Words
Immaculate
and beautiful
strings
in patterns intricate
and complex
for strength and viscosity
I hope to spin
and weave
into a web
so I may catch you
if you fall

Mustard greens and butter beans and sweet cornbread all around,
And don't forget the crookneck squash, fried a deep and golden brown.

Mounds and mounds of butter, on the corn and on separate plates,
And Jesus’ blessings, our bodies to his service, before we satiates.

Buttermilk biscuits, pull-apart-monkey-rolls and corn muffins too,
And braided bread baked tenderly by Grandmother, just for you.

Country Ham and red-eye, fried chicken and sawmill gravy,
Ready to entice with all things sav’ry.

Sweet Vidalia onions sautéed in bacon fat,
‘Cause Big Daddy always knows, just where it’s at.

We gather together, hand in hand, pressed cheek to cheek in glee,
Our hearts knitted in happiness, we are family!

I am not alone here, these words accompany
Always close at hand, sitting right next to me
Ringing in the silence of the room behind closed doors
Bouncing off the walls and off of the hardwood floor

Tenderly caressing what is left of my heart
Nudging my hand to the pencil, telling me to start
Wiping tears from my eyes and connecting the drops
Presenting the painter poet with a vision of art

Not today, oh not today, the sore is much too deep
The artist in me cries that the fall is much too steep
But inspiration beckons me this grim and lonely night
Inclining me, between the tears, are the words which I must write

Goodnight, Goodnight

Each and every etching is a tearing truth to me
Falling again and again into a tragedy
But on I go as pain does grow and ease at the same time
Escaping my mind and etching on my heart with every line

This is not depression, this is a cleansing thing
See how the words choose to echo love to me
A losing game, a crying shame, a message wrapped in tears
A courageous allegation surrounded by constant fear

I will be done wih my sitting with my words soon
As they float in the midnight sky up to the moon
I will never see you again inside the tears I cry
Only in the words on paper that you left behind

Goodnight, Goodnight

The old man
cutting barley--
bent like a sickle.

Once just Two little people
Now all grown
Far from me
All on their own 

Years fly by
Like a buzzing bee
Only 5 minutes ago
Both were Half the size of me

Now they're adults
Out in the big world
My handsome boy
And my baby girl

Always on my mind
And forever in this heart 
Regardless of how much
Distance apart

I look at a Map
Great distance I see
Of where they are 
And where I be

They're always with me
Their smiles give me mine
My Two little people
Are doing just fine 

I'd give anything
And then give even more
For my calendar to read
1994

Until the time machine
Is finally real 
I'll carry some sadness
That sweet memories kinda heal

If I had three wishes
I'd only need one
I'd wish a long lifetime of love
For my daughter and son