ISLAND POND....

Island Pond

There's a sharpness in the air

It strikes my face, chills my hair

snowflakes float down on my eyelashes

as mindful time slowly passes

Bitter cold is the order of the day

falling leaves frosted are blown away

and the Northern gales in their device

transform my island pond into shell ice

Sharp shafts of slanted sunlight

captured by the edges of my sight

like an apparition silent and warm

accompany my ramble on this early morn

Swaying tall grasses blown cold

shield waterfowl that gather in beams of gold

their orange feet and brilliant feathers

grace my awareness with life pleasures

I am conscious and ask no more

strolling by the ponds silver shore

and thankful for this sight so fair

as a flock of Mallards takes to the air

The Comfort of Indulgences...

The Comfort of Indulgences

When transgressions in human culture

reveal themselves full of forbidden desire

glowing with bright neon features

above our leaders head in haloed cluster

'Tis time to notice the hellfire 

that reside in thoughts of mortal lies

relegated to the minds' dark tower

along with other deeds never reconciled

Walking the razors' edge in life

is where lies eager to survive

are allowed to conveniently hide

and live in forked tongue words unwise

Alas, fear not human misdeeds

Trust the Church to save your soul

to patch your mortal wounds indeed

with the balm of indulgences sold

Your sins of ignorance and omission

your acts of self-abuse prey to us all

and ever present flirtations with temptation

can be conveniently redeemed before you fall

Into the eternal chasm of hellfire

and join Satan's relentless call

to feast on human carnal desire

Penitents pardoned from eternal punishment

can live free of guilt and easily rest

as Indulgences purchased will banish by concealment

all sins from your Heavenly quest

The Beachcomber...

The Beachcomber

When seeing the foam rippled beach

while walking on crystal sand

feet penetrating firmly and deep

on the edge of no mans land

'Tis where my cares came to rest

far from the darkness of human ways

lungs filled with salty air ever fresh

that stimulated my cerebral matter gray

 while enveloped in the oscillations of crashing waves

that rendered my spirit state relaxed

within a body placated in rhythmic exhales

wrapped in visions of life untaxed

So, in the shade of my hat

beneath which I casually walked

I approached a condition that

caused me to advance back and forth

dodging the frothy vomit of angry surf

while pondering the coming times

and realizing that aging hurts

the stately symphony of the mind

that seeks to provide purpose as we become old

while in reality it postpones thoughts we cannot hold

Becoming Befitted....

Becoming Befitted

I live in silent desperation

 victim of great expectations

as days of monotony abound

while I chase the present around

I spend precious time on rhyming quest

expecting reality to suddenly undress

in my silent bedroom of failure

that flashes prose in naked adventure

only to become ghosts of literary toil

in moments of unwarranted joy

My journey in poetry is long

but my days short and forlorn

verses created to capture minds

become somewhat hard to find

as tomorrows light is anticipation

for the fountain of wordy reflections

It projects joy in my minds eye

as poetic embers come sweeping by

flooding the spirit of young and old

and igniting visions of gleaming gold

The Invitation..revision #1

The Invitation

When fresh sheets on naked skin

joined cold satin welcoming sin

the black swan spread her wings

as a moonlight offering

and under the spell of such charm
he melted into her arms

However, the invitation came at a price

'Twas a swans flesh cold as ice

there was no patience in pleasure sought

nor satisfaction that climax brought

and in that flicker of time elapsed

there was no passionate final gasp

Her dark spirit within ebony beauty

promised delight and levity

Her body glistened from head to toes

on satin sheets where pleasure rose

His conscience now burned with guilt

while her essence ravaged his will

He was encouraged to sample forbidden delights

and was powerless to reject her luscious invite

Finally, entwined in her fluttering wings

she made a devil out of him

Gold/Leaf/Down...

