After the storm
When the winds stop
When the rain ceases
When the skies finally clear
In the morning
A new day comes
It looks brand new
It brings bright blue skies
Fluffy white clouds
Clean, fresh air
It’s invigorating

After the storm
The trees seem taller
The streets are cleaner
The plants are greener
Flower colors brighter
Rivers run higher

After the storm
Animals come out
Seeking a needed drink
Gardens grow a bit more
People come out from the shadows
Smiling
Laughing
From the gift
Mother Nature brought

The time between darkness and light
When it is neither
The sun is preparing for its entrance
Animals are awakening
Donkeys are braying
Roosters are crowing
Chickens are clucking
All to announce
the start of a new day
Night is beginning to leave once again
With the blackness turning to gray eventually to a bright blue
As a new morning slowly begins to approach the day starts

Please be kind
Have patience with others
They may not be like you

Please listen
Take time to understand others

Please be careful
It’s a dangerous time
Your actions may affect others

Please don’t harbor anger
It doesn’t help a situation
Step away if you have to

Please offer love instead of hate
It lifts us all up
Offer someone a smile

Please stand in the light
Instead of the darkness
Lift up the world
With your special light

It’s morning
Saturday
The weekend
People are just waking up
Searching for their coffee
The sun is out shining

People are walking about
Cafés full of breakfasters
Cities waking up
Everyone has the slows
Newspapers sit on sidewalks
Street vendors full of magazines
and papers
Stores getting ready for another day

It’s Weekend Morning Treasure

At the toughest times
When things seem dark
Get still within yourself
Until you hear nothing

Go to a place of calm and comfort in your mind
Close your eyes
Stay there for a while

Imagine light surrounding you and giving you strength
Let it fill you up
With hope and love
Feel the safety and warmth of it

When you are ready move forward step by step
Knowing the light will never leave
It resides in you

Even in darkness there will be a lit candle to show the way
We just have to believe

It’s light will be enough to light the world
We just have to believe

Even in times of hardship things will work out
Even when there’s hate love will win
We just have to believe

When darkness is all around
In the end light will prevail
We just have to believe

Light a candle and help light up the world
Be the light
Lift up the world
Take away the darkness
Candlelight

Controlled Grief

Things are changing
In a new direction
Not expected
My head hurts
My heart is cracked
I feel lost
Not sure what to do
It’s hard

I have always hoped
In some way
Things will improve
The world would
Stand in the light
Darkness would recede
And yet
I am left waiting
Like so many others
Mired down
Seeking relief
Because
In the end
We are all one

Streets bustle with crowds of people walking to and fro filled with energy and excitement of the coming holiday

Christmas Time in New York

Diners and restaurants are full of hungry and thirsty shoppers

Christmas time in New York

Street corners become impassable because of the large throngs of people trying to get somewhere making the city look like a giant mosh pit

Christmas Time in New York

Trees are brightly light up for the season

Christmas Time in New York

Carolers and musicians can be heard along the streets playing to the beat

Christmas Time in New York

Giant nutcrackers adorn one building on 6th Avenue along with giant ornaments and strings of lights

Christmas Time in New York

Street vendors sell their wares up and down the street from cashmere scarves to boxed jewelry. Even movie scripts are for sale

Christmas Time in New York

Hundreds of Santas and elves move throughout the city spreading their holiday cheer

Christmas Time in New York

Tourists and residents participate in the 12 bars of Christmas bar crawl while strolling through the city

Christmas Time in New York

Lines go around the corner for the Radio City Christmas show

Christmas Time in New York

Police line the streets to keep people moving along putting up barricades to move the crowds

Christmas Time in New York

The Hilton Hotel bar area is filled to capacity with folks needing refreshment before finishing their shopping

Christmas time in New York

The tree at Rockefeller Center is fully decked out with lights and glitter

Christmas time in New York

Fall breezes blowing across my face
Tempting me
Like a gentle lover
Dark grey skies set the tone for the day

Bright colored leaves dot the landscape
Red, orange and yellow
Like previous jewels

