how we pass our lives

how we pass our lives,
more than eat, sleep, work and play
it’s commitment to the running quest, the arts,
seeking to reach the best in every way

and the people we know, the wonderful people,
what they say, what they choose,
these things we relate to, a veritable love
day to day, win or lose

reflections on those i’ve known assist me
to evaluate position here in life, my own,
we must maintain control, be diligent, yet go easily,
while throttle open, wheeling free

of friends

of friends,
and our times
precious, special

when we meet and talk
inch our way
discovering who we are

taking food and drink together
sharing laughter
building the good hours

but people do move away
and it comes so sudden
when they are gone

best wishes, to all friends near and far,
and thank god we have pleasant memories,
warm like red hearth fire coals that linger on

i was born on

i was born on Steinbeck’s birthday
and have always liked the smell of ocean
also born the same day as Elizabeth Taylor
but haven’t married eight times . . . yet

i also share my day with Emperor Constantine
his year of birth is debatable,
you'd think they'd have kept better records
on leaders of the civilized world

just guessing now, but i
could have been born on Moses birthday
but his calendar didn’t have a February
anyway i’m of Polish descent not Egyptian

and if i were to leave my homeland, for sure
i'd never take thousands of people with me
and irritate the Pharaoh so terribly
that he'd chase me with his army



oh, and Longfellow's birthday too,
can't forget about him
else thing have to do
is write dis all again

Dumpling Realizer

without a glitch she passed
through the force field poles
that undoubtedly scan shoppers for weapons
or maybe just make pictures for the boys in the back room

as into market fighting for position, she goes
we’re having soup she said, i saw zucchini laid in a line,
a clerk with a braid came to her aid, once or twice,
she bought magic stuff to make dumplings

amid a symphony of vegetables, meat and a lot of cheese
she had taken her wheeled cart along
the one that is Scotch red and blue plaid,
i have no idea why they decided to spell plaid that way

we paid for all, including her Dumpling Realizer
what most earthlings call baking powder,
i thought i’d mention that,
as it is the name of this poem

braid, maid, raid, laid,
paid, aid, and plaid
there i said it,
and i’m glad

too much to ask

this may be
too much to ask,
it’s not really necessary,
we could leave it for last

but do i really need it?
it could be quite a task,
oh well, don’t bother,
forget i asked

out of time

difficult for me
to imagine the chapter,
walking my familiar street
in some other time, before or after

sooner or later, no matter
with no key in my pocket to unlock it
or permission to enter
because my door belongs to another

and the stuff inside there
is someone else’s now
or hasn’t happened yet
in another time, wow

to market

Isfahan's Grand Bazaar,
dates from the 10th century
is largely covered
and ten kilometers long

The Tehran's Grand Bazaar
is also ten kilometers long.
The Grand Bazaar of Istanbul
built in the 15th century,

is still one of the largest covered
markets in the world,
has more than 58 streets
and 4,000 shops

yet, i can moan congestion
and impatience when in line
at the tiny local market
with three people in line ahead of me

enjoy my words

enjoy my words, take a spin,
they are yours to hitch on
i’ve put them down for you again
but you know them in your heart

like the sun and the rain and the stars,
the wind and the snows
and the moon that rolls over head too
for all of them and love, for me, for you

and the fishes in the seas
and the bears in the woods
the birds in the sky
and the horse you rode in on

snow is on the way

snow is on the way
let’s sit back and watch time slip away
the kettle’s on the boil now
and the sun shot it’s last ray
let’s call it a day

if i

if i wasn’t running at the limit
floored in the fast zone
with three giant double rigs
trying to pass me on a curve

i’d jam your mailbox with fragment
flower pieces exploding fragrant color.
any time you like, say you need me,
i’ll be there

evaluating

evaluating after, how it came to pass,
the quick visit, our participation
they came, we there for them here,
around Roma then beyond, hang on

between rains and scattered sunshine
a meal to remember, the man, the ambiance, flavors,
a train ride, hilly green country along the way
photos taken, everywhere history on display,

people rushing, passing glimpses, no names,
man with blue funny hat, beggars, young people talking loudly,
others become connections, we talk, exchange names
proving - open of mind you discover

had to pay eleven euro to enter the museum
my birthday 65 is next week, then i enter free damn me free,
the young man at the counter said his line as it was written,
i saw it as a chance for humanity to work out details together,
overall i was seven days short and eleven euro lighter

back to their trip, in a nutshell, made choices
saw this, missed this other
no time for that, or i didn’t think of it
or was closed for the day, save some for next time

overall , the familial trip ends, what said remembered sketchy
air plane in, air plane out
flash trip snap, then zap, it’s over
Kodak had it right, we need photos,
besides - that’s what drawers are for