This business of life

has this way of eclipsing

even the joy of living.

~

It’s a difficult

business to find a good mix

of work and pleasure.

He certainly learned

how to twist and turn. Wonder

if he’ll dance to Putin’s tune?

~

When one has no self

one is likely to become

someone’s perfect dance partner.

Inspiration’s well

sometimes runs dry and affects

both paper and pen.

~

Dripping sentiment

likewise tends to overflow

soaking pages; running ink.

Reaping the whirlwind

seems to be unjustified

when other folks sowed the wind.

~

That’s especially true

when future generations

reap what the wind sowers sowed.

His belittling

remarks reveal the smallness

of his character.

~

If you can’t find fault

with a valid argument,

malignant snark’s all you’ve got.

Free money by mail

once filled me with excitement;

nowadays, just suspicion.

~

Becoming older

and wiser is a process

with gains and losses.

Time and time again

that small bird returns, hoping

someone’s filled the bird feeder.

~

Hope springs eternal

in the brains of feathered friends

seeking their next meals

Bright mountain sunlight

highlights the emerald peaks

of the Virginia highlands.

~

On the rolling hills

of this place our family calls

home , the sun shines too.

Without power for

 almost 24 hours

and we’re beginning to melt.

~

Being Powerless

is, for some, a steady state,

not a passing discomfort.

Raid the Capitol?

Nada… Assault a flunky?

Federalize D.C. Police!

~

He’ll do anything

to get his way. Isn’t that

what autocrats do?

Our souls’ landscapes thrive

when we spend our time with them,

give them what they really need.

~

To nurture the soul,

one must first acknowledge it

then feed it with compassion.

Life comes at us fast,

making it necessary

for us to apply the brakes.

~

Life holds us, but when

we’re exhausted we wish we

could put life on hold.

Though the grass missed you

while you were gone, it kept on

growing just for you.

~

Traveling provides

ample opportunity

for growth, at home and abroad.

A month of neglect

extracts the horrible fee

waist high grass demands of me.

~

To make things better

the universe has sent you

some cooler weather.

If there’s a school for

neighborliness, some of mine

have chosen not to attend.

~

Cowards go to court

when they lack the fortitude

to express their true concerns.

August begins cool?

Did some cosmic switch get thrown?

Environmental reset?

~

Whatever it is,

I’m grateful for the coolness

after days of scorching heat.

It’s almost midnight.

All through the house grandkids stir

but not me, Knox, or that mouse.

~

 In the wee hours,

a raccoon pays us a call

and leaves a nice calling card.

Alas, the conflict

between lounging here abed

and the need to hit the road…

~

These inner conflicts

can be tough. but please buck up.

You’ll resolve them soon enough.

Storms come and go, but

that’s hard to remember when

you are caught in one..

~

The best we can do

is hunker down, patiently,

and wait to clean up the mess.

From heat to comfort

and back again in hours;

small wonder sinuses rebel.

~

Traveling sometimes

makes our sinuses pay more

than we bargained for.

I got so caught up

in household chores, I forgot

my poetic ones.

~

Likewise distracted,

my pen hand’s been paralysed

by these Southwestern Vistas

A chance encounter

begun by a footwear choice

draws strangers to the table.

~

You never know what will

bring something old or something

new into our lives.

Out of boredom he

created problems just to

make his retirement fun.

~

Some sour old schmucks

stuck within their shallow souls

splatter surroundings with spite.

How did this happen,

with all days accounted for,

That we have this spare?

~

Today, the desert

seduces my camera,

drawing me deeper therein.

~

The desert we see

invites creativity

and we’re happy to oblige.

It’s aptly called PPD

which it seems my son and I

frequently personify.

~

Poetry demands

attentive observation

more so than prompt production.

Endless amber grass

broken by obsidian

make this landscape alien

~

Yet you’re forever

fascinated by all that’s

strange and new to you.

As the storm rages

we sit in the dark, thankful

for a safe shelter.

~

Shelter from life’s storms,

and other disturbances,

should be basic human rights.

In West Texas sand,

sun baked ranchers try to raise

any thing that will endure.

~

Sometimes you need to

raise a ruckus before you

find what will endure.

CBS has lost

both its sense of humor and

its independence.

~

And, anon, will lose

integrity and respect,

not to mention audience.