These Three and Me

In the mourning dove’s lament
across the line of sky where time stops,
in the bend to light of tulip face,
I feel embrace of love
not stab or wounded wide
in cry, no,
at peace from misery’s last sigh
and hallowed by the places it has been.

A mother's grace of smile to child
in open arms now warmth displays to little me,
so fragile strong in run across the lawn of time
to grasp her skirt again
and feel some safety there at last from past.

And father young and captured in
the sandy beaches of my heart, still ebbs, is gone
yet flows to teach the steps to take past fear
with open arms the beacon, into the depth so lit,
to experience beyond the fear, the joy.

Even winter with love just broken
and child by death newly taken from me,
I knew the white light around the place,
this corner of grace was where to go
to hold myself within my arms
and know even past my sight
that everything would be all right.

And so those three with some of me
have stayed
in places they knew not,
to break the chain that held me tight
so I could fly
within the mourning dove’s lament
across the line of sky where time stops
to meet them once again.
-----------
5-26-02 (In memory of my mother, Marian; my father, Vincent, and my daughter, Michelle)

Of Harmony

Slow a minute and wait for me
for I am not as quick as I used to be
and I look around sometimes and feel fear take me
to places where bitter truth is painted dark
by treasured sacred piece of me my heart

This brittle life can be so surrounded in a light
that in the last small piece of sun
it strikes a cord like just begun
then winks one last look into the pale ascent
lost in crowds all heaven bent to pay respect
to the monument that ashes build

Give then with tip of head and lowered eyes
a thought to peacefulness inside
perhaps then all with struggles will hit their knees
and listen to the way a chorus sounds of harmony

haiku in red

reflection...
in this red dress
do I look fat

Expressions from the Corner Shopping Cart

Curve of lashes take me to a place
outside in dark
a moon song of expression in the corner’s
shopping cart

Built from all the coupons that surround
me with confuse
with the front page of the paper
and the latest blow up news

Should I open up this fear that plants
my chemistry
with battles fought and children caught
in hateful blasphemy

My spirit takes it like a slap
on the face of what is grace
and to hide is near impossible
when a prayer is made from hate

I wonder how one person can rearrange
this way of man
where circles were unbroken now all I see
is trash filled cans

And more and more to see my jaded eyes
are looking down
to find the tiny dignity
of some green cement surrounds

This quiet comfort fills me with the need
To make amends
but what for and who too the list it seems
might never end

So I sing within myself a tune
of loving arms surround
and I touch the ones I’m holding close
within my cotton gown

Then like magic in the midnight sky
with opal riding low
I hear the soft sound of mending
from other hearts who also sow

A Song Was there All Along

The air is full can sing
with drain of day
darning children and birds.

Someone drags a trashcan filled
glass, a box, leaves and things;
gated garden’s swing I hear sing
as air sucks in the sun and makes a wind chime stop
and listen to the end of day.

Airplane and train in magic become loud,
the music like a lonely ear
too proud to pay attention,
suddenly perks and nods.

at maddening bat fly-by to take
the last small thing in air it ate,
could almost hear the snap and crunch
the whirr of wing the light so lost.

Just a jewel in deep of pool
and a song was there you know,
probably all along.

Time and Pomegranate Wine

I am stained by pomegranate wine
watching the sun and birds crack my skin
recalling how I sucked each seed
until my tongue was red
and my fingers held
the color I spent
when persimmons sucked my mouth dry
and yet

each morning's mirror
holds the sweet gloaming sound of the sun
slipping up into another rising
and I hear where doves hide under rafters
loving feathers playing musical rooftops
with the soft snore of a dog the same

my finger's still hold the pomegranate's stain

Neighborhood

I just took a walk
to say hello to neighbors
in their swimming pool

Still Life