To whom goes the blame
for unassuming flowers
crushed beneath indifferent heels?
~
Neither casting blame
or indifference heals a
flower or anything else.
To whom goes the blame
for unassuming flowers
crushed beneath indifferent heels?
~
Neither casting blame
or indifference heals a
flower or anything else.
How do we learn what
to hold onto and when it
is time to let go?
~
Tender young seedlings
will wither and expire
when clutched too firmly in hand.
When regarding trees,
and thus missing the forest,
who will find the mushrooms there?
~
Those whose vision is
both deep and broad will find
mushrooms, forest, and the trees.
What is the secret
to happiness and how do
you discover it?
~
Embrace the sorrow
and cherish the agony,
for they are the path to joy.
Must we continue
to just see duality
when we all are one people?
~
We humans can’t seem
to grasp non-duality
even about the divine.
Regarding tipping
points, do you think we’ll
tip in the right direction?
~
Teeter and totter,
balancing on that pin head,
can we not all be Angels?
What demarcation
separates family from friends
and isolates whole nations?
~
Accent on difference
separates us both from each
other and our better selves.
How can we keep from
losing heart in the face of
so much heartlessness?
~
Every heartlessness
requires those with a heart
to face it and stare it down.
When bandwidth becomes
the focus of agony,
is it time to cut the cord?
~
For us aged ones,
understanding of bandwidths
and their agony have fled.
How can we rest when
we fail to plant trees for our
grandchildren to rest beneath?
~
We’ll pave paradise
to build more tacky boxes
and rest beneath billboard shade.
Why can they not see
That they are changing climates
when they build climates of fear?
~
Those who build climates
of fear have a vision of
control, not of sight.
When it’s so easy
to check out when the going
gets rough, what will help us stay?
~
Some will surely take
that easy, well trodden path;
against them, heroes contrast.
Can it be enough
to make a daily effort
to benefit another?
~
To move from daily
grasping to daily giving?
It’s enough to change the world!
Should we be ready
for inclement weather if
climate change deniers win?
~
Rough seas and strong winds
will buffet many dreams and
tatter our prosperity.
We’ve tried many themes,
some tragic, others comic.
How about economics?
~
Economy of
words (some might add thought) are what
these poems are all about.
Why do we delay
doing today what can’t be
put off until tomorrow?
~
That’s a deep question.
I’ll have to think about that
and get back to you later.
When the sun returns
after all those rainy days
will we recognize its glow?
~
Not only will we
recognize its glow, we will
glow with joy ourselves.
As summer draws near
and the election heats up,
what can we do to stay cool?
~
Wade in cool waters
deep within forested glades
where chirps and croaks harmonize.
How can we find truth
when spiders weave webs of lies
and snakes slither for cover?
~
When we walk in their
vicinity, we must be
the truth we seek.
When threats are esteemed,
have we met the enemy
that we ourselves have become?
~
Threats beget more threats
until fear leads to attack
and thus enemies are made.
If you invited
poets and politicians
to lunch what would you serve them?
~
For these dinner guests:
the milk of human kindness;
big ol’ slice of humble pie!
When celebrating
those venerated mothers,
what aspect most worth noting?
~
Though we can’t choose our
mothers, each can choose what in
them they venerate.
If life’s a gamble,
should we still bet even
when we don’t hold such great cards?
~
When playing roulette,
bet even to play longer:
there are no cards in roulette.
I just have to ask,
Since the writing’s on the wall,
In whose glory shall we bask?
~
All glory goes to
the graffiti artist who
just wants his words heard.
How will we know when
we’re truly in our dotage?
By then will we even care?
~
The CEO says,
“If you spend your time seeking
anything but cold hard cash.”
Why do we see grief;
why thorns instead of roses;
when beauty is everywhere?
~
We must make room for
it all – grief, thorns, and roses-
pain and beauty everywhere.
So, my poet friend,
what do you do when not one
word crosses your worn-out brain?
~
Close old eyes and breathe.
Imagine a place of peace.
Look for its pieces nearby.
Does a real wise guy
have the answer, or just know
how to ask better questions?
~
A wise guy has all
the answers. A wise man knows
when to ask the right question.
Are owls really wise
just because they keep up that
constant questioning?
~
There’s more to wisdom
than asking the same question
until the answer changes.