(a salvation for my then junior high school youngest daughter afflicted with cognitive dissonance, who over the intervening years (mor'n half dozen Earth orbitz  ago), I dashed off this poem witnessed nothing short of miraculous transformation evinced and witnessed by profound learning displaying significant aptitude cognition).

twas spawned fondness
   for above named young lady,
   when she got assigned
   to thine offspring

a glint of genuine virtue grew
   into shimmering orb
   of brilliant radiance
   if accorded sound - would ring

the tune of countless angels,
   which imagined beatific,
   Democratic, fantastic...sounds
   generated via many wing

heavenly music filling  
   cosmos with joy as august aural,
   choral, epochal...tones
   would zippily zing

from across universe
spurring one me silly mortal
   to contrive this verse
attempting to capture her
   aura, charisma, enigma...purse

sue wing dynamic link
   with progeny did nurse
emotional and spiritual value
   dedication she did immerse

latent social services skill
   plus natural radiance
   a blessed hire
at Central in Norristown, Pennsylvania,
   whose visits i miss lyre
plucking voice

   stilled concern for precious Shana Punim,
   who aspires to challenge and grow
   this father may spill tears
his lessoned fatherhood role
   n'er did aye tire

and glad fate that though our paths
   will probably not criss cross
curiosity will gnaw within noggin,
   and possibly rub raw minor loss

viz, the persevering
   maiden USA touch of Kim
   lichened to moss
in her rooted cultivation of care
   toward biological lass a lucky toss

of the genetic combination
   from Matthew
   and Abby Harris our jewel
shimmering facets of luminescence
   reminding me human

   gem stone a kool
aid - priceless staff member
   of human league,
   whose golden presence doth gently rule
without doubt a beloved
   unbridled priceless counterpart
   some lucky guy
   pledging his troth yes – she yule

see stars in her eyes
no doubt disappointment
   felt by other guys
envious of he,
   who snagged Kimberly Hartzell
   so worthy and wise!

Drugs on the nightstand
i feel dead
but your alive for me
do you want to feel like me?
take one or two and we can spend
forever together

I stand before the clouds where the sky opens up
the outside air is refreshing in the rain
it's always lovely
watching as it pours
over this rundown metropolis
across the alley ways and bus stops
passing through the breeze at day
blending into the city lights at night
a beautiful water world
all coming to life

and in the midst of it all
a lone observer
wandering the streets
underneath the velvety deep red
my favorite umbrella
it looks out for me
protecting me from the torrent

but I'm not always obedient
I love how it spatters
splashing softly against my legs
slowly seeping into my shoes and socks
it's a cold and fuzzy feeling

the others choose to wear plastic coats
big enough to hide themselves
boots to keep steady and never wash away

but my umbrella is all I have
maybe I'm hopeless
maybe I don't know any better
but when it opens up
everything feels a little more okay
and that's all I ever need


I walk where the streets are empty
winds more heavy as the storm approaches
the others hurried to leave
in search of something else
a new shelter, hope, anything
when they showed their faces
I could see the clouds in their eyes
they were just like me


but there's no one here anymore

when suddenly the rain stopped

where I was

in the eye of the storm

the only spec of color in a thousand miles

a velvety, deep

blood red






I'm just an observer

who sees not with eyes

a beautiful water world

when everyone cries.