At the light, a life-worn man
jostled his cardboard sign asking for a little help.
I handed him a five-dollar bill.

He smiled and said he liked my Star Wars t-shirt.
I thanked him for the compliment.
He thanked me for help with his next meal.

Before the light changed, he said,
“Maybe somewhere else we might be Jedi Knights.”
“Maybe.”, I replied, “Hopefully without Darth Vader around.”

A year ended, and started anew,
Here is its drawer I'm looking into.
Too bad memories I'm gonna forget,
Dreams and wishes, I'd rather reset.

Wars and troubles that stole my land,
Relationships I don't understand
Homeless kids, without identity,
Lost and found, with no integrity.
.
Thus, it's time to throw this junk,
And get me ready for a whopping chunk?

Nobody
Ever fathomed
The depth of my pain
My sorrow.
Even I didn't do that.
I just carried on.

It wasn't until
My two encounters with Bruce,
That I began to realize,
The depth of my sorrow,
My pain,
My suffering.

I let it fester,
Out of control,
And it was out there.

I didn't comprehend
The reach it had,
In my mind.
I just could not understand.

After the quartet:

As one long note, bowed to thinning silence,

We politely held applause, watched these magicians

Who flout all laws of natural science,

And float above our quiet adulation.

We got home, drawn of emotion, that such

Profound things as these could be given

To a silence that filled an empty hall before,

Then put the radio on, in the want of more.

We listened to Chopin and the rain as ever

Poured, in this neck of wood, strummed, lapping

Ceaseless - almost, then came perceived calm,

After the quartet:

As one long note, bowed to thinning silence,

We politely held applause, watched these magicians

Who flout all laws of natural science,

And float above our quiet adulation.

We got home, drawn of emotion, that such

Profound things as these could be given

To a silence that filled an empty hall before,

Then put the radio on, in the want of more.

We listened to Chopin and the rain as ever

Poured, in this neck of wood, strummed, lapping

Ceaseless - almost, then came perceived calm,

After the quartet:

As one long note, bowed to thinning silence,

We politely held applause, watched these magicians

Who flout all laws of natural science,

And float above our quiet adulation.

We got home, drawn of emotion, that such

Profound things as these could be given

To a silence that filled an empty hall before,

Then put the radio on, in the want of more.

We listened to Chopin and the rain as ever

Poured, in this neck of wood, strummed, lapping

Ceaseless - almost, then came perceived calm,

I was so scared
to give you a piece of myself

I didn't know what you would do with it.

would you use it?
steal it?
hurt it?

would I be left hollow
and unfulfilled?

you took me by surprise

you cherished
cared for it
housed it
watered it

in the end,
you still kept it for yourself

but you filled the empty space inside me
with a piece of you

Oh, let this sonnet fall on deafened ears
for rarely do I reap the words I sow
I've wandered, squandered, many youthful years
I've barely learned the simple things I know

That I have learned has been a thing of chance
Enigmas rule my sureties in life
A sailing man in winds of changing dance
A wonder I have settled with a wife

Oh, sorrow never seems to follow me
When she is happy, so becomes my own
But she will never share the rolling sea
These times, I do prefer to sail alone

finds me (a doggone muttering Homo sapien)
to give pause for reminiscences
and to take stock (sh lock and barrel)
about mein kampf in general
and previous three hundred
and sixty five days in particular
assessing some laudable accomplishments,
where inside my mind I beam radiance
envisioning an imaginary hit parade
supporting my local mummers
and married poppers
trumpeting like Dumbo the elephant,
yours truly decked out
donning red zoot suit
proud heterosexual with pride
to sport gay apparel,

My river flows
through mountains
of warm winter whites
amid exalted grays

sometimes I rush downward
sometimes I spill over
sometimes I just drift along
chasing wandering ways

My river flows
through valleys
of springtime, alive
with lavender blue

some days I run wild
some days I am tranquil
some days I mirror the sky
letting heaven fall through

My river flows
through oceans
of summer's grand green
deep within its teal bed