Hometown Music

Coffee morning foyer
He sits with his guitar
A melody in heartstrings
Played at the breakfast bar

They bring him extra Java
To try to keep him there
And hope that soul-felt music
Keeps floating on the air

He never spoke a sentence
More than a couple words
But all the local patrons
Enjoyed the things they heard

I never once approached him
I never learned his name
Until the day the reaper
Had filed another claim

And now the shop seems empty
Though still I think I hear
Somewhere he must be playing
Among angelic ears.

Gelatin Dessert

Gelatin plate with sweetened berries
Mixed with toppings made of cream
Molded in a shape that's merry
Halfway twixt a dinner's dream

Though the tasty treats are many
That a connoisseur could name
I am doubtful you'll find any
With a texture quite the same!

Dancer

Glittering in silver black
Flying o'er the stage
Heels resounding
Music, wild and living,
Stirs the heart to answer
As the enemy's defeated
And our ears and eyes are treated
To the sight.
Virtue wins and love is rescued
Crumbling answers are rejected;
That which grows and breathes unpoisoned
Is now free to feed on light
And in this,
Bloom.
Thus the empty inner room
That every soul its chamber knows
Will join the tune.

Upstairs Room

From the room the view is best
Like a sparrow in a nest
Highest up the window view
Shows what's new.

Nothing's new around just yet
Grass and pavement getting wet
As the steady rain that pours
Does the chores.

When the world is washed and bright
Crickets chirp announce the night
And the street lamps further down
Light the sound.

Breathe Round Other Ways News

Tree bark, coffee, chocolate chips,
Soft and fertile earth,
Wood grain, wood stain, pencil tips,
Dog and puppy fur,
Clothing flashing matching shades
In their richest brown parades
Calmness shimmers in the tone
Heaven gave our eyes to own.

Pony

Rippling muscles running strong
Streaming mane and tail along
Snorting in her living glee
Cantered through the field to me

Burring nose so velvet pink
Gives a hint to what you think
Carrot in my pocket? Yes!
However did you guess?

Cheese

Swiss, Havarti, cheddar, Jack,
Make a satisfying snack.
Colby, cottage, provolone,
Soothe the hungry stomach's moan.
Mozzarella, plain or cooked,
Is a winner in my book.
Parmesan, Romano, brick,
Grated, sliced both thin and thick,
Cream cheese makes a lovely pie
Munster's good on ham and rye
Melted nachos, warm with fire,
Cause the eater to perspire.
Oh, how bland the world would be
If there were no cows (or cheese)!

To Fish

Lures, flies, jigs, dough,
Worms, minnows, spinners,
Weights, lines, bobbers, boats,
All for catching dinners.

Reels, poles, hats, nets,
Finders for the deep,
Hoping that the best one gets
Big enough to keep!

Lightning

In depth of gray, a bolt of light
That flashes on a rainy night
With beauty that inspires fear
And warnings that are loud and clear.*

I wonder if without it we
Would now be using energy
Or be inspired to generate
The power that has made us great?

This killer luminosity
That sparked our curiosity
Restores the ozone to the sphere
So we can all keep living here.

*Author's note: What would it be like to live in a world where, instead of hearing the approach of a thunderstorm, storms randomly spent sparks in split seconds, silently? What would a silent thunderstorm be like to experience? How would we know when all was clear to go out again? How would we know to be careful? Or would we be paranoid and always looking over our shoulders if the storms were silent, never sure it's not around waiting to zap someone? Something I've thought about.

Near Star

We like the sun,
And well we might:
Without it we'd have always night
When day is dawn
Then we can see
From where we get our energy

Without the sun
And what it gives
There'd be not one of us that lives;
The animals
And all the plants
The very same in circumstance

It fed the young
From long ago
Who passed to us the things they know
It feeds us now
And future eyes
May wake to see it set and rise.

Night Cat

Eyes large, paws prowl
Perfect balance on the fence
Soft fur, silent steps
Magnifying every sense
Perked ears, perfect sight
In the dimming cricket light.

Sewing

A spool, a cylinder
Is round
Upon which winding
Threads are found
And if someone
Inclined to sew
Who has the thread
And has the know
Should take a look
And take a notion
We will see
Their sewing motion
Making something
Whole, or new
A very useful
Thing to do
And so creative
As we see
Some mended, and
Some yet to be.

