from May

open the window
perfume enters on wet breeze
changing light and space





sounds soften in rain
grey afternoon quiets sighs
no mow motors roar

From January

2008 drums
Chinese men shout, make music
hearts beat better than war

dual deployment
children left behind at home
family in war

has the war hurt you?
no one you know went crazy
shovel yellow snow

street whore in winter
cold legs numb feet iced midriff
wind kisses her cheeks

Pablo Neruda
come see the blood in the streets
we wont look at it

glory glory
this sad year better than last
snow covers dark streets


holy mysteries
dark and light share the same source
sing we praise Christ's birth


Ella Mae Johnson
105, was there, wheel chaired
Obama moment

on Lincoln's bible
sworn, chosen hope over fear
millions wept and cheered

summer and cold fall
they confessed: yes, Obama!
pearls around brown throat

Helen Thomas seeks
justice, sixty years of questions
courage to ask

Helen thomas wrote
history cannot save him
our dead require peace

see what happens there
don't send arms to Israel
stop the suffering

american folks
language keeping thought at bay
death dealt in your name

big, crowned tan bird watched
visitation? Daddy sign?
female cardinal

wars for nothing waged
against all better judgement
self delusion reigned

speak often of god
grace in my gone loves, parents
this lamplight, this breath

each stitch amazes
lines become fabric. wise hook
twists thread, time. makes art

the last mimsy came
wanting help. heal the future
children's tears saved us

We honor our dead
by living seeing through rain
another planting

Obama o man
so many worked, prayed, fought, died
for this blessed day

December 6

............................................

monks in tuscany
sing praisesongs for nativity
o holy sounds ring

this christmas will be
full and empty missing them
who holy made me

Hope, Albert, parents
beyond praise now, beyond pain
thank you for your love

i told you so
how your leaving would break me
why couldn't you last?

opening the door
cold shoves past, entering
with the roaming cat

the book of carols
won't stay open, too much
for me to play

move the garbage out
light incense, brew clove tea,
winter Saturday

tall milkweed stalks stand
white fluff clings to ruptured pods
wild untidy mess

December 2

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


toes cut off when young
noses cut off stops fighting
mass produced turkeys

when i ate turkey
i liked drumsticks, dark meat
now bred out, all gone

how can fall be
so dark at noon that i must
turn on all the lights

this fall so cold
i wear hats inside all day
and a hat to bed

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


much as i love paper
all that lasts is stone
carve my poems there

israels past reign
mythic fragments carved in stone
biblical proof

sidewalks glisten
where snow under sun melted
but not on my ramps

the cat wants to go
outside white snow dirties grass
he rushes back in



hope walks a tightrope
recycled clintonites rise
please make us anew

Monday, November 10, 2008

too soon grey darkens
cat rushes into opened door
snow whitens ramp

sidewalks glistens
flakes sigh and sizzle
melting as they fall

the closest planks
are deep brown from wetness
why are the others white?

today i heard Miriam Makeba died
i cried and cried and cried
called my sister to share tears

November 2, 2008

five p.m. now six
above a pale scoop of moon
in still pale blue

rusty leaves quiver
a distant roar in the quiet
contrail white powder blue sky

i say his name
cat comes to me
his tail wide with pleasure


blue gloves clutch rails
roll down steep ramp
uneven ground
driveway moment


dark comes the same time
the same time is sooner
now is later