No gold to give you
Frankincense I cannot smell
Myrrh afraid to find
I follow the star
Silently make a you turn
Give homage to God
Bearing not a gift
Wrapped in paper and a bow
Only me to give

Such power in
Nature
The senses quicken
The feeling of
Aliveness
As winged bird
Saunters
Overhead
And ducks gracefully
Peacefully
Glide on the rippling water
Crisp crunchy leaves
Leaving a smoky
Scent behind
Fresh scented pine
Amidst the trees
The caw  caw of
A crow
Enjoying morning
Flight
Such a miracle to
Witness
Between a mask covered
Face

Leaves to crunch on
Revisiting Mother Goose
And Tales Grimm
Hopscotch and
Double Dutch
Dodge ball
Skip a rock
Kick the can
Make a silly face
And sing a silly Song
Marbles and jacks
Blowing bubbles
Super ball
And slime
Rekindle the child
Within you
Before it's too
Late
And you forget
The happiness
Once within you

Silence is golden
Take a look through the blinds
Snow is falling

Broken hearts to mend
Broken promises to cure
And just plain broken

Yesterday I inherited
All the gold in
The world
I was given your
Poetry and stories
From.years gone by
How those ragged
Edges.of journals
Crinkled through
My now calloused
Fingertips
Tears started to blot
Some of the carefully
Chosen words
From experiencing
Pain and love
Laughter and tears
The should of 's and
Could of 's
Reminders of the past
As siblings
The success and failures
Of your diabetic journey
Your funny stories
Those that happened
Those that did not
Stories to make you
Laugh or cry
The reminders of
What was
Rekindled in my very
Being
Reading one of
Your stories
Reminded me
How blest and honored
I was to have had
A  brother
Like you

I like the feel of winter
Icicles  hanginging
From the trees
Snapping at
Your fingertips
Handfuls of crisp snow

Ready to be formed
Into a solid ball
Snowflakes on your
Nose and cheeks
I like the taste of winter
Snowflakes falling gently
On your tongue
Snow in a bowl
Ready to spoon
I like the smell of winter
Wet , soggy , clothes
Fresh falling snow
In the air
Burning smoke from
Neighboring chimneys
From fires within
I like the sight of winter
Glistening snow
Foot traveled ground
Snowmen smiling
As you walk by
I like the sound of winter
Snow gently falling
Silence in the air
Screams of children
Just about everywhere
I like the sense of winter
The being
Within or without

I'm Sinking fast
Into the pool
Of no return
Perhaps this time
I can write
The words

You walked across me
As if walking on
An icy pond
Ready to crack
Throwing words
Of bitter cold
Into the sharp
Bitter wind
Seasons come and go
Ready for change
But death
Has already
Taken place

Getting near that time
Where minds begin
To wander
Stores are closed
Lights are dimming
Noises settle down
Words come flowing
Making sense or not
From a day
That " s drawing to
A close
Factories shut down
But words keep dancing
Round and round
Eyes blink yet
Never close
Sleep too far away
Nothing else to do
To chase those
Thoughts away

Happy New Year...
In the coming year
May you be
Blest with
Thoughts to share
A Dictionary and thesaurus
And Reference
Nearby
Papers to write on
And napkins too
Pens and pencils
An eraser or two
A good book  
Of poetry
Rumi will do
Laughter and sadness
Will play a big part
Keep open your hearts
And let yourself go
May you have words
And best of health
Thank you for touching
Me
And touching
The world
Happy New Year

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

Take a picture fast
The brilliant reds
Glowing in the sky
Will soon
Fade away
Take a picture fast
The brilliant smiles
Of yesteryear
Will soon
Fade away
Take a picture fast
The leaves afire
In the tree
Will soon be gone
Take a picture fast
The hands So soft
All withered and frayed
Take a picture fast
Before Life goes
              A
                 W
        ..............A
      ....................Y

Waves swaying in
The winter breeze
Some gently flap
Across the lake
While others roughly
Slap against the water
As the Waves dance
Toward me
I am reminded
Of my emotions
Some gentle , Some rough
Yet both are
A working part
Of me

A photographer takes to
Field. Camera in hand
Ready to capture
The right moment
A poet takes to
Field pen and paper in hand
Ready to capture
The right moment
A click of the camera
A click of the pen
Both will have a story
To tell
One in picture
The other one
In words
The end result
Will be visualized or
Heard
Both viewed from
The  Heart

New Year has begun
Promises to keep and break
It's same time next year

There is  such a calm
In walking early
Especially.in winter chill
Everything seems frozen
In time
The rippling lake
Of su.mer seems to have stilled
The chatteiring.of
Birds flying by
Leaves the sky
Empty
But still.as it is
There's a mystical
Silence
That permeates the air

Of all distractions
Irritating or just small
Silence is loud

So bleak is the day
Grays appearing.in the sky
Where is my sunshine

What must it be like
To be a turtle
Hiding its head
For protection
Or a snake shedding
It's skin
A bird soaring
High over the universe
A dog without
A tail to wag
A cat with
No purr
Paradise without visitors
No water for fish
What would it be like
Without you and me
We and they
What would it
Really.be like

Watching children skipping
Rocks
Playing ball , running fast
Laughing out loud
Watching the sun
Petting a dog,
Chasing a cat
Holding  tight to
Momma's hand
Did this happen
To me
Or while Watching
Did I just imagine