Rustling in the wind
With a hypnotic sound
Hugging to their branches
Some falling to the ground

Chimes ringing in the wind
Playing their own muted tune

The music of the season

He was a large brown tortoise
He was over fifty years old
He lived on an island
Far from the large city
He loved the color of the sea
It was a light turquoise
Which glimmered when the sun hit it like diamonds
It was always warm but not hot
The weather was perfect
The waves made a rhythmic sound when hitting the shore

Sometimes he would wade out into the water eventually swimming to the bottom
The sand was soft as silk
He was looking for food
Slowly he swam and walked around until he found it

He stopped to feed on the coral
Loosening parts of it as he ate
This was his favorite meal
As he ate a school of brightly colored fish swam up to join him
They ate the loosened pieces of coral and algae grateful to their friend the tortoise

When he was done eating he swam back to the surface walking back to the shore
He found a rock on which to settle as he was feeling sleepy after eating
He pulled his head into his shell closing his eyes and napped

While he slept the birds flew by looking for fish
A cruise ship appeared moving slowly towards the city port
Local folk moved about
Music played in the background
As another day unfolded

Beautiful flowers were all around
Their sweet smell filled the air
Like expensive perfume

Markets were full of fruits and vegetables
Artifacts and local wares lined the shelves of shops getting ready for the visitors

Soft island breezes blew swaying the palm trees to and fro rustling their leaves creating a muted noise

It was a peaceful time on the island
It was home to the tortoise
He traveled from time to time
Sometimes far away but always came back to this island
It was home

Golden threads tie us together
No matter the distance
No matter the time
They bind us as one

Golden threads tie us together
No matter the language
No matter the culture
They bind us as one

Golden threads tie us together They can stretch across the universe
Never ending
They last forever
Never breaking
They bind us as one

As you go into the night, look at the sky and remember
Look at the moon in all its glory
See the light and how it shines
Feel the energy which is part
of everything
It’s part of you
Remember where you come from
And what you truly are
Let your spirit lift from your body and fly
Fly with the wind, both
warm and cold
Soar like an eagle through the universe
As you pass planets, circle
around and gaze at the wonder
of them and all that is there
Then look at yourself, a spirit of pure white light
As you fly and pick up speed, look at how light and free you are
Realize that you are a part of the universe
You are everything, and everything touches you
Close your eyes
Notice you don’t feel cold nor pain
Only peace to be in the place where
you are truly loved for what you are
Feel comfort and acceptance
You are loved
The air is still and you can hear the planets turning in the silence
Let the waters of the universe cleanse your soul
Remember that you are a child of the universe

Look through the darkness
Into the light
It may be hard to see
At first
But it’s there
It’s always been there
Since the beginning
It offers comfort
It offers healing
Each time you do this
Darkness lifts

Close your eyes
Smell the air
The freshness
Notice the slight aroma in the air
The flowers
Their sweet perfume
It flavors the world
With their scent
Each time you do this
Darkness lifts

Listen to the birds
Singing their songs
Notice their beauty
Their grace
As they fly through the air
With such ease
Each time you do this
Darkness lifts

I've got Paris on my mind
The Eiffel Tower
Notre Dame
The Seine
River boats along the river
Louvre and Orsay and so much more
The ambiance of it
The lights at night
Bakeries early in the morning
Smell of fresh bread
Fine cheeses and wine
Great food
And so much more
I've got Paris on my mind...

Sitting in a café
Sipping my coffee
Nibbling on a croissant
Trying to write
Feeling blocked
It’s a bad vibe day
Not much coming
See a blank page

Sitting in a cafe
Struggling to find the words
Not much there
It’s a bad vibe day
Looking for inspiration
Seeking a nudge
The energy needed isn’t there

It’s a bad vibe day

You are magic
A magician
Like Merlin
Years ago you cast a spell
It still remains

You are magic

A real magician
Everything you touch has wonder
Your smile is bright like sunshine
Your laughter is generous
You make the world better

You are magic

Your walk is melodic
Your eyes are kind twinkling with mischief
You enchant anyone you meet
Children adore you

