Friday, August 31, 2012

























FULL BLUE MOON

up at the reservoir
a full blue moon
ducks redress 
the full blown growl 
of a full grown raccoon
it goes silent all too soon 
what shall we do 
about the unfortunate fowl 
I ask and you don’t hesitate 
we are full grown my dear 
go quietly and run away

Friday, August 24, 2012




WINDOW

she had a window
once of beauty
elusive carousel ring
they stopped to
watch her as she passed
men who kept her
wondering
why they never
prized her thoughts
why her opinions
never asked
they sought to own her
own her laugh
she sometimes lost
sometimes gave in
stayed on the horse
‘til night’s upswing
she looked around her
growing older
leaving beauty to the past
what grew in beauty
grew inside her
the window opened
learned to fly
a mirror is
a useless map

Monday, August 20, 2012


Lion and the Tree

for Isabel Nuñez

on a walkabout day
in my part of the world
I searched for the sign
to bring you to me
it came from a quiet
turn onto a block
the moment I saw it
I stopped
stood no longer alone
in my reverie
for there you were
right beside me


Sunday, August 19, 2012



I AM INNOCENT

September 21st

what comes in autumn
wears a different color
leaving gets stronger
memory grows older
a light is turned on
an unanswered question
those who would rule
do without our assent
when life is ignored
and death takes a stand
innocence, guilt
never a question
revenge and power
keeps us uncertain
no call to repent
from the honored grave
life worth living
was worth being saved
a sister a brother
united in love
far from injustice
democracy’s curse
a nation still waiting
for history’s reverse
when death visits greed
and unholy power
it casts a sharp eye
on what we’ll endure
it plays to the weakest
who never are sure
and so think it’s safe
that haughty presence
the refined diplomat
a murderous essence
until one autumn day
sick of the cringing
it loses support
for legalized lynching
on that autumn day
lives worth an honor
lead us out of the dark
to a brighter tomorrow

In active memory of Troy Davis and his incomparable sister Martina Correia

Thursday, August 16, 2012


Tiny mutant butterflies
have always flown around me
called them arguments
when I was just a teen
and bad dreams hovered over me
in senseless movie schemes
where I was hero and heroine
when I was looking for love again
I tripped over the reason

tiny mutant butterflies
flared up in grammar school
I called them grownups
when I was called a fool
and opinions tried to smother me
in senseless faceless schemes
when I was just a child
where stories had meaning
the beanstalk grew from the seed

tiny mutant butterflies
dog me now in modern holocaust
they take a flighty message
for a modern SOS
and from Japan a tidal welcome
to the rest of us
when I was just  child
I knew all along
tiny mutant butterflies
would come along

Thursday, August 9, 2012


She doesn’t cry herself to sleep
anymore
she’s still angry
just not at me
what she failed at
she’s flailed at
and found her policy
at her own door
I’m not her enemy
I’m her friend
I’m her beginning
not her end
and she’s willing to
argue that to the end
I don’t hold her head anymore
over the bathroom floor
the after fact
the end of the first act
is not the end of everything
we’re married and found the map
the bits we lose
again and again
she cries awake now
loud in an off putting way
sends them running
friends once
enemies forever
until the bridge recovers
the forever falls over
and hovers above and below
she is born again and again
and then who wins
me, I do
a wanderer in her soul
me, a madness
seeking whole
she doesn’t cry herself to sleep
the mountain
is no longer steep


Tuesday, August 7, 2012


SUN SIGN

I spin around the sun
wonder what becomes of age
when night crawls under
the window sash

I spin around the sun
for as long as I can
until mirrors no longer reflect
anything but the light

I spin around the sun
standing still sometimes
under stars confusing life
with anything but right

I spin around the sun
like a child who knows no age
I take my time and meet the gaze
of night when it comes

I spin around the sun
with love in my arms
on a warm summer morning
when songs come without warning

I spin around the sun
make my way in the day
like I have for many lifetimes
like I will for many nights

August 7, 2012