Not a friend in sight
Will grab my paper and pen
Hello poetry

Pulling out the laundry
I realize something
Is missing
It's  not a sock
Without a mate
Or a coin
From my jeans
Or the flapping
Of sheets being
Hung out
To dry
It's the sound
Of my mother's
Irish voice
Singing
How silent it is
And oh how sad
Knowing I won't
Hear her singing
Again

My heart aches for you
At the loss of your daughter
Can't begin to grasp

Words upon words
Racing around
My head
Ready to write
Words get caught
In the dust of
A poetic limbo
Where nothing
Can be
Found

You are on my mind
And so I send up a Prayer
That all may be well

Sing me a lullaby
So I can sleep
Away pain
Carrying me gently
To the land
Of Nod
Where I can
lay in a field of daisies
Under a Harvest moon
And quiet is all
Around
Except for the
Occasional tick tock
Of the clock
Sing me a lullaby
So I can
Go to sleep
And hope there
Is magic near
To ward off demons
Sing me a lullaby
In a whispering
Breath
Close the door softly
As you leave
To go home

Caw Caw
Who let the
Birds out
Today was such
A grand day
Even though it
Was cold
Watching the birds
Warmed my
Very soul
Such a majestic
Glorious feeling
As the sun
Peeked between
The barren trees
A baby cardinal
With an ego
Repeating her song
To hear across
The gray colored
Sky
The noisy flapping
Of a heron's wing
Loud and proud
Leaving a bold song
To echo across
The shadowy lake
The sweet sound
Of a Robin
Nearby
A symphony of
Sounds
Some Repetitious
While other sounds
Honk and shriek
Birds everywhere
Enjoying the moment
Of now
Rejoicing in flight
And sound
Oh how grand
To be an
Uninvited guest
To this wonderful
Display of nature
I shall pass this
Way
Tomorrow
Hoping for a
Repeat
Performance

Tried calling  but
No answer
Tried visiting but
No show
Tried crying but
No tears
Tried loving but
No response
Tried living but
No Life
Tried sharing but
No hands
Tried and tried
Until all gone

The darkness is here
Jesus will bring us His light
Early Christmas morn

Scrambled eggs,
Scrambled thoughts

You threw bitter cold
Words
At my trembling heart
My mind was too frozen
To reply

Just keep it coming
And than you want to know why
How did it happen

When the Son comes out
Bitter cold will go away
And a rose will bloom

A New star
Fills the sky
Shining in
The distance
Bright at first
Reaching its
Destination
Watching over
Me
Reminding me
Of days
Gone by
So bright at first
But as healing
Takes place
Your light will
Dim with
All the other
Stars

The lake is frozen
Some of the geese are standing
Testing their webbed feet

I can pen away
Any time of day or night
Someone else is out there

Time has been given
And time will be taken
Some have a lot left
While others non left
Use it wisely
Before you
No longer can
Don't wait till
You can't run bend stand
Or see the dirt covered road
Ahead of you
Smell the fresh cut grass
Hear the sweet sound
Of birds
Sip a warm cup
Of tea
Read a book
You've been meaning to
Now is the time

I listen all around
As nature awakens
The early morning
Silence
The happy sound
Of a gull
Soaring overhead
Enjoying the moment
Fish hiding from
Their captors
Waves dancing in song
Birds in trees
Answering their
Mate's  call
Last of leaves
Spiraling toward
The ground
Dried grass
Bristling
Sound of a runner's shoe
Quietly hitting the
Well worn path
Who needs change
Silence is golden

Darkness fills my world
Like the murky swamp
Falling deeper and deeperl
Into the known
Lightness fills my world
Like the starlit night
Shining brighter and brighter
Into the known
Laughter fills my heart
Like the babbling brook
Bouncing smoother and smoother
Into the known
Love fills my heart
Like the universal song
Singing louder and  strong
Into the known
Hope fills my soul
Like  a heavenly beam
Shining brighter and  brighter
Into the known

So tranquil the night
The moon still winking
As stars shine bright
Planets in alignment
The milky way too
Everything in favor
Wish upon a star

I write of sun and birds
And sky
That's all
I see
I write of people and tears
And joy
That's all
I feel
I write of hot chocolate and tea
And bread
That's all I  taste
I write of shouting and screaming
And laughter
That's all
I hear
I write of what I see
Real or imagined

Breathe in and breathe out
Aware of life all around
And life from within

Perhaps that is why
I have something called dry eye
All the tears were shed

Freshly made footprints
On snow covered ground
The heavier the boot
The deeper the print
Some prints with
Slanted lines
And chiseled holes
Others with
Tic tac toe
Some footmarks
Plopped  deep into
The snow
Tracks from birds
Paw prints
Small prints
Of tiny animals
Scurrying by
An Angel print
Not far away
Reminding me
I'm not far
From home

Was anxious to write
Tripped over my very words
There's nothing to show

Crumbs on my napkin
Surround my thoughts and my dreams
In the trash you go

The moon shines brightly
Yes there's a man in the moon
Reflecting on snow

She should have
The cleanest room
She stays there
All day long
Hiding
From you
Hiding
From me
Free free bumble bee
Everybody come out free
Is that her

Poetry in motion
Words dressed up
Played down
Dancing across
Napkins
Toilet paper double ply
Chalked sidewalks
And ghetto walls
Sewer plates
And bus seats
Train terminals
.Church benches
Bathroom stalls
Everyone needs an
Encore of words
To touch or heal
To make one
Whole again
Or put a smile
Upon one's face
A.laugh or two
Perhaps even a tear
A collection of
One's thoughts
A collection of
Others
Whatever the case
Words are
Poetry in motion