DIRT AND PEACE

Began so perfectly prepared & polished ,even breathing brings in clean air

Slowly bit by bit speck by speck  the view grows larger and increasingly blocked by a smudge

Begins at the table,juicy RED lips with some dark pudding on the fingertips ,new found joy much to mom's despair

Now more glory bright green grass to add to the story,making it's mark on knees and palms welcoming us into a new club

First color contrast brought out by crayons,each new hue is something more to  share

Watching rain form a puddle building a new place to muddle ,won't it be great to make that plunge

Leaving the clear confines of the blue pool for the greens and browns of a pond ,what is hidden we don't care

Really starting to dig it now,maybe hidden treasure or just worms,really loving this new grunge

New found attitude, will there be play today ,muddling with the mud do we dare

Reasons in life no longer negative ,dreams of anthropology or good for ecology all just more reasons to flirt with the dirt. R.C.

TIME IN TIME OUT .....DAYS BETWEEN


Treacherous mix of trash that was supposed to be yesterday now lost

Today slow to reveal itself often not brazen, memories forgotten on a shelf

Finding moments of mental freedom become gifts ,constantly tested, but is there a cost

What mind set was there before it made itself known,maybe in limbo or just a hidden Hell

Can we safely question a scale with no balance ,Is it safe to seek a new heart without knowing our own soul

Time, it began, we know it will end, are my expressions today helping the happiness that I wish to dwell

Forward,forward until we fall ,time stands still until finding a new call,left wondering what will be our new role

Banished back to basics found forming new senses,will they be replenished or left to live as an infidel

Exchange days for daze alert for a maze,bad odds to begin a race ,improvement is now always the main goal

Yesterday lost,Searching in today ,unsure of tomorrow has left us stranded in middle ground focused again on something to repair

No longer comfortable with being "fine" or o.k. to just whine,was something missed or will we be prepared with this constricted confidence for a rise or fall if suddenly swept up in the next squall. R.C.

A LADDER TO THE TOP

Looking up but seeing nothing ,not yet understanding how to take that first step

Sitting down is not a good start for standing up ,accepting or finding a hand that we can hold

Walls grower smaller  leaving minds enclosed ,without a new view will we set a pace to escape

Can't see what is lowest when your on the bottom,starting a new cycle will have to be bold

Pushing outward against the exterior  will we finally hear echoes from the halls,receiving sounds from another stage

Passions must begin from within, growth becoming preservation, paying our dues as the pages begin to unfold

Maybe more magic or mystic if places or answers stay hidden,but how can truth be found if we remain locked in a cage

No opposite forces apply when reaching for the sky,step by step ,rung by rung gradually a new story is waiting to be told

Time is never forgiving, making those steps has too become a larger part of true living
many unknowns to equate  

Progression felt as we flow upward learning to live life with no handrails or judged by others scales ,adding height while becoming more composed

Left asking if adding more extensions will provide strength or blindly lead us to another closed gate. R.C.

WINDS ACROSS MY SOUL  

Hearing the wind in half tones constant vibrato rolls across my bones

Fearless, lifted by the breeze, flowing as new sounds increase ,feeling as it's growing

Make a way no longer standing aside ,guts or gumption finding a new pride,being lifted as the next  insight blows

Meteorologists predict a storm rapid warning the new norm,with people it takes practice to keep the personality from choking

Hidden wisps flowing as it grows, gripping brings a new sight,grabbing at flesh brings new frights

Clouds rolling over marking the speed ,heart rate slowed as the sky is  seen swirling

Suddenly internal rushes increase ,a growing gust  sweeps just as fast bringing my minds mystery's to new heights

Calmness slowly feeding the Peace, as gails lifting find a way to leave us laughing

When we find a new way will it want to stay or the next  squall leave our life flying like so many kites

Rambling or gambling with days of my life left me lost as if caught in the rotations

Eternal now internal, left with no doubts,limited space left to pout ,will we be ready when the new gales roll over our lives blowing them to new elevations. R.C.

MIND BODY & EARTH

Beautiful planet with our open soul,exposing it for the earth to cajole

Starting meek,weak we reach as it teaches ,building our passion,mildly before winning

A dramatic overture,keeping count in time,offering receiving ,then laying life's plan to unfold.

An axis spinning ,playing with monotony,revolutions mirroring evolution,always predicting & planning

Our learning can launch a yearning or leave us blank with a story always waiting to be told

Living is limitless some say while many wait for lines to be drawn,directions needed to keep from grasping

Clouds often leave a faded view,left bounded between sunrise to sunset ,has the question again been answered in code

Left again to make another way find solace to greet the day, if not advancing then digging a rut waiting

When digging in to deep do we  uncover hidden caverns that hide our heart, guiding our life blood like rivers that flowed

Grab at the leaves to make our bedding or dig for the gold to buy better,survival or inspiration seemed to be alternating

Born in a ditch still left to find a niche,making it work seems to come naturally ,throwing our lives in the wind to make an unknown episode. R.C.

VOICES IN THE NIGHT


Seeking safety  while others are sleeping,the rest in a dispute with a  familiar game of whether the mind or body will win

When losing traction will another soul comprehend even a fraction ,meaningless to many but a few keep hope in scope

Planning and practicality save souls in print but real people  have understanding and offer their own spin

Wondering from the middle travels outward, east or west north to south even an Aussie or from across the pond can give hope

Giving is receiving simple samples offer light, taken in can block blight,going out producing an unknown grin

Faceless names a soul behind each keystroke, varying opinions offer a new vote

Hidden bond often easy to find ,meshed together once lonely issues have  now found a twin

Conversing in space some silent while other seems lost in a race,never really knowing when they will find that meaningful antidote

Suddenly interaction can become a tempting attraction ,exposing hidden emotions a new devotion,silent song into a joyous hymn

Far apart minds now riding  a mutual rift, easier to make light if others have the same plight

Randomness can rule when minds are often short, Once a great thought soon will abort
hopefully not lost forever if we tug to ******* that string

Absent minds left meandering once locked down now offering possibilities ,growing with knowledge now developing with each insight. R.C.

