faces

we knew these faces well
Carol, Toby, Phillip and others
classmates we grew up with
some lie face up
in the faraway fields under stone

while a few remain connected
others run apart, neglected
gone astray, to other places
what can you say?

we've had fine times and new friends
danced to the music
moved to the drum
loved in the sun
that's what we've done

through all it's seasons
we've seen what has become
laughed and we've cried
oh, so hard we tried

while wandering, wondering and discovering
we're watching the time
what work need we do
before we're through

here's a salute to everyone, that's for sure
the old friends, the new, the soon to be,
now, the rest of you, come along,
just keep moving along

train sounds

run to the stairs and hear the train
only softly it comes
a gentler horn sounds
softer than i have ever heard

it's like the Morse Code,
from the tapping of the horn
you can tell the nature
of the engineer

bees

jeeze, these big bees, boy
you should see them
buzz by
why they're big as my thumb
and don't even see me standing near
watching them gorge themselves
must get loaded on honey
when they stick their heads
in the flowers
for hours
jeeze oh pete

we lived on a boat

we lived on a boat
with our cat
and dreamed well
on gentle lapping water

smoothly rocking
to rhythms of the ripples
a boat passing in the channel
seagulls swoop and dive nearby

long rolling clouds and far stars
the moaning fog horn
then misty quiet dawn
softly beginning

so long bob evans

full of local folk
working hard to make some money
and stay ahead in the game
but, the Bobster is giving me
too much rock and roll for breakfast
keeping it loud, no matter how many times
i've asked him to turn it down

the manager likes it that way, you see
forty year old rock piped blasting
you have to speak up over breakfast
then chew weaving to the beat

run 'em in
run it out
eat it up
now run along

we ran along
to the older Star Diner,
they provide a media vacuum
no music or TV

the sounds you hear are customers talking
and theirs is local food
the way you'd do it
how we like it

now this morning, who did we see
eating at the next table
but Diana the sweet, elderly hostess from Bob Evan's
I said, hello Diana
and should have remembered to add
a paraphrase of her greeting
"Welcome to the Star Diner"

in wood times

in wood times i've spent walking
gathering colors, tasting sounds
by ferns, tall grass, and animals
under the forest canopy, making rounds

flushing pheasants as i go
they streak off in a line
then to stop, a place i know
amid green berries on the vine

wild white rolling clouds above
reflect the light, contrast the blue
in nature's time i touch the love
and symmetry by which things grew

the wind plays light and sweet
with mint and closer scents
honeysuckle and wildflower complete
the multicolored firmament

at a small creek bank i pause to drink
and there, witness life within
a small plant reaches water's brink
the shoots are young and thin

where hours pass i cannot say
the sun marks shadows on the land
little voices beg me to stay
i promise trees, i'll come again

a butter year's worth

with one pass
may as well run like a wagging dog
wild in joy in the wind
and do what you can
with what you've got

when i wrote songs
i spent too many hours repeating them
trying to hold all of them in my head
keeping the old ones familiar

getting poems right seems more to the point
i can work words back and forth
don't have to play them in a straight line
and when i'm done they stay there

then anyone can pick them up exactly
not like a song
that you have to play or listen to
beginning to end

words you can play with
then take them along in your head
that's packing light
even a whole butter year's worth

roots

a tai chi master said
he'd live well
in a small jail cell
with only a few feet of space
to exercise and be happy

good for him, if he gets arrested he can try
although i understand his intentions
it's not my slice of pie
but, there is a lesson in what he mentions

tai chi takes very little space
and is good exercise
head space is a comfort when filled
with tranquility, understanding and kindness

however, when i find mental peace
i can remain in that place
until i open this mouth on my face, then off i go
why can't i simplify my pace?

give it away to find peace
give all to love is the root

it is an effort to get to the roots
this is why you have to dig for them
not lie on the beach
and dust them off when you get up

21st Century Shopping

the superstore is a football field deep
and nearly as wide in the food department,
turning a corner to another aisle
i head him talking before i saw him
the man in the dark fine suit pants without jacket and tie
busily occupied and trying to look relaxed as he
fingered through cans of tomato sauce

he carried himself like a businessman who
regularly commanded authority,
on a cell phone asking questions,
getting instructions, searching

minutes later he passed hurriedly
and i heard the words "sour cream"
at the same time, behind me
a woman was rapidly talking into her cell phone
i knew they were not talking to each other

not to be outdone and remembering Dick Tracy
i bowed my head and spoke a few words into my sleeve
where my wristwatch would be
if i had one