I fashion myself a Raven , soaring among the free falling leaves of October .. Sailing high above their progeny , decorating the world with the medium of gold , red , brown and green blade ..

When I foretell beauty deep brown eyes do appear , the redolence of jasmine and gardenia blossom whisper a pleasant advance ..
The morning fire mimics the glow of whimsical emotive means as the fuel's anger delivers a cacophony of compulsion abated by the warmth of her smile ..

My wraith stands at the wood line .. Hone the Carpenter's chisel with wet stone , quarried from the banks of my childhood's keeper ..Record my days within Shangri-La into a Hickory towering these very waters , return a dreamers ashen remains to mingle with her bountiful fauna .. I will return everlasting appreciation and salutation with the many flowers of Spring that cover her embankments ...

Score thy song befitting Ran , the voice of the ocean proclaiming the finality of tide against land ..
The surety of sea oats that sway in the afternoon wind , Blue ***** shall reconvene at Dusk , schools of Red Drum , Whiting and Tarpon . Sand dollars appear where terra is drawn into the sea , the waters bounty having been secured by the fishermen of antiquity , for which I am one . As famished as the gulls that portray themselves at the shoreline , crying for their wages ...
A period lighthouse bids welcome to her returning voyagers , reassuring as the first light of day . Safe harbor turned the poet into a songwriter .. It numbed all the bad that afflicted the soul , removed unpleasant imagery from the minds painful repository of guilt , quelled the constant obsession with the garden of good and bad .
The steam from the cup cradled within these weathered hands returns to the Atlantic on this morn , recalling perilous epochs at the mercy of Neptune ..

Refer to me as the quasi - storyteller , laden with human debilities , a degree of lunacy and misdemeanor , albeit encouraged , engrossed by the nurturing womb of providence ..  Thoughts that seek the permanence of family , to rest , enveloped in warm Sun , secure to conjure my destiny within this forgiving lair , protected from January's fury ...

Life is well defined for the young couple at five in the evening , senses bewildered from eight hour drudgery , digging one hole to cover up the other ..
In the middle of three lanes , rushing to your plat of suburbia , stopped in your tracks temporarily so the unfortunate ants in the crash that didn't make it can be hauled off the drag way , so you can start the race all over again ..
Stopping at the candy bar lying on the trail to bargain a piece to do you until the weekend ..
Back to the section of the mound you've purchased to recharge your physicality and sharpen your mentality , manage your emotions , lay your outfit by the bed , ready to get up , hit the ground running , follow the lead ant back to the sustenance that awaits the early foragers at seven a.m. !

The Pastor points to the top of the sanctuary delivering fire and brimstone ! He proclaims the Son of God "stands among us " , is looking down , walking the crowd so kneel down , worship at his feet , be afraid and get yourself saved !!
Jesus Christ is drinking from a thermos , picking through his lunchbox , checking the time on a pocket watch , not concerned with attending a pep rally in his honor but busy directing traffic at the crossroad of thought , disguising himself as a homeless man on a city sidewalk ! Performing daily miracles that are taken for granted , the sparkle in a babies eye , the full Moon in the nighttime sky ! Answering to his boss just like you and I  , punching in at seven , clocking out at five ! A hundred gallons of unanswered prayers stuffed in a fifty gallon bucket !
Double timing across The Sea of Galilee to get four more !
Tracking the Heavenly Host , handing out work orders , keeping one eye on the Devil and one on Creation . Working overtime to rescue the sinner from damnation ! Delivering the word of God , unloading the freight car of Salvation* !

Kicking pine cones , hands in pockets with my favorite scarf on ..
Outfitted like a business man with something important to decide ,
a lawyer testing a juries intellect , like an important subversive agent with a clandestine government ...
Walking the fence line , dressed to save the world someday , my flashy duds turning heads , yet their only clothes , and clothes never did make the man so they say !
Fancy leather gloves , gold cuff links , cashmere sweater with well planned schemes ..
Upscale hero with a prominent address , four star restaurants , high end assets ..
Caviar and red wine , penthouse vista .. Fancy cigars and first class tickets ..
I'm still Cocoa Cola , cheese and crackers , homemade biscuits ..
Forever overalls , laying hens and sour mash whiskey ..

My inner machinations dwell where fear churns the night ..
As the uncertainty of my next breath weighs heavy upon my mind ..
Where panic eclipses educated thought , the voice of reason battered , left for dead amongst the jagged rocks ...
The second of sheer terror at the thought of public engagement , the quickness of my chest wrapped in the claws of depression ...
The child forever trapped in mature armor , hands that tremor , disguised in solemn mien , a devilish lien placed against my dignity , the fog that obscures my mortal objectivity ..
Bound in rusted chains , seized in vexed emotion .. Life unreal ..

