In morning mist, they stood at peace
The five deer on my lawn
The sleepy dogs ignored them all
Except to sniff and yawn

The one whose turn it was to watch
Looked up when I peered out
She sensed no danger from the sounds
As I made to move about

The deer will disappear, of course
When my door opens wide
I like to think that they watch me
As I watched from inside

In thirty minutes more, I know
The children will arise
I must once again become
Both tireless and wise

So now on my front porch I sip
Hot coffee from a bowl
And feel the sacred peacefulness
Enfold my weary soul

It lay as it fell
The old pear tree
I tried to count the yearly rings
But they were too much for me.

For over sixty years it grew
Standing in the field
And every creature benefited
From its fruitful yield.

No hand of man had felled her
T’was nature brought her down
And now the shattered trunk and limbs
Have stained the pasture brown

The might trunk, decayed within
Concealed the deadly rot
The seeming sturdy ancient tree
Was sicker than we thought.

Against the run-in shed it fell,
Thank God that beam was sound
I feared I’d find the shed as well
Collapsed upon the ground.

I did not see the rot creep in
The outer bark seemed true
Each spring I’d see the buds appear
And then the flowers too

But rot was eating her inside
I guess the signs were there
But like a fool, I’d missed them all
Moved past them, unaware.

And now there’s nothing left to do
But move the broken wood
And burn to ash this ancient tree
That once gave so much good.

Perhaps I’ll look at what is left
To find a piece that’s free
And clean of soul destroying rot.
I’ll carve a memory.

In life’s relationships I know
I need to look for signs
Lest rot, or apathy, set in
And life gets undermined

A piece of wood from a broken limb
Should not be what I hold
When wife and children gather here.
Those moments are pure gold.

I’ll strive for more as I grow grey,
To love, and understand,
And tell this tale of the old pear tree
As I hold my grandchild’s hand

All who knew her said that she
Made joy come alive with her eyes.
Yet joy like hers was not  meant to be
Just as a flame in a candle dies
Out in a puff that no one can see.
And nothing that’s said can change how we feel
Nothing can bring the happiness back
Nothing soothes grief that just seems to steal
Each breath from our bodies; each moment we lack
Strength to move onwards so that we can heal.
Then was a time for sorrow, now let her memory live
Out of the grief of her passing, here is the gift to give
No one knew better than she, that she died enfolded in love
Each of us now should feel, that love she returns from above

Our fingers touch, and hands entwine

The essence of our bodies intermixes

Our lips touch, our tongues explore

Our souls extend and wrap themselves

Around the burning fire of our passion

Our bodies touch and come together

Our souls begin to interweave and dance

And within my inner eye, I see

Our souls merging and expanding

And then a spark of divine fire

Smaller than a dancing ember

Hotter than the blazing sun

Melts and fuses us until

A third soul is created and we have

For a moment

Become like God

Although you think that you are free

In fact you are a slave to me

You sit or move at my command

While my claws dig into your hand

I know you think my purr is nice

I use it wisely to entice

You, and so ensnare your mind

So that the truth you never find.

The truth is that I run the house

And sometimes deign to give a mouse

To let you know I am aware

Of slaves that give me daily care

Oh you may think you’re strong and large

But who feeds who?  Who is in charge?

Her closet empty

Her clothes carpet the floor now

Teenager, learn faster please.

My toys are put away

The focus of my life is

Changing as I watch

Toys – 2

My toys are put away

The choices I made are set

But I do look back

Toys 3

My toys were put away

I took them out to relive

A crazy moment

Toys – 4

My life is put away

I did not know what I had

Until I let go

She is grinning now
In her number 12 jersey
As she dribbles the ball
Up the field with her feet
Outrunning the defender.
She is grinning now
In her cheerleader outfit
As she dances onto the floor
And into formation
Ready to perform.
Just  five years ago
She cried when she came to us
Frightened, angry, confused
Taken to a strange land
By an unknown couple
Who spoke her language badly.
Always ready to fight or run,
She did not think this could ever be good
We did not think it would be so hard.
We were both wrong.
Last night, she smiled as Mama tucked her in.
We know how blessed we are because of her
And now, we grin.

Cold

It’s cold outside tonight

The icicles hang like teeth,

Snow dragon’s fangs,

To show where melting snow

Has gathered to be transformed.

Hours ago the sun shone

And melted the snow

But the thaw has turned at last

to angry monster teeth.

Its colder inside too

Your glare would put

The icicles to shame and

The ice pierces my heart

We were warmer also, once

I did not know

Winter would come so soon

Spring is creeping round again

The slowly melting snow

Reveals fringes and then patches of green.

The spring flowers are starting

Green stems appear in their usual place

Harbingers of the beauty to come.

The early lambs gambol on the grass

They had known nothing but snow until now.

When I first came here I loved the spring

I sat entranced by the beauty around me

Listening to the song birds

And marveling at the beauty of the wildflowers.

Today, Spring calls me out with a trumpet.

Like a solider going to war, I emerge

From my winter’s enforced quiet.

The broken fence boards cry out

Like neglected infants, they know

If I notice them, I have to fix them.

The gravel driveway is just a mud track

The gravel sits on pushed up snow banks

Daring me to catch it and put it back where it belongs.

In the north field, the circling buzzards

Mark what must be that missing goat

I will have to walk a mile to look,

The ground is still too soft for my truck.

The small barn door needs repairs, and

The big door is off its track again.

My arms and back ache at the thought.

I think I miss the snow.