ENVISIONING FREEDOM

Suddenly a sight but this time not such a fright, sanctuary soon to be seen

Redeemed but hoping to help my new soul find strength that just yesterday was not possible

Sordid link seems always on the brink, will we be left drawing from the  dark or breaking out to once again shine

Practical is turning into placid left in limbo we have become lucid leaving us to design something more practical

Making do quickly runs out of room needing the enlightenment not always gloom facing front to win or resign

Making new markers from faded visions,  random wisdom now aligned ,once irrational made satiable

Practical resolution of our plight is not in play ,we now pick puzzle pieces to help redesign

Forced wisdom is now turned into a symptom finding new light to aid our rhythm daily goals transitioning into something more passable

Win lose or draw Happiness and freedom is our new law ,simple ideal don't let it repeal to not try the best for simple happiness would surely be a crime R.C.

SAYING GOODBYE

Silence seems  the perfect way to simply say goodbye, when now I feel that maybe we shouldn't have said hello

Finding newly sown feelings did not appear far fetched,but maybe never noticed early distortions

Life is easier when played in doubles decreasing troubles,sound is usually better in stereo

Many thoughts brought into a single profile  often lead to easier conclusions

Previous problems once a constant burden weigh less while carried on several shoulders

Sincerity becomes closer to reality,  new limits for once unknown solutions

Not forced or prodded falling was easy felt more than seen,helplessly showing more internal exposures

Blissful but simultaneously blind what was missed behind a kiss,stalled at a standstill while everything else makes revolutions

Suddenly seeing a shadow instead of a human being ,slowly uncovering multiple imposters

Deescalating gradually  rather than hate seems to be my fate, bonding wasn't as binding if half of a whole is dealing with delusions

Love of life is a greater goal following lasting serenity in our own soul ,satisfaction can be found without living life as loners R.C.

FREQUENT FLYER  

Playing a part in public domain can others see what the others contain

We stay or play, manage to be together, will the others anguish remain hidden forever

Gravity keeps us grounded lessons make us well rounded,what is in place to keep us sane

Softness and safety found in sanity,gradually removed with too much pressure

Being kind to the mentally blind may not come naturally, our own inner truths maybe not as easy to maintain

Many feel madness often hidden in the gladness,not noticing cracks in the glass ,will it shatter with the next stressor

Dare we simply say to another deal with it when the deal has already been done,to late to just refrain

Which level do we fail the test aren't we normal if doing our best ,not always our own best judge however

Games people play by letting the mind go astray,something missing or just gaining weight from the strain

Reaching out, often too late but what is left brewing when we wait,time makes its own judgments  but out in the open will we be our best assessor .R.C.

BEAUTIFUL BIRD

Beautiful bird came to me this morning ,sat staring down it's beak giving me the eye so to speak

Startled I just stayed still ,amused for the moment at my new feathery friends free will

We both looked bored finally it blinked ,winking back was my answer to show I was not weak

Duller colors told me it was a her ,she stepped back, still staring showing no fear

Chirped like I knew her language ,she cackled like she was laughing ,feeling this  bird has some odd mystique ?

Prancing she fluttered and began dancing, keeping step to my tweet,kind of classy like she was at an opening premiere

I smiled and chuckled she stopped and seemed ruffled ,who was I too break up her swagger, some sort of freak

Slightly aghast I leaned back, she was sure making herself known fast, kind of brassy not too austere

Not wanting to be outdone I started to boogie and have some fun,wouldn't want some old bird to think I was a geek

Conversing with a bird may seem absurd but always a lesson to be learned another new rule to appear

We had said our hellos time to clack our goodbyes maybe to meet again if she wants too show me some new technique . R.C.

TRAGIC MAGIC

Waiting in the same lines each on their own to be picked liked fruit from a vine

Many variables hang over  head, moving along  multitudes never noticing the future dread

Keep our acquired strengths or spread them out, not retaining  too much makes it easier too define

Left facing a wall no one to hear an echoing call,our own voices will be what nurtures

Dreadful day has now come into play,   forging into a positive future we will not let it malign

Misery easily finds company, while refusing the added weight makes us lighter as we mature

Lifes lessons learned  from the trenches ,either keep us in them or guide us to shine

Rainbows formed from darkest clouds emerged so proud,color and brightness to help us reassure

Perfect haven still looked upon by a raven,waiting for the moment we miss the beauty of life and resign

So from travesty we can often find majesty,finding the building blocks that become our teacher.R.C.

WEATHER IT OUT

Wishing for a subtle change, fine with something simple well within radars range

Layers of rays enlighten us,sometimes  becoming too overheated,cool down with blankets of snow

Storms blowing through the mind often unkind ,taking sanctuary until the climate has changed

Icey hearts frozen in place start to surrender if warm winds can enter the soul

Thunderheads in the distance, soon seem to roll down my body, again left assailed

Unforeseen forecast can be worse than the storm, left exposed when seeking shelter should have been the goal

Survival has no rival spend it all and still face an end,great whirlpools still seem to fade

Experience provides umbrellas ,exercises against an upwelling  providing protection from a gall

Starting was easy, rolling along constantly renewed by the rain,caught in a drift ,waters becoming colder harder to escape

Once so bright accepting all light,now often foggy,groggy  taking longer to restore

Life is a whirlwind cascading around us,feelings on the forefront  with unknown forecasts, at Peace through our constant updates. R.C.

SOUNDS SPRINGY

Popping of tulips ,daffodils dancing, so many things waiting to be green

Rustle of branches or bushes caught in the hustle,warming winds grow louder

Ice cracking, snow mashing, unfolding the last of winters rigid freeze

Silence broken with voices of mens machinery needed to keep it all  pristine

Mower growling,tiller rattling, street sweepers swooshing, necessary noises for the devotees

Howling of hail is mother nature's scowl, Lightning in flashes & crashes,thunder belches to undo the serene

Finally familiar slamming of screen doors brings noisy neighbors  out like escapees

Poets & singers seem to unite on the bounty of springs delight,Popular muse for them to ignite ,coming  together in a green scene  

Migrations have begun, early bird has more fun,doing their best to build a  nest soon their new families tweets will fill the trees

When the air warms brings the restless out in swarms, whooping it up as they play or buzzing for their new queen

The proud sounds of birds making their rounds,flying surrounded by chirps or cackles once again as she offers her new delight we are appointed as trustees .R.C.