The light of Nirvana manifest at the first glint of creativity , the glow in the writers heart praised at the Gates of Heaven , their records etched in pink marble within the Heavenly Foyer for all eternity .
The journal of the ancients , scribed with fire , cast in bronze tablet , adored by Angelic host ..
Works of praise engraved from the template of the Most High , eyes of fire in the darkest of night ..
Carmine in nomine ipsius gloriari !

Counting boxcars as they hurdle down the tracks , one for every memory I can summon , one for every penny I've placed at this crossing for good luck ..
A copper token to insure good fortune , the wheels of a child's imagination set into motion ..
Walking the railway , dreaming of life as a " Hobo " , with my cane over my shoulder and a bag of apples tied to one end ...
Racing home at Dusk with the last glimmer of daylight at my feet , the five thirty special thunders through this small town again ..
Bound for points South , Montgomery or Mobile , breaking the quiet of night marching through corn , soybean and cotton field ...
The deafening sound of order and morning routine in sleepy Southern villages , a wake -up call for little boys with skinned up knees , ball caps and ***** britches ...

Grey coyote why do you cry such a sad song , are you blue from being misunderstood for o 'so long ?  Repentant for hard days and unforgiving cold nights , have you surrendered to the Winter Moon , are you cursed to perform the same sad tune ?
Cotton tail bunny what a huckleberry indeed , crouched beneath the tall grass , skipping from tree to tree ..
Playing games with the Red -tail Hawks , toying with your reflection in the blue farm pond ..
Carolina Hen , announcing her morning egg . Peckerwoods effectuate the same familiar rags ..
The same glorious stars light the January sky , the Sun falls asleep in Alabama tonight ..

Egrets stand proud across blue waterways ..
Floridas natural beatitudes flourish as her occidental sojourner travels home , diurnal fauna softly acquiesce , lullaby .. Lailah delivers grace , harmony and benevolence across Gods opus ..

Foam builds at the edge of land , the sea is clockwork with each waves contraction , reviving dreams of yesteryear  ..
Pelicans soar the blue and green confusion , the air is infused with warmth and salt , wind driven memories of childhood on playful shores ..

Deliver me from the folly of jealous men . From the mirth of mischievous demons that long to traduce and besmirch , remove all thought of appeasement toward the rancorous and ill intended serpents that crawl the Earth . Shelter me from the disingenuous , the naysayers of good intent and those that portend lies as benefaction , seeking my friendship through groundless merit and frivolous actions ..
Guide my feet across the perilous river of treachery toward my fellow man , directing my ears to the benefits of silence , gravitate my persona into the light of Dharma ..
Bind my arms from receiving poisonous bounty , render my tongue stillborn to boastful atrocity ..
Sharpen my eyes in the confusion of night , grace the helm of life's vehicle with the Angelic aura of pure white light* ..

To walk beneath flowering Dogwoods ,
Enlightened .. Refreshed by the beckoning winds of March ..

I long for her mesmerizing gratuities .. To convalesce within boundless arcadian charms , nestled within variegated hardwood thickets , visibly enraptured and in complete faculty of mind whilst thankfully secure in every emotion ..

On a blue and alabaster evenings , snowfall glows beneath the Winter Sun , joyous , spirited afternoons and conviviality among old friends and family .. Red ribbons and tinsel , the warmth of burning Oak and Hickory , tall evergreen shadows , garland , ornaments with magnificent brilliance enhance the festive celebration on this Day of Miracles* ...

A symphony of woodland imagination , Sycamore trees that mimic the forlorn's indignation .. Persuasive River Birch's cover quiet brooks , compel the fragmented light crossing the waters surface between moss covered stones , Honey Locust armed with their crown of thorns , instruments of the Passion stand majestic as regal Live Oaks command the high cliffs above the swirling tributaries confluence and utter confusion ..
Pan awakens the creatures at Dawn with the song of whippoorwill and Mourning Dove . Helios sets the floor aglow , Redtailed Hawks deliver their morning anthems..
Angels walk freshwater streams without question , forever charged with unfolding the tapestry of divine creation ..

I witnessed a cry for help at the freeway off ramp  ..
A man with a sign hoping to get something for his children this Christmas . He could have been dishonest about his predicament , just out for quick money for drugs or liquor , maybe even telling the truth so the more I think about him tonight I wonder what's the difference ?

