"Hello Autumn, special among my four annual friends -
this year, I wonder what your whispering breath portends."
"As always, I'm somewhat celebratory, somewhat sober,
and I come early for your birthday in October."
"You seem to carry something invisible in your breeze,
something real and deep, but which nobody sees."
"Again, my wind will blow, as leaves from trees, I strip,
but, this time, I'll take you on a memorial trip -
the Halloween cookies your mom cooked, you took to school -
you felt so proud in Kindergarten. You felt so cool.
Then, there was the dark eyed girl when you were fifteen.
She was, by far, the best thing you'd ever seen."
"Yes, you were there for the start of every school year, it is true,
Paradoxically, for me, you're the season of all things new.
So, why then, this year, are we looking in the past?
Please tell me, autumn breeze, this won't be our last."
Grim Reaper Grim Reaper
Come to awaken the dreamless sleeper
With gown of black and scythe in hand
Beside one’s soul you’ll patiently stand.
Assured of one’s soul I know you’ll wait
Your beckoning portends one’s morbid fate
Escorting one from this world to the next
Never likely to runout of guests.
Modern man lives ensconced in ignorant bliss
Until jolted by death’s cold passionless kiss
Come and awaken the dreamless sleeper
Grim Reaper Grim Reaper.
in a night so dark and sea so deep,
on the sandy shore we safely sleep,
yet far out on the rolling wave
fishermen on tiny boat venture out brave
a weather-beaten lantern is shining small
against shadows brooding and tall.
the tumultuous sea rises like a wall
threatening to engulf them all
the full moon above penetrates twilight
and kisses the sea with her silver light.
meanwhile, there are jagged rocks ahead
where the violent black sea portends dread.
there are two streaks of light on the foam
one from the sky, the other far from home.
a fragile shell of wood and twine
is tossed by the constantly churning brine.
nevertheless, they row on against the gale
with trembling hands and cumbersome sail
despite odds against the restless sea's might,
the fishermen battle on as they wait for light.
Childhood promise - a pact by pinky swear,
Fast friendship - solemn pledge of pure intent.
Broken at times? Just predictable fare!
In playground terms an everyday event.
Then youth bursts on the world in hot pursuit
Of lasting life and love without an end.
Broken promise portends the absolute -
Betrayal leaving aching heart to mend.
Time heals the hurts of feckless youthful dreams,
Suppressed by wisdom’s wit and common sense.
Bygone promise subsumed - or so it seems,
Poignant echo persists still, in past tense.
Truth Escapes
Each day shorter
than the day
before
Each word
sharper
and meaning more
Time compressing
the past
implodes
Truth
escaping
— life’s final throes
********
The Enemy Within
Everyone lives
with a cancer
deep inside of
them
Waiting
like a panther
striking
from within
If not today
tomorrow
on that
you can depend
Setting up
a sneak attack
malignancy
— portends
********
Within The Lines
Verse
is my mistress
Poetry
my love
Every line
my beating heart
Rhyme
sent from above
Feelings
wrapped in verbiage
Passion
leads the way
Stopping time
within the lines
Couplets
— on display
********
Words Rebirth
The leading edge
of prescience
A doorway to
beyond
Walking through
the past adieu
As words rebirth
— in song
(The New Room: June, 2026)
How wakes the Dream
When the dawn breaks?
The distant crow,
The vestige o’ertakes;
Fields of green and fertile row—
The sounds of the city o’erthro’
The Dream flitters toward the window
Dissolving in sparkles of light,
Round the curtain’s glow.
What the day portends, we should not know,
We make brave ourselves and off we go.
To fight the fight, to sleep another night,
And dream a Dream of soft glowing sunlight,
The field we tend of our own will, and might
And the quaint little home and puffing chimney white.
Be still Dream and let me hold thee,
And behold a life that was meant for me,
For when I wake thou shalt flutter away
Midst the noises of another moiling day.
Line of inquiry:
“as both this form and boundless space
cravings of ego negated
awake, vibrant yet nonchalant
bliss drenched heart remains elated”
Believe one’s bliss is happiest in youth?
A squeaky-clean parchment with true blue eyes.
A selfishness, of seeking perk, in truth,
Circles the moon at pubescent sunrise.
Yet, surrounded by dark, although there’s stars,
The eyes wizened in pain and confusion.
Insides begin to look at clouds’ tear jars.
Thunders true love, is it an illusion?
The letting go; let spots of wisdom grow.
Portends rainbow, halo of rain; a sigh.
Let go umbrella’s twirl; accept rain’s glow.
Floating in space, like embryos, on high.
Couples, like twins, in water’s depth, don’t drown.
In selflessness, they’ve found a blissful crown.
We cling to traditions
And habits and friends
And gatherings where
No one lately attends.
It’s hard to let go
But how long one pretends
Things are just like they were –
Well, that kind of depends.
If whatever we cling to
In some way extends
To those with whom we share it,
That surely transcends
Any reason to lose it.
Still, time’s flow portends
Letting go is expected,
Since everything ends.
This dark, and what of it skied
A bad thing portends
More dramatic is these structures o'er.
Whose black past with blends.
“Each day drifts to our pile-
pray, it's stamped with a smile.”
_by Poet
Each waking day arrives as new-
it's up to us how well it ends.
What lies between really depends
on how we choose what we should do.
Must think about the day's value;
how every hour is used- portends
each waking day arrives as new.
It's up to us how well it ends.
We're happy when the day stays true,
accomplishing whatever lends-
to peace of mind, our choice attends.
Then face tomorrow with the view-
each waking day arrives as new.
Hie thee now by warning taught
The path ahead be peril fraught
Each breath taken carried past
Each step taken counted last
To strive against such dangers rife
Tis better chance the falling knife
For what portends from grand emprise
By hazards wroth may be surmised
That loot awaits at ventures end
For those whom Deaths hand doth forfend
But take thee heed and be thee ware
In trust and faith place not a care
For tho the treasure sets ye free
Success breeds many enemies
The leaves, long gone, each golden child carried
on autumn draft to reach a season's death,
portends bitter squalls will blow the harried
vines with long, cruel winter's icy breath.
Now slumber long beneath the warming banks
upon your tender roots deep in the earth.
All while stillness patrols your sentried ranks,
you strengthen sap to bring a new year's birth.
The spice of burning wood pervades the air
as gentle snipping of the pruning shear
sets free your limbs for summer fruit to bear;
from tender newborn buds, which soon appear.
And so the cycle starts for wondrous vine
to once again turn sunshine into wine.
Clubbing seal cubs
portends a rage for mass murder.
The tail wags the dog
and the offended march away
to slaughter strangers.
Generation after generation,
year after year,
small holocausts
erupt at the strike of a matchstick.
Meanwhile bloody footprints
reshape a landscape.
Stars form patterns to Ancient's Zodiac.
Creatures emerge, especially the snake.
Mayan watchers see the serpent go back,
Back into the earth at Equinox break.
What portends, only prophesies can make.
Past the temple is Astronomer's dome.
There prophets see futures where the stars roam.
Fall's bright colors are taking flight like birds on the wing
It's the right time for a clime change and seasonal transformation
brisk winds whisk leaves in plight and can no longer cling
Autumn sends a note that portends a change is in the air
Months of holidays and sublime door displays in celebration
of prime family feasts and Halloween beasts that surely scare
There are ripe fields to harvest with care and yields to measure
Nature conducts bright scenes as she gleans to write an orchestration
of Winter snows and light woolen clothes, a season to treasure
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