Written: August 06, 2025
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The traffic roars as wounded gulls.
metal beats skated over the asphalt waves,
each honk a fractured prayer,
fleeing the city, restless breath.
I sit beneath a twisted jacaranda tree.
Its lavender flowers unfurl as the sun dips low
Parrots squabble in the canopy—
boisterous, unrepentant, and singing,
stirring the dawn with their raucous cries,
a beauty entwined with longing.
Their melody exists beyond,
concrete and clocks,
I sip coffee—malnourished warmth—
Its bitter essence wedged between my ribs,
where comfort once thrived.
The chipped cup, a reflection of lost trust.
Each face that passes me
is a silent question,
I have forgotten how to answer.
Once I skated these streets
hungry for names,
for the echo of someone to cram my void,
But identity remains a fog
caught between chain-link fences
and fragrant jasmine vines.
Yet still,
I listen for that singular voice
amid the clamorous parrots,
the one that might beckon me back
into the wholeness of myself.
At The Dawn of My Time
The Light shone so brightly it blinded my sight
But with its warmth and promise of opportunity
I reveled in the notion of optimism and its delight
He lurked behind my back
Staying out of my site, I hardly knew He was there
Silently watching, waiting, looking over my shoulder
But in my youth, I barely had a care
At the Meridiem of My Time
I thrived, as I was powerful and strong
My senses keen, my focus unwavering
I felt invincible and could do no wrong
I barely gave Him a thought
I became curious once, but He could not be found
Then I caught a glimpse of Him … under my feet
Triumphant, I was sure a new King had been crowned
But now, in the Twilight of My Time
I struggle to make sense of it all
What once seemed to be victory
I now see was the pride before the fall
And now He looms in front of me
Every moment His presence is known
And as those who have gone before me
I know I must face Him alone
As He outstretches His arms
And the last flicker of light is done
His darkness consumes me
And, forever, we are One
Not a Democrat
Is democracy good for individual freedom
a year when spring sprang early
he bought horse and cart and made a living
moving people's rubbish to the town's pit
He was not a man working from 9 to 5 in
a factory where underpaid workers slaved
putting macaroni in tomato sauce, into a tin
he had many children, but was not a pater
Familia, the children grew up with varied
success, some failed while others thrived
Besides, he liked gardening, in the poor
A section of the town people came to see his
display the beautiful flowers
In the night, people came picked the bloom
to give color to their meagre homes, that
It was what he had wanted
He lived a long life, and his wife loved him dearly
No, he was not a democrat
They called her triple scoop at school cuz she was kind of plump
she was made of ice cream, so all day long she ran and ran and ran
Sliding in and out of freezers just to gather herself up in a clump
They called her "Dairy Queen Of Junior High" she never got a tan
Flavored in three Neapolitan colors she came, now that is insane !
She dolloped to walloped turning away from the sun, run Queenie run
Oh how sweet but how melty she dripped each time it began to rain
The only thought through her head was, " I might as well be a nun !"
Then one day she met Mr. Freezer, who lived in an Igloo by the Artic
come live with me & we will make snowballs all day and play ...
It was best to live in the cold, for that was her honest prognostic !
together they thrived and felt good in that place called, " Snowsway"
on ship’s voyage cosmos-deep
a captain’s life was laid to sleep
wrapped in linen mummy-style
and thrown into the stellar keep
he floated on in endless black
‘tween the stars and ev’ry lack
old, as much the void he swam
‘cross a vault of night and back
what of life had this one known
had he thrived or barely grown
was he one of true love’s shills
cold as now so lost and lone
years spun into thousands more
through galactic breadths he tore
darkened matter - cosmic dusts
bound for some unceasing shore
what would e’er become of this
a spacer shorn of life’s dear kiss
drifting through the sea of suns
unto the breach of time’s abyss
might he, in some age from now
be set back to breath somehow
by the brain of some grand race
advanced with tech to thus allow
oh should he end up on that path
what wonders will his being hath
to sail those stars and live again …
no greater last of all, that laugh!
Yahweh’s image! The crown of creation!
Did Adam and Eve wish to test their might?
The serpent’s luring words of elation
soon deprived them of the angelic light
Sins of omission and commission thrived.
Friends became foes. Siblings became strangers.
To earn their living, each being strived.
Each day dawned with life-threatening dangers.
The prophets, saints, and martyrs came to save
the fallen humans from the wicked death
and lead them far from the brinks of the grave
Didn't the creation yearn for rebirth?
Weren't these ways paved for the incarnation
to cause, here on earth, true transformation?
Rescue haven, a stray little cat
front leg mangled, fur all matt.
No fluffy toy, this poor wee mite
eyes full of trust, denying his plight.
Minus his leg, fur closely shorn,
cuddled in blanket, cosy and warm.
Petted, pampered, he thrived and grew
soft velvet fur. A Russian Blue.
He rules the roost, this regal cat,
his lair… my bed, kingdom my flat.
Beautiful beast so much adored,
faith in this world, renewed, restored.
Fills up my life with sparkle bright,
just being near holds true delight.
My shadow now this ball of fluff,
his trusting eyes, reward enough.