I consider myself indebted to incalculable probability , allotted a brief stint upon this miracle dubbed Earth..
Blessed with eyes that perceive far beyond abstract form and color , pupils that recognize each human emotion , casual glance or smile aimed in my direction .. Ears that detect the intricacy of classical compositions , miraculously discern laughter from tattered speech , a cry of joy from a call for help ..
The aroma of raging conflagrations distinguished from chimney smoke , hot meals or Pine forest from honeysuckle and rose petal .
A plethora of gustatory charms committed to memory .. Wisteria within the tempestuous breeze , a kiss on the cheek , butterscotch ***** to a spot of tea ..
Arms that have cradled grandchildren , plowed Spring fields till sundown , crossed cool Piedmont streams , cut firewood and all manner of farm labors . Laden with Summer harvest , performing guitar melodies on late Summer evenings ..
Recording my observations with the eye of a poet , from the invocation of mankind's document , a penned treatise of my beloved Georgia ..

The agnostic man that feeds the poor , clothes the enfeebled or shelters the disadvantaged shall walk the fields of Heaven someday whether he believes it or not ..For his good works came not out of fear of Hell but from love and kindness , divine works directed from a precious , caring heart ...

December , tripping on mushrooms , locked on a dragonfly after my easy heart . Songbird fantasia , on stage against the background of suburbia , singing melancholy ballads , each chorus more beautiful than the last ..
Lady Killdeer , I'm in touch with your spin on the world , Mother Ocean , I'm your witness at the edge of the Earth ..
Winter in anguish with the Gulf breeze , two lovers doomed to repeat the same offense .. Reprieve from wicked mornings by oneself , for Pisces , she's inconsolable again in the house of Sagittarius ..

God is not the cotton seedling that grows tall within manmade furrows  , coloring the land as the first snow of Winter .. Jehovah is the quilting thread binding all of creation , suturing the thoughts of men in their moment of frailty and despair , tethering the covenant between Heaven and Earth* ...

Let life be about good hot coffee with an English muffin .
Paddle boat rides and endless Summers ..
Cherokee Red Pop and ******* Jacks , playful baby goats and Sugar Smacks ..
Christmas mornings and roasted pecans , John Wayne movies and cowboy songs ..
Falling stars and evenings on the lake , whipped cream topping on strawberry short cake ..
Cool well water and fried pies , the blackbirds that etch the tangerine sky ..

Daybreak paints her masterpiece , Gods acreage enveloped in frost , coalesced with the voice of Crow and Mourning Doves .. I would cherish a songbirds view of Mother Natures windfall at this very hour .

Serenity in disguise .. A gaggle of geese gently slice the surface as thick fog plays into mornings hand .  Cattails , Reeds and fallen timber deflect each waves crescendo .. Childhood memories of cane poles and tin cans , river rocks skipped across mirrored waters ...

The conveyance of the mind , carrying you to the previously unknown ..
To the seas of Europa , the mountains of Mars ..
Open your eyes to the wonders of creation , release the moorings of your imagination...Nature provides the vehicle to attain the light , freedom to escape the limits of our physical being , cross conventional parameters and expectations minus fear nor hesitation ..Disregard ancient rituals , seek the teachings of every religion ..
Take a powerful work of art , free your mind as if opening a well remembered door ...
Transform music into pulses of light , telegraph our universal neighbors throughout the night ..
Let your personal reflection relay the image of great peace and meditative bliss .. Retain , relay these gifts through song and poetry without end* ...

If everyone on Earth agreed to implement a plan for the entire human population to jump up and down once simultaneously , to halt climate change forever and renew our oceans , what a simply marvelous idea for us to get together as a team but sadly this is but a dream ..
For one was accused of jumping too high ...The other wasn't jumping high enough .. That guy jumped barefooted , the other with his boots on ..
One jumped too early while another jumped far too late ..
One jumper assumed command over all the others while another was foaming at the mouth to have reporters and photographers report his selfless humanitarian efforts ..
One could only jump on Saturday , Sunday was out of the question for others .. Some would only jump in Spring while the rest would only jump in Summer ..Etc ..............._

Lady bug on my kitchen table , are you attempting to solve some sort of mathematical equation ?
Are you in contact with the heavens above ? Are you trying to let us know ?
You may be the key to one of mans greatest riddles , then again you may be simply looking for a place to spend the Winter ..

Smile and lay your sorrows at the foot of the Earth ,
Climb the highest tree and shoot across the blue like your favorite bird..
Grab the Crescent Moon , swing like an Olympian effortlessly ,
Swan dive with confidence into warm tropical seas ...
Swim to the Coral reefs to say hello , saddle a dolphin at the surface then off you go ..Blue seahorses and red catfish , float like a Pelican to the white sand beach ..Tip toe through the green grass , dance a jig , find another tall tree and do it again* ..