You are magic

Everything you do is magical
Everything you touch is golden
You seem to almost float
Your spirit is light

You are magic
In every way

There is no doubt you cast a spell on me

You are magic

Love lifts us up
It can power the world
With its energy
With its light
Whereas hate puts down

Cruelty destroys our spirit
It minimizes us
Pushes us down
Kindness soothes and inspires

Small mindedness shrinks
Tolerance opens up
It  helps us spread our wings
To open up our heart to others

Start every day start smiling
With the pure joy of being alive
Offer kindness and laughter
Especially in difficult times

Let’s makes a difference
Push away darkness
To help light up the world
To heal our wounds

In our own special way
Light up the world

It was wintertime
On the border between Colorado and Wyoming
The area was empty
No people for miles
It was lightly snowing
Large flakes slowly coming down
They were by a forest
The trees were bare

He stepped out of the car
Walked towards the trees
He was hungry for the quiet and solitude

A skidoo was put on the ground for him to use
It was gleaming white and matched the snow on the ground
He turned it on to get ready to disappear
He would ride into the trees seeking nature

He started driving
The further he went the quieter it got
He was amongst the trees now
Totally alone
He felt peaceful and still
This was what he wanted
He stepped off the Skidoo and walked into the trees

He smelled the air which was clean and fresh
He took deep breaths to cleanse his lungs and spirit
He was free
He was calm
As he turned he saw a rabbit
It was still hoping he didn’t see it
They both froze for a moment
Then the rabbit ran off into the trees

He kept walking deeper into the forest as the snow fell
Flakes onto his face but he wasn’t cold
He was home and at peace

She comes from afar
She lives overseas
She has for some time
She speaks differently
But that’s okay
She came for a reason
The nazarene

Every morning
She walks up the street
To visit a café
For coffee and croissant
To run errands
The nazarene

While she sits
She writes
Poetry
If the muse are there
She listens to music
She watches the people
She listens
The nazarene

She watches the city
As she walks
She has a strident step
She passes shops
Pharmacies
Bakeries
Hotels
People selling their wares
The nazarene

You look out the window as nighttime approaches
It’s that time of day
You see bright pink streaks against a grey blue canvas
The pink brightens as night inches closer
The color becomes more intense and deeper
It’s almost a bright hot pink
As time clicks by the streaks of pink start to slowly pull apart like cotton candy threads
It’s stunning to watch
Dusk is approaching bringing a coat of light blackness
The lipstick pink color disappears replaced by the start of nighttime darkness once again

The sun is out
Against a bright blue sky
With hints of gray
There’s a slight wind
The air is cool
Winter is coming
It’s not far behind
People sit huddled in cafés
With winter coats and scarves
Seeking warmth
The next season is coming
It’s knocking at our door
The year is almost over
Time to reflect

In the end
Light wins over dark
Love over hate
Goodness over evil
Freedom over oppression

Balance

Truth over lies
Integrity over corruption
Right over wrong
Kindness over cruelty
Healing over pain

Balance

Love is the most powerful energy
It can change the world in an instant
Light up the world with one small act
It can make a difference

Balance

Is where the heart is
That’s what they say
It’s where one’s roots are
From where we come
It helps define us
There’s comfort
Familiarity
Sometimes
We crave it
We need it
To recenter ourselves
To remember
Who we are
We all go
Home
Where the heart is

It’s a difficult time
It’s crushing
Heartbreaking
It’s been like this for a while
The world is tired
Frustrated
Frightened
Wondering if it will ever end
Yet it continues
Wave after wave
Variant after variant
But we can help
In our own way
Do our part
Mask up
It’s not hard
It helps
Makes a difference
At this time of year
Of giving
Of charity
Let’s step up
Mask up
Light up the world
With our belief
We each matter
Make a difference
In our own way
Mask up

Bright blue skies
A few white clouds scattered
Golden rays of sun
Multi colored flowers everywhere
Green trees swaying
Fragrant scents adorn the air
Like perfume

Light calming breezes
Blow across the face
Teasing it ever so slightly
Like gentle butterfly kisses

