Tears keep drippin down
Need  a bucket to collect
All of mankind's pain

could be a typo
Could be a meanto

Serenity lies in.the
.morning walk ahead
A fountain in morning song
Still soft enough to hear
The snapping branch
Just enough moisture
For dew kissed sneakers
Birds in trees near by
Bursting into song
Dogs barking at their gate
Perhaps saying hello
Early morn is the time
To walk
Leftover smells of coffee and bacon
Making you want.to.
Invite yourself in
The sun peeping overhead
Not generating its total
Capacity of warmth
A sense of being alone
Without any responsibility
Except to complete the walk
No one to answer to
But yourself
And its all okay.
This moment of yours
Where only you
Can rule

See the green grass
Waving in the breeze
When the roaring sound
Of the mower comes along
Let me say thank you
That I can hear
Smell of homemade bread
Throughout the house
Garbage in the alley
Let me say thank you
Touching petals on a rose
Different shapes of slime
Let me say thank you
Homemade cookies with
An exta crunch
A spice not to
My liking
Let me say thank you
For all that has
Been given
Let me be
Aware of their existence
Especially since some
May have none

Lost in space
Lost and found
Lost dog
I'm lost in
The moment

Rainbow rays of
Sunlight
Waking me up
For a new day
A new slate
Washed clean from
Tears of night
Remainders on pillow
Thinking of you
The joy you brought
Into my heart
The laughter we shared
Rehearsing lines for
Plays you and I
Shared together
Money for bus fare
To the hospital
For visits and check ups
Secrets we shared
And kept inside
A hanky when needed
Your love for laughter
Your strength when
I was weak
Christmas time.
Any time
Stirs up memories
Of you
I thank you
From here below
To send to you
Above
I place my Angel
On the tree
And you my angel
In my heart

Merry Christmas
Mike

Laboring in the
Morning sun
Tears of sweat
Dripping down
His back
Wheeling buckets of
Cement blocks
To. the neighbor's
Backyard
The only sound
You could hear
Was the song
Coming from
His heart

Watching football on TV
I think of Sundays
Going to the stadium
With my brother
Giving me something
To look forward to
The crowd and noise
Crashing helmets
Hands held high
For a touchdown
High fives in the crowd
What a way to end
The weekend and
Another long week
To begin
Unless my brother
Surprised me
With a ticket
For next week's game

One crumpled paper
After another
Balled into the trash
How many words
Have been wasted
And how many trees
Cut down
Would it be easier
To build a fire
And set the words
Aflame
Or let the words
Disintegrate into the
Night air
Or not begin
At all

As Thanksgiving draws near
I want to thank my HP family
Thanks for letting me  sup
With you
Feasting on your words
Digesting them slowly
Savoring.the  tears and laughter
The warmth the sorrow
Topped with love
And nature
All of you have been
A blessing to.me
And for this I am grateful
A warm toast
To all of you

Happy Virtual Thanksgiving
To you and your Family

What's in your wallet
Loose coins
Wadded receipts
Crumpled dollars
Cards for id
And health
Pictures for sharing
What's in your heart
Loose feelings
Receipts for friendship
Wadded regrets
Crumpled heartbreak
Pictures of family
Rooted deep within
Is there love and forgiveness
Warmth or cold
What's in your heart

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

I wanted to
Be like you
Until I saw
What you were
Really like

You left me alone
Standing at the corner
Of Betwixt and Between
With nowhere to go
And certainly nowhere
To turn
Only one way to go
Straight ahead

Walking in the morning
Today it was bleak
Dead grasshoppers and Squirrels
Not a lot of bird sounds
Except the loud cry
Of the crow
The lake didn't glisten
Or dance
Dead silence.
No one to hit me
With their bike
Panting dogs leading
Their owners
Not even the soft
Sound of footsteps
Jogging behind
Caught up in
The grey moment
Then a leaf
Fell from the tree

I just can't stop now
Words keep racing through my heart
Need to be set free

My dreams turn to you
On the wings of an angel
I fly unto you

Putting dreams to sleep
In.my heart's sanctuary
Just where you abide

We are a flawed people
Scarred people
Lonely happy sad
People
Loving caring sharing
People
Flowing glowing growing
People
Near far reach the star
People
Hurting sporting
People
Earthy worthy holy
People
Crying dying
People
No matter what people
We may be
We share and uphold
One another
Through  and from
Our.beating heart
And our pen  and paper
Are our ammunition
Of love

I just feel so much
And I can't contain it all
Let it all just go

Your birthday today
Is special for all of us
Mother of Jesus

How busy nature is
Bees busy buzzing
Birds flying high
Squirrels playing tag
Woodpeckers pecking
Ducks waddling
All is one
With the world

