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

Alternating picking up
Fallen plants
Winds are blowing
Plants are falling
Harder the wind
Keeps blowing
The more the plants
Keep falling
Perhaps like me
The stronger it gets
The quicker I fall.
But will someone
Be there to
Pick me up
Or will I just
Continue to
Lay there

Please pass the milk
Pass the potatoes
Please pass a napkin
My pen is close
At hand

Gathering up words
To share.
A little bit here
A little bit there.
Making sure there's
Just enough
This or that.
It 's important to ration.
For in the very end
Words will be digested
Or spewn out.

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

Poetry
The lava in
My soul
Ready to erupt
Cannot be contained
Any longer
Like lightning bugs
In a jar
Dimly blinking
In a jar
Until their lights
Went out

look at the word poetry
Poet try
How often have I tried
Placing words from
Deep within to the butcher block
Where unwanted words
Are hacked off
And with the remainder
Try to make sense at
What lies before me
Sparing no parts
I sharpen my pencil
Hurriedly grab some paper
Before  my thoughts
Get caught up in the netherworld

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

so much happens
When designing
Apoem
How much love laughter
Pain sorrow
Has been experienced
What one has seen
And experienced
And gathered in
The process
Stories told
Others made up
Poetry is Life
All around
Forming in and
Out of the womb
Man and animal
Sea and sky
Poetry is a thank you
For gathering up Life
And putting into words

Sharing poetry
Exposes one's self
To the elements
One has to weather
The storm

it never ceases to amaze me
What I will find on this site
Actually its fun to see what
Subject will be next
As Dr. Phil says what.were
You thinking
I cry laugh salute celebrate
All that is before me
And I thank all of you
From the bottom of my heart
Thanks for being so transparent
You've been given a gift
Please keep sharing

The poor are with us
Do we share our wealth with them
Or just say poor thing

Heard sermon today
Good seed fallin on ground
Do we let path be trampled on
Or do we build a path
For growth
Got me to thinking
Where.have I planted
my seed
Or have I even planted
Is it too late to
Change my course
Can I permanently pull
Out weeds
Never meant to be sown
Can I start over
With Sonshine and rain
Cleansing me free
From all that was
To a new and
Glorious way
Let me scatter seeds
To my soul
To your garden
Of Eden
Where once was Life
If I crawl in the dust
Let me be buried
In You

You're mask was
Already on
Hiding snide remarks
Blowing kisses goodbye
Not fully seeing
Others all around
Or letting others
See you
Both of us scared
To show who we
Really were
Distance came often
The phone would stop
Its ringing
Walking to support
One another
Suddenly stopped
Hands washed thoroughly
Perhaps even till raw
Now it's quiet
Masks are all over
No side to side
Hands wrinkled
From germ-x

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

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

Minding my p's and
Qrst's
Knowing you
Are near
I walk on eggshells
Not knowing if
You will explode
At me
Or hold me
Close
Be ready to stay
Or ready to
Run
It doesn't get
Any easier
So why do
I stay

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

Don't give me those
Sad puppy eyes
When you broke
My heart
Don't try to erase
My tears drip dripping
Down my face
Instead just quietly
Leave me behind

Put your boots on
Your coat on
Your.head on straight
But put God on
Protect yourself from
The elements around
Take your boots off
Your coat off
Keep your head
On straight
Let God veil you
With His.Love

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

Riding walking running  biking
Put your mask on
Not just for you
But for me and the world
Traveling near traveling far
Stirring up dust
Walking the straight and narrow.
Put your mask on
Heigh ** Silver
Their will be a silver lining

A cold morn
A Lifeless morn
No geese around
Or Squirrels
No noise
Not even the
Wind
Or a tinkling
Chime
Almost too quiet
Guess i'll.turn.some
Music on

Quietly
Step
     ...by
              Step
I go
Not to awaken
Any explosives
For the day

Tossing and turning
Thoughts are swarming through my mind
Busy as a bee

My thoughts like a
Speed car racer
Circling round
And round
Until the finish line

The sky pouring
Down tears
To wash the earth
Free of its' sins
Harder and harder
It falls
For a deep cleansing
Nothing seems to
Make the filth
Disappear
Just when the rain
Seems like it
Will never
Go away
The Son comes
Shining through

Rain sounds stir within
My very being
Sometimes I'm scared
Like a lost child
Looking for their mother
Seeking shelter
As rain increases
So do my fears
Of yesteryear and today
Soft patters of rain.
Reminders of dancing
In the rain
Rain rain go away
Come again another day
Perhaps when I'm ready
To weather the storm.
In my heart

