Winning the
war

Winning the
peace

Divided by
victory

Joined in
— defeat

(The New Room: December, 2024)

Did you go
to the gym
the Poet asked

Or just write
weakened
the verse untasked

The vowels and
consonants
stay unflexed

With words
atrophic
— their muscles vexed

(The New Room: December, 2024)

Your voice
becomes a shadow
breathless
aft the fall

Whose words
deform in Satan’s grace
speechless
— yet they call

(Dreamsleep: 12-19-2024)

I stray
on purpose
my will
redeemed

When left
of center
to swim
upstream

Against
the grain
my future
hides

On roads
less traveled
past times
— divide

(The New Room: December, 2024)

The ending
hard
The ending
mean
Your future
soiled
But memory
clean

Your back bent
over
Your steps
misplaced
Your speech
a murmur
But one
last ace ...

A Robin
sits
Upon your
arm
And sings
of times
Forgotten
charm

And takes
your last
Begotten
breath
Upon its
wings
To fates
— regret

(Dreamsleep: December, 2024)

Fearing
that day
when the
music stops
My steps
remeasure
my soul
takes stock

Rueing
that moment
when time
is gone
My tea
resweetens
all words
— in song

(The New Room: December, 2024)

From darkness rose
the light of time
Reborn each day
from Eastern climes

In shadows wake
our future’s swim
Cross lakes of fire
toward Adam’s hymn

Repeat, repeat
new endings start
Redemption flames
with nature’s spark

As echoes answer
in voices new
****** mornings
— bid night adieu

(Dreamsleep: December, 2024)