Trying to cover

dirt that vast would take a rug

as big as our whole country.

~

The problem with rugs…

all that dirt hidden beneath

soaks through the fibers, in time.

Not every poet

can be poet laureate,

but they should be literate.

~

Poets existed

long before the written word.

They feel deeply and they speak.

A collection of

moments make up memories.

Make them worth keeping.

~

A collection of

memories make up a life

worthy of recall.

Leaves afloat in pools

provide safe harbor for bees

blown about by sudden storms

~

When sudden storms strike,,

may we be as lucky as

those bees in finding refuge.

Rain keeps visiting

and though pleasant at first is

now wearing out its welcome.

~

Never discount rain;

Knowing it wears down mountains

and reshapes the continents.

Coming and going

shouldn’t be all so stressful

they erase the vacation.

~

Taking the high road

to our destination would

be great if we could find it.

Seems my poet friend

has fled the coop, taken off

to a far and wordless place.

~

Breath taken away

by perpetual motion;

words exist, just are unvoiced!

When we cram so much

into our days, we don’t leave

space enough for savoring.

~

It’s an age old choice;

quantity or quality.

Choose one, or you’ll get neither.

Plans in abundance

withstand the face of chaos,

At least, more often than not.

~

Tell the Universe

your plans, they say, and listen

to a universal laugh.

Grateful beyond words

for those dismantling, lie

by lie, the house that Trump built.

~

Unmaking his house

will, most likely, require

a harsh iconoclasm.

Before us alone,

God does not stop; lay on hands…

Others… perhaps… tentacles?

~

No matter how hard

I try, I can’t come up with

a reply…just bafflement.

A scattering of

sunlight toward the end of day –

hopeful evening song.

~

Complimented by

joyful, pool party noises

wafting through the woods nearby.

Finely crafted joy

requires cultivation

and a passion for delight.

~

Spontaneous joy,

though not finely crafted, breaks

through well-guarded hearts.

Whose rights are honored

when we can’t safely go to

parades, stores, schools, even church?

~

Struggling to rise

after a few knock-out blows,

somehow, takes more than courage.

~

Honest assessments,

care, and creativity

help us remain in the game.

Sifting through the dust

of memory can sometimes

yield a few lost gems.

~

Unexpected gems,

forgotten in detritus,

are the true pearls beyond price.

Riding the big waves

may bring a visceral thrill,

but rising tides bring you home.

~

Sometimes we have to

go on adventures before

we discover our true home.

Keeping a daily record

helps us stay focused

and accountable.

~

Who wants to account

for endless hours

waiting for the day to end?

Listen up, young man!

Y’all might check who’s a stealin’,

before yellin’ “Stop The Steal!”

~

I reckon Orange

done stole y’all’s brain and hid it

in y’all’s fine badonkadonk.

Some adventures are

so little fun, we’ll be glad

when they’re finally done.

~

Yet their fun-less state

seems, somehow, to continue

long into the homecoming.

Patriotism

is no dressing to conceal

a nation’s greatest failings.

~

Nor is it shown by

fostering or ignoring

lies spread by those with power.

Crazy Covid times –

negative beats positive,

isolation is helpful.

~

Isolation: yes,

out of sight, but not of mind.

That’s just medical neglect

It’s hard not to feel

neglected and abandoned

inside these four walls.

~

Especially when you

call for help and two hours

later it hasn’t arrived.

Right now I’m quite sure

no pain is a real gain and

you’re glad to have some relief.

~

Relief was short lived,

eclipsed in quite short order

by a return of malaise.

From your hospital

bed, you ask me about our

joint poem? Are you on drugs?

~

Of course, I’m on drugs!

It’s the only redeeming

merit of the ICU!

If you don’t know what

your heart truly desires,

how can you hope to find it?

~

Sometimes we find our

heart’s desire and only

then know what it is.

Hard conversations –

Trying to use my ears more

and use my mouth less.

~

Conversations must

have open ears and closed mouths

from willing non-combatants.

Comings and goings

in such very short order

leave little time to relax.

~

If only we could

find a window of time to

open and climb out.

The day toyed with both

light showers and sun-lit skies –

it couldn’t make up its mind.

~

Indecisiveness

can sometimes seem virtuous…

or not… I just can’t decide.

How can we convince

wallowers in misery

that they can choose joy instead?

~

Realizations come

when folks are ready. There’s no

convincing that can be done.