Red Block

Red block on the floor
How did you get there?
Know what you are for,
Or do you care?

A hand put you there
Of that is no doubt
There's no other way
A block could get out.

The toy box is full
Of others like you
So that's where I will
Return you to.

Next time when a hand
And mind will make art
You'll not be it all
But a part.

Together you'll stand
Divide and you'll fall
Intelligent hand
Learns it all.

The Anvil

The ringing of the anvil
Was a disappointing tone
For though I raise the hammer
It will spark upon the stone
(We thought we had it figured out,
And we were not alone.)
And yet I bread to wonder
Why the pie flew in the sky
And why the woods for weeks stood still
And let their sailors die.
(For who had not yet felt the death
Of rivers that run dry?)
And here I stand and wonder,
And go, "Why, oh why, oh why?"

Wolf

Large, soft paws
Long legs
Thick fur
Deep eyes
Sharp teeth
Night song
Heard far
Thinks hard
Herds prey
Runs fast
Leaps high
Feeds cubs.

Country Bicycle

Knobby tires pass
Over fescue grass
Riders on their bikes
Pedal where they like
In the morning chill
Up the bouncing hill
Down the other side
(Easy coasting ride)
See what nature tells
Ring the handle bells
Insects upward fly
As they happen by
Muscles gaining tone
(Whoops! Avoid that stone!)
Helmets in the breeze
Rushing past the trees
Onward winding trail
(See the hiding quail?)
Breathless from the ride
Drinks and rest inside.

Apple Path

Upon the nervous dawn of school
I'd often close my eyes
And see an apple paradise
That still I see sometimes

A lonely path stood empty near
A sturdy fence of board
It led to the horizon whence
A warmth of brilliance poured.

The apple trees around me stood
Upon a lawn of green
And nothing stirred or moved them in
The absolute serene.

And still today it beckons me
To come and walk that road
To find what lies beyond it where
The peace and apples glowed.

Northern Tractors

Cross the now unfrosted fields
Tractors wake from winter sleep
Churning dirt to foster yields
That the tractors never eat.
In their busy rolling gait
As they putter in the soil
Others now admiring wait
For the product of their toil.

Storm Brothers

The clouds that zapped each other clapped
And each accused the other
Of being better favored by
Their legendary mother

Great insults blew and brothers bragged
As each one puffed up more
While hailstones flew and lightning zagged
To settle up the score

But as they grew the thundering two
Were locked into a spin
That made them move and rain as one
And drew more water in

Till tumbling round in vengeance bound
They roared above the sea
Engulfing everything around
In furied energy

So fast they fought in struggle caught
It led them to perspire
Till almost all their rain was gone
And they began to tire

They never settled who it was
Their mother favored best
But put it off and called a truce
Till both have had a rest.

Country Things

Tire swing
Cedar trail
Bird's wing
Metal pail
Bee sting
Fence rail
BB's zing
Vultures sail
Burrs cling
Storms hail
Engine pings
Tires fail
Rooster sings
Heavy bales
Truck brings
Dusty mail
Memories ring
Rural tales.

Dolly

A little girl, a little chair,
A quilt, a light, a shawl,
A quiet little corner where
She's playing with her doll.

The others come, the others go,
And she could see them all;
They did not interrupt her, though,
As she played with her doll.

And sometimes eyes filled with surprise
And paused along the hall
And noticed she (How could it be?)
Looked so much like her doll.

Dedicated to my grandma, whose nickname is Dolly.

Time Sands

The time is flowing like the sands
Between the fingers of your hands
And what you choose to do with it
Before life's whistle signals quit
Can leave the world a better place
And paint it with a fairer face.

Parakeet

Rounded sea green plastic base
Seed cups cling to bars of white
Perches climb in ample space
Exercise for health and flight

Tall the pole of matched decor
Birdbath water daily new
Gravel strewn along the floor
Cuttle bone for them to chew

Chirping chatter as they climb
Making sounds that mimic words
Joyous play with toys that chime
Budgies are amusing birds!