LOST THOUGHTS

Started out alright but as it formed failed to make a connection losing all perception

Thought  formed so quickly, easily, then just as simple floated away

Felt so great ready to celebrate then slips away as pen is put to pad,trying to recall its inception

Playing through phrases, floundering about just dallying with words of the day

Short term loss  becomes normal ,but failing of the inner soul brings on another dimension

Lifetimes of grasping for answers slowly slips away,holding on becomes futile much to our dismay

Wit like a razor brought down to flat dull and rusted,past time to rethink prevention

Sifting through remnants is always distorted will the whole story be reported,viewing past in a disarray  

Wait what if it is happening and we just don't know,abandoned functions will not know they needed correction

Daily ritual takes it's toll but life passes on ,we make the way whether it is for today,tomorrow or yesterday .R.C.

FEELING A SUNRISE

Beauty came to my ears as she sang about the hours before the dawn

Blinded by the darkness awaiting our fate ,her supreme light to make us bright

Harshness of the frost  numbing,  waiting  for the strength to be shown

Thirsty needing quenched, life to be restored with the new light

Sunset succumbed into the dark ,reflections in the twilight are being drawn

Fluttering of their wings, hackles of the grackles raised,their chirps will soon bring new delight

Making of a day with pitch black in the way,patience in place, brightness soon to make all strong

Each cycle leaves a separate passion on the planet,with the  warmth all living things have come to rely

Wasting away longing  for luminescence,smiling all the while knowing the new brilliance will leave me warm

Broken twilight,misty moonglow love the lingering and feeling the flow but the overwhelming genesis, her rise will bring strength in large supply. R.C.

TO BE FREE

Will some ever find what it is like to be kind ,lost with black blocking their own true mind

What if they come to me and I disagree isn't my own contempt simply helping their cause

Blindness shielded through kindness isn't deeply true to oneself,opaque is not clearly defined

Happening with hatred is so easy to see,always quick to show the others flaws

Happiness has left us looking for hidden liberation,always  seeing good will be revised

To remain neutral is emotionally futile, one is just part of a whole ,finding a future or grasping at straws

To service our own sovereignty should we learn to feel at all levels,will we be compromised

Breathing in Dissention breeds a virus bringing bitterness to deep within us,can we perceive the waiting storms

With life comes light felt from within as dull,bright,elation,euphoria seem natural but has the alienation become galvanized

Following paths brings changing news illustrations laid out for our views

Choosing between friction or jubilation will design the life and it's rewards.R.C.

PRESENTING ITSELF

What will it be that makes itself clear ,exposed by removing it's veneer

Constantly flowing mind seeking ways to grow, hoping for something new to find

Much is on display calling us in many ways,visions are quick for what may appear

Drawing us in to begin our next whim,varies widely a frown or a grin,many ways something can be aligned

Constant concern,pick or choose, left for us to discern,finding true focus still unclear

Malignant mind set on unwind ,flashing fancy ideas like flashcards,so fast they become entwined

Past motioning into present, moments creating their own moods,what chord will finally adhere

Flailing about with mind's eye looking on, they stay neutral outside while the steady illustrious stream flows in our mind

Letting on with a glimpse or even a gasp,caught a true thought instead of it slipping by holding on tight can we be sincere.

Rapid conclusions almost like rabid confusion,adding weight on an already heavy brain  flow ,newest synapses still unclear

So another moment in life ,set free or held back, what will be the part we grasp holding on long enough to be kept inside. R.C.

ROCKING IN PLACE

Facing forward still rocking to and fro,I am solid but the ground moves beneath me

Staying in place will not win a race, without exploration the view will never be new

Takes a lot of gravity to move a flat rock ,it remains while the waves carry the sands out to sea

Hard to feel wild while so idle, reins pulling at the bit and the bridle,what continues to connect me to this lonely avenue

Highest high quietly slipping onto the edge of purgatory,if growing blind are we the best to be our own trustee

Guided into this new place slowly but surely being edged from the race,should I simply accept the lesser *****

When does the climbing stop,regulate inhibitions to grow to the top,predetermination of seeing the edge is no guarantee

Able to remain mobile or ability to go global not to be taken for granted to many simple or fine things to pursue

Drawing a blank sitting solid on the planks ,memory lost at what cost are we becoming life's next detainee

Chair takes it's place as we stand aside, what may place us there so easily without a care ,are we ready to set into something we can not undo. R.C.

MUNDANE MEMORIES

Bland days brought out from long stays,serenity of sunlight our best friend

Hours took forever ,over and over we must find something that makes us clever

Frozen in our mind last winter thinking we would remember something to make time be more kind

Rain,Rain it's o.k. we can go and play anyway, with boots and umbrellas it can go on forever

Climb a tree but can't get down will leave the others laughing like a clown,definitions for disasters has yet to be defined

Ring around the ....WHAT has left us in a rut,we must remain robust finding inner power for the next endeavor

Off to the water leaves even more to find ,public pool to be a fool , a pond or lake fishing or frolicking anything to not be confined

Old days older ways,stick ,rock & a can, just simple diversion,bats & *****,hoops & loops making it work to bring us together

Run,run around off we go ,share a bike makes better time,patience seems a crime elders always aghast with the fact we survived

Aging takes a little more staging,games a little more profound,putting more work into the act of leisure

New age brings more pay to play or an app. to fill the gap ,but please don't forget the joy we had with hula hoops or flying discs that broke our boredom or we might not have survived . R..C.

STRINGING IT ALONG

Playing out daily life, seemingly simple shouldn't cause much doubt

Finest thread ,narrow as silk brought together brings much strength

Telling one a line might be fine, but when it includes many, truth is left without clout

Thoughts turned into voices,string brought together to form yarn adjoining stories with some length

Moment by moment,strand by strand, actions played out in fractions leaving emotions divided ,each taking it's own route

Contemplation starting as a small ball adding colors is like minds images,rolling along as it grows in size we grow in depth

We represent life's simple sample ,knitted together to form a chain ,many patterns to add, for each there is no substitute

Why ask a question if there is no one to answer,seeking declaration, bring new warmth made like a blanket for our bed

After seeking guidance many thoughts left in blindness,still strung along, left with mysteries but what we seek is absolute

Always waiting by the gate are you the fool to wait, rolled up in it,entwined, like thread on a spool,viewed through an eye of a needle only shows a silhouette. R.C.