GOLD/LEAF/DOWN

When golden leaves like lanterns strung

begin to flutter in the frigid air

to mark wind currents that run

after stealing gold without fear

'Tis time to notice golden woods

and landscapes wild with crimson trees

While natures breath in neighborhoods

scatters leaves swirling around our feet

Yellows and reds blown towards hills of brown 

rising at the edge of town

colors bright now beaten down

sadly litter the cold damp ground

Nature trails are awash in colorful waves

that merciless winds chase to the sky

and transform our reality now ablaze

into a kaleidoscope of vivid light

Everywhere, skeletal branches loom

they cast shadows that brush our faces

as spikes of light momentarily bloom

and seek to nullify the advancing shade

'Tis the seasons frost on winding paths

that draws the spirit to the forest

and even though all leaves lie flat

their death colors bring us happiness

The Transformation...

The Transformation

He hesitantly learned to bend

 beneath the setting sun without regret

to accept pleasures life sent

and enjoy every moment spent

He finally noticed the beauty of flowers 

swaying gently in their rainbow colors

and he took the time to nurture

a  green stick-like segmented creature

He decided with definite clarity

to imagine a future as wide as the sea

while his ship remained anchored in family

surrounded by love and serenity

He strolled towards the waning light 

with thoughts of tomorrow ever bright

and lived his dreams when awakened 

consuming life events like crisp bacon

Mindful images of the future that formed

were suddenly fractured by a rising storm

that erased all his hopeful visions

as the cold of reality ended his transformation

Metaphoric Tapestry...

Metaphoric Tapestry

Silken nerve fibers woven by conscious design

create awareness of heavens height

that exist in our fertile minds

and presages our world of strife

We stand naked in societies wilderness

sheltered from surrounding animosity looming

and fermenting within our National fortress

like fuel added to the already glowing embers

Our dreams have become marble

chiseled from hope that so far

remain unappreciated by those unsettled

and have become a mental scar

The tapestry of truth in National life

hides in the woven fibers of lying elite cadre

it makes us rise and scream at the sky

as veracities sunshine disappears suddenly

Life becomes somber, sapping our tapestries power

limiting our energy to sail beyond the sunset

and absorb the warmth of burning desire

woven in adventures that truth begets

The beauty of truths tapestry lives to be seen

'Tis always there to be felt

and assist us in dreams extreme

instead of accepting the fate we're dealt...

Nocturnal Vibrations....

Nocturnal Vibrations

When torrential rain and tin roof clash

accompanied by thunder and lightning flash

noises muffled reverberate on high

while dreadful vibrations fill the midnight sky

Hellish sounds interrupt my sleep

leaving me to languish in ruptured dreams

helpless to close my heavy eyelids

I'm transfixed by the darkness lightning filled

Soon, mental images of phantoms bloom

like dark flowers growing in my room

shadows creep when lightning strikes

and evil specters rise in my sight

Now frozen with fright, unable to stir

my eyes impregnated by fearful venture

I watch ghostly curtains in whiteness billow

as eerie shapes lurk beneath my window

Glacial air currents rattle my bedroom door

invisible steps creak the hardwood floor

and sounds crafted by lifeless objects

cling and linger like a demons breath 

The coming dawn is miles from midnight

a long time to wait for the morning light

as silent spirits saturate my room

I feel their vacuous presence everywhere strewn

My imagination merges with the coal dark air

it causes my mind to overflow with fear

as invisible vibrations from another world

cause overwhelming dread to unfurl

'Tis only a dream carried on mournful winds

that occupied the darkness of spiritual things

lurking in the crevasses of mindful energy

that cause nightmares for you and me...…..

Truth and Consequences....

Truth and Consequences

Twitter bees busy fighting lies

spread truth to stifle propaganda 

as falsehoods began to cover the light

that shone above Saudi Arabia

Spoken truth is something beautiful

and is a rapier in liars hearts

It buttresses a reality meaningful 

by sending messages of hope in the dark

Truth was severed inside a minor house

then scattered among weeping trees

snuffed out by political cause

that shackles the structure of decency

The flight of veracity on distant blooms

like tasteless decorations in palace gilt 

hangs in the silent halls of royal broods

where denial is the master of guilt

The heaviness of truthful words

struck like the hammer of destiny

as somber deeds in the Mideast world

have silenced the force that was JAMAL KHASHOGGI 

The Privilege of Sunshine...

