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

Me
Any chair to sit in
Can walk up steps
Hang up clothes
Take a walk
Go outsideAnytime I want to
Unassisted
She
A wheelchair to sit in
Takes an elevator
Hand clothes to roommate
Use to use crutches
Can't anymore
We
We are a team
I'm her legal guardian
And she's a part of me
When we are together
We laugh cry share gossip
I push her wheel chair
But she's the one who
Gives me a push
Because of her
I am me
And she is she
And we are we

Found your beige sweater
Buttons popping out
Coffee stained.from all nighters
Of writing prose
Bulging.pockets with
A hanky or two
Pens.poking out
From the side
Loose strings that
You pulled at
Hoping for words
To put on paper
The deeper the thought
The bigger the hole
Poems now are written
Safely hidden away
Your beige sweater
Drapes over the chair
"Good night moon "
Good night my sweet brother
Good  night
Some day I will see you
So good night
My sweet brother
Good night.

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

He wore his robe
When he was sick
He didn't have to
Tell us
He just put it on
Today ix the anniversary
Of his death
Tonight I will
Put it on
And take a magic
Carpet ride
I will.travel back in time
Where siblings bond together
Loving and yes maybe sometimes
Even fighting
He wasn't a fighting kind of guy
So not many
Playing hard with his brothers
Teasing his sisters
As he grew older.
Acting and writing
Were his song
When he no longer could drive
We went to Dr. Visits
On the bus
But we always had fun
So tonight
I will put your robe on

A.nd let you  wrap
me with your wings

Miners dug for gold
Poets found golden treasure
Words buried soul deep

The mist upon the
Concrete colored  lake
Hard to see through
The thickness
Like the words
In my soul
Thickly hidden
The mist lifts from
Above the lake
As my poem
Rises from my soul

Do I mix.
Sunny days
With rainy days
Or do I  match
Sunny days or
Rainy days
Im.in a quandary
Knowing you can't
Have all sunny
Or all rainy
Days
With the sun
Rain must fall
With the rain
Comes sun
Do I stop
Or do I go
Play or work
Talk or keep
Silent
Whisper or
Shout
Laugh or
Cry
I can mix
My emotions
Stirred deep
Within
Or
I can match
Them
Either way I choose
I must know
They are part
Of the bargain
Called
................L
                    I
                       F
                          E

Sometimes I get so
mad at me
I feel like a fat teddy bear
But instead of hugging
I want to pull my
Stuffing out
But then I realize
What I'm  made of
And who made me

I turn around
And see you
With your warm smile .
Your love and laughter fill the air.
It cannot echo back
For you are no longer around,
But in Spirit.
Let me get a glimpse of you
While my tears trickle down
Drop by drop
Upon my aching heart.
The memories are sweet
Just not to the touch.
But  forever in my heart
You shall burn .

I'm wired for sound
And can't get to sleep right now
Sweet dreams Mary Anne

You carefully kneaded bread
Green for St Patrick's day
For our family and teachers
Hands to hold crossing
The street to get the bus
Praying the Rosary
And dancing to Lawrence Welk
Hands for giving my brother
A shot when he was young
And hands for playing hopscotch
To mark the spot
And a bat and glove
To play ball with my brothets
Feet for taking us
On walks and to the library
And pulling a wagon with
Homemade dinners for
the sick in the parish
feet for walking down
Hospital halls and running
With us or chasing bubbles
Kneeling at Church
Or scrubbing the floor
Standing at the stove
Making pancakes or dinner
A kiss goodnight
And off to bed we would go
Her footsteps following
For night prayer and a story
Turn off the light and wait for morning to come
Good night John boy ms. Clarevell
Good night moon
Good night Mom
See you in the morning

Her hands for many things
Embracing her children
Patching up boo boos
Carrying shopping bags
Cooking for others
Pushing her cart
Picking out vegetables
Folding her hands
So lovingly in prayer
The rosary she held
So tight in her hands
As the beads slipped gracefully
At each Hail  Mary
And now she's in Heaven
Where she can see Mary

I hear my mom sing
As she makes dinner for us
How I miss her song

We say we have no money
Did we look down at
The worn out shoes
Earth stained blood stained
Pus stained putrid smelling
Shoes of the homeless
We say we're broke with
Nothing to spare
Did we look up at
Earth stained blood stained
Pus stained putrid smellingtops of the homeless
We want our name brand pants
Did we look in the middle at
Earth stained blood stained
Pus stained putrid smelling pants of
The homeless
Perhaps the homeless
Are the rich ones
They've been through it all
Earth stained blood stained
Pus stained putrid smelling life
Traveling in worn out shoes baggy pants hole threaden tops
They felt the sun beat
Down on their backs
The moon and stars
lighting the way
And newly acquired friends
Sleeping  on benches
They are rich with the
Love they share
Next time we say
We're broke
Perhaps we can put
Some.money  in a can
Or a donated coffee
Perhaps with extra
Cream and sugar
We will always have
The poor with us
So let's open the door
Let them through
With dignity
And perhaps a dollar
Or two

Moon beaming through
My window
Waking me up
From the darkness
And into her snowy
Light
Nightmares disappear
As the brilliance of
Light
Dances upon the shadows
Stars a blinking
And a winking
Sending kisses goodnight

Moon is  chillin
As the stars
Dance away
The night
Planets are spinning
Fairy dust circling
The air
Sandman's on duty
Is that a cow
I see