Wandering Jim

Every time the turkey dropped a feather from its tail
Big Jim collected it to make a headdress for the trail.
A lonely pathway he had cut through saplings, brush, and vines,
Which rolled around the countryside in undulating lines.
He had no pony, but he kept a spotted sturdy goat
Which followed him in pack gear with his stove and tent in tote.
Round and round he wandered on the acreage of his farm,
A pioneering image with a rifle on his arm.
In deerskin and in denim though the air of autumn chilled
He trampled ever on where his imagination willed.
Some may have thought him crazy but in that they could be wrong;
Each one of us is wandering to find where we belong.

The Greatest Sneeze

First the feathers flew in fluff
Till my nose had had enough
Blowing billows, filthy dust,
Rotten fibers, flaking rust,
Pollen from a dozen trees
All contribute to the sneeze
Grander blasts were never known
Nor a louder ever blown
Scared my granny up a tree
Caused the parking lot to flee
(Frightened looks on every face,
But I got my favorite space)
Shattered windows, woke the town
(The whole night shift lives around)
Till they called in the police
For disturbing of the peace
But they all had sneezes, too
So to them it's nothing new
"Everyone (now stand back please)
Has the legal right to sneeze."

The Dinner Prayer

The cook forgot to wash her hands
Old grease was in the frying pans
The milk is nearly three weeks old
And Uncle Bentley has a cold

Yet if I don't ingest a bit
They'll make an issue out of it
So hold my nose and here it goes,
The start of all my gastric woes:

Now I sit me down to eat
I pray the Lord near death to cheat
If I should die before I'm done
May someone dial 911!

Insect Wings

The wings of insects
Thin and light
Aloft will lift them
Into flight.
(I hope they're not
The kind that bite!)

Allergy

Dust and smoke
Elm and oak
Sort of sick since spring awoke

Itchy eyes
Dander flies
Pollen count is on the rise

Cough and wheeze
Choke and sneeze
Pass me one more tissue, please!

The Strangest Day

The alpha wolf was running
She's the leader of the pack
("Bravo!" said cousin Charlie,
"It's so good to have you back!)

Delta sand muffled the echo
While I hid the foxtrot mare
Playing golf in my hotel room?
Didn't think I'd see you there!

India was full of colors
My canary, Juliet,
Eats white millet by the kilo,
Hasn't slowed her flying yet!

Lima beans were not my favorite
Mike adores them, Sara too,
But the chill of last November
Almost emptied my canoe!

Though the tank was full of oscars
Papa traveled to Quebec
Romeo hiked the Sierras
But he nearly broke his neck!

Foxes bite you when they tango
In a nurse's uniform
Still the patient was the victor
When the geniuses were born.

Whisky always flavored fruitcakes
X-rays showed no broken arms
So the Yankee and the Zulu
Did each other little harm.

The Noble Goat

The cloven hoofed surefootedness
The long and splendid coat
All added to the handsomeness
Of Farmer Tory's goat.

The folks would come from miles around
To pet and give it corn
For what was not (not what was) found:
It only had one horn.

The horn grew from its center head
And straight, not curved, it grew
The docile beast was gently led
To let the children view

And many hopefuls threw a wish
And let their dreams be born.
They brought the creature costly gifts
And called it unicorn.

And though the goat no power had
Nor magic did possess
The care and feeding made it glad,
And gave them happiness.

Name

A word can hold one's character
In infamy or fame
A connotation that assures
Of whom we try to name.

Though most escape a single word
The least we do is try
To coin a sound that can be heard
To mention someone by.

I find that when I know a friend
Arises two or three
Associating words to pen
Whom they appear to be.

My dog, for instance (rest his soul)
Heard Hero, Snap, or Sniffy,
(Or dog or come or here's your bowl)
Which brought him in a jiffy.

And though our names be multiplied
They still can't fully claim
To capture all we are inside--
So little in a name.

Storm Horse

The night was drenched in deepest black
The road was steeped in rain
He had to bring a doctor back
To ease his brother's pain.

The family car was broken down,
The bicycle was flat,
The storm had taken out the phone;
Three miles there and back

He set out on his lonely walk
When right before his eyes
A glowing horse leaped in his path,
One of enormous size.