The Privilege of Sunshine

I drink to the darkness that brings the night

I swallow bitter emotions without a fight

I am stirred by withering choices of decline

that hang sadly on the swaying clothes line

of vulnerable existence, much like lanterns

lacking the fuel to brightly burn

Sometimes, sweet air kisses my mind

like a breeze filtered through scented pines

It rummages among memories lying around

that in former glory, did not see beyond

the wall of daily deeds momentary stay

while precious tomorrows wasted away

Once, I believed that sunshine dreams

were the province of those with means

where mirrors reflected themselves endlessly

until infinity forced them to go away 

But now, I realize that the imagination

molds sunshine into mind creations

emits light that radiates over all lands

and warms earths sparkling sands

Now, I drink to the light that brings the day

I write with conviction and need to say

that my urge to create is obvious

even if my reality is sub- conscious

Moments Neverlasting...

Moments Neverlasting

Time arrives from nowhere

progresses faster than we care

and while moments lived never stay

they exist in their own capricious way

Seconds to minutes to hours

mark the time that's never ours

as moments appear from nowhere

only to remain with those who care

Years elapsed lead nowhere

until held gently in our rocking chairs

accompanied by the musical sound

of feet in slippers tapping the ground

Deep emotions transferred from inner fears

that wandered too many years

in untimely repression of the souls core

presently arrive only to leave evermore

There is envy in moments of joy

as permanence is never enjoyed

even in the mist of memory

where precious times have ceased to be

Living brings momentary desires

that quickly vanish in the late hours

and the spirit sings of deeds everlasting

as the memory of moments become nothing

LIFECOLOURS...

Lifecolours

When certain events that life brings

sometime hide brilliant flowers

growing in bitter winds

captive in the embrace of mirrors

'Tis the patience of poetry

waiting for budding letters to gather

to be ushered into blossoms wordy

that embody the beauty of color

Their vitality under somber skies

expands in rain filtered air

allowing the softer light

to part the grayness of daily cares

The folds of color bright

alter the shape of everything

they transport wisps of white

to heavens blue on gentle winds

Wispy columns rising that never rest

creations that enhance living nature

some crisp and sharp, some less

golden yellows, earthy browns and bright azure

all sharing the rapture of royal purple

bleeding from hidden dreams hope fired

dripping quietly from spirits supple

to become their reality acquired

Lifecolours descending from above

envelop lives of hope on the ground

they quench the thirst of love

with pigmentation of life there found

WELLWORDS...

WellWords

Wellwords ascend toward

the curious and are heard

they quench the roots of human desire

with time-worn sips of wordy water

they solidify memories of Autumn

flirt with color conjunction

conjure the future greens of Spring

and explain the meaning of belonging

Wellwords exist behind closed doors

they lurk in the spirit of toddlers joy

live in the shade of screams and yells

and rise from nearly depleted wells

Floating wellwords always ready for harvest

scoop by scoop almost effortless

gathered bit by bit in given bounty

stretch imaginations conformity

as writers poke around in semi-darkness

while awaiting that flash of brightness

the flicker of erupting fire

that ignites poetic fire

Wellwords picked from the depths

must pass inspection of every speck

be examined for substance and value

before insertion into sentences new

Thus, assembled into coherent structure

arranged thoughts magical for human rapture

float towards readers grateful

for wellwords gathered by the bucketful

They become the offspring of the mind

a construct of the imagination unconfined

much like a virus existing to beget

the infection of surrounding neural nets

They germinate and grow

bubbling and rising from below

to light the brilliant fire

that moves the train of artistic desire

Erection Resurrection....

Erection Resurrection

She stood naked against the baleful world

his drawbridge to the heart aimed upward

lofted above her translucent veil unfurled

to screen massive ramparts looming skyward 

Safe in that shell as turmoil brewed beyond

the home fires burned within the secured walls

warming misery flesh bound

captive in chains unacceptable to all

Inside the gilded refuge visions appeared

filtered light produced queer forms

long shadows grew into thin spears

of erections ready to face an advancing storm

Her horizon stood like a swollen wall

her reality descended into apparent doom

as everything felt normal to all

who sheltered in the dark fortress rooms

The erected ramparts in glory persisted

lengthening shadows infiltrated love found

as this fortress of the mind existed

to  bury reality deep underground

Thus, the erection resurrection existed

and grew ever harder to disregard 

until National love insisted

In lowering the erection to satisfy the heart

The Comfort of Darkness...

