In the Meadow by the Sea

In the meadow by the sea,

I wait, my love, only for thee.

The night doth bend the hours so 

sanity doth come and go 

as I wait to see your face, 

to see it's subtle strength and grace.

The wind, it whistles through the reed,

sounding out my desperate need.

And when the breaking day doth come,

you're the fire, you're the sun

that glistens as it beckons me

to the meadow by the sea.

I pretend
               the light slips
through the blinds
from the moon,
for he is friendlier
than the street-lamps,
and better for talking
to. Although tonight,
                         wide, tireless
eyes blink,
                    silent,
                                   shifting
downside-up in amniotic
bedding as they must have
turned all those moons ago,
                                                 away
from a mother's life-blood
cadence, discovering
a world of
                               their own.

Graduation Poem (2011)

The cordial sun doth greet the afternoon;

The clouds like barges roll along the breeze;

Across the walkway- pretty petals strewn;

Their green replacements trembling in the trees.

And on the pond a careful mother loon

Doth guide her chicklets round the shore with ease

Her mate- he follows, close behind, attune,

Lest foe or danger their dear young ones seize.

Although the chicks are delicate at best,

They learn how they should go about their way

And how to catch a fish and make a nest

So they can rest their heads at close of day.

I too, am in my home a meager guest,

For in my little nest, I cannot stay.

Wet wooden planks taste
good on the soles of my feet
as I
thump       thump 
        thump
my way to water's edge, musing

that God's favorite color
is green- vibrant life-
river water, river trees, the flash

before sunset,
              not unlike
the spark in your eye.

Our Father

I wish I could say
that everything I do is for
you, but it's not. It's like
I forgot how to love
you. You are so much more
than anything else
I could ever adore than anything
I could say to describe
the way you love
and are good
and hold
and forgive-

forgive me.

I Gather These Crumbs

I gather these crumbs-
your laughter’s reverberation
tossing your boy smile
over your shoulder
at me.

Your arm’s determination
snowballing the high arch,
missing your mark.
Your fleeting disclosure,
never foreseen.

I tuck them
in my pocket to drop
along my way,
my day- a trail
through the trees.

I Am Jazz (Nikki Giovanni)

I am jazz
I am smooth but not pop
I am cool but not contained
I run the soundtrack
Of your life


You enter me with dissonance
Then command a little rag


There may even be a prayer or two
Somewhere in there


I am jazz


When you are alone
I come to you
Giving you rhythm to work
And rhyme to care


I agree with pure jazz
I am safe for your dog
Cool for the cats
Salt in the pond
For your fish


You need me
Admit it
You need me