You Taught Me How To Love
(for Heather)

you landed on my soul
with all the letters of your name
walked me to the moon and back
stirring my thoughts
you taught me love is eloquent
full of sweet imaginings         
a fine song muscling its melody
into my drifting heart  
I stepped out into life
danced 
and in you came
you showed me love has
no expiration date
it doesn't break
even with its imperfections

I flourish with you
stand higher than I've ever been
gladly we dance sing
keep our vigilance in focus
love's soft eyes lift us
all that's hard has been left behind
we grace the cryings together

we shape each embrace 
with a thank you
laugh when we dash
for afternoon ice cream
or to eat audacious cheeseburgers
you're the gentle light in my life
the summer air
a fancy fresh spring breeze
I believe
when we see the last drop of Earth
and up yonder we go
we'll continue to waltz
hand in hand
your bracelets around my heart
your beautiful soul warming my world
just like you do here

 

OLD

you landed on my soul
with the letters of your name
taught me love is eloquent
full of sweet imaginings       
and how to be brave and view the sky 
from a new angle 
I stepped out into life
danced and in you came
you showed me love
has no expiration date
it doesn't break
even with its imperfections

 

how to tunnel into my soul               
with the letters of your name             
that love is eloquent                          
full of sweet imaginings
to be brave and view the sky 
from a new angle 
I stepped out into life
danced and found you
you showed me love
has no expiration date
it doesn't break
even with its imperfections

I flourish with you
gladly we dance sing
keep our vigilance strong
soft eyes lift us
all that's hard has been left behind
we'll grace the cryings together

we shape each embrace 
with a thank you
laugh when we dash
for afternoon ice cream
you hold me like summer air
like a fresh spring breeze
I believe
when we see the last drop of Earth
and up yonder we go
we'll continue to waltz
hand in hand
your bracelets around
my heart
you   warming my world
just like you do here

 

 

Slugs, Snails And Puppy Dog Trails

snails and more snails. 
catch 'em.  hold 'em.
make 'em into cakes.
steam 'em.
freeze ‘em. plum delicious.
snail soup, crisp snail pies.

the puppy dog sniffed, played,
jumped.
nose to the snail.
he panted then bolted.
the slugs could care less.
they slumbered. laid still.
bored, the puppy
found his spot and pooped.
no one said a word.
grandma and grandpa
had to clean it up.

tomorrow my little rascal,
chapter two
said mom to her boy.
now go to sleep.

The Psychological Profile
of a Poet

some days I'm happy. on others sad.
I write about both.
my brain is dense and lush, should I have one,
that is, if you ask my old girlfriend.
I try to be an angel but I'm
simply an accident.
I love parties.  they're the finger food of life.
I go home and write poems about elongated
characters, fizzy moments and quiet eyes.
I don't know why I write.
I'm testing  my invisible, terrified self.
he's a bag of hot tricks.
I fit my poems into a rain proof bag.
they're piled high, raw, plastic
and ice cream soda sweet.
published a few.
I sip Courvoisier. am an abandoned comic.
I love dogs. who doesn't?
some mornings my soul creeps around my eyes
and covers me like the pure light of day.
I call myself a complex pimple,
a bit mad,
whose house has burned down,
who laughs obliquely hard,
who has a new girlfriend,
and who will dance for a kiss.

Ladder of Love

all the world's honey-laced ice cream
cannot match the sweet breeze that is you.
your single kiss splashes,
wanders through me,
magnifies the fresh fragrance of love.
its churnings, its beauty
cracks apart my walls,
opens my heart then seizes my soul.
your pretty face staring down.
how do you do it.
you're gentle like a morning mist,
a new discovery for me.
life's dirt and dust gone.
you're the lovely in my life,
my best friend,
the kindest person I know.

last night you asked the stars
to dance with us. they did.
they held us. caressed us. tickled us.
we penciled the face of love
into our sky dreams.
you teased me with your laughing eyes.
I wanted to sneak off with you
to anywhere, across the any ocean. 
so climb with me to the top of the world.
we'll grace the stars
on a ladder to a great love.

 

 

 

Ghostly Game

he did an airborne flip.
gave out an enormous groan.
then dangled, chuckled,
and puckered his lips
as flew about.
suddenly his fleshless head spun full circle.
he snapped at the crowd.
they screamed in one chorus.
dreaded his presence.
frenzied folks ran for the exits.
someone threw a slice of pizza at him.
others dialed 911.
some shrugged.
he landed on the lower deck railing
then onto a hot dog cart.
took time to mustard up a dog
before swooping into
the air conditioning duct.
flash photos showed nothing.

laughing courtside,
the players
were sure it was a light show.
true to form for the team owner,
who was a notable jokester.
then the ghastly ghost reappeared.
hung from the basketball hoop,
he took the ball.
dribbled.
dodged players.
the coach threw out a chair.
the team captain fainted.
the apparition made a three pointer.
the ref threw his hands up.
cried foul.
then swallowed his whistle.
security was nowhere to be found.

we didn't make the playoffs that year
but we headlined.
tourists poured in.
my wife and I give talks.
and the ghost, well,
fame seemed to be too much.
he moved on.

The Man In The Orange Vest

he always eats lunch on site.
is a family man
has built bridges, skyscrapers.
rigged aerial cables.
is unafraid.
on this day he leaned far.
the scaffold tilted.
always a bit of a daredevil,
he didn't wear his hard hat.
when he reached to tighten the rope.
he slipped. saw a flash.
then peaches and cream, warm soup,
mom, dad and summer lakeside swims.
the monkey bars,
his mother on a bench.
sweet times they were.
his first beautiful love,
flower vases full,
high school,
old friends.
marriage vows, the wedding cake
and nights on the backyard porch.
then darkness.

he lay in the dust.
the EMTs confirmed it.
his brandy flask was empty.
his widow was inconsolable.

 

Entrenched

electronic eyes,
traffic screeches,
congested drunken sneers,
cameras on each corner,
poverty, cold looks, the belt of humanity
beneath the urban sky.
now twenty two stories up,             
by a rooftop garden,
he relaxes away from the sharp sounds,
the busy whispers and jumping eyeballs.
here his vast breath finds peace.
he eats lunch alone.
likes it.
suddenly, as if it were war time,
a drone hovered.
buzzed like a nosy bird.
warbled. stared him in the face.
almost touched his cheek.
he snatched it.  twisted it.
then threw the mangled parts
over the roof top edge.

then a news chopper hovered.
what's it looking for? 
inside he went,
street side, into his car.

he parked by a lake,
far from spying cameras,
electronic battalions, aerial machines
keyboards, and other busy fibers of modern life.
dogged by no one or nothing,
he listened to songbirds.
viewed the commanding lilacs
in a nearby meadow.

hours passed.
relaxed and refreshed,
he returned to his car.
turned on his cell.
texted his wife.
switched on the GPS.
turned up the FM.
reset his Fitbit
and checked his email.
"ain't no way to escape
till I'm all dust," he says.