I hear the wind
whipping through the freshly-leafed elm
its long sonorous undulating chord
is as light as sunbeams
as alive as the spring saps
rushing wildly up the redbud and pear
eager to burst out of their limbs
into green glory.

A bank of fog
lays snugly upon the river
like a soft white halo
kissing the morning hello.

Piano and violins
in the hands of artists
string me along
in a peaceful stream of joy
their delicate threads
wrapped around my heart
on a gray morning
to quince my loneliness.

Hey Dad,
It's been some time since we last spoke. I miss you, still. I'm writing to ask that you pass a message on to Mom for me. She never was one for sentimental stuff; but you know that, already.

Tell Mom that she is missed by all of her children; we miss her especially on this, her first Mother's Day away. I will miss not calling or seeing her. I missed sweating over what to get her this year. I miss her voice those times when I just needed to hear it; the first time that Noah had an ear infection, those times that I needed to know what was wrong with my roses. She always seemed to have the right answer no matter what. Just like you.

Tell Mom that I'm doing well. I've stopped drinking. I know she never liked that. Tell her that Noah is graduating from High School next month. You both were always so proud of him. He misses both of you very much. You should see him now, Dad. He's as tall as I am. As tall as you. He has grown into a good man; he is a lot like you in many ways. Noah sends his love to you both.

Well, I just wanted to say hello, and ask that you tell Mom that I love her. Tell her that I understand. It was time. She missed you. You were waiting up in the high pasture for quite awhile.  I'll let you go, now. I know that you two still have a lot of catching up to do.

Hugs to Mom.

                         Love,
                         Rick

r ~ 5/11/14

Many years ago

    another place,
                        another time,

I felt the beating of your heart,
beating together with mine.

The starlight
    on the water,
         the glow
            of the full moon,
               I remember us,
                  the melody
                     of our eternal tune.

Scents of the Magnolias,
the soft feel of our kiss,
the love that was invoked,
   true everlasting bliss.

Whispering breeze melodies,
waking with you each morn,

     ultimate love,
                    strong and true,
forever
           with you reborn.

Forever our love shall linger,
no amount of time can undo,
   even in the vail of death,
I will forever remember you.

Many years ago

another place,
                    another time,
the beating of your heart,
beating together
                     with mine.

Another Place, Another Time......
~

it's just a note and then another note and the way you play them sometimes comes out wrong like the words we speak, we spoke, we coat the words with sweetness, light, and still they do not come out right, but they're just keys, seems like some don't fit, so we sit and play another note, another note and try to play them as we speak, not as we spoke.

We could speak in symphonies
or
make mountains out of melodies
but know this,
these are just the keys we have
as we try to find the lock.

If there is one thing I have learned on my travels,
it is that
the currency of eternity is the fingerprints you leave on the fabric.

The slow imprint of a million miles walked. Set free your timid heart and
leave behind an outline of an essence.

An amorphous mold that denies the shape of the world around it.
Be a surprise.
Let them label you a miracle or a sickness.

In time they will come to realize
the edge of the world is a place to dance.
Reach forward, and gift sound to silence.