The world,  My world ever stands
Before  my eyes a replacement for one
You; for a great longing for the Love I
Lost.  A love I cannot replace by any
Other.  But looking back seems I can
Remember so much beauty and I realize
Now that I was not looking into the void
At otherness but it was you I was seeing.
The many faces of your beauty were all
Your gift to me of love, a love unknown
In its greatness.  Unknown and never to
Kept but to be free. Yet even in its partings
Faithful to all it's  Promise.   Saying " soon you
Will know me again- who I am- as I say Adios
Again and again.  I am love and the one you
Love.  And I am love's unknown grandeur" Be-
Cause I always think I am looking for another
When I am  really still seeing you my love.

Oh such a pompous ruckus
Would not silence be better?
Sour grapes you say; maybe so
But A little quiet is all I ask.
A little wine?  well maybe just
A little.    How was it?  Good.
Maybe just a little more.  Now?
Good .  So no sour grapes?  I
Say sour grapes be ******. This
Is wine.  Let me have some more.
Good stuff this.  I think now I can
Hear  His song...His  Truth is Marching
On and i hear my soul Going with Him
And I will listen until ... stillness speaks
His  name...for there is no other I hear
And I shall make a joyful noise unto Him
Wherefore Now I am singing His Song
Is it not for His Glory that I am strong
I can hear I will Hear  I can sing I will
Sing a song that has no end to my Love

For Old  41. and the People of Navisota
who saw him pass on the train 12.6.2018

Spring 1960
Teotihuacan Mexico
Morning

"Originales Patron" It was the voice of a boy
Not yet ten. It was an empty  dry plane as
I remember almost featureless and barren
Except for the pyramids dusty in shadow
No one around except for he boy and us.
I said what do you mean: Originales"?  He
Said:"Hechsos yo mismo este manana."( I made
them myself this morning) without even a
Smile as he showed us the little clay figures.
They was not a pre columbian relics we were
Being offered for three pesos, about a quarter
We laughed but he was not joking.   They were
Truly rare, a remembrance of the heart of Mexico
A boy outside of an ancient and storied place
Place now abandoned telling the truth that
Mattered: I made them myself this morning.


For Francisco & His Family With Love

Seems like all my prayers get answered
But it is always in some half baked way
Like God was laughing at me  saying see:
You should have given me more details.
The devils in the details I know but I think
That I should not have to be so Speciific.
You should be able to full out my requests
So as not to make a clown out of me and
Did I mention some things really hurt, still
Do. I have to admit I have learned a lot by
Having to learn to make do with this rough
Draft for the masterpiece I meant iy to be-
Still I wish I could say to you like Job that
I spoke as I did because I knew not and
You would accept that and say I spoke
Truly and that I was really a very good
Fellow and that you were going to give
Me back all that I have lost and more to
Boot.  I do believe  but please keep your
Promise soon because otherwise... I may
Not live long enough to appreciate it

The Chinese Sage Hang In said: If
You believe there is a state of mind
That if you had it All would be well
Then believe it is Now then travel to
Jt again.  There is no in between-stay
On that road for as far as it goes-there
Is no alternative route-enjoy the journey
There is no hurry,  Perhaps we will meet
Along the way.  All is Well  All is well

The faith in tomorrow's sun
does brighten as much as the
Present does and like memory
Does make sepia prints of the
Days gone by;  even of darkest
Times no others really know-
Am ashamed to acknowledge
Where weakness hides and
Says to Death it is cruel of you
Not to make it quick and so
I am waiting still for Now to
Pass as slow darkness comes

...and of all of life the most enduring
Is that I dared not love but could have
Loved had I seized the passing time.
Yet there is this Love has it's seasons.
The Spring that promises it's sweetest
Treasure is to come; Summer the bud
In bloom; Autumn when the harvest
Is Gathered while the rose and golden
Leaves flutter down; Winter the end
Time come with it's simple hope pure
As snow that another time will come
In sleep, a dream of all born again in
Innocence to love in the coming of the
Light; our youth still more glorious
We will wake up in our dreams and
Be fearless in our love then for that
Better time to come I will regret not
The Sweet sorrows of these partings
For without such there would be no
Youth nor any youth to return to.



For My Mother who would have me remember old blue eyes
His and hers and mine