Even in the rain

Autumn’s gold shines through, giving

our spirits a lift.

~

And the rain held off

until the parade ended,

and picnickers, under tent!

If heaven exists,

and all righteous souls go there,

would not one redeem the damned?

~

Redemption requires

an open heart and mind. It

can be refused or received.

To lie or not to

lie ? That isn’t a question

he bothers to ask.

~

It’s sadly refreshing,

his foregone dishonesty,

like a long-born injury

I know of a man

who adores all Trumpery

knowing it’s named after him

~

He’s happiest when

his name is trumpeted far

and wide -music to his ears.

Among the many

pleasures of growing old is

counting the times you were right.

~

I’m glad an upside

exists, since it’s well hidden

from a youthful sixty two.

Some say, ”In Due Time”,

meaning when the time is right;

others, “I Procrastinate”.

~

To do or not to

do, that is the question with

different responses.

The wind rushes in

and gives the trees a shake telling

them to dance and sway.

~

Nine out of ten trees

prefer gentle caresses

to demanding shakes.

Could it possibly

be, what we call, poetry’s

a symptom of depression?

~

It’s not a symptom,

but rather an expression

of the poet’s pain and joy.

I wonder what that

blue jay said to the cardinal

that made him fly off?

~

Whatever it was,

this Blue Jay wishes he knew.

Cardinals I know, gots to go!

Who will carry on

when our mentors retire

if we’re not mentor ready?

~

You become your own

mentor and become one to

others who need one.

When will he ever

learn, that buffoon whose mouth moves

even though his brain has stopped?

~

Like rusty old pipes

clogged with hate and hardened fat

who’ve never known a plumber.

A single kind word

or an unselfish action

will keep many warm for years.

~

In a world grown harsh

and cold we need selfless acts

and kind words more than ever.

Unruly rulers

leave havoc in their wake though

one of them can’t stay awake.

~

Is it possible

that our nation is best led

when he’s asleep at the wheel?

Now that we’re both here,

with our writing hats on tight,

on what shall we pen our will?

~

The heart was willing,

but the rest the rest of the body

just couldn’t be found.

As the mind wandered

here, there, and everywhere, it

missed its date with poetry.

~

 Wandering bodies

also somehow got sidetracked.

Is the world any the worse?

Live in harmony

with all God’s little creatures

‘til they gnaw the car’s brake lines.

~

It’s surely time for

them to put an end to such

destructive shenanigans.

Disaster relief

will be available if

you vote as he wants.

~

Bigly promises,

a sop to foolish masses,

never come to fruition.

We owe the living

more frequent visitation

than weddings and funerals.

~

I’m not planning on

dying or getting married

anytime soon. Come on by.

The weather has cooled,

but rhetoric remains hot

in the Ununited States.

~

Disunity reigns

in the land of the detained

and the home of the wage slave.

Young men wonder,

as old patriarchs die off,

if they want to fill those shoes.

~

The important thing

is for young men to find shoes

that fit them the best.

Carried away by

a slow moving breeze, that leaf

danced to its own tune.

~

Giving up control

and surrendering to drift

an existential ballet.

Our memo was missed

and it rained on the parade. 

We’re marching on, none the less.

~

In spite of it all

you managed to persevere.

We can’t ask for more.

May we honor those

who died and those who worked hard

to save those they could.

~

Yes, let us honor

those who labor for others

not those who grasp for themselves.

Sometimes the silence

is not for want of things to say;

it’s a traffic jam of words.

~

And sometimes when we

are finally able to speak,

there’s a collision.

Solitary crow

nibbling on remaining seeds

after other birds have fed…

~

Does that lonely crow

know that his endless crowing

is why wiser birds have fled?

Wearing many hats

makes even the coolest head

seek shelter from the swelter.

~

If you pull magic

out of your hat, you might be

able to get some relief.

According to Trump

the US owns the moon so

that must make him a luna…

~

And, thus, he consumes,

lands, gulfs, lakes, and distant straits

then sets his sights far higher.

Why can we never

be satisfied with the now;

worrying for tomorrow?

~

A question that’s been

asked and answered by sages

throughout the ages.

After the storm passed

the birds returned to their meal

which had been interrupted.

~

Their relish increased

by the synchronous pleasure

of food and beverage as one.