Greeting me in the morning
Warming my shivers
From nightmares all around
Rays of hope
Promising a new day
For a fresh new start

Printed word
Printed page
Printing press
Paw prints
Finger prints
Blue prints
Foot prints
Hand prints
Newsprint
Everywhere we leave
A mark

Just when I thought
The day was ending
And I could
Put my mind
To rest
A word or two
Now became three
Just enough to get
Me to start thinking
How those words
Could work
A happy here
A sad there
Bright colors
Splattering words
People and places
Animals and stars
A grocery list
Of topics
Waiting to be born
But for now
Day is done
Day is done

My spiritual muse
Always comes at the right time
How greatful I am

Loners together in
High school
Dodging insults
In the halls
Sharing laughter
And bitter pain
Dancing to no
Music
Singing without song
Acting in plays
Reality too hard
We shared volunteer
Duties
And happy times
We read books
Required
And other classics
Even shared a
Joke or two
Kept in touch
Over the years
And still do

When will guns disappear
And violence forever stopped
Love a houseword term
Spread throughout the community
Hands to shake
Not to cuff
A walk down the street
Without fear of being robbed
Talk of laughter
Not of violence
Can't we just go
One day without
Harming anyone
In body or soul
When can we join hands
And truly connect

Words like the unicorn
On a magical journey
Whispers of a starry night
And Angels take flight
Or perhaps a stormy day
With a thunderbolt
Or two
Fantasy or reality
Each leaving their charm
How real is it

As night draws nigh
I think of today
A yellow black tipped bird
Hiding in the tree
Wet grass making my sneakers
Squeak on the pavement
Walkers bikers runners
In the park
A book to curl up to
Poems to write
And throw away
A time to prepare
For evening sleep
And ready myself  for morn

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

Sitting

I sink deep into
The valley of my soul
Ups and downs
I roughly travel
Do I have the
Right tools
To continue this journey
Or do I hide
Amidst my shaken humanity
Never to be set free

The melancholy sounds of
The Cicadas remind me
The summer is coming
To an end
As i am drawn into
Their mourning sound
I echo back
In silence
Hoping for fall
Preparing for wintry
Days ahead
Each season a
Song of their
Own to sing

You are just a crook
And you have stolen her heart
She's  locked up with you

Topics to choose from
      Knowledge to share with your date
       Will you "go again?'

He was a Hansel
Of.sorts
Distributing crumbs
From his crumpled
Bag
For the geese
He left as quietly
As he came
With his dog

Oh to be
Young again
Make silly jokes
And laugh
Out loud
Giggle till your
Belly hurts
Have no shame
In falling down
Just bounce
Right up
Oh to be
A teen again
Play silly jokes
And laugh
Too loud
Giggle till your
Belly hurts
Have some shame
In falling down
Just jump
Right up
Oh to be
Old again
Tell funny jokes
And laugh
Out loud
Gaggle till your
Big belly hurts
Have some shame
In falling down
Just hoping
To get up

Just put the pen down
You have all day tomorrow
Now go back to sleep

Running  so fast past me
In the park
Did you see the
Four ducks in the
Glistening lake
Or the.rabbit hiding
In the grass
What about the dead
Grasshopper on the ground
Did I feel.the runners high
Or each fast beat of the heart
What about feeling the breeze
Against my face
Or reddened cheeks
Same park same day
Each with a special
Experience all
Their own

How peaceful it is
Looking at the purple clouds
A storm is brewing

Sun shine on me
Warm me with your rays
Dance for me in
The shadows
Make me smile today

Awaken your thoughts
Get out your paper and pen
A new day is here

Now that we're even
Let's put it all behind us
And let's just stay friends

I am not prepared
To face another day
I have not gathered
The necessary tools
To survive
What is at hand
Perhaps I should
Go back to
Bed
Call it
A day
And start over
Tomorrow

I am me today
For the yesterday of you
Tomorrow's new song

Gazing at the sky
On a starry summer night
My thoughts turn to.you
Who made the Heavens

Tried calling many times
Left message. ,phone busy
Are you ,too busy

Too busy to answer
Answer my call  to recall
All the pain all the  laughter

I Emailed many times
Left message  
Are you too busy

Open up your heart
Let all struggles
Pass you by
Count them one
By one
Let them go
Marching on by
Get the angst out
.And move on

I need me a woman cave
To hide in
With no entrance
Except for me
A place to hoard
My stuff
My insignificant stuff
Pile by pile
Season by season
Should be thrown away pile
Not ready to let go