Squirrel running fast
Carrying his winter food
Just waiting to hide

Feeling morning chill
Coldness touches my
Nose
Making me look
Like Rudolph
Hands in mittens
Fingers ready
To warm
Time to move faster
Pick up pace
Of an actual walker
Steps are counted
Breathing increases
Will I make it
To my destination
Or should I
Turn around

For all moms
And dads out there
Thank you
For being essential
To your child
Carrying their backpack
Walking two dogs
Getting the bus
Throwing a ball
Till time to board bus
Staying home with
Your child
So they can learn
Virtually
Learning new technology
So your child can stay
At home
Thanks for kissing boo boos
And comforting your
Teens
This has been a
Rough academic year
But you are hanging tough
Thank you

Puppy out for
Morning walk
With owner
Sees a stick
Of course bigger
Then he is
Puts it in his mouth
And carries to
Next crack in
Sidewalk
So proud of his
Treasure
As he struts along
As the stick
Gets heavier
He drops it
How often have
We found a
Treasure right
In front of us
Gave it a few
Minutes' time
Then dropped it
Because it was
Too heavy to
Carry

Morning is dawning
You can hear.the birds
Waking each other up
From one tree
To the next
Until all.trees are full of
Morning song
Dogs are barking
One by one
For morning
Wake up call
Cats try sneaking in
After being out
All night
Coffee is perking
Tea kettles whistling
The smell of bacon
In the air
Stretching and yawning
Slippers are swishing
Time to get up
And go
Anew day Has begun

I should be cleaning
And so I will be cleaning
When I see who wins

Oh for the sound
Of sounds
Loud sounds
Fans cheering
Helmets crashing
Whistles blowing
Oh for the smell
Of smells
Sweat off theohb
Back of a player
Popcorn  popping
Women doused
In perfume
Oh for the taste
Of taste
Hotdogs with
All the works
Icecream with sprinkles
Nachos with lots
Of cheese
Oh for the touch
Of touch
The hard touch
Of pigskin
Hands giving fives
The cold rail
As you exit
Ah the senses
You experience
At a football game

Silent whispers
Softly sung lullabies
Cats purring
Tongue wiping
After milk
Sweet goodnight
Kisses
As Momma tucks
You in
Daddy whispers
Good night
New falling snow
Tears falling
Softly Down your
Cheeks
Kindly close the
Door
And turn off
The light

It is so quiet
I can hear the chimes ringing
A magical sound

A man made pool
Of water
In common ground
Where lots of geese
Can swim
Isn't it ironic
A small pool
Of water
Made from.rain
Where less geese
Can swim
And yet more
Want to try

Feeling the dark
Side of midnight
Trying not to
Let tears drop
Upon  my dampened
Shirt
Struggling to.
Find a pen
To write away
The pain

Sometimes my ghosts
Come to haunt me
So I sprinkle
Out words
To form a poem
And suddenly they disappear

I felt the pulse
Of the early
Morning sun
As she peeked
Behind the clouds
And gracefully danced
Her calmness beat
Into my soul
As I  walked
Toward the noise
Ahead

Sometimes it's hard
To laugh
When others
Are crying
Harder to live
When others
Are dying
When others around
Have plenty to eat
Yet right next door
There is no meat
A house of
Friends
Day in and
Day out
Let all alone
With no one
About
Abath of bubbles
With plenty
To spare
Yet you go
***** smelly
And bare
While choosing closets
Of shoes
To wear
Your shoes are full
With no holes
To spare
A limo.just goes
Speeding by
As for you
A dumpster standing
By
You don't have
Change
A dollar would do
To  put in
Your worn pocket
And make you
Feel new
May you be loved
With each crumb
You beg
And get a new
Soap for your
Bleeding leg
If I see you again
In one more line
May I stop what
I'm doing and
Give you
Some time

While you lay dying
In your bed
At home
Christmas lights
Across the street
Blinked off and
On
At each gasping breath
You took
The last of the
Blinking lights dimmed
As  you drew
Your last breath
The last light now gone
From outside
As the light from
Inside
Died

You are someone
Who makes an indentation
Even in a heart
Of stone
Your warm smile
Melts away the chill
Of a cold heart
The sound of
Your voice
Makes your
Heart beat
The love you
Have
The love you
Share
Makes the world
A better place

My ink is
Running out
But the words
Keep flowing
Paper too
Wrinkled
For words
A New pen  
Is near
A napkin
Nearby
Should get
Busy
Before
My poem
Disappears

He taught you to fish
Laugh out loud
Learn lines for
The play
Have fun
Enjoy Life
How to tell
The bigger tale
Give him
His shot
How to just be
And you
You.gave him
One of
Your kidney's

This is the time of
Day I miss you most
The pomegranate sky
Birds flying home
Stillness  filtering
The air
Silencing my
Memories of
Yesterday
How I wish
You were here
To talk to
And laugh with
Say goodnight to
I'll whisper to
The angel passing
By

I tried to call you
But the phone just kept ringing
You were calling me

You were my past
And into my present
And gone in
My future

Are you listening
To what I am saying
Your ears may
Not be closed
But your heart is

A Mary.Poppin's
Of sorts
Just keep pulling
Out
And pulling
Out
Until you find
The right fix
A Hudini
Of sorts
Just keep pulling
Out
And pulling
Out
Until you find
What you are
Looking for
And you
A poet of sorts
Just keep pulling
Out
And pulling
Out
Till you find
Your words
Is there magic
In our pull
Or did we have
It all along