Quell every source of artificial light , smother every candle , hide inside your favorite music tonight ..
Find a pleasant thought off the beaten path , kneel down , be thankful , meditate and relax ..
Drink copiously from the well of your soul , offer this sustenance freely for those parched by uncertainty and sorrow ..
Be mindful of your speech , choose each letter of every word with caution , in tune with every blade of grass and twig that lies on the trail home .. Beware of rash and irrational offerings , servants of darkness that offer easy roads around life's mountains .
You will find precious works of art at each tree , thought inspiring color with forever changing landscapes , awe inspiring parcels of Earth that replicate your sweetest dreams , fields of green clover that lead into deep blue seas ..

A ripe persimmon with a cup of hot Black tea on a rainy afternoon have served this humble author quite well , a lifelong fellowship no person , place or thing could ever accomplish and will continue to do so till my final days  .. My fifteen minutes of solace in a turbulent world..

The Dogwoods bloom in the name of Nellie ..
Anointed with Spring flowers .. Gardenia , Sunflower and Crape Myrtle ..
Whispering hymns , tolling the farm bell , calling her children home ...

Our artificial Christmas tree stands tall in the living room , a monument to holiday material splendor and greed , blocking my favorite view of the natural world and it's abundant sacraments .. Its location being quite pestiferous yet proper ..

Let us seek refuge inside the 'windsong' of Boreas on this night , dance across the oceans surface forever by shimmering Moon and starlight ..
As we sail across every boundary laid before us , Alectrona will provide a lighthouse for the love weary and forlorn . Omnipotent constellations  command the shadows with all their might , a proud Venus shall direct the mighty flotillas of night . Passions moorings will be untethered , wind starved sailing vessels filled a hundredfold by the breath of Poseidon ..

Our days on the archipelago , resentful at the pinnacle of the highest mountain in wanton view of a different island ...
To reach the zenith with no memory as to our road home , triumphant in our conquest yet discontent to mingle with the clouds , scowl into the face of our threadbare mortality , desirous to forever reinvent ourselves and to explore ..

Angels are indeed visible to the naked eye , they can be found in majestic pose within every precious photograph , work of art or wildflower held by young hands ..
Each drop of rain in a Summer shower is a heavenly host that blesses our very hour ..
A consecrated beam of light impaling the morning fog proclaims the mighty sword of Michael leading the weary through insecurity and darkness ..
An elderly couple that occupies a park bench , children busy with games , laughter , eyes that sparkle with wonder and merriment ..
The carefree chatter of evening songbirds , the Holy Ghost that fill and nurture a wounded heart ..
Nature's morning songs .. The reflection of God's blue eyes caste across a mountain vista duplicate the Choir of Angels performing psalms on the outskirts of Zion , atop the very Walls of Jerusalem , the trumpet echoing across the Earth from the Pool of Bethesda* ...

In the throes of certain Winter , a congenital repose across the forest floor ,
naked trees bow before her mastery as sunlight pools across majestic escarpments ..
Blessed fauna bathe voraciously and supine before natures warm admonition in preparation for the morrow ...

Shining garland with engraved golden bells .. Blue , red and silver packages wrapped with great care ..
Shimmering pine cones and toy drums , green  , white and yellow ornaments , glowing stars and tinsel accouterments ...

A white snowy blanket at her base , round and square presents with beautiful bows and delicate lace ..
Persimmons and oranges , a bowl of assorted nuts , hot apple cider , candy canes and egg nog ...

Christmas music and shimmering lights , the sound of mourning doves outside our window on this special night ....
A glowing testament to love stands tall
May the joy of the holiday season follow you all year long !!

I recall moments of heightened creativity and awareness .. Offering prayer before works of art and music , followed by periods of robust obscurity and contempt ..

We'll never move forward as a society as long as our children are left to die from abuse , sold for *** like a piece of meat , bullied by their peers and killed on our streets ..
Depression misdiagnosed by primary physicians and medicines that only help half of the affected , high suicide rates amongst our young civilians and soldiers alike , addiction rates that continue to spike .. When the nails rain down again we'll most certainly be caught off guard , zealots hung by their thumbs and water boarded will lead the charge .
Martyrs in shackles will fan the flames at the base of the tower once again ..
Woefully few ambulances will be available to minister to the dying , not enough heroes to answer their cries , political parties will begin their denial , those that remain will swear revenge against "the Cowards .."
A faith will be declared illegal and guilty , this time the Eagle will have zero pity ..
She will pursue the same mistakes of previous nations , attempt to firebomb the very soul of a civilization . The Crescent Moon has endured many military occupations , defended a long list of potential aggressors , their bones lie in antiquity , across her deserts and within her cities while the Lion , Eagle and the Bear scar another generation who will in turn castigate her enemies silver cities with relentless terroristic abominations ..
I witnessed the carnage in a dream , hate bursting at the seams , flowing like a river down city streets , sweeping the innocents into the storm sewer , oblivious to their screams .
We worry so much about nuclear weapons as we wipe each other out with pipe bombs and pistols , we fear chemical weapons while drugs are destroying our nation ..
I wonder how far the funds for one missile would go towards treating children with cancer ? The cost of one grenade could feed a homeless man  freezing on the street .. The price of one Humvee could provide shelter for the forgotten society tonight in this misguided nation of ours ..