POSTICTAL PORTHOLE-(TIME BLOWN BACKWARDS)

Frozen breath holding back weight, against the chest seems great stacked like stones

Starting softly to see from the third door down the row,reclusive, damage is waiting to show

Others in red alert our mind coming on slow, their fear no reflection on our unknowns

Peace while in waiting,thoughts flow slow into a reflecting pool,echos beginning to grow

Time blown backwards when clocks stopped ticking , simple assessments our only goals

Mental evaporation senses left wide open,trying to find the song but only get static from the radio

Held back by grogginess looking out from fogginess ,bits of life as viewed through those holes

Oh MY I made it,escaped , BUT when will blackness call again,laying low not quite thinking of that other plateau

Bolted ,jolted rousing frequently followed by drowsing,hearing as a low hum ,sounds soon forming new tones

Nonexistentance now part of the ritual ,for the witness memories are visual,slowly waiting to say hello

Perspective has changed, await for thoughts to be rearranged ,senses in collusion with massive confusion,new beginning like waiting for future episodes . R.C.

CIRCUMSTANTIAL ADDICTION

Possibly providing early pleasure, roaming in the moment,soaking in perceived passion

Unforeseen future,risking random rendezvous,what is not known is never seen

Few intentionally defile, no goal to pursue anything vile,yet a path is laid by their action

Safely sampling simple treasure without a true measure,so much just becomes routine

Much to our dismay quickly caught up in a fast array,simple pleasure no longer part of the attraction

What will it be that makes that early plea? slow pace to a full blown race,starts with caffeine maybe ending with amphetamine

Youths candy is indeed dandy,sipping slurpees slipping into sugar diabetes silent diseases forming from recreation

Mellow urge before the surge ,avid appetites flowing ,mild appetites growing to affinity

Beliefs are blind to habits formed,  fantasy world forms from infatuation

New age of games bring new pains  stayed clear of beer now a new hurdle to clear

Each taste a test ,with skills learned from pain we face each day with veracity .R.C.

SPROUTS WITH DOUBTS

Seed waiting on first moisture to begin to sprout ,simple survival still in doubt

Shell a strong barrier to hold off the world,once broken exposing generations yet to be seen

Destination always unsure ,left with the wind or alignment and warmth of seasons ,blowing along the right route

Opening leaflets emerge like searching opinions or sympathies now progressing ,yet green  

Lost in a sea of sprouts each one caught in doubt,warmth from around makes us reach out

Small we respond to the call, testing each whim ,met with a frown or grin,still flowing unsure which way to lean

Harsh to tender good judgement waits ,compassion or sentiment dependent on atmosphere ,experience bring more clout

Branching out waiting to blossom, learned lessons taking on more light,lacking refinement brings on the obscene

Awash in life's waters,tested like the rest, which grows taller shows the beauty or is the best, hindsight shows it all is lost in a drought

Annual is fleeting fast ,perennial solid secure, unsure of purebred or which way we are lead, hope for the good before it is all routine

Maturity often arrives lost in a grove never taught love ,another tries their time at trimming ,we accept  reshaping with little discount

Did we learn from the growth take in the most,was our color simply for the others, whether perfectly preened or left in the brambles did we get what it takes to be serene
R.C.

NEW DAY

Once again we wait with bated breath ,the next cycles will be up for review

Guilty grief from an unsaid breach,will paying the piper bring some relief

Past seasons gave no reasons, penance left scattered, righting the wrong was taboo

Seasons marked with sunlight cycles ,broken into months and days, each one brings another motif

Ringing in another some say why bother, leading to another broken and crooked avenue

Start a year full speed in high gear,then shifting down,weight is great if turning over a new leaf

Dancing and drinking in the twilight even brings amateurs delight,party long overdue

Revolutions of resolutions stirring the air ,has the past been fair,will begging atonement clean our grief

So do we follow previous scripts or show original tricks ,make the way to an even better rendezvous

Last lessons from our past now the next test, as another years memory's are laid to rest  , just let us be grateful for what we are about to achieve. R.C.

DREAM LOCKDOWN

We let our minds play fancy, not reaching in to deep just gently dancing

Strolling along ,riding astride in a cautious glide,mimicking many nights before

Locked in a sterile rhythm  avoiding a mental collision,softly we stay prancing

Destiny never asked for, now never answered,nothing lost, nothing to restore

Drift into the night no interest in former plight,simply never know what the future is planning

Remember those VIVID visions,not lost still interned,left inside for us to deplore

Relaxing  pleasantly  lacking contention ,easily laying down without becoming draining

Blind to what is outside the walls ,shielded from the abyss not seeking to explore

Meek mild not thinking to wild ,pillows our new protection marking twilight without explaining

Will it be cheating if not recreating, unexplained actions as if being forced to recall such gore

Playing along is not wrong ,we have not seceded or been defeated, but managing to live and learn as we are changing. R.C.

REGULATION OF CELEBRATION
With a new day may come yet another way of lifting our hands in praise

Usually formed fondly,friendly even fictitious, a goal to show people internal passions

Pick or choose from a season ,another's passing will bestow a ration ,many way's that your heart plays

Break out with festival or feast ,way above not with our least ,leaping as one to form stronger liaisons

An anniversary of a day others overcame adversity ,they did not know it would become a day of cabarets

Take a break visit a lake often unknowing why it was originally laid on our plate ,the thoughts lost like so many cliches

Fantastic fantasy enjoyed by young & old,winters yield to May day bouquets

Santa & Jesus co-mingle & enjoy a smore, a Big Bunny lays pastel eggs while the other hall is for those that sing praise

Cheers with beer for the rockets red glare don't tread on me no don't you dare ,strength takes time this isn't just some phase

Our for-bearers strife left us talking Turkey, conversations with in-laws a bit murky
what would they think knowing football was the overriding craze

Surviving another year affords you a cake, simple gesture considering what is at stake ,some of the former days now left in a haze

