knee deep

a jet trip had me writing in my head,
never scribed a note when good words
began piling around me.
knee deep in my head.
unfortunately the trip to san fran ended without blunting pencil lead.
the good fortune is the trip.

be all

nothing doing in the rain,
all is still outside my window
pit pat
except that.
as spring is set.
let's begin again.
temperate times, where are thee?

search me

The blank box in the upper right is a search box to find other poems by looking for a word, any word. Some are in the poems and some are words that will lead you to another poem. It's fun to try.
This bit of writing is an exercise in communication, me to you, and in writing. I know I should be writing more each day, but I get lost reading because I enjoy that too. I like to put my shoes on ... thought I'd mention that.

this world we live in

thousands of displaced persons
walk in the rain, in the wind. families carrying
their infants, seeking refuge, peace
somewhere.

dry in my bed last night, on the radio
i heard a young baseball player in Boston
or Baltimore had signed a contract for
150 or 160 million dollars.


.

near spring

unseasonably warm some say
i call this our first spring day.
we waited a winter
not outer but inner,
now we're ready to play.

too much hoping, too soon.
the dreams floating
unsubstantiated and doomed.
tossed in the wind,
we'll try again
tomorrow.

salt road

they put out salt from here to Peru,
route 61 to Shelby and beyond.
17 degrees, the day before's snow on the road.
drove there, parked, we entered.

sat by the window;
looking good, view in and out. joint's hoppin'.
sunny side up and good hash browns
i ordered that.

"for potatoes..." the waitress
looking me in the eye or over my head and out the window
finalized, "shredded or chunks?" wants to speak
her own language...a real think-about.

made my mind up - shredded;
she went away then it all came back to me: got eggs and all.
ate with gusto, paid and told her
"it's all fine what you have here...so's the coffee."

she believed me, an eye blink goodbye.
white asphalt, dry and salted
as we rode on home
oh, yeah




On a personal note: At times I
have to work poems over for days.
Others I share quickly;
I want to serve them while they're hot.

.

winter's day ride

out in the country we pass
a pair of beautiful high stepping dark horses,
brown with lighter beige patches and white slashes,
pulling a clack buggy, silhouetted in bright snow.
a family aboard, my camera not ready ...
i see them come,
with children smiling.
there, hear them laughing
... there they go.
bundled for a winter's day ride.
oh, joy ... and nice horses

.

20th century

In the old days when the phone rang
there would be a person calling.

.

graandma

Her warm heart. Her smiling.
Today is Grandma's birthday
I never said happy birthday enough to her, my favorite relative.

While born a hundred and many years ago,
I stand earth years older than she.
She'd nod her head and smile at that thought.

Time is greased
with no place to hang on.

i am looking out the window waiting.
this is too much.
some steel and winds
not powerful, but steady.


thinking Rome ... home again.
tumbling on the snow drift called winter
cold and rolling,
skies alive.






.

geese nap

semi-gray day, a few smears of blue
seen through parting dark clouds in the sky.
heater on, windows up.
road dry, 15 degrees.
pass 25 random spots in a field like dark plastic bags;
look again, one or two are moving. it's geese lying there.
their idea of a good place for a nap
is different from mine.

yes, there is steel in the winds ...
enough to test you.

taste it cold and ...
in skies alive that have come down around you.

while thinking Rome, at home
in the snow drift called winter

in a straight-back, lightly-cushioned chair
in the front room, in the sun,
i can spend the noon hour
thinking of how time has run.

.

challenge

waitress poured me a coffee
so high in the cup
to make it a challenge to balance a sip.

.

It's written there -
Seven, the year of it … how grand.
from dull white into passing age's smoke,
the breath of shouts, fires, and exhaust.
vapors on weathered alabaster turned the chalky blanched monument
the tone of parched and dirty fog.
worn, pocked,portions missing, others in danger of falling ...
this solemn icon known the world over:
The Colosseum

.

Borghese

A camera man setting up,
sun is bright, the day cool.
an hour to go.
fractions of quiet words in many languages
...
all wearing 21st century casual,
there are no dresses.
a few flash haircuts, to the scalp on one side.
the parade passes in masses, then thinner
by the start of the hour to begin
into the Borghese

.

it is tough

it is tough being a guy
when you get to the age
women are smarter.

this park

this park at the end of the street
that changes names to get here
where i have a bench in the sun
on such a good afternoon for warmth
in city stillness as can be expected;
a balance of all i appreciate.
there is a statue of a man sitting
hand over his face. years ago i drew this.
nothing has changed but the day, me
and the sun.

October skies

take some steel and winds
not great, but easy.
color them rolling,
skies alive.

lost power

lost power, didn't take a big hit,
enough to set clocks a blinking
that's it.
oh, and the lights on the stove flashing,
maybe there are other indicators.
time will tell, hah.
for sure the day has been interupted.
a change of plans has occured.
so we put it back together
and see wat else we can find.
surprise flys on wings called disturbance
... anytime ... stay ready

find the tea that appeals
sip it and wonder

got my

oh, baby doll ...
got my new frames heated,
twisted, they fit snugger ... more snug.
so many words in my heart.

two hours later i am still wearing
my new glasses.
recently toasted,
they not me.




wanna draw for high card?
(i'm thinking about this one.).

bees wipe their feet
before entering the hive.
scientists will tell you
even they have more to learn.

do i

always let me help you,
do i ... do i.
words, that word
to say the things that pile all over,
i see, i know.
now i said "things", another non-word
i use as yes as i can, or faster.
the beat text is happening like a rogue wave.
do keep eyes shut when water splashes
just a blink, you see, of course
and off course.
make a melody ... a melody.
hum a melody, go ahead.
softly.

.

nuts are for

nuts are for picking
then doing with
like cooking, baking,
donuts or making of a pie.
so: we pick 'em or the squirrel gets 'em
when the tree leaves nuts.

donuts sounds extreme, i know.



.

The games will be played
in the last good weather of the season.
The boys of summer will wrap it up
and our team, after many years without,
shall come out rated number one


.`.

season

yesterday's warm's a memory,
now a change of scene;
from no socks to long socks,
there is no in between


.

help us

you know these giant bombers
the USA builds,
why not build one less
and put the money, an estimated 606 million for one,
towards helping disabled children.
that's a lot of money.
Now, tell me again, which political party
is the one that works for the people?


.

for the people

you know these giant bombers
the USA builds them;
why not build one less
and put the money
towards helping disabled children.
that's a lot of money.
Now, which political party
is the one that works for the people?


.