Like a squirrel
Scurrying around
Gathering treasures
For winter
When content
Ready to bury
Until needed
Storing up words
For right moment
When the season
Is right
So will be
The poem

It was just a poem
Gathered from all of your thoughts
Now it's a story

Oh peanut butter
That earthy nutty smellfull
Just want some right now

Drenched in tears
You came into
My unsuspecting life
Wrapped you in
A blanket of warmth
To dry bullied
Tears away
And bandage up
Long ago wounds
It might not
Be a permanent solution
But for now
You are safe

Forgetting everything
Some things that
Should be forgotten
Other things that
Should not be forgotten
I won't remember today
I won't remember tomorrow
But just let me
Remember now

The voices churning
Deep inside.my head
Are actually words
Waiting to
Get out
And recite
A poem

One more for the road
Thoughts are traveling  through my head
Stop it's time for bed

I thought I was through
And the day was over with
Then the words came in

I've run out
Of places to hide
Somehow you manage
To find me
Is it my
Pounding heart
Or maybe my
Tangled hair
Are my legs
Hanging out
It didn't help
That I just
Sneezed
I can't go now
There's nowhere
Else to go

Dad had the pen
Mom had the spoon
Dad had the paper
Mom had the recipe
Dad penned
Mom cooked
Both used their gifts
At one time or another
Mixing of words
Mixing of foods
Dad dished up words
Mom.dished up food
And when all
Was complete
A feast of words
A feast of food
Was served
And digested

Tonight I miss you
And each and every day
Everything around
Is so a part of you
Christmas lights you
So enjoyed
The Charlie brown tree
You had in your room.
With dangling gifts
Of pencils and.small
Trinkets for
The nieces and nephews
To choose from
Yes even one for me
The Christmas gifts
Wrapped in newspaper
And you never knew
What you would find
Oh but for your
Laughter and stories
And love to
Last the whole
Year round
You are no
Longer with us
But your love
So deeply given
Will forever be
In our.hearts
To stay

A poem breathed
Into me
And awakened
My senses
Visualizing colors
Of sunny morn
And moonfilled night
Animals being animals
Trees and nature
All.around
Smelling stinky feet
Warm fires from
Someone's home
Homemade bread
Fresh fallen rain
Tasting crunchy apples
Sipping herbal tea
Hearing yapping dogs
And the crackling logs
From the fireplace
Touching baby's  toes
Or sandpaper
Thouhts were overflowing
Of the wonder of
It all
Grabbed a pen
And paper
And a poem
Was born

Swift movement upon
The grayish lake
Breezes blow
As you scurry along
Where are you
Going so fast
Where do you go
Perhaps like me
Scurrying along
In question

Fishing for dinner
Or just fishing for a line
Something has to give

Pouring from the sky
Droplets of water they fall
Dancing in puddles

Listen for whispers
As snowflakes fall from the sky
Softly hit the ground

Waiting on the phone
Hoping to get some answers
Forgot the question

Music is a balm
Oh so gently touching me
Healing deep my soul

The trees are bare
Having lost her
Garment of
Colored leaves
White glistening snow
Will soon
Be here to cover
Her up

Snowflakes are falling
Faster and faster they fall
Till earth is covered

Somehow it gets
Crowded inside
With all the words
Left unsaid
How can I
Release
What I can't
Feel
And yet
The words may
Pile up
Until they no
Longer serve
Any purpose
Words can't be
Forced
They need to be
Nurtured
And carefully
Oh so carefully
Birthed
And gently
Placed into
Being

Goodbye geese
I will.miss your
Morning call
Honking in the
Early morn
The loud flapping
Of heavy wings
Racing toward
The pond
Watching you chase
One another
Sometimes even getting
In a bite
Of a lagging tail
Moving your necks
Up and down
Searching for food
Or just sitting
So peacefully
Not even moving
As if carved in stone
Yes I will miss
You
And carve those
Fond memories in.
My heart
And when times
Get too rough
I can retrace
Those memories
And put
A smile upon
My face
But for now
When it's time
To go
Just know you
Had a friend
In passing




L

Hanging on with
A fisherman's thread
Barely enough to
Keep me hanging on
Perhaps I won't.
Let go
As I sink deeper and
Deeper
If I cling tight enough
I can pull through
And carry on

Oh the warmth
Of the morning
Sun
Upon my back
In the early
****** of a
December lullaby

This early morning
A Crayola box
Of one hundred
Exploded into the universe
More then one
Versions of
Pinks and yellows
Blues and purples
And oranges
What an awesome
Sight
Awaited me
As first I peeked
Through the
Slitted blinds
And upon pulling
The blinds
The Master's Peace
Appeared

Funny how you can
Tell the moon
Is full
Even with the
Blinds closed
Radiance of light
Can't help but
Shimmy their way
Through the slits
But you feel it
First
Like someone is
Looking over you
And you look.up
And a beautiful
Snow colored oval
Stares back at you
Perhaps with a
Knowing smile

Afraid of the dark
And even my
Own shadow
Dogs that bite
Bees that sting
Being rejected
Again and again
Afraid of the cold
And even the rain
Afraid afraid  
Afraid