So send a card ,light a tree,carve a squash,blow a candle ,fill a stocking or basket say your prayers ,but remember we're keeping memory's you can't replace.R.C

FLICKER FROM THE WICKER

Laughing from above ,sitting on the sidelines ,protected in the shade as if in a private cove

Simple sights and fresh smells , paint that wouldn't wait,spring grasses first cutting

Then that initial burst of color of the tantalizing tulips ,helping daily design of our grove

Robins using their sonar to fish out the worms,noticing the tussle through the roses first budding

Early enough to still have winters dirt ring the trees like a skirt, now time to be un froze

Mid season clash,snow shovels grovel on paths with mowers,new green is encouraging

Fluttering wings bring  life ,seeing their dance hearing them call ,awaiting their next shows

People busy as the bees each chore needed to break winters bore ,taking on tasks is nourishing

Liking softness of sounds against pastel lilacs ,each day now brings bounty as she grows

Fresh chair on the porch overseeing a brightening  lair ,latest ,greatest, sights add more heights to keep our heart pulsing.R.C.

MINDLESS SHIFT

Comfortable in my conformity becoming almost blind with my normality

Aghast when realizing I'm in a race,then unsteady when seeing just how fast

Safety learned from being somber , Simplicity a page in my new analogy

Recalling past passions ,splendid speed forward on fast, did we truly feel it would last

Time becoming more important when true life is an exponent,experiencing mortality

Rules were for  fools, testing temptation & all her tools ,reality is setting in from our past

Requesting new questions is now part of the plan,settling in may seem to leave us with less capacity

Once normal seemed so formal , slowly  find breaks from turmoil ,tighter we grasp

Midlife but past a crisis ,safely secreting the niceness,leaving behind the brutality

Yin & Yang brought up to date ,faster days for our fate, easier when we know we've laughed

Surreal the whole deal, BIG reduced to small,nice without the vice ,simply sampling life's luxurys without all the fallacy . R.C.

BIRDS,BEES,RELEASED

Busy bird fluttering on my soul, hidden meaning what will be it's role

Caged for contempt unwilling to repent ,inept inside desiring early release

Facing a failed future ,forced into a silent interior,should we seek a new goal

Flexible figures can face the wind ,standing upright, will the doubt decrease

Taking daily tests trying to remove the torture,join the pieces to make whole

Face to face before & after has become a lifelong race,pain will only increase

Left looking out leaves more room for doubt,daily ritual takes it's toll

Left lingering ,restless then mindless meandering, but also time for a new belief

Seeing them soaring leaves my mind exploring ,will new visions need an overhaul

Bees countless trips produce plentiful pollen,requiring endless work but bringing great relief

Taking a new view mind partially askew ,past lessons played out ,but ready to remain open and face each new squall.R.C.

LONG FOR A SONG

Lost in a long gone song finding that rhythm or rhyme starts to feed my heart

Blindly another one making its rounds as my mind absorbs those sounds

We always allow certain pieces to sink in a little more,something that sets them apart

Pleasing symbol for a new season,finding familiar feelings to raise our brows

Salutation for a graduation or caress a soul for an infatuation,often a whole new start

Croon to the Moon crescent or full ,howling out or in a lull, from within it's desire grows

Fondly we often await ,each serenade an open gate,as one ends something sets the next apart

Will that next verse be enough to feed my soul adding new momentum as it flows

Lullaby to lay us down ,new notes for the next crown ,magical music is our fine art

Strings or keys all meant to please ,master musicians do tease ,releasing their feelings as they compose

Aching for intake our innermost feelings are at stake, yet we allow new notes to enter
a new magic will be in the opening of our heart.R.C.

FEELING THE FOCUS

   When you peer into their eyes are they gleaming or scheming
   Awaiting the finality,heavy iron, stamping steel, dealt or dealing

   Making a decision,fast ,faster or grinding slowly maybe revealing
  still part of the cast,recessed but present ,grey but with feeling


  The highlight of the day ,enlightenment  is a chuckle from a box

A pin ***** will reveal rising or falling,encryption awaiting a description

Daily dose no longer measured in cups or cans ,now with capsules milligrams ,c.c.'s & shots

Far flung adventures simply ignored ,gains we made repaid in pain,life's chapters awaiting a final edition

Call from the hall is it final? mark another minute ,muse from the news appearing more & more like robots

Still daily fun can be found as we dilly dally listening to silly sally, our grin has become the new ammunition

List from a bucket now turned into a tale from a pail,less attention paid to flowcharts

Daily thought more passive replacing anxious or fraught,most matters taking on a new definition

Today time is quickly lost, move forward at all cost, no time for a recount,luckily we've paid the price now with knowledge to hurdle new roadblocks.R.C.

LOST & FOUND  

Began a day without a need to pray,nice to not feel an inner danger

Facsimile of a failure ventures in from the twilight,moments rest leaves us hoping for the best

Softness still lost in sleeps caress,focus with hope and not to release anger

Patiently peel away layers before they become lost in the abyss,another mornings test

Black is blind,no light still kind, lingering in lamina,slowly unfolding awaiting an answer

Unfolding fear, which way it may steer remains unclear,nights patterns assessed will help align our daily quest

Will we care if caught in the demon's lair ,rethinking if it will become our master

Reality often hardened ,time tested not based on theory,the truth we come to detest

What has it cost to have turned & tossed,maybe to find this time to have avoided disaster

Now relief instead of grief ,life will again allow new growth instead of keeping it suppressed

Game of chance no signal in advance but for now we find relief instead of grief blessed with another moment to enjoy the laughter. R.C.

GRANDMA'S THANKSGIVING
"Over the river and thru' the woods to Grandmother's house we go."

No, we don't go to Grandma's house anymore.
As we did away back in days of yore.

But we still remember the good times we had.
The caring and love, tho' times were bad.

Grandpa saying Grace in his old German ways.
Grandma in her apron; those were the days.

It all started about nineteen-fifteen,
With it's tall White house and big red barn.

Come Thanksgiving, with no relatives near,
They gathered with neighbors to bring Holiday Cheer.

To the four-mile schoolhouse they came all together,
With families and food -- no matter the weather.

