just looking at her
she is as she's always been
eternal beauty

seagulls gruesome flock
young tortoises race to light
life's poetic mess

last time we embraced
you gave out those big bear hugs
could sure use one now
security I recall
kept for lonely times like this

from permafrost thawed
white arches rising upward
ancient beauty, now
resides on a modern shelf
next to plastic elves for sale

empty words
pass as winter wind
sapping strength

my mind's eye recalls
that time so easy to see
where I first saw you
looking back to where I gazed
your eyes glancing back at me

I hear the whisper of
summer songs  birds sing
blowing in my ear

blue maria-bella
ever under your black silk
umbrella, hiding those dark
rings of Saturn eyes, in vain,
from the ever present light

life's long journey ends
in explosive final acts
smiling salmon die

vanity weighs
drowning in loving water
till finally shed

Clarity wont stay
like crossing country wind shields
always collecting
mud from unpaved dirt roads,
woe! no wipers for my soul

wife wonderful life
nights ringed fire growing higher
campsite reflections
every flicker different
lighting my eternal flame

Taking Chance on a spring breakup walk
Knows the ground ever alert
For moose nibbling a too early spruce stalk

spring mess, thawing trash
burgers fries, some piggys dumped
still inside their bags
******, funny thing observed,
magpies adore those piggys
.
.
.
now, where's a goat?

naked birch stripping
from sharpened brown bear clawing
alaska falling

along vast beaches
grains of sand lay discarded
others become pearls

Stuck staring again
star watching, angel gazing
your eyes hypnotize

Oh, it's not a prison
not in that sense of the word

It traps you just the same
but with a worse kind of hurt

Yes, the bars are there
harder and colder than any steel

They keep you closed in
robbing you of any appeal, hope or zeal

From earth to sky no light can come in
I told you a different kind of prison

The guards you ask?
Why of course they are on duty

Ensuring you stay strapped
watching like your some kind of *****

Always staring down
with their dark hollow faces

Make **** well and sure
you stay in their filthy places

I wonder on their masters
those curious heathenish *******

Swollen gluttonous wrong
they ensure the poison venomous and strong

Always sipping champagne  
from the people's stolen glasses

It's every man for himself
for these  soulless *****

They lock the doors and try to
seal out that blasted light!

Then feed you their poison
for their sick twisted delight

They almost won
but in a fool's haste

They forget the backdoor
The one leading to saving grace

Have you heard about the lady
Who carried a beautiful vase
It had a whole at the bottom
Spilling water at her pace
The men thought it funny
And fell about the place

Now why would this lady
Carry such vase,
For surely she is crazy
And that we cannot face
She poured out what she had
Then turned to face their gaze
Head held high
She marched on by
To repeat the same tired chase

Lamenting times gone
as your wasted days roll on
todays already done

Sins aren’t inherited
Sins die with the sinners
My father was, as is I
I pray my kids
See how sad it is
That mortal men
Tie my ancestors yokes
To my neck to bare
I have no chance now
I’m just a heathan
Ask the high and mighty
The ones on the hill
The ones in their high walled
Cathedral. Branding me all
Kinds of unspeakables
But I am here to say
That’s not my yoke
I have my own but
Thanks anyway

Man, I work so hard to get ahead
I don't even have time to make my bed
Paying bills and feeding kids
Dude, I run myself ragged keeping these digs

But that dude across the street
What's he got? Seems he got it all beat
House ain't grand and cars look iffy
But he don't seem to sweat the real nitty gritty
This is a cat I need to meet!

What's up man? Why you gotta act the boss"?
He said "Brother, the secrets in the sauce"
He said " everybody got a sauce around here"
He said " but they ain't sharing what we all hold dear"
I asked " you got me intrigued, so give me the score?"
He said something so wack, I had him say it once more!
He yelled it again "LOVE!  Jack, now shut that door'!

Ripped and stained white chucky tees
The pain of waves crushing under heavy seas
the  backseat of my rebuilt chevy 73
The sweaty palms of that first slow dance
The heart crushing felt broken summer romance
Cheers when coming in first place
Waving to your girl touching home base
Cool sweet tea swinging on the dock
Home cookin from great grannies crock
Tomato pie and my head in the sky
To dreamy days and lost loves past
those are the spirits of my youth that last

beneath street lamp light
between sycamore and spruce
slumping silhouettes

laying in bed sick
watching steady raindrops fall
makes me feel better

your eyes say it all
catching glances you toss me
please don't look away

no matter how small
changes cause me to take pause,
reflecting upon,
minuscule memories come
flooding right back, like magic

Battle tested suit
Old lion licks his torn face
both old warriors, are we

getting fit eating
breakfast, lunch, even dinner
jumping apple jacks

lacy swiss
melted sultry sweet
on my meat

ease winter tensions
soothing spring songs serenade
warbler therapy