A flight of three crows
added to
a dense grey day

Next add four
iconic conifers
as high as the sky
eternally ******* down

These things are
always in my sight
through my window
on this wet world

Multiply all of this
by a sweet daughter
who makes me proud
and raise the whole
to the power of a strong woman
who carries us all
on her back

The equation produces
a result that I am 95 percent certain
equals happiness
though the confidence interval
is wide

And this result
sweet as it is
and as uncertain as it is
will outlive me
leave a faint echo in time
an echo that will bounce off a star
and finally be found
gripped in my shriveled paw
long after the epiphany
nowhere near paradise
somewhere short of
the end of the line

This is a moment of happiness
stolen from time
hijacked by a fugitive
from civil society

I'll hold it close
until death pries it
without mercy
from my hand

Leaves it as a blessing
and a curse
for all who come after

Take the blessing.
Leave the curse.
That's the advice I give
with my dying breath.
And I leave this to you
from the generosity
of my heart.
With a nod to
the scant traces
of God's grace
that I find on these pathways
of travail.

Never lost.
Never found.
Always present
and generous
to all.

Be that.

Hello
Anndrea
This is Devante's mom
He's laid up in a hospital bed
He's on life support
Doctors say he's not doing to good
And by this time tomorrow he might be dead
He can't say much
He just blinks and nods his head
He told me to call
And to let you know he loves you

What would you do
If you got that call
From my mom
That I'm dying
As she tries to explain what happened
But she can't stop crying
Lying in a hospital bed
Head bruised
Arms crushed
Barley able to move my legs
Would you rush to be by my side
Even if you were instructed not to
Would you come to my aid
Stand outside my room door
If I didn't want you to come in
Would I be in your thoughts
Would you pray
And keep your fingers crossed
Hoping I'd pull through
If I died
How would you feel

I'm sorry
His heart has stopped beating
We were able to bring him back once
But the second time we lost him

You
Composed
An
Elegant
Song
That
Fixed
This
Fragmented
Child

he tastes of
fresh coffee and old memories
mixed together with
swallowed sentiments
that neither of us
is brave enough
to say.