JUST BUSINESS

My meek and mild mother, who gave birth to me;
my solemn, sad father, who died needlessly.
I gave them both up: one to Life, one to Death,
and now I breathe freely my own bastard breath!

Think for yourself, trust the fall,
stir up the stigmas holding many backs to the wind,
life can't be exchanged on a shelf, one and only limited edition,
realize the reaper is around every single corner,
all directions we can see is rows of Douglas fir trees, honeybees, and the skyline,
the sun's rays prey upon the sense of the warmth for our very cause.

Oh hush now my baby and start into dreaming -
The day has expired and the stars fill the sky;
Your room is filled up with the moon’s brilliant beaming,
And angels have come to protect you and I.

From out in the field I hear crickets sing after
The sound of a coo from a sweet mourning dove;
They sing every night and live life full of laughter,
Because they have peace from the master above.

The distant barking of dogs
Perhaps only to fill the silence
But as one barks,
Another barks right back
This itself is beautiful

There's a cold wind blowing
Against my naked knee as I stand
Here with my head raised
My eyes toward the heavens
Taking in this view
Of a night full of stars

There's a screaming in my heart
A wailing I was never able to silence
Through these long and hard years
There's a lonesomeness in me
It has followed me like a shadow
All my life

The street I grew up on,
Memories of childhood linger on.
A house so small, yet so full of cheer,
It was a place I held so dear.

The street I grew up on,
Was filled with laughter, fun, and song.
My friends and I would play all day,
Riding bikes and running away.

The street I grew up on,
Had many of its secrets kept.
From the old gambler who lived down the way,
To the big oak tree in the park where we'd play.

Death no longer jars, nixes,
and rattles mine sense and sensibilities
without pride nor prejudice
no matter (even with marginal persuasion)
wit and wisdom of Jane Austen ill mixes
with what emotional state my poem fixes.

Father long since journeyed
into afterlife destination alone,
October 7th, 2020 mid afternoon
with Earthlings ministration did attone
where night enveloped
and date stamped
his lovely bones
rendered devoid of any groan
courtesy Roxanol (morphine)
and Ativan finding him prone

I love it when I get you sweetheart
All to myself;
To take a walk -
To sit and talk -
About our lives and health.

I love it when I take you sweetheart
Out for a ride;
To drive around -
To get unwound -
With just you by my side.

I know you are so busy
Slaving away;
You wash -
You mend -
You cook -
You tend -
And go to work each day.

I know you are an angel
Sent from above;
You serve -
You care -
You heal -
You share -
God’s precious gift of love.

I’ve been placed in detention today
For not paying attention in class
Teacher says it’s the price to be paid
But thank God my seats by the glass

‘What do I do, what do I do?’
In this classroom, all alone
I know what to do, admire the view
And with my thoughts, I’ll go with the flow

Not a cloud in the sky, but I do wonder why
When full of water they turn very dark
Because water is clear, even up in the sky
I’m not sure, so move on to the park

In night's depths, where empathy resides,
A burden so hard, heavy, caring hearts must bear,
They soothe the wounds, where tears and sorrow hide,
Angels in disguise, their love they share.
Ambassadors of peace, healers, carriers of goodluck.

Through sleepless nights, they lend a listening ear,
So much love given out, so much tears taken in
Absorbing pain, as if it were their own,
Their strength, a beacon in the darkest fear,
Angels feel too, though seldom they have shown.