The Comfort of Darkness

His tomorrow existed in the darkness of yesterday

while his past remained far away

and when he looked down the dark road

the black of night smothered his soul

Still, there was a distant point of light

a mysterious spark that beckoned his sight

as he strained to focus on former ways

'Twas a spirit messenger from the underworld 

who brought forth reality ready to unfurl

when the novelty of his life became death

and ended his dream of eternal breath

At last, his comfort of darkness felt right

and he decided to dim the light

releasing all of his spiritual energy

 becoming the gray coldness everyone could see

FOLLOWING HIS DEATH

HIS EPITAPH READ

Kiss me not softly when I am dead

just whisper a prayer instead

comfort my soul departing this reality

as it begins its quest for eternity

Close my eyes now staring still

for they cannot see the light at will

they are useless in this world of color

they must prepare for darkness down under

Stare not at my ashen face

for I am gone from this place

Just fix your gaze upward silently

see my soul smiling joyously

Rejoice in memories to compensate

for tears shed because  of my  present state

I'll now exist in your mind more often 

and will certainly die when forgotten 

I will revert to atomic form

renewing natures elementary norm

but my substance in words written

will remain behind to be read and spoken

Church Bells...Oh Well

Church Bells...Oh Well

With the heavens bright on this morning

I can hear church bells ringing

their joyful call to muster in days of old

drew the faithful wearing their Sunday clothes

But now, my parish church has closed

heavenly promises withdrawn for those

seeking shelter from the cold

and forgiveness for sinful souls

I remember sermons from those days of old

and tried to live as I was told

But now, the pulpit is midnight dark

no more candles holding the light

doors are locked, God has left

 abandoned parishioners sadly have wept

and I know that all the glitter

could not bring back God the father

Divine presence was never there

'Twas just a building filled with rarified air

God was within those who came to call

and remained firm in their goodness, that's all

Now, the church bells sound

for those who reside all around

A sound that reminds all that times have passed

when religion owned their ass

The Gravel Path...

The Gravel Path

There's a crack in my mind

where you can look and find

a world of silent cries

seeping out to mindfully occupy

the slippery slope of dream life

while those bubbling thoughts slowly rise

Thoughts of a time-eroded path

where gravel becomes an epitaph

that hides among silent graves

with winds sweeping leaves in rhythmic waves

Swaying branches cast shadows

seeming alive in motion slow

their long appendages mostly grey 

creep as sunset comes their way

The chilled ground in future hides

a bitter cold for those who die

However, the warm gravel path remains

to welcome all visitors in vain

as shadows darken and stretch

casting a coolness fresh

upon the familiar gravel path

that revives memories of ancestors past

MAVERICK...

Maverick

I saw a distant flickering candlelight 

coal mine darkness made it bright

and everyone in the land heard

an invitation full of truthful words

Our hopes and fears 

mixed with tearful despair

were like moths attracted to the light

drawn to a flame that made wrongs right

He arrived on borrowed wings

rode a patriots wave, never breaking

ascended in truth always seeking the light

and offered our Nation his sacrifice 

He stoked the Nations wondrous might

during the darkest of our nights

He was relentless in his Senatorial role

carried a heroes dagger under his robe

He slew the Emperors midnight escapades

while steadfast and unafraid

The passing of his light strikes deep

in the reality of the American dream

as our Nation strives for greatness in global eyes

Maverick was the brilliance in that candlelight

WORDY BLANKET...

Wordy Blanket

I wove a blanket of words

and its warmth of sound was heard

It stimulated me day and night

when it spoke its wordy delight

I banished it to my bedroom existence

where it whispered silly nonsense

in darkness under marshmallow pillows

beneath the knitted comforter warming my toes

Sleep came, eyelids closing in heaviness

and dreams emerged during my rest

'Twas suddenly that words came alive

in freshness of soul where they survive

Word painted dreams cheerful with sounds

that inspired visions to come around

where I perceived a scale of gold

Heavy with words to be sold

One scale pan full of beautiful words truthful

the other filled with Presidential lies habitual

I woke up in a cold sweat

Realizing the danger that Democracy begets

The Other Life...

