ground began to shake
gale force wind picked up

trees snapped
roofs came off
hail fell size of baseballs

birds flew south early
street lights wouldn't work
a beautiful darkness came down
gaping holes opened in the ground
out of which fires belched flame
orange glow was first light that night

there was a flood
river that flows through town was ten feet out of its banks
bedroom mattress floated into the living room

gas mains blew
windows broke

I had a hangnail, but I felt fine

two joined, separated
a brother now one
and his brother's friend
a friend that loved
filled that emptiness
that hearth and home
could not mend
one fateful day
their ways crossed
to wayward wend

what tears run streaks
on your redded cheeks
why the furtive pulse
in your eyes it shows
so plain a plan
to bring him back
though a means to do
so sorely lack

Come, lets sit here on the sand
of this impoundment's shore.
The gulls and geese can be our band,
who could ask for any more ?

We'll set our chairs on water's edge
and in cool water dip our feet,
watch boats troll for catfish past the ledge
in, this the last of summer's heat.

As we recline on eastern side
the evening air so slowly cools;
sun's reflection from the water, wide
covers surface with rhinestone jewels.

A fog settles upon these shoulders
the cape that sweeps across the plains
the biting wind sings its wailing dirge
whose fingers pluck and scrape and snap

Once upon a breath so dreary
the banal landscape stripped away
a peril hunched in fitful slumber
morning promise not guaranteed

When golden shafts part the curtains
and birdsong fills the early air
a once dormant heart rises
thankful for a good cup of tea

Witch

I walked across the broken glass to be with you
My feet were torn to pieces
You looked at me and let out a laugh
Knowing you'd led me down the garden path

I ran across the burning embers to hold you
My skin was burnt and charred
You looked at me and kicked me hard
Knowing my heart would be forever scarred

A witch without a heart
A whore without feeling
A bitch to lead me on
After all those things for you I had done

I met a Japanese man
Poetry talking we did
Somber old Haiku

His wife sat silent in back
His vision made me see him
She wasn't there though

Flying to Australia
Seeing family again
She smiles her remarks

Rainbows with Golden Lining

You dwell in imagery
I, in an isolated museum
You come to whisk me away
You’ll find me behind
A newer
Golden creation

Like some smashing rainbow,
I will appear in the sky,
Some one will then say
Twas Loved.

Some day
They’ll question how and why,
I’d find my way
Striking gold to become
Shakingspeare!
Ah!
But not shaky
But to all humanity
Having become so lively

Cover me
like the scene descending
outside our windows
with a fresh start
with the cold beauty
of pure intent

Blanket me
with sparkling softness
Create me
the world, anew

Give me eyes
like this child's
wide with wonder
seeing
for the first time
this snow

.
watching ice cubes melt.
like our love
in a tumbler
...no, not love
but affection.
no, I mean
...you know!
where does it go?

once solid
now
melded
into background
fulfilling obligation,
function, duty

after time,
what's left?
tastess dilution?
tepid staleness?

thankfully,
the buzz
we love in big giant gulps,
remains

Untried dreams we now regret
( we'll do it later, just not yet )
Perhaps a message t'was not taken
led to another's poor heart breakin'

Had ink never flowed out of this pen
this poem would neither start nor end
maybe we'd sleep well at night
had we not begun to write

Untaken roads, choices not made
debts forgiven and repaid
a decision made or one we shirk
a word that does or doesn't work