We were born
before the sighs
of surrender

before the twilight
whispered crescendo

before the sad sound
of the wind ―

Ere the raw truth
that tells a story
     through
"eyes that are
the windows
   of the soul" ―

We were born
with eyes wide
        open
     with tears
    that well up
of truth unspoken,

  love arising
        like
a budding flower,..

metamorphosis
of fertile heart ―

The wheel of life
turns unbound
an outgoing tide

   as certain as
    continuum
       abides ―
an unbroken lariat
  until the knot
  comes untied

A lonesome dove coos
  perched upon
deserted garden gate;
its gentle plea segued
into a silent prayer ―

Seasons change;
   supple buds
of forlorn love
― wither,

unsure if we’re alone
         or if
we’re alone together (?)!


                                                  ­  ­    ­         .

When we were eighteen
sang the three women in chorus
and the bus burst into Spring.

When we were eighteen
they giggled and sang

the bus was a garden
the seats swings in the wind
the passengers angels and fairies

When we were eighteen
sang the three women
men beamed and the women blushed
as they broke into chorus
when we were eighteen

the ride was free
and they all stood up
their bones bellowing the chorus
their skin shining in the Spring

the child grew into eighteen
the old descended into that golden year
never knowing when their stoppage came
when one after the other they got down
and again it was a bus on the road
but with the whiff of Spring
eternal in the crimson blush
of the sun setting and rising
its engine and axle and tyres whirring in chorus
when we were eighteen

Love is seldom getting mad
Love is giving all you had
Love is taking moonlit walks
Love is sharing private thoughts

Love is sweet and innocent
Love is always Heaven sent
Love is smelling sweet perfume
Love is watching a cartoon

Love is acting like two kids
Love is shutting toilet lids
Love is turning off the light
Love is vowing not to fight

True love is never ending
Love is never condescending
Love is never talking down
True love makes the world go 'round

Love is dressing up real nice
Love is never thinking twice
Love does special things for you
Love is true and made for two

Love is frilly underwear
Love is fixing up your hair
Love is losing your appetite
Love is always looking great

True love lasts to Infinity
True love lasts for Eternity
True Love never goes away
I know love is here to stay

Love is fresh-picked wild flowers
Love is April and May showers
Love is funny greeting cards
Love is purple leotards

Love is a slow dance
Love is lots of 2nd chances
Love is calling when you're late
Love is flavored Coffee Mate

Love is roller-coaster rides
Love is giant water slides
Love is bicycles built for two
Love is me & love is you

Love is walking in the rain
Holding hands, singing a refrain
Love is romping on the beach
Love is never out of reach

Love is great joy
Love is "Oh boy! "
Love is a sly grin
Love ain't no sin

Love is a silly song
Nope—love is never wrong
Love is never long enough
Love is sharing your best stuff

Love is a great big surprise
Love is watching the sun rise
Love is wishing upon a star
Love is riding in the car

Love is playing tricks on you
Love is hoping you don't sue
Love is never growing old
Love is color; love is bold

Love is trying to please you
Love is strolling through the zoo
Love is never getting bored
Love is love down to the core

Love is the apple of my eye
Love is that gentle sigh
Love is letting you go first
Love is smiling through the worst

Love is writing love duets
Love is eating crepe Suzettes
Love is singing long love songs
True love is love that lasts as long.

At night,
aching and alone

I learned how to worship
the glittering fire of my mind

And in return,
it wrote this
poem for me

Chain smoking sadness, slapped by time.
Winter doesn't freeze the pain.
There was one thing that
Mom wanted more than
anything else in the world:
It was to have a
picture of her
seven kids all together,
in one place,
at one time.
There was an age
difference of
23 years between the
youngest to the oldest,
and 1000 miles separating us.

In December of 1987
two weeks before Christmas,
I held a picture of
the seven of us all together.
I put it in the
right front pocket of
her navy blue blazer.
After the funeral,
we buried her with it.