For every creek stone that contains the rushing waters , every unique tree dotting the forest , a drop of morning dew reflecting the morning Sun , the changing colors of the canopy high above ..
The glow in ones heart as the soul is touched , a familiar hand on the shoulder can mean so much ..
Gardenias that captivate the senses in the Summer breeze , the morning fog that obscures mountain scenery , the call of nestlings in a Cottonwood Tree , the endless foraging of a Carpenter Bee ..
A mind secured in the glow of meditation , a place in your heart for all mankind , the blessings of divination for all creatures , the heartfelt song of liberty performed for every nation ..

Who will pen my 'final page of poetry' when I'm called home ?
Will someone render an epilogue to my life's work when my time is done ? Our ghost encapsulated in flesh continues forward at the moment of physical death , therefore I implore of anyone to define for me what constitutes 'the end ?'

We are drawn into the light from birth till the day we die , from the placating influence of our morning Sun to the reassurance of the Moon at night.. To kaleidoscopic stars that beckon at twilight to the advent of rainbows as storm clouds subside ..
The out pouring of the soul by the fireside , the twinkle in a child's eye ...
The audacity of lightning in the midnight hour , the reflective diamonds in each wave rushing to the shore ..
From the brilliant orbs of the fireflies in June to the Northern Lights at the precipice of Earth..

Just as a good coat of paint will hide the sins of the Carpenter , a shut mouth will prove to be a blessing to all within potential earshot thereof !

I've currency that no other man can ever claim , incalculable wealth that billionaires will never acquire , coinage deposited over many years into the vault of my very existence , a penny for every peaceful thought , a blue diamond for each epiphany ..I've the life sustaining love of my Mary Ellen , my immediate soulmate with compassionate , limitless concurrence . I've the call of Mourning Dove , of colored leaves , indigo Dawns and frosty mornings ..
The cackle of Crows , call of turkeys and the noonday Sun high above ..
The boundless charge of natures electricity seeking each cell of my physical being , boundless fields of brilliant grass and herb , every wildflower , bramble and acorn a loving testament .. I've the cool Fall grass beneath my feet , the confluence of the Summer Sun adorning every beautiful tree .The sound of thunder , of wind and rain . The elegant colors of Cardinal , Robin , Sparrow and Wren . A cool zephyr that whispers into a captive ear , my soul blissfully dwelling in safe harbor the remainder of my years ..

Vultures sitting on the fence while I work ..Is something dead or should I be concerned ? Are the ******* waiting on me to croak or is this a routine stop for the committee , they've zero pity for man or beast , shriek as they selfishly eat , lay around all day amongst the trees , dine on dung and all manner of vile concoctions , circle the Noon Sun for their rotted reward ..
Politicians setting on their butts while I work .. Do you understand my plight ? Are you able to afford true concern ? Your in my face like you'd love to help but your only after a photo op ! Lay around the capital like nobility , creating laws that stifle men like me , 'yak' in front of the camera with crocodile tears , getting zero done year after year !

Each ripple at her shore perfect , every panfish feeding just below the surface held with upmost respect ..
A repository of turbulent waters awarded peace , a placid impoundment delivering solace to all it's fortunate recipients ..
Canadian Geese are quite familiar with her charms , bullfrogs and killdeer speak of her beauty with Summer songs ..
The calls of numerous songbirds fill the Springtime air , Largemouth Bass crash at the top of the water , breaking the afternoon silence ..
Georgia Pines shade her Northern front , blackberry thickets just beyond the Western shore , Blue Herons quietly forage in the shallow waters , she is the emboldened mother of countless natural wonders* ...

Tired feet , bad back , muscle spasms combined with a touch of senility , each strand of silver hair most certainly bears monument to copious wisdom and great ingenuity ! A fountain of knowledge for your children to draw from while secretly attacking the inevitable conflagration of age with a squirt gun ..