For each pioneer mother did her very best
To cook her special treats and out do the rest.

And give thanks for gardens and neighbors so near,
They brought and shared gladly their food and good cheer.

The children had practiced for weeks., come what may.
For each had a piece to  be given that day.

A song to be sung, maybe a poem read from a card, ,
While the Wheezie old ***** was pumped very hard.

When all the program was over and done,
On to Grandma's and Grandpa's for more food and fun.

A few years later instead of the farm we'd go,
To the old Rock  House -- home of Tena and Joe.

Eventually the group grew too large and so
To Potwin Community House we did go.

So today we give thanks for a legend in our time,
For Grandpa and Grandma and the memories they left behind.

And for friends and aunts, uncles and cousins,
We come altogether each year by the dozen.

to remember the past and visit a while here.
Then to say Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

- Doris G -- 1983

BROKEN MEMORY

Was it a whole illustration or simply an illusion adrift in pieces of my mind

Nothing particular to pick or choose ,reaching into blackness how will I know what was lost

Meandering behind mayhem ,enveloped in precaution,lingering with each new find

Reality wanting to win while we partially block some sin,slow mornings waiting to defrost

Shattered mirrors reflect many images ,particles positioned, connections intertwined


Retrospective reasons fail to fall in line ,but maybe we remain eager to replace them at all cost

Let it rest some might say ,their own thoughts are not just patchwork to play ,climbing
like jungle vine

Staying outside my mind's line ,enter at our own risk,new views often have a twist

Make thoughts work just another twerk,agree for the need would be just fine

Drama dangles never ending angles ,feeds upon weakness while reading that lost list

Maturity should rely upon sincerity ,popping bubbles from past crashes should help enlighten ,clearing our mind to help our futures shine R.C.

OUR MEMORY IS THEIR MEMORIAL
Family's plight for a now lost vision that ended none to bright

Unknown fate was their open gate ,being alone yet surrounded by so many others

Friend's or enemy's  comrade or foe ,could have become mates if they would have met under a different light

Many went with never a chance to prevent, facing factors set upon them by unknown actors

Fledgling feelings of patriotism maybe soon to be cast aside, as the rockets red glare explode with the largest might

Hearts at home worry as their soul mates roam ,saving some unknown people from meaningless matters

Hoards of humans cast onto sides ,winning by numbers & a line in the sand,some left to go home alone but left shuddering in fright

A single life lost casts a long shadow ,nameless,faceless kin removing a notch from genealogy,loving memory's as the tears scatter

Brothers in arms, soul mates of the sea make a pact to go out together ,but all are not chosen so the others live a lifetime in plight

Pause for the cause maybe to give all we can give, but as we go  our closest relations are just left to start a new chapter

Ample amounts of Flags & wreaths now a simple marker ,white marble crosses assume they know the religion of the soul that took flight

Many speak of while others grieve for victims of war, when people left at home now carry the heaviest anchor

Medals of honor or purple hearts bring the greatest weight when the grim reaper chose the fate,now the many,many other friends even foes are left to  cry in the new daylight or to read the prayers by candlelight. R.C.

DREAM IN THE DARK

Backed into a corner ,laying low looking forlorn why can't it simply be bright in the morn

Brightest entrance  steering me across the house's floor,one step too many dropping again below another dank cellar door

Maybe moments saved in reserve so all the danger is a temporary stranger,laying in wait like the next storm

How often have we been blinded by bliss,feelings hidden by a warm kiss that carries to our core

Images split when lacking grit our common way is with wit,some days linger ,will it sap all our strength to mourn

Blessed are the babies with basic needs,growth desires deep energy ,adding life in layers ,good or bad but always more

We let our minds play fancy, not reaching in to deep just gently dancing ,silent edges become the norm

Nothing old is near what we can not feel can not be feared,simple suppression now a common daily chore

Many may plead to open up,hard to  pour from an empty cup,what can be built with an empty form

Rock solid not even a blink,emotion controlled through a wink,stone cold ,lacking passion leaves little to explore

Long buried inhibitions can't make an exhibition,  keeping commotion buried will just leave us harried,sometimes facing rearward can leave us reborn.R.C.

EARLY RISER

Time placed in reverse is not something that is easy to rehearse ,riding along on their cycle of light

Caught in the swirl of what is perceived as a day ,split with living and resting between sunrise and dawn  

Normal barriers broken, for many it goes unspoken,just remaining restless in their own right

Surviving another night of flimsy stardust we tried clinging with all the might,simply await another yawn

Tasting the new rays, conscious of another day ,but lacking the slumber it's weight will hold heavy on my plight

Now simply settling to let the mind cruise is future rest just a ruse,intense changes our mind & body have undergone

Revolving door with no exit does a natural level exist,is it always slightly out of reach in orbit like a satellite

Training with chimes is fast becoming a crime ,plying unsteady rhythms  like a long lost song

Society's markers are made ,cycles of our days are laid ,do we do wrong when rest is not found in the night

Game with no rules simple patterns now hold more value than jewels,again passing time  waiting for a new day to be drawn.R.C.

ALL HALLOWS EVENING
Tantalized by trickery to be teased with the expectation of tasty treats

Carousing kiddies can't wait to click their heels but to stay away from home

Tall top hats tilted with final ****** gilded ,laughing or trembling just for the sweets

Dedication by many overlooking a link with religion ,cut loose with no chaperone

Frightful or often funny ,individually punny ,some just trying to others the creeps

Dancing damsels are distressed, Knights to guard them while monsters just groan

Freaks frolicking standing aside while the princesses make their leaps

Graveside now nice for a time,freaks from the shadows both smile & moan

All invited to the grand ball,party to remember for peeps & those that are tall

Uncage the animals,make up for others,imaginations rule no excuse to sit like a stone

One night to recall came to play in fall,beautiful or bewildered came together to enthrall . R.C.