Ocean waves pounding the shore
Turquoise water
Endless sandy beaches
Smooth as silk
Umbrellas everywhere

Music in the air
Children playing
Hints of summer
Fill my mind

The beautiful black stallion lived on a ranch by the mountains

He was kept in a stable or corral when not being taken out for a ride by his owners

His coat was a thick black color like velvet
It shimmered in the sun
His mane was long and majestic
His face was kind with big brown eyes
When he ran his tail would bounce some from the movement
He was majestic

Every day he was taken out of the stable to the corral to feed and exercise

He would look beyond the fence towards the green pastures and beyond with longing
He wanted to be free

He felt like he was in a cage

Each day as he went through his routine running around the corral he imagined jumping over the fence and running free
He would even dream of it

One day he decided he couldn’t stay any longer and would have to try and escape

He felt like he was trapped
He was meant to run

He practiced running around and around in the corral going faster each time building up his strength

One night as he went to bed he decided the next day when no one was watching he would free himself

The next morning when he was put out into the corral he waited until everyone left

He then backed up by the fence and started running as fast as he could
His hooves hitting the ground hard with all his strength

He then jumped the fence and kept running towards the open range and mountains

Other horses saw him in the distance and joined him
They all ran fast and hard just for the joy of it

He was so happy
He was out of the cage

He was free

Life is like a tree
It has many branches
Over time it grows
There are new avenues and nuances
The roots reach deeper into the soil
Seeking out precious nutrients and water
New leaves appear in the spring
Turning colors in the fall
Eventually falling to the ground
As winter approaches trees sit bare
As if almost asleep
Waiting again for a new season to start anew
Reborn

It was quiet and still outside
A couple of birds flew through across the sky in the distance
All I could see was the shadow of them
The trees laid out a  rich green carpet underneath the trees below
The sky was a pale blue grey with pillows of white clouds scattered
They broke up the sky with their placement and streaks
The sky was highlighted by light which created a shadow
Looking a renaissance painting
Perhaps Monet
As I looked at the clouds
Their color became brighter
Eventually turning to a light pink color
The view was absolutely stunning
I couldn’t stop looking at it
It was like watching art being created
By the greatest artist of all
Mother Nature

It is wintertime.

You are in the forest.
There are pine trees and other trees around.

There are some snow and pine cones scattered on the ground. A light covering.

It is gently snowing large sized flakes very slowly.

As you stand in the forest -- there are no sounds except a few birds in the trees.

It is so quiet you can almost hear the snow fall.

It takes your breath away.

It has been dark for so long
The air has been heavy and oppressive
It’s been difficult to hold ones head high
Every day negativity oozed everywhere
Like a heavy weight
Everything became hard
In spite of it
People kept trying
People kept helping
People kept caring
Though they were tired
But hope was diminishing
Getting fainter
But, after some time
A small sliver of light shone through
In the darkness, it seemed even brighter
People began to focus on it
Watch it
Fascinated
They then started walking towards it
The closer they came, the brighter it became
Almost like a lighthouse beacon
The light was soothing
It was also healing
Eventually the light increased
Shining down everywhere
Causing the darkness to finally recede
Hope grew
Faith grew
The heaviness lifted
For the first time in a long time
People saw possibilities
They actually started to see the people around them
Their neighbors, friends, co-workers
And they were also seen
They talked and were heard
They listened and understood
Empathy started to grow
Care for one another grew
It was a brand new day

Possibilities

As the bright sun poured down on her with its searing heat, she stepped under the waterfall and let the cool water cool and refresh her

Waterfall

As the water poured over her it offered a soothing reprieve from the sun and heat

Waterfall

Eventually a cool breeze came and gently blew across her face

Leaving a sensation of peace and calm

Waterfall

Whenever I touch your hands
They are warm
Their feeling takes me to a special place
They exude a calmness
Whenever I touch your fingers
They offer kindness and care

Whenever I touch your hands
I am struck by their warmth
As I hold them
They touch my spirit deeply
With care and love

Whenever I touch your hands
I touch my heart
I touch my spirit
With your kindness and care