It spoke to him; he rubbed his eyes
And doubted what he saw
But all it did was emphasize
The strangeness of it all.

"I cannot help but be myself.
You may or may not live,
But I have leapt into your path
My services to give.

I'll take you far and take you fast
To where you want to go
But if you slip or lose your grip
You will be seen no more."

He recognized the pooka
From his book of Irish lore
And thrilled at doing something
That he'd never tried before,

He took the creature up upon
Its offer of a ride
Convinced that if he lost his cause
He'd just as soon have died.

It spun aloft and quickly flew
Along the country road
And typical of pooka lore
It tried to lose its load.

He held on till his heart grew faint
His breaths came scarce and sparse
Yet gripping somehow still remained
Aboard that wild horse.

The doctor found upon his porch
A tired and tattered man;
With great surprise and mild reproach
Returned him in his van.

His brother was attended
And his arm put in a cast
His broken bone now mended
And the peace restored at last.

The pooka sometimes visits
Though just one can see his form:
The fellow who will not forget
The journey through the storm.

Pizza

Circular pie of plenty
Designed in slices to share
The scent of warmth and spice
Fills the air.

I know of none who dislike it
(Though some prefer only cheese)
Once ready, sure to please!

Seaweed

Kelp is green and kelp is thin
And from it we get lecithin
Abundant fodder of the sea
Where would the world of humans be
Without the substances we've found
When kelp is harvested and ground?

Bought Farm

Our lives would not have space and thought
If no one's farm were ever bought
With all who've walked the earth still here
Like overpopulated deer.
I reevaluate my stance
On why I'm given time and chance
And wonder whom the soul might be
Who lent an earthly space to me.

Firefight

Now the smoke that curled around
The circled often billowed flame
Awarded rise to blackened ground
And carved the beast a fearsome name

Now as the night began to crawl
Upon the barren evil mount
The bellow of a dragon's call
Arose on scales that had no count

And while in singing thus he spent
The air that gave his sound its wail
The thickened vines were often rent
By movements of his massive tail

Yet no more did he challenge call
That thus the air again was rent
For somewhere in the darkened vale
A second bawling roar was sent

No more the darkened mist could hide
The hideous aspect of his face
For flame that cast a morbid light
Revealed the foe's approaching pace

The monster rose up from beneath
Yet still he would not yield his cave
But steeled his stance and bared his teeth
Determined he his home would save

And when the foe rose from the rocks
At angles met two sets of horns
While fury frayed their pointed locks
And great exploding sparks were born

They clawed and bit while throwing flame
(Which did not serve their purpose well
But vented rage and lit the way)
Till finally the intruder fell

And thus defeated, drooping rose
To drag his weary body home
Till time, and food, and long repose
Restore his strength and mend his bone.

The Desk

If a desk is just for writing,
A garage is just for cars.
The true evidence of glory:
Coffee stains and candy bars!

The Smiler

Dim and shaded lamp
Scratched gold painted post
Sidewalks mostly clean
Shufflers mostly cold.

Walk below the lights,
Breath both warm and stirring
Watching out for cars,
People in a hurry

Often passersby
Do not stop and talk
Hearts wrapped up in news,
Mouths like moistened chalk.

Hooded figure smiles
From underneath a joke
Peering through the silent night’s
Dark unsuccessful cloak.

If ever were a warm heart
That beat beneath a coat
The smiler’s sure to notice it
And make a mental note.

And in an earnest prayer
A light beyond the stars
Beams bright from each benevolent will
That Smiler sees and marks.

A watcher of the folks
Wrapped in a hooded coat
Unnoticed by the passersby
The sharpest mind, the keenest eye
To whom no falsity or lie
Makes any sense or any life
No application to the words
Devoid of life, but only those
Sincerest, true, and unafraid
To fall into a cold parade
While shuffling down and passing doors:
It could be my street, could be yours.

Spider Web

I still marvel at spider webs ever since having read E.B. White's classic tale.

The Key of J

I had to jot a journal
But the joke was still on me
For the jolt of junky jewelry
Juxtaposed what I could see.

In the morning with my java
I just had to jump for joy
For the jackass in the newscast
Was not anymore employed!