PAUPER'S GRAVE

Mighty marble walls of a mausoleum,gilded gates guarded by cherubs ,are we now guarded from a fight or flight

Make allowance for common cowardice ,slipping while constantly reaching out

Passing by taking in the green ,organized in rows, caps and crosses in brilliant white

Left in calmness, shade of a few trees, soft easing of the breeze, allowing our mind to take a new route

Bigger thrill to be placed on the hill? a view to not be enjoyed by you,will it matter if blocked by blight

Day to day are we giving to pay our final way.will the memory be any finer when they are astute

Tribulation or trial helps pass our time for awhile,do many care how others might fare,location,location is now the new plight

Many markers still make up real names of once great souls ,now lost in their roles of laying low or high are in dispute

Segmented cemeteries lain  for those with nothing left to gain ,will our place make us higher in the tribe

John Doe or mighty Moe when reduced to name on a gravestone no concern of the ones below,lifetime lost, point now moot . R.C.

LASTING PAST

How long before it can all be forgotten ,how do we determine when it has finally come to rest

Will tomorrow rest upon the shoulders of my youth,needing or wanting a reason for a connection

Buried or layed to rest ,left in idle or running wild,memories in our mind often left with something to remove from our chest

Journey of a lifetime taken in simple steps,often the weight from the footprint will sit and grow like an soul infection

Days rolling along ,then suddenly stopped, marking time in moments,heat rising ,time again to stave off the stirring hornets nest

Taking a TIGHT grip or will we let it slip ,so much of life now carried  on that moments fate ,lingering on  with memories and reflection

Swarthy it is swimming in like a succubus upon my bed  ,remaining unaware, still to take care before I become the one possessed  

Fading Phantoms forming, arising from flamboyant flames,is leaning towards the heat helping me to always keep the connection

Tested frequently ,staying above then slipping subliminally ,often measured in grains the weight we can digest

Living life with hidden strife will not be right  until we learn to divide past & future giving proper time for redirection

Life not meant to be a sojourn journey,fleeting mind can be unkind ,bring the past to task, continue forward, each day of happiness now the true test. R.C.

WAITING IN LINE

Take your place this is not  a race ,soon to ask if what brought you here was worth the price

I just want to pay to not stand idle and reminisce ,that full cart & those 5 kids ahead should have been a sign of a long day

Never considered stealing but this has me reeling, rethinking my vow to always play nice

Opened the aspirin first ,now considering buying beer, my morning smile has turned to to a leer  

Mom forgot something, sent head child back into the wild,biding time who am to criticize

Enquirer SCREAMS u.f.o's here,looking around that is clear,now noticing for the first time all the kinds of mints & gum sold here

Dripping ice cream has me about to scream,the quality of my dinner determined by whatever else she buys

Muzak & me are about to have an epiphany,one more note could be all she wrote ,the elevator sounds of the seventies are becoming surreal

Patrons starting to pay heed they also want speed,pacing like bulls before the race ,just waiting to terrorize

Checker changing color, her eyes growing colder while bagger acting bolder,getting a few munchies is spinning into quite the ordeal

Her order finally tallied ,cheers break out from those who rallied ,she forgot her money so quickly I pay her fare ,just to escape, not caring if it is my own bills that are compromised . R..C

REALIGN MY MIND  

Beginning to grow then kicked back a few notches into slow, Want is eager while the rate is meager

Like walking in mud single steps require twice the energy , requiring release so life will work in synergy

Often never knowing the need was there ,hindsight can used as a learning tool
Enlightened we can be a stronger creature

Lost in opaque thought,striving to stand on our own,polishing the glass for a new view
but will still leave a piece of missing history

Imagine your vision in a mirror always wearing a mask, then always working to eliminate this feature

Former strength now a strain walking slower to avoid new pain,each day the blitzkrieg on my body is a true mystery  

Strive for a simpler life ,day by day some say ,taking it all in stride, for time is the great healer

After the fall who  will we call,another won't want the bother ,relying  on our self has been our surest mainstay

Greatest walls can be taken down ,they are also built with layers from foundations
rebuilding  ourselves keeps us from growing weaker

Physique slowly breaking leads to a new awakening ,body & mind separated but ready to align ,remaining thankful in our own way. R.C.

COLOR OF HAPPINESS

Approaching middle ground looking back,does a certain palate bring a smile

Perhaps pink or blue given to make us coo,rosy red cheeks telling a simple tale

Yellow sun taught as fun,sky not gray but brilliant blue,looking down for glowing  green grasses not the dead earth perceived as vile

Red & white candy stripers a helping hand or holiday candy canes, uplifting, something to regale

A tank sits idle,clear water just mild ,but adding some life ,a few fins they shimmer
electric blue,neon green and a few gold fish brings new style

Pale empty pots take no position until repositioned with plenty of posy's ,without new shades all would be stale

Smiley face has no grace when seen in black & white ,more fun in sunny hues their fun faces will always inspire

Rainbow forming from gray is an instant show, making short work for a frown to grow helping to reshape our own profile

Every person takes a favorite ,each cause chooses another hue, brighter showing more view ,lesser tones blinding desire

Drink it in like a pretty party punch it's sweetness softens our affairs,will it help or change what we cast ,brighten a dull day make it worthwhile

So when do we refrain from hiding in shadows to basking in limelight ,taking in a moment of what is bright,Break through the whitewash to something we admire
R.C

MOONLIGHT MILE

Voluntarily merging with rapidly cooling air,does it draw more energy from our depths as we stare

Pulling me as if partially full, wanting to fulfill a hidden inner need,drinking it in helping to establish our new creed

Our moods possibly intertwined like the push & pull of the tides,increases our need to be immersed in its glare

Bright night keeps us from fright, showing hidden apparitions with it's glow,exposing to all the power it can yield

Simple journey merely a need to feel closer ,body,  soul seeking a new role,will it bring new energy as I stare

Drawing from radiance hoping for the guidance ,external glow guiding my flow as I venture farther out into the field

Taking a simple path leaving behind any wrath,taking comfort in twilight hoping it's strength will help my mind repair

Growing restless but letting the glimmer  make it's mark,through the light will my inner heart be revealed

Lunar light with all the might  may appease us on our flight brightly helping us prepare

Seeking to saunter left in limbo until finding that lantern ,waiting for the new beauty to be unsealed

Missing certain daytime beauty,but taking in wonders from the shadows,reflections from an owl's eyes as it stares

Grand orb lending itself so I won't stumble as I stroll around a bend & up the knoll ,Maybe this time or the next, more of mother nature's wonders will be perceived.  R.C.