THE OTHER LIFE

When in my other life, I could fly

 puffy clouds were my pillow

as I slumbered in the sky

above earths drifting tableau

Voices rose from the ground

while I surveyed landscape painted below

sugar sprinkled words floated upside down

they merged with flashing crystal snow

and while soaring in them, I found

the measure that defined my shadow

I sailed in ascending lightness of soul

riding on the warmth of human passion

searching relentlessly a sky still cold

for the meaning of satisfaction

In the distance, I saw clearly

the winding road pointing there

I heard church bells tolling sadly

for the end of earthly cares

So, with this abundance of sights and sounds

seen and heard from high above

'Twas the perfect reason to search on my flight

for the satisfaction of earthly love

Descente....

Descente

When by the rivers soothing song

my daydreams rise from the depths

they become distended like reality torn

to blissfully announce their quest

Visions of little humans gather

like so many unopened buds

peeking out from last seasons flowers

that have become useless dust

My day expands into grayness

as I embrace time where it stands

I hear sounds full of kindness

that flow peacefully between verdant banks

Imagined words sound in my ears

coming from that stream of youth

little voices fill the morning air

whispers from unopened blooms

Fresh beauty in the dawning light

glitters on shiny faces

and the sweet sound of delight

resounds from their sleeping places

Sound colored daydreams that never age

touch my spirit with immortality 

that in the silence of timely stages

will grace descendants with my destiny

THE SELFIE....

The Selfie

Moments captured in our selfies world

speak to all through sight

and advertise a life preferred

where the sun is always bright

Sometimes shadows appear to deepen

as shapeless mind sculptures are set free

to be exposed to memories not forgotten

obscured by the radiance of selfies

Some images reside in dark corners

lurking there in veiled absence

while we live in the selfies mirror

that reflects our apparent essence

'Tis beyond the substance of yesterdays remains

that our survival was purchased with pain

as bright smiles hide the stains

that our history contains

When hardships stood and desires were denied

where hope sank seriously deep

where self-esteem was decried

but now, our selfies flaunt a life ever so sweet

GOODOREVIL...

Goodorevil

The Summer drone of a honey bee

sustains my awareness and serenity

While the sting of a horse fly

makes me utter painful cries

One is a beneficial pollinator

the other a relentless blood sucker

both have purpose to their lives

whether they reside in manure or hive

Neither are evil nor good

while performing their duties, as they should

So, I placed them together in a jar 

watched them from afar

as they mingled at both ends

acting like long lost friends

And with this, enough said

as the wonders of life are never dead

A SUMMER RAMBLE...

A Summer Ramble

To wander deep in wooded land

distant within the shadows of discovery

softly I step and in forest gladly stand

searching for what I seek to see

T'is the season where flowered meadows are seen

Tiger Lilies in spotted orange and periwinkles blue

border the meandering stream

that slowly flows among Irises new

A southern wind ripples glassy waters

and creates diamonds as it passes swiftly

it transforms a quiet brook into treasure

on a glorious Summer day

The coursing current whispers

a soothing murmur in the mid-day sun

channeled crystal fluid gurgles with magical wonder

while flowing beneath swaying ferns there hung

In the woods wrapped in mottled shade

the Northern Flicker hides in glossy leaves

sounds his presence nature framed

with a call that carries far on the Summer breeze

The constant pulsing of gentle winds

 rakes the emerald grass

and with a symphony of Summer things

stirs my awareness while I stroll slowly past 

Further into the shaded woods

the warble of a nesting Robin

fills my spirit with feelings good

rewarding me for times well spent

My ramble is warmed by Summer light

forest peace soothes life's harsh winds

as I explore the seasons awesome might

and enjoy the serenity of natural things

The trail where solitude and life are wed

leads to a grassy sunlit clearing

purple painted with spots of red

That quivers in the morning wind

Sunshine warmth and fragrant blooms

leave me exhausted and somehow stronger

like the resurrection of an old tune

that soothes life's path a while longer