Mourning dove sitting
On weeping willow
Droopy flowers gazing
Downward
Floppy eared dog
Waiting to walk
Buzzing sound of bee
Babies crying
Melancholy fills the
Morning air
Perhaps a full moon
Will appear
And dance the
Night away

Baby sees the moon
Her  crib is filled with the light
Pacifying her

The moon is full
Surrounded by a
Galaxy of surprises
Such a wondrous
Sight to behold
And a song to
Dance to
As the owl
Hootey Hoos
Away

Celebrate with me
The full moon is on the run
Let's  dance in her light

Moon shadow dancing
Just keeping me up at night
Chasing blues away

Hurling words at me
Words you could have kept
Let me get a broom
To clean up
All the mess
You thought you
Could hurt me
With each word
You wrote
You only hurt yourself
Cuz now your
Left behind
to pick up
After

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

A cat is purring
The dog is begging for a walk
Morning has begun

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

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

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

Early morning dew
Leaves a wet stain on my shoes
And also my soul

Pale in nature
Basking in the morning light
Bringing peace to me

For breakfast I'm having
A strawberry kissed sky
With a blend of pale  blue
Above me
Downed with a quiet cup
Of tea and cream
And a smile
Upon my face
To stir a
Memory in my heart

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

On.my morning walk
Spent more time tying my shoe
Then walking the path

Sitting by the window
Collecting my thoughts
How little they
May seem
I feel something stir
Within and without
Its not the sound
Of words
Churning through
My head
But rather
The tip.toeing.of
Rain
Across the window

Hide Mary Hide
In flowers all in bloom
While anger filters all around
To put you in a tomb
Though you are made in concrete
In shades of gray and brown
Or pearly white in Porcelain
Your Rosary hanging down
Stay Mary stay
Remind us of your love
You are just a reminder
Of blessings from above
Granite , Porcelain
Whatever it will take
Made in love
Not to break
Hail Mary Full of Grace
Mother of the Human Race

Mr. Moon where were
You.going
Brightly you shone
Till you disappeared
Between a shadowy
Cloud
Time stood still
For a millionth of
A second
Then you appeared
Once again
Amidst the stars

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

Before my walk today
I put my red Hoodie on
My Mom gave me
For my Birthday
Such pleasant memories
My Mom knew how cold
I would get
And this would keep
Me warm
My body stays warm
But the memories
Of Her love
Will burn in my heart
Forever

You put me on hold
And I waited and waited
You never returned

Meant to throw away
Now there's mold
All around
Reminding me I still
Have pieces of you
To give away
Your folded cap and shirt
Ready to kiss and say
Goodbye
Your coke shirt with a
Handkerchief  tucked deep
Inside
For the ladies to cry on
Although it's been a while
I can't give away your
Pencil or paper
You used to write your
Stories on
Perhaps you can
Whisper a joke to me
A prank to play
And that I can
Keep forever

My heros don't
Dress up
Spin webs to
Get trapped in
Use fists to
Punch
Legs to kick
Capes to fly in
But what they
Have are guts
To face each day
One armed bandits
Walkers with crutches
Deaf with hearing aids
Blind with a dog
Bald from cancer
Another melt down
Taking place
These heroes  don't
Give up
Even when pain
Is too hard to take
They are the champions
Fighting a battle
Each day

Knees can't  bend
To the ground
Hands too balled
Up to pray
Voice too weak
For words
Mind can't remember
How to sign
The Cross
Ears can't hear
What you say
But I give you
My heart
Did you hear
Me
Amen  Alleluia

My Mom's night mantra
Sweet dreams see you
In the morning
Good night Mom
See you in the morning
How could you ever
Be afraid
After being tucked in
Kissed and told how much
You were loved

Gently  close your eyes
Another day is finished
Let.your heart be still
I am still with you
My soul will whisper to you
Wrap you with my love

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 spirit like the
Morning sky
Can change at
Any moment
Stormy clouds ahead
Questioning what's within
Foggy skies bleak skies
What's happening now
Sunny skies warm skies
Putting at ease
Wandering thoughts
Soft breezes gently
Flowing by
Whispering softly
It will be alright

I feel the need
To see you
Hug you
Know you are
Alright
Did you struggle
With your math
Or recognize your
Words
How about your
Letters
Do you still know
A toZ
is your printing
Getting. Better
Especially the x
Can you tie your
Shoe now
We practiced for
So long
And how about
Your jacket
Can you put your
Jacket on
Do you make it
To the bus  
On time
Or still have
To wait
You were in
A room of
Learners
But instead you
Taught me

Deep within
Dèep without
My words are
Leaking all about
Can't wipe them up
They are scattered
All over
Waiting to be
Magically pieced
Together

My world.once the
Colors of the rainbow
Soft blues yellows
And purples
Butterflies lit on
Tips of daisies
Unicorns in the clouds
Kittens purring nearby
Balloons flying high
Joining the magic
Of bubbles
Calmness filtering
All around
Then you came
And darkened
My world
And took all
The sunshine
A
   W
    ....A
  ........  .Y

Sticks and stones
Will break my
Bones but names will
Never hurt me
But they will
And they do
How often have we hidden
Behind those words
And if words don't
Hurt
Why can't they
Be nice words
Loving words
I'll build you up
Not knock you down
Words
Let's take those
Sticks and stones
And build a chapel
Rather than a
Crypt