Now
Come the shadow clouds
where and whence evil rises bold and loud
once buried, hidden wide opened shrouds.
Warm, soft, calm breezes slip away
in between the morning hours when we prayed
deep in the cast of shadowy grays
preparations for warring factors are made.
It has become a hate-filled time
where loudest voices revile in the climb
lost to compassion, to empathy
that once thrived in the land of the free.
Now,
a heartless spirit scrambles forth
hidden hatred in a price brought
innocence pushed aside and lost.
Who we once were
grows more angry, deceitful, and disturbed
divisive rhetoric in every word
out on display for the world to be heard.
How soon before the sword and gun are drawn
How soon will come that fateful morn
that creeps and hides within every pawn
sacrificed and filleted in dull yawns
Now
come the shadow clouds
no one dares speak of it out loud.
Black and blue memories turn to sunset;
All of the craziness that we’ve survived,
it’s like I’ve been branded by our secret;
So many roller coasters we just thrived,
as long as we rode down them together;
The tumultuous my heart has archived;
We aren’t exactly birds of a feather,
but two sets of wings still fly parallel;
Painting the sky in all types of weather;
My body reflects that rock solid spell,
those faded colors now a rebel yell.
You are the King of glory
You master the people so
I'll tell you of a story
That happened long ago
Twelve disciples Jesus chose
The multitudes were led by them
They were faithful in their work
And they'd answer only to Him
The commandments were then followed
The people felt they had a place
Many a men called out to God
And God answered with His grace
Many a men relied on a promise
That Jesus would come back once again
They thrived on being God's children
And God said turn away from sin
There sits along a well traveled road, a house forgotten so long ago
Brown faded logs, bleached from hot Summers seasons
Stand proud against its kindred trees
Its roof top still shelters the memories it holds
As the stack from a chimney serves as anchor below
White linen curtain now tattered and soiled
Snag against each splintered pane
The lattice now gone where roses once thrived
Bountiful garden, now scarcely alive
Cupboards lay claim to a family of six
Nestled and sleeping among their beds wove from sticks
Barn owl now perched, as it waits for the shadows too grow taller
As the daylight grows dimmer with each passing hour
Strong against the test of time, a house is still standing
Very much, Still alive
Standing strong against the clearings
Filtering through the empty broken balconies along the rivieras
are the waning cacophonies echoing monotonous songs,
“Merciless they are to us at the breaking of dawn”
Where life once thrived, we arrived in the city called the strip,
an open-air prison, an amphitheater without any spectators
insight, although the world is watching
We trudge onto yet another camp
The sun brings nothing, not anything more than light
that shines upon a smokey sky
I see more of nothingness, space, void, rubble
Everything is foreign and everyone has changed
All are cold, scared, and hungry, we walk aimlessly
In the hands of anyone unknowing if he or she's sane
There is so much fear, I am no longer safe
A new reality has come upon me
To the smell of death should I adapt?
A new day has dawned, morning has broken
Echoes pick up murmurs of others tears long spent
sifting through these ruins where I hide
Unattended unattached, no time for a sigh,
cry, or yawn, I am zombie like
The unrest of the last night has begun again
The recent blood red scenes now past
Yesterday's echoes filter one more reality
Will it be me today?
Humans are not like us
They are very hard to teach
We show them what we can
If it's within our reach
Some are quite cruel to us
They haven't yet evolved
If they could communicate
The problem would be solved
They seem a trifle dimwitted
Their language is complex
We learn what we can from them
But they don't pass the test
They don't seem to see it
Our language is not that hard
Instead, they enslave us
and put us in the yard
We care too deeply for them
I don't know to what end
Destroying our environment
They never seem to bend
They chain, beat, and torture us
and some are left to starve
They keep us locked in cages
Our home is a backyard
We once were free to roam the earth
The past where we once thrived
But now they maim and neuter us
Our offspring euthanized
When we meet our maker
of creatures far and wide
Our part ensured in heaven
Their downfall is their pride
Our lot was given the die-cast
and we must persevere
The humans remain clueless
That is our biggest fear
Their future's still in question
with their ears that do not hear
If they can't learn to listen
to the bond we hold so dear
I knew that from the first moments we met
We ‘d be together, till life's sunset
In face of adversity our love thrived
Love overcomes wounding, razor-sharp vibes.
We have danced through romance with vibrancy
Overcoming issues, not meant to be
Trusting the care of our shepherd above
To show the way, in the light of true love.
So it came to pass, romance stayed alive
You and me standing by each others side
Dance the last tango with me dear darling
You will always remain my Prince Charming.
Ever together in love, you and me
That’s the way it was always meant to be.
my first summer of retirement
would I bemoan not going back to school?
I sat outside, smelling my fragrant flowers
watched my dogs trot along the fence line
so casual, on a lovely balmy Kansas day
then it got too hot, I had to water everything
my tomatoes, tulips, zinnias, geraniums too
every day, lugging heavy hoses around.
summer became work, I got tired of it
had to have naps
the heat did not completely ruin things for me
school started without me for the first time in
thirty years, and I not only survived
I thrived, loving it.
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