Not the worship of ashes
but transmission of fire
Time at its best
will the Muses inspire

Nostalgia and tears
rebury the past
With passion incarnate
— this moment to last

(Connelly Center: September, 2025)

Training to hear
what cannot be seen
Training to feel
what cannot be deemed
Training to say
what cannot be read
Training to mime
what cannot be said
Training to free
what cannot be caught
Training to know
— what cannot be thought

(Dreamsleep: September, 2025)

The ***** laundry
of democracy
Near impossible
to clean

You bask in freedom
until it’s gone
Whose nightmare kills
the dream

Warts and pimples
in plain view
Perfection
for the sage

To govern
as the Lord decrees
Our liberty
uncaged

To make those choices
for yourself
And pay the price
be ******

Instead of letting
tyrants rule
To serve
— at their command

(Villanova University: September, 2025)

Don’t let
your spark
become a fuse
blowing up
the truth

Don’t let
the flame
become a blaze
burning down
your youth

Don’t be the
kindling
become the tree
that reaches
and extends

Don’t be
accused
of lighting the match
on what
— should never end

(The New Room: September, 2025)

Were you saved
from yourself
before first being born
Form without
matter
praise without scorn
Were you part
of the promise
not taking the vow
When time
was a servant
not death on the prowl
Did life stay
unbidden
when freedom was free
As daylight
till dusk
no I’s came to be
Did morning
chase daylight
unable to stop
The evening
and twilight
on sale to be bought
As the first step
was taken
the second disowned
The first cut
the deepest
— with nothing on loan

(The New Room: September, 2025)

Waiting
for the
audience
to come to him ...
He refused
to go to them

Shunning
those ears
that hide
from the truth ...
Like a rose
without its stem

Working
in concert
with Muses
above ...
What’s sacred
to remain

Each word
and its
treasure
a gift given once ...
Their measure
— to proclaim

(Dreamsleep: August, 2025)

Never complain
never explain
Life on the margins
others sustain
Freeing both ends
caught in the middle
Releasing the truth
— solving the riddle

(To Cole Porter: September, 2025)