Memories come flooding back
When I first held your hand
When I first looked into your eyes
When I first hugged you

Hands carry memories
They never forget

Like I never forgot you

I am in a reminiscent mood
Thinking back to a time in my childhood
When I lived overseas
In Brazil
Seems like eons ago
A warm, welcoming place
Especially for children
Full of joy and laughter
The music was intoxicating
The beauty stunning
Remembering the visiting of friends
Whose houses were adorned
With birds of paradise flowers
Visiting the bird sanctuary
With my mother
Seeing every kind of parrot
In a rainbow of colors
Walking the beach in Rio
The Ipanema Beach
Famous for its black and white mosaic tile
Sitting on the beach
Listening to the waves
While people flew their bird kites
Traveling around with my parents
Seeing the country
North and South
Struck with the humanity and beauty
Those memories never left me
They still haunt the inner recesses
Of my heart

Bossa Nova Night

Warm mellow breezes brush against my face
The sky turns light purple as the sun goes down
Carmel cappuccino sits on the table
Waiting for me
While a candle burns
Bossa nova music plays
In the background

As the sun continues to drop
The breezes increase taking some of the heat away
The smell of the cappuccino fills the air
As the bossa nova plays
It’s a special time
A time of magic

What if I were just gone
In the snap of a finger
Vanished like vapor or mist

Would it truly matter
Have I had any impact at all
Or am I like a feather blowing in the wind with no place
Here one moment
Gone the next

What if I were just gone

Would it truly matter
Would anything change
Or would my time here have truly been of no consequence

What if I were just gone

You are magic
A magician
Like Merlin
Years ago you cast a spell
It still remains

A real magician
Everything you touch has wonder
Your smile is bright like sunshine
Your laughter is generous
You make the world better

Your walk is melodic
Your eyes are kind twinkling with mischief
You enchant anyone you meet
Children adore you

Everything you do is magical
Everything you touch is golden
You seem to almost float
Your spirit is light
You are magic
In every way
There is no doubt you
cast a spell on me

We all need to belong

To have a special someone
Have a place to hang our hat
To put our feet up and call home
Where friends and family are

We all need to belong

Somewhere
Somehow
To something
To be loved and love

Without it we feel lost
Untethered
Like a balloon loose in the sky

We all need to belong

Somewhere
Somehow
To something greater than ourselves
We need to matter
We need to have a purpose

We need to feel a place in this world

We all need to belong

We all have a chance every day in how we will be with each other

We can be pleasant or not
We can bring light or darkness
A laugh or a frown

One of the most joyous things is to bring a smile to someone

It doesn't take much to do that

You never know when someone might bring one to you as well

Smile

I live among ghost
Phantoms
They keep calling me
I walk by memories
Old haunts
I touch them ever so slightly
Carved through year’s of life
There are spirits
Vapors of life
I feel them touch me
They hover above
They watch
They listen
They are always there
I see remnants of where they were

I live among ghosts
I feel them
I can’t escape them
Every where I turn
Everywhere I look
I feel them
Echoes of them embedded

I feel them in the air
I feel them in thoughts
I feel them in faces
I live among ghosts and memories
Of another time

Sometimes we may fail
We may even feel like a failure
We may fall down or not meet expectations
Ours or others
But if we try, including new things are we?
As long as we get up and try again

People judge others all the time
Holding them up to their standards
Whether they are appropriate or not
How can one truly know about another
Without being in their shoes

If we take a risk and try something
If we reach beyond our means
If we find our own way
Even if different and unique
If we define ourselves based on our choices
Are we a failure?
It’s in the eye of the beholder
Especially ours
Failure

Streets bustle with crowds of people filled with energy and excitement
The holiday is coming
Street corners become impassable
Because of large throngs of people trying to get somewhere fast
Trees decorated brightly and lit up for the season
Store windows adorned with holiday decorations
Coffee shops full of customers seeking warmth
Vendors selling coffee, hot chocolate and pretzels
Carolers and musicians out along the streets
Giant nutcrackers adorn and ornaments adorn a building
Holiday markets full of potential buyers
Street vendors sell their wares up and down the street
From cashmere scarves to boxed jewelry at a discount price
Radio City Music Hall is open for business
Police line the streets to keep people moving along
Hotel bars and restaurants filled to capacity
Taxis moving to and fro filled with fares
Horse drawn carriages offering rides around Central Park
Nothing like Christmas time in New York