A cloud just
Burst open
Showering buckets
Of rain
On my flowers
And heart
Washing away
The dryness
And leaving
Me with
Sunshine

How refreshing the smell
Of new rain
On the unsuspecting sidewalk
Where worms come
Out of hiding
Ready to shimmy
In the rain of Life
Birds fly high overhead
Children prepare to
Jump in newly formed puddles
Splashing with all their heart
Lift up your hands
Stick out your tongue
And catch a few drops
It won't last forever

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

The rain Falling on
Top of my head
With each cold
Splatter
Reminding me
Of days gone by
Washed away
With tears
Regrets
And happiness
The need for
Sheltering
And staying
Warm and dry
From puddles
Surrounding me
Though raindrops may
Fall gently
Tip tapping on the window
With a melodious sound
It can also be frightening
As you await the bus
And puddles
As big as a lake
Splash you like a monsoon
Rain like friends
Can come down
And pounce on
Your feelings
Or can calm
You with gentle
Song
Do I want
Rain Rain go away
Or Rain Rain  stay

Rain
What are you
Trying to say
As you
D
   R
  .....I
          P
               D
                  .R
        ...............I
                ..........P
Down my window
Are these tears
Of yesteryear
That have
Never
Dried out
And need to be
Released
Let them fall
Let them fall
To wash away
And bring
New Birth

Rain came unannounced
Got caught in a downpour
Hair dripping wet
Clothes soaking
Shoes squishing
Oh for a warm fire
To dry wet hair
Heat my clothes
Comfort my toes
In my shoes
A hot tea with cream
Would be nice
To follow

Sitting watching the rain
Thinking about eentzy weentzy
Spider
He was washed out
The sun dried
And he started
Over again
In the storms
Of life
How often have
I waited for
The sun
Sometimes I go
Up that spout again
And sometimes I just
Stay grounded

I so liked football
Going to the stadium
Now my team is gone

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

Early in the morning
My spirits come to haunt me
But I am armed with
Paper and pen

A New day  has dawned
Sun filtering through
The sun bleached shades
Pen and paper
Are ready by my side
Geese echoing
Good morning
As words mince
Together in
My scattered mind
And like the geese
Ready.for
Take off

Thought I was ready
To face the day
With her aches and pains
And her bouquet
Of surprises
For Nature's kisses
And long lost tears
Joy at each moment
Every step of the way
To enlighten me
Or hurdles to cross
And move on
And letting go
Not ready yet
Where's my cover

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

Shadows all around
Mirroring my past
as long as they disappear

Reflections of you
Crashing from the waves of time
Serenely float by

so busy studying
Cracks and lines
Spelt break incorrectly
By avoiding i actually got
Caught in my
Own trap
What was I thinking
Oops I wasnt

The widow sits
In his overstuffed chair
Knowing of his
No return
Hoping for one last
Smell of the
Day's  sweat
Mixed with shaving
Lotion
Accepting the faintest
Hint of work gone by
But tears wash away
All memories
Laying back with
Aching legs
Remembering days
Gone by
Eyes burning from
Salty tears
Ready to nod off
The dog reminds you
It's time to walk

Such a restless sleep
I'm up for the duration
Cause I can't sleep now

Denial: Keep putting off filling out all
           ....the paper work
Anger:   why do I have to retire I was
              ....going to wait till end of
                   School Year
Bargaining: What if  I wear a mask
.......                and keep my distance
Depression: I'll miss getting up and
          ...          seeing my students and
    ....................staff
Acceptance: I can walk 4 miles a day
   ...................and observe nature do a
    ...................bird count read more
   ..............    ...write poetry and read
    ..    ...          .great poetry Thank God
      ...      ........im alive and can retire

we are at risk
Sharing thoughts
Likewise verse
To all who
Care to read
Opening ourselves
To criticism
Of what we
Know about
And feel
As we unveil ourselves
To others around
We must clothe ourselves
In armor
To do battle.
Fighting our demons
Protecting our.battleground
Of pen and paper
Ready at any moment
To hold on to
What we know
Is true

Don't have a pocketful of money
But a *** of memories
No name brands or
Painted toes and shiny nails
Have a kleenex
For a tear
And a song in my heart
You gave me all
That money can't buy
I'm the richest woman
In the world
You shared your wealth
With me
You couldn't talk
But you smiled at me
No walking but
A wheelchair you rode to me
A trembling hand
A three o'clock  hug
All of this and heaven too
That's why I'm banking
Just on you

Rock a bye
Rock a bye
Words go here
Words go there
When the wind blows
Words go everywhere
When the bough breaks
What's a bough
Words will fall
Down on paper
After all