The way his shoulders move in walk
The way he tilts his head in thought
The laughter in his eyes

Enough to make an old man cry

He does them in the same young ways
Just as he did in yesterdays
When he was still a child

Enough to make his old man smile

r ~ 15Mar14

Upon the stones the lichen grows
For those asleep in earth below
And those awake who tears do weep
To green the grass with sorrow’s seep
To honor love their hearts bestow

The lichen sleeps beneath the snow
Through cold and ice of winter woe
Awaits the warmth and summer’s creep
Upon the stones the lichen grows

In shadow rain or summer glow
It hears the words of belle or beau
It fears not time or grounds man’s sweep
The lichen guards eternal sleep
For here in each and every row
Upon the stones the lichen grows

r ~ 7Mar14

In the shadow
of a dream
I see
a melody
a harmony
a rhapsody
awaiting me*

r ~ 22Feb14

Standing head and shoulders
Above seated students
Professing all he knows
And much he doesn't
Through squeaky chalk
Bored with lessons learned
Tattered black jacket collar
Covered with white dust
Like the dandruff
Of  faded knowledge
Waiting for the last bell
And cacophony of students
Exiting for a night on the town
So he can trudge through
The gray slush home
To empty house and
Microwaved sirloin tv dinner
Wishing he had a yipping poodle
Instead of the silent company
Of Jim Beam to while away his hours

r ~ 26Feb14

Night listens to my dreams
And tells me what they mean
I dreamt the moon was blue
A wan and pallid hue
I'm told because of you

Dreams of sky in motion
Mirrored on the ocean
The dream it couldn't stay
The tide washed clouds away
I'm told pain comes in waves

I dreamt you turned to ice
The stars froze in your eyes
The shadow of the moon
Took you away too soon
I'm told love led to ruin

r ~ 20Feb14