Fall breezes blowing
Dark gray skies
Decorate
The sun hides
For a late entrance
Bright colored leaves
Red, orange and yellow
Tease the senses
Smells of fallen leaves abound
Rustling in the wind
Some clinging to their branches

Chimes ringing in the wind faintly
Playing their own muted tune
Warming up the heart

Tea and apple cider brewing
Pies in the oven
As the temperature drops winter is not far behind
It’s a glorious season

It’s morning
Saturday
The weekend
People are just waking up
Searching for their coffee
The sun is out shining

People are walking about
Cafés full of breakfasters
Cities waking up
Everyone has the slows
Newspapers sit on sidewalks
Street vendors full of magazines
and papers
Stores getting ready for another day

It’s Weekend Morning Treasure

I live far away from where I am from
I am in a different land
Across the waters
I came for someone special
To start a new journey with him
Today I start another new journey
Unplanned for
To stay healthy
To live
There’s a new enemy a foot
Across the world
In some places it is everywhere
All the nooks and crannies
We have been lucky so far
Not much is here yet
Let’s hope that holds
Yet slowly the numbers climb
I sit and watch the news where I came from
The numbers increasing each day
Thousands now
Feeling so helpless
Watching
Yet during this dark time
Which feels like a nightmare
The planet is healing
The skies are cleaner
The water becoming clearer
Animals walking about
Free of their human bonds
Dolphins and whales return to the canals of Venice
Going where they used to go
In a way it’s like a movie
Except it’s very real
Where I hope and pray for a positive ending
For us all
For the world

Afar

Tonight there’s a half moon
It’s silvery white
Hanging by a golden thread in a
dark painted sky
Around the moon is a delicate halo
It looks incandescent to the eye
The vision is almost hypnotic

It’s a half moon night
The air is warm
Heavy and thick
Not refreshing

Summer is in the beginning of its final throes
Breathing fire into the day and night
Making it hard to live and concentrate
Fall is waiting in the wings

It’s a half moon night

Are you real?
Are you just a dream of my imagination?
You seem too good to be true
I can hardly believe it
Imagination

Are you really here?
You are perfect in every way
The way you look
The way you walk
Your handsome face
You seem to good to be true
Imagination

Are you real or a dream?
You are like a melody
The sweetest of music
The finest piece of art
Imagination

Warm spring breezes move through the air
Wind chimes gently playing a quiet melody
Branches swaying slowly
Sun shining down on the flowers and flowering trees
Bright colors abound
Green everywhere
A fragrant scent of the season in the air like light perfume

Soft, lilting sounds
Almost hypnotic in their tone
Laugher rolling down green hills covered with grass
Giggles and the Wizard of Oz
Magic everywhere one looks

Times with a friend playing cards
Traveling down the yellow brick road to other places
Different places, new adventures

Spring is warm and soft like Primavera
Flowers perfume the air with their scent and perfume

The time of season has started where the air is clear
Nights are cool and nature wakes up once again to the start of a new year after the cold dark winter

Primavera
Time of renewal

Sometimes there’s a reprise
Of something
Could be anything
An event
An illness
A song
A relationship

Sometimes life repeats itself
With a person
A feeling
A situation

The world is in a reprise
Of sorts
It was trying
To escape last year
The horror of it
The illness
Sadness
And death
Yet destiny
Had another idea
A reprise

A warm summer wind whips through the air and the trees
Causing them to move to the rhythm and the beat
Lightning dabbles the sky
Like the quick stroke of a paint brush
Tree limbs bend as the wind darts through them
The sky lightens up from the electric charge
The air fills with the loud sound of thunder
A summer storm is fast approaching
Playing the wind chimes outside
Like a musical instrument
As they move back and forth
To the rhythm of the wind
Mother Nature has arrived