I wish I could spend every moment
every moment here with you...
reading all your words,
each line and sentiment

words of love and anger, longing and despair,
words of compassion,
of confusion and fear
all your words of pleading,
all your words of prayer

though the page begs me to stay and read
time will not allow...
it simply won't stand still
it's counting every second,
counting them with speed

so much here to read but so little time
feeling guilty if I do,
more so if I don't
lured by the richness,
seduced by the rhyme

knowing they're here for me to find
I hate to miss the diamonds
or overlook the gold
dabs of wisdom,
nubbins of wit of the rarest kind

it would be an extraordinary coup
giving time
and
contemplation to them all
reading each one,
reading the whole way through

though that's what I'd love to do
I can't seem to find the time
so I'll read on,
it may only be a few

but I'll give my full commitment
while I savor every word,
each deep-felt thought
of those I  discover
by happy accident

because I treasure what you share
gifted writers that you are
gifted writers...
poets extraordinaire

Within this restless
hurried modern world*
marching bands
and flags unfurled
voices raised just
to be heard
but no one
understands a word
the tower of "Babble"
all nonsense spoken
listening has become
just a token
minds run past
what's being said
forming responses
in one's head
planning the next
clever remark
what goes in is just noise
thrashing around in the dark
it's no wonder
divorce is rampant
no wonder world leaders
rave and rant
like leaves blowing aimlessly
in an autumn breeze
words fly about but
no one understands or sees
daily bombarded
by traffic sounds
music blaring far too loud
whirs and rumbles all around
is there no escape, no peace
no contemplative space
where one can go to clear the head?
where one can step to leave this race?

if there is
please take me there
take me while

I still have hair!