I was jolly, I was jigging
When I heard the jerk was out
And with jingling jubilations
I began to jive and shout!

When I judged the jug was empty
And the journey nearly spent
I became a gentle jockey;
Had to joust to pay the rent.

Though the jackals all were jealous
And the junkies slept in jail
I could jam their jeer transmissions
And continue forward sail.

Outward juts the journey lifebuoy!
Closer comes the salty sand!
I will jar upon an island
And inherit jungle land

Where the juice of all the flowers
And the surf of all the sea
Serves to sear the evil javelins
But brings happiness to me.

Pet Mouse

Clean white fur
Water bottle drink
Twiddling whiskers
Bright eyes blink
Sweet seed scents
Soft, neat nest
Amusing pet
(Some say pest.)
Sit up straight
Wash your face
Run your wheel
(Goes no place.)
Dig and hide,
Store up seeds
(Never can tell
What a mouse may need!)

Until You Find Your Fire

You work each day
To find a way
With hands that never tire
Yet happiness
Will give you chase
Until you find your fire.

You now oppose
Most all of those
Who try to ill conspire
But perfect peace
Is ill at ease
Until you find your fire.

One day you'll seek
Beyond the peak
The heart of your desire
The one who knows
Of all your woes;
The one who is your fire.

Inchworm Melody

The pampered rocks, without a sound
Did whisper neath our feet
Did us industrially bound
Invent what wasn't meet

I did this limerick in time
When all the things were new
And now the song just doesn't rhyme
Now tells me what to do.

Now never did this idea rise
When once our bore was done
So keep those stockings from the flies
And dry them in the sun.

And though those inchworms didn't know
The workings of their trade
They, temporary, cease to grow
Just as they are remade.

So if you're sure you're modernized
And have no other flaws
Good luck to you in all your lies
And may you find your cause.

woodland's song

frog chorus
moist leafy earth
trickling water
melting frost
sun on leaves
new leaves sprout
rocks emerge under bracken
winds whisper
twigs bud
eggs hatch
moss grows
fallen logs rot
squirrels scurry
feathers float
birds flutter
fish dart
pools wait
crawdads twiddle

Of the West

The scent of sweat and horses
Fills the dry and rugged plains
As I chase the weary herd and
Turn my pony with the reins.

I can hear the shouts and whistles
See the cattle fall and rise
As the sun grows ever hotter
And the dust blows in my eyes.

Rigid leather burns my skin and
Sweat is dripping from my brow.
My canteen is all but empty
And there is no stopping now.

We will drive them all to market
We will get there mighty late
Bet my lasso, spurs, and saddle
When we drive them through the gate

That Old Larry sure will short us
Or at least he'll surely try
Cause he ain't an honest trader
Got a mean and shifty eye.

Don't know why I am a cowboy
Don't know why I don't just quit
But I've done this nigh ten years now
And I'm getting used to it.

Shoes

New shoes can pinch the toe or heel
Look good, but that's not how they feel
The old ones frayed, or had a hole,
Or separated from the sole.
God bless the one who now invents
The shoes that make more perfect sense,
That keep out rocks and rain and cold
While looking new, and feeling old.

Bumblebee

(Upon catching a cold bumblebee, and warming him in a jar. He was a great show and tell!)

A bumblebee
Is after me
So furry full of buzz
His yellow stripes
And tail that bites
And soft forbidden fuzz
Are at a loss
To fly across
So at a loss, he does.
He parks upon
The chilling lawn
And frost approaching down
Reversed the gears
And dowsed all fears
While stifling his sound.
He cannot fly
When cold is by
He overbid his time
And now a jar
Will bring him far
To feed the hungry minds.

On a Saturday Night

On a Saturday night there came a storm
A lovely storm, with rain and light
Rain and light on a Saturday night.

On a Saturday night when the storm had passed
I watched, and listened, and looked out the glass
And the crickets were singing, singing and wet,
Singing and wet on a Saturday night.

The storm was harmless, almost fun
The sweet, quiet scent when the rain was done
The glittering raindrops under the moon
The newly washed earth, and the bug chorus tune
All seemed to say something:
You're safe, and it's through.
This storm wasn't one that meant harm to you.

