drifting Earthward

 I love you, even though I have never met you, 

 never felt your tender cheek in my palm, 

never whisked away an errant tear that

 left a glistening trail as it's heft and gravity pulled it earthward. You are part of the tissue,

 part of the threads that wove my heart into this form.

 I'm so thankful for your life.

Stone City

  the buildings stand,

granite strong against the wind,

they seem to lean.

stately old ladies, 

edges slightly softened.

the wind does take its toll.

and rain,

and snow.

peaceful now they rest,

they have survived the bad times

the fire.

they scorn the youth,

the chrome and glass Mies Van Der Rohe nightmares, 

looming tall and ominous,

casting straight-edged shadows.

labeled modern.

and the tallest of the tall watches with a silent eye

and sways precariously in the wind.

and you would think that they would cower,

but, no.

proud and strong they stand,

granite strong

against the wind.

The Palms of your Hands

 I’m going to weave a cloth of light,
a cloth so fine,
so strong and soft. 
a cloth of light,
of kindness,
of gratitude,
of peace.

A cloth of love,
of laughter and tears,
of threads forged in my heart,
so tender and mighty.

And I will hand you a corner,
of which there are many,
one for each of you,
so that when we are all
connected by threads so strong, 
so light,
I will rest,
And my heart,
Will rest
in the palms of your hands.

I give thanks, for you.

The shopping trip

shopping...alone
l I was able to trace my sadness back to my early 'Mom' days going shopping with my kids who are all so filled with energy and laughter. Even though their absence in this activity happened slowly, over time, it now feels sudden to me at this advanced age. Sometimes I hear the sound of laughter that is elevated above the constant din, and I stop and my heart, illogically, quickens because my mind slides back into a dream, and I am lulled. The sound of their laughter, their voices, is what I miss the most, all the time, but in the grocery store, it, at times, is especially poignant, and sad, and just as they are right now, tears escape and slide down in rivulets from my eyes to catch in wrinkles that have formed like ruffled satin on my face.

side by side, hip to hip

…and in the darkness of our nights
       We gather,  one by one.
A fire is set and sheds it’s warmth
  And calls to us,
     To each of us.
Alone we come, and together,
                                  into the light
                                          and warmth.
    …and sitting side by side,
                       shoulder to shoulder,
  As if to hold each other up,
                   we share our tears
                                           and joy.

…and the darkness of our night becomes
             another thing.

   Shoulder to shoulder,
Hip to hip.
In the circle
  We become
                another thing.

…and the stories emerge,
One by one,
           and merge
                    and flow
                         and join
                                and shine.
Together.
Shoulder to shoulder to shoulder
Hip to hip.

to write the song.....

I sense it,

   treading lightly,

      poised on toes of dust.

Shadowed fingers

      reaching for my shoulder.

A charcoal sketch,

Sentient.

It is memory.

A squeeze, a pinch, a caress.

There to remind me, that all life

                                       is a ticking clock.

And each tick

A still life,

A memory.

societal ambiguity

my deep down heart is confused and bruised. the tenuous veil of civility that evidently hid a grinding, mean spirited cancer that weaves its tentacles throughout american society has fallen and we discover the real alien, the one who lives next door, or down the street, or across town, and whose goal has always been the de-struction of the illusive american dream. brotherhood, open, accepting arms, a place where anyone has the opportunity to succeed. illusion. delusion. illusory invention. designed to keep the natives appeased. the veil has fallen. it is exposed, and we of kind heart are gut punched.