Seth awoke in a terror sweat
engulfed by flames
licking at his bed.
His cries of final anguish
piercing the midnight silence.

His shaking three year old frame,
would not, could not
assimilate the coos and solace
from deluded parents -
speaking ******* of nightmares
while the whole universe
blazed with terminal fire.

A yard or so across the room,
illumined by a night light's slender beams,
a child's plastic raceway,
decaled with crimson - yellow flames
benignly rested on a table.

*May,  2008

Life is a Cafeteria

    Life is like a cafeteria because
    you have to stand in line
    when you’re hungry

Anatomy of Arrogance

    A shivering ball of fear,
    wrapped in a crust of pride
    too thick for sharpest arrows,
    huddles alone but well protected

    hoping beyond all dread
    that none will ever come to know
    the terror behind the mask.

Modern Narcissis

    Narcissus leaned forward
    to better view his matchless beauty
    and tumbled to watery doom.

    Beloved America,
    how far can we lean in self adoration
    before our coasts tilt into the seas?

Combo*

    Come join our combo,
    but just so you know,
    we all *comp for each other,
    take a chorus now and then
    and try to keep up with the changes.

*November, 2008

The Milky Way was really quite enough
to trim me down to size
but even so I thought it  fine
to spread a quilt beneath the stars
and mark my spot
beside the universal edge.

But then those ****** astronomers
had to mess the whole thing up
with stellar maps and Hubble pics
that proved beyond the pale
that those fuzzy little nebulae
are really other galaxies.

Hold enough, I say.  That’s most unfair!
Who needs another million Milky Ways?

Well, if that's the way it has to be,
then I'll just fold my blanket up
and go inside.
where I'm ever so much bigger!

*August, 2008

Every child of ten knows
the universe is a jagged shape
edged by home and park
and school and market -
at least that’s the way I knew it

and all the world’s kids
went to McKinley school
and everyone's dad
worked at Lincoln Park Tool
while mother stayed at home.

So my entire universe
was shaken to shards
when father broke news
that we soon would be moving
to a distant galaxy
a dozen miles away -
entirely peopled by aliens.

Well it wasn’t so bleak after all -
my brother and little sister
were allowed to come with us
and we kept the same grandparents too.
New friends popped up everywhere
like rainbows of tulips in May.

The house was fresh and new
but seriously lacked a lawn.
so a rusty old truck rumbled up
and dumped us a mountain of soil.

Seizing the obvious challenge,
I put a shovel to its intended use -
moving and spreading non-stop
until Mom called us to dinner
then went back and shoveled ‘til dark.

The pile was nearly leveled
by afternoon next as
Dad turned his fifty-three Ford
into our driveway -
hitting the horn to call me over,
“Son I need your help.”

Dropping my shovel
I sped to the open trunk
and stared in disbelief.
In an ecstatic yelp
produced only by ten year old boys
I circled Dad's waist with my arms,
then gratefully unloaded
the best yellow scooter
in this or any other galaxy.

*September,  2008

for Robin on our 22nd anniversary*

The placid Current River ever growing
      brightly shimmers in the mid-day sun,
its azure waters cool and southward flowing.

Buried caverns through the limestone bring
      fresh fountains pouring cold ablution
into the placid Current ever growing.

Around the bend another rushing spring
      bursts forth to lend aquatic motion
to the crystal water’s southward flowing.

Cheerful floaters revel, tanned and smiling,
      celebrating pleasant summer fun
upon the tranquil waters ever growing.

Gentle breezes set the leaves to rustling
      while time stands still for everyone
along the peaceful river calmly flowing.

Shaded skies foretell the day’s conclusion
      and a stellar fantasy has now begun
to dance above the moonlit river glowing:
      its azure waters cool and southward flowing.

June 26,  2009

Jimmy Collins made a dash for the door
Shouting to the silhouettes at the bar,
“Lock up for me boys, the baby’s coming.”
All the men cheered
And struck their glasses together.

Relief and joy swept over Rose and Jimmy
The memory of that first arduous passage
Fading under the light of resplendent love
Asleep in her mother’s arms.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *
The radio crackled and spoke,
“Houston to ‘Endeavor, ’  
Good morning, Commander Collins.”
And Eileen fell out of one dream into another.
Beyond her window a hazy blue ball spun slowly.  

How was it possible for the Earth to be “there”
And for “here” to be any place else?

200 miles below James and Rose
Looked up in wonder at the sky.

May,  2006

A looking glass seems such a simple thing -
a boomerang of sorts
(here's looking at me, kiddo).

So many me's (or you's) to view -
bucked out in natal garb
or gussied up for the corporate ball.
Better fix my Medusa hair,
Should I opt for the purple shirt?
Just who will I seem to be to you today?

Take a breath - a really deep one
meet those soul panes
gazing back from the other side
emissaries from an inverted universe -
romancing the past -
stalked by tomorrow's "maybes".

Who will I chance to serve or sway or fool
between now and the evening star?
Will one of them be you or me?

A looking glass seems such a simple thing.
So many me's (or you's) to view,
Just who should I seem to be to me today?