23~23
a world
without men
full of peaceful
happiness
a world
without women
would crash
and burn
a world
without people
would thrive
if we’d only learn
Instamatic end #23
Kids were playing
In the summer sun
A soft breeze
Kissed the leaves
Of the laburnum trees
As shrieks and squeals
Of delight
Interspersed with
The excuted yapping
Of a small dog
Are all that announced
His arrival
He didn’t come
On a dark and ragged cloud
He didn’t arrive
To a chorus of terrible screams
Or the smell of brimstone
But to the peals of laughter
And the smell of fresh cut grass
He turned heads as he passed
Smiling a perfect white smile
At those kids as only he could
No rusty serrated
Switch blade grin here, then
A mother takes a photo
On an instamatic camera
And the world holds it’s breath
As the flash explodes
And faces turn to see
He watched their terror grow
In tandem with the cloud
And straightened up his tie
Whatever else
Death knew how to dress
They all agreed
On this, their fateful day
As other flashes
Like camera bulbs exploded
Across the land
As he led them on their way.
running away a skinny
21
running away
running away
toward
rhe
new
future
go
toward tl
the
future
and
toward
running away
Thank You
Thank You
Thank you to my spirit team.
You have been there
since my birth
watching me grow
and to learn to accept you.
You have given me strength
when I felt like I was at rock bottom.
You made sure that I was kept safe
when I had lost hope.
Your energies surround me
every day as I doubt my worth.
I can feel your concern,
my heart sinks and my chest tightens.
As I fight to regain control,
I know you surround me
with your love.
I thank you my Gods/Goddesses,
if it weren’t for you
I wouldn’t be where I am now.
The dying light through the redwoods
burns an image of twisted appendages
they cool off their hands in the bath of the stars
the forest chews up the earth
spitting out half chewed leaves
if i can make it through it
i might be able to make it hope
without being swallowed by the monsters
that roam the canopy
Age of Retirement
20
Age of Retirement
I am learning
the new routine
of the age of retirement
I shuffle old paper
The new routine
of digging into my past
I shuffle old paper
keep new at bay
The new routine
of no routine is scary
keep new at bay
there is still work
No routine is scary
in the age of retirement
there is still work
I am learning
Writer’s Lament – Hour 13
Sit down early morning
quiet time to write
Words fill my mind
fingers poised to type
“Mommy, I’m hungry!”
Words erased from memory
computer goes to sleep
time to take care of
all my little peeps
Breakfast is over
dishes are done
Slip back behind my computer
sign in all again
Fingers poised again
remembering the words
Story reforms in my mind
a few strikes of the keys
Interrupted again
doggie pushing against my leg
Whining to go out
put computer to sleep again
Doggie duty done
sun high up in the sky
Sitting down to open
my computer once again
Bells and whistles finished
all passwords entered well
Here comes my muse again
the story starts to swell
Telephone is ringing
breaks my writers spell
My oldest has a fever
have to drive to school right now
Doctor office, lab results
to the pharmacy we head
Go home and tuck her into bed
it’s back to work I finally go
- Open my computer
passwords entered file is opened
Begin to type the words flow then
“Mommy I’m hungry again!”
Two Crows
18
Two Crows
Today’s walk outside
I watched two crows.
They hold good luck
so as I watch them dance
I hope they don’t leave me
without luck
on a day where I need
what I gather.
Hour 23 2023
A World That Is Not This One
Okay. I’m on a roll.
I want to live, at last, in a
world that is not this one.
A world where truth prevails
and justice rains down like water,
to quote Dr. King. I want Biden
to be respected for the decent man
he is. For grieving with families
not unlike his own, and also totally
different from his own. I want the
tall Trump kid to hear an apology
from his father for using him as
a joke. A political joke. And finally,
I want an inauguration to beat all
Inaugurations. I want our rightful
President to take office, with Biden
As her vice, just because he deserves
the respect, but he also deserves a
bit of a rest. So let her take it from here,
Madame President, Hillary, we play
hail to you, hail to the priestess.
Now do all you’ve ever dreamed.
Fix health care, justice everywhere, and oh yes, Putin’s wagon.
Fix Putin’s wagon.