Sand and Snow

A snowball's hit
Does little harm
And no one tries
For sand in eyes

Yet so surprised
I wondered why
We never do
A game that's new:

Snow castles, and
Make men of sand.

Woodland Sunlight

I had my camera handy one morning and caught these rays in the mist.

Sunset

Midwestern sunsets are famed for their vivid colors!

Pepper Mill Song

A lovely day
Takes caraway,
But who has got the thyme?
The plumbing leeks,
(It has for weeks)
And yet we play the mime.
I'm cumin in.
Don't sit and grin,
You know just what I mint,
I ought to know
Where onions grow
I'll give you all a hint.
In early fall
I tried to call
A girl I used to know.
By all that's vague!
A real nut, Meg,
Barefoot in chili snow.
Now, I'm no sage,
But at my age
I still don't quite know why
That dilly kid
Must flip her lid
With onions in her eye.

A Bluebird's Battle

The window's in an awful state
Since Mr. Bluebird found a mate
For like the Don of windmill fame
He charges at the window pane.

He sees a rival, blue and bright
Within the glass-reflected light
And, launching into forward flight,
He challenges himself to fight.

Feathers ruffled, sore of beak
He sits atop the birdhouse peak
Alert as ever, keeping guard
Who drives reflections from his yard.

Fall Campus

Empty room with a window
Bare pipes cold and quiet
Dim light shining in
Boxes to unpack
Old car smiles below
Wrinkled hood, purring engine
Tufts of weeds sticking through
Cracks in the sidewalk
Fall rains
Water washes
Songs cheer
Warm food waits
Friends neither smother
Nor ignore you
And the books you study
Inspire you
And challenge your intellect
This was fall
The perfect campus
Unpretentious good
And things to do.

A Woodland's Night

A forest of frogs, singing softly in the night,
The sounds of the creek water running by
The leaves sway gently in the moonlight
And they rustle to a song we cannot sing
And can but vaguely understand
Though we long to sing it, too.
A long way off, a dog barks.
Further off, the sounds of the highway,
The cars going by,
Swoosh!

The woodland rhythm gets in your blood.
You begin to thrum with it,
To be a part of it unknowingly.
It calls you to your rest.
It beckons you to lie quietly and think its thoughts.
You breathe the smells of the leaves and earth,
And the moist winds of a cloud that rolls
Past the moon, lit with silver.
The moon reflects the sun's light,
And I reflect my Creator.

The Saw

Then I looked and I saw.
Then I saw and I looked.
I liked what I saw
What I saw when I looked
When I looked at the saw
Saw the saw at the scene
Saw the scene where I'd sawed
Sawed the tree where I'd seen
Seen the branch touch the trim
Touch the trim of my house.
And I sawed off the branch
Gave the branch a good trim
Got that branch off the trim
Off the trim of my house.
And I saw a good scene
Sawed the scene where I'd seen
And thus changing the scene
I saw, and I sawed.

Fish Bowl

Guppies dart
Sparkling light
Bubbles float
To the right.
Little plants
All about
Tiny fish
Looking out.
Calm and still
As they pass
Catfish stick
To the glass.

Ode to Freedom

We vote, we live, we speak the truth
We pray as we feel led
But don't forget to tell the youth
Of countrymen that bled.

We have a picnic on the Fourth
And fireworks for fun
But don't forget to tell the kids
Of cannonballs and guns.

We have our freedom handed us
Upon a silver plate.
Dare we forget those men who died,
Or why we celebrate?

Elegant, delicate shell of an egg
Wonder within you, for this I wait
Motionless marvel, I'm eager to see
All that you promise to be.

Shining black eyes
Melodious cries
And nimble orange feet
As of yet incomplete.

Stay, hand of hurry!
Don't smother with worry
Nor drown in December
That bright little ember.

Be patient! Completion
Takes time, and perfection
Must work its own way
Toward the glimmer of day.

Tornado

On a humid night was found
A tornado coming down
Violent spiral tube of wind
Knotted in convulsive spin
Hovering with groaning song
While the winds whistled along
And the thunder, playing bass
Kept up easily the pace.
Sirens off all over town
While the heads were heading in
To seek shelter in the ground.