LONELY LISTENER

Note for note calling out, from a mere whisper to that great SHOUT  

Faithful follower through the static I never decline ,wait for the new buzz or keeping time in rhyme

Sometimes something to abrupt met with a block,yet still flourish for the new Rock,selecting noises that carry more clout

Days of ecstatic d.j. now lost ,wider broadcast but at what cost , is it worth it just to hear the same old line

When we awake begins slight toe tappin,easy rhythms help carry worldly weight

Orchestral drums from the clouds as rain marks the beats,,lightning bolts sounding like a new chime

Ragtime or romance,does not take much to get our rock to roll,jazzy mood or brooding blues ,even the background hum of elevator  101 can be great

Back to a time of tuning that dial ,hits or misses just for a smile,anything to keep that inner sound divine

Adjust we must,change through experience and age,maybe not accepting of the new rage ,does our love of the tone speak of the future or mark our fate

Waiting for that new disk was it worth the risk A or B first? melody's await will their harmonies catch us in our prime

So keeping our ears open, our eyes await to see what symphony is at the gate
what serenade is new to our soul,waiting for it to wash over us,seeing which trigger it will activate .R.C.

FEATHERING THE NEST  


Started the race naked and wanting, reaching out accepting whatever they give

Blanket and warm ***** meet our needs,drop of milk from our only true friend

At first we adjust because we must ,unknowing there was a choice,simple acceptance to help us live

Bringing more into the cradle,baubles then glee with that first rattle,everyone helpful all so kind

Finding how to function brings more gumption ,then wanting more goods is another way to help us jive

Well placed placards,voices always ringing then another singing,constant selling ,has over consumption left us all blind

Basics  being lost ,frivolous thought have a cost ,  matching bedspreads with a bathroom and maybe even my car now a vice

So much all around hard to focus on one sound,from simple notes to a full orchestra we have been redesigned

Does lacking leave us grieving will our need bring us up to speed,that new want be satisfied by the next

Will more blankets bring added warmth ,stacks of staples leave us satisfied,needing only one at a time leaves the others nullified

With age brings wisdom,but have we gained from when Mom was our guiding light pretty packages leaving us in a trance are the real issues being addressed. R.C.

FALL BACK


Leaving the searing sins of summer behind to take a milder approach

Longer brighter days left begging as the sun sets  closer and closer to the evening news

Early is still warm but with a cool night, removing an hour will help lighten the load

Home is divided between heating or cooling ,but cuts bills that gives us the blues

Early autumn whispering, green leaves still glistening ,watching the beautiful blossoms erode

Whistling winds no longer as warm, chilly nights more the norm , changing clothing a game of pick & choose

Frequent freezes still blocked by late summer breezes,longer nights mean the day has slowed

Soon dreams of cider and rich apple pies will ring true,switching from salads to hearty stews

Casual shorts & t shirts changed out for long pants & flannel ,not quite ready for those heavy sweaters to be sewed

Final warning to prepare ,wild winters do not care ,first frost means higher cost ,seal all holes ,block all winters air unless you live in an igloo.

Last winters memory lost ,spring also faded ,settling out of summer for the upcoming beauty of Fall and all she will bestow. R.C.

WE MUST ADJUST

Wanting our own way is something many only wish for or blindly crave

Making a grand display is more often a great rarity than something known as the norm

Modify complex lives,alter that big flood before it is paid in blood ,redirecting that wave

Taking a lower rung on the ladder isn't always a simple matter ,balance takes a new form

At times the rush may seem too much ,needing a way for balance must be our new craze

Astray is a rough way ,good things don't always last ,occasionally needing to be reborn

Never at ease on the sea ,Earth and her many ways to play,river run dry ,deserts overflow,but from a fog we must emerge from the haze

Family's divided ,their split over wills is  a new ill,members together are now  alone and left forlorn

From the bottom we climb, each level coming in time ,keeping from going astray as we make our way through the ongoing maze

So as we arrange the way we play ,sometime pleasures take second base, so we learn to harmonize constantly finding new ways to make us strong R.C.

LEND ME A WORD

It seems such a waste to look & look through all of the letters that help form all the words

Would we so quickly condemn a vagrant on the road with a sign stating "Will work for verbs"

With so many how would one know which sound or function is missing,simple flock or huge like the herds

One language severely limiting in what is perceived, at a loss to what is received ,something new like a gem or clutch of pearls

Fainting memory hiding even more, a simple caption brings out a new score, bringing something from the reserves

Finding is easy ,aligning much harder,start with one barter for another,leading sentences into new curves

The lender should not hinder,maybe the new text will bring the world abreast and giving the writer what he deserves

Unscramble with a new game of scrabble anything to break up the ramble,the more we're left looking the more it gets on our nerves

Exploration and hidden expectation,some become obsessed in for the duration,like a tornado of talk lost in the swirls

So much energy into inquiry of analysis for a simple product  ,but importance is placed
on explanation so maybe each comment will have it's own chauffeur.R.C.

REMNANTS OF ROADMAPS

Home is where the heart is ,hearth is what hold the home fires

***** path or shiny blacktop laid out like veins when there was no one or anything to take up the reins

Many a maze left us in a daze, seeking venture or that new craze ,hearing the latest from the next town criers

Coast to coast often to much for most ,for some needing another hamlet to boast anything to just follow those new lanes

Never sitting solid like a rock ,even it can be washed into sand ,giving in to the call to see what new transpires

Reeling out the years left with memories of burning gears ,now maybe lost in new life constraints

Lines on a blueprint muddled in road signs,maybe cruising again from imaginations or however it conspires

Center of a nation peering out in every direction,what now? maybe just a thumb or a howling greyhound  ,make a new move with no complaints

Now video for everything not the old travel agent brochure,sparkling oceans or misty mountains ,a longing that still brings smiles

For some a need for speed, others just backroads glee,unknowing,unsure for me but could quickly change with new mates

Longing to find a new view over that next horizon is an addiction,for some just a burning need to post more miles

But as we settle in a predictable life  is met with less chagrin,maybe we've made our mark  more passive but waiting on new email updates. R.C.