathroom door
that holds his favorite gray sweater
I still wear it to keep that cold away
rigormortis follows death telling the truth
to those left behind who need proof
after 46 years