Epitaph ~

If as an epitaph to me
you write, 
"she was good at parties
 talked left and right 
 at dinner 
smiled at bores 
and made her hostess laugh"
I'll surely read the words ~

Or if you say, 
"she could be outspoken 
  but she didn't lie 
  didn't vacillate to please the crowd 
  people knew just where she stood 
  but there was room to pass around." 
  I'll hear the words ~

But if you show 
you think of me 
by saying nothing to a crowded room 
but miss me 
when the lilacs bloom 
when the first snowflakes fall 
I'll know you loved me 
best of all ~ 

Sweet Time ~

Sweet time, exaggerated days 

early beginning at dawn's light 

silent time on the edge of dark 

angels singing quietly, watching 

mankind, throw back the covers 

first sunrays strike my face 

topping the crest over the valley 

sky, rose- streaked coral 

wide awake, wild canaries hail me 

umbilical cord tying me to heaven 

logic eludes me on such a morn 

but the exotic and prickly sense 

of pulsating, throbbing life

impinges, bombards from my toes 

to my astonished eyes 

my heartbeat up several notches 

smiles cavorting 

salivating touch and texture 

rough as tree bark, smooth silk 

aroma, lavender and wild roses 

in the liquid silence, I stand 

stretch, acknowledge this new day

this brand new, beautiful day!
----------------------------------------

photo is my friend Lorraine's 

thank you for allowing me to use it

www.photosandstuffl.blogspot.com 

Lines To My Daughter ~

My daughter

I would place a shining token 

in your hand tonight

not wrought of silver ~  neither yet of gold 

for silver tarnishes and gold is bought 

my gift must be of substance 

shining stuff from which my dreams of you are made 

its center and circumference is love

without love one cannot be part of pain 

or glory or of lilting laughter 

it must be tinted with the flush of early dawn 

as on the day you came to me 

all blanketed in newness 

with the star-dust of eternity

within your eyes ~  so strangely used to seeing 

encircling it ~  there is a mist of blues 

the blue of evening when we watched 

the quiet stars appear ~ the smiling blues of April 

when we sought the first green tender bud 

and there is just a trace of blues or grayish cast 

when in our hearts and all about  ~ showers threatened 

and you'd lay your hand protectingly in mine 

over all there is the peace of cloistered pools 

I'd sit upon a rock ~  while you

would place your firm dancing toes into the stream
and laugh ~ and laughing nourish me!

much more I'd offer you ~  my daughter 

courage, constancy and faith 

but these are not my gifts to give 

but His who gave to me ~  the gift 

of the utter loveliness of you!

Bright Magic ~

Your intellect 

could clip the substance 

of my words 

in half 

finish off the circle 

that I thought was square 

find the answer 

where I didn't look 

reduce my mind 

to jelly made of tears 

Instead ...

you make my shadows 

into shapes 

my words to phrases

full of thought 

my tongue turns readily to wit 

until I wonder 

where my substance hid 

'til I met you.
---------------------------------------

... and he is also an amazing photographer 

photo is his ...

For a Good Friend ~

How nice to sit with you 
over a cup of coffee
and not have to say anything

How good that you 
do not try to entertain me
or pass the quiet time 
by a lot of chatter 

How restful that
you do not care 
what the neighbors are doing
nor would you tell me 
if they did hold your interest briefly 

Even if I might be annoyed with you
you never hold a grudge 
but only look 
to our resumed friendship 
waiting patiently for me
to make a move 
to show I'm feeling better 

I appreciate 
your lack of criticism 
and your apparent forgetfulness 
when I have forgotten 
to show you my love

I too will try 
to be more patient 
when you prefer to ---

---------------------------------

dig in the flowers
chase the squirrels
or bark at the neighbor's cat! 

Spoons ~

Why in books do lovers sleep like spoons

as though one life could curl so close 

against another

sleep without the turning of a leg 

the cramping of an arm?

no spoon would have your neck 

your ears to tickle with the warmth of breath 

your shoulders waiting to be hugged 

until you turn to catch the lips

that linger on your back

thrust all thoughts of sleep 

into a drawer with silver spoons ~

photo is from pxleyes.com

Midnight Visitor ~

when the clouds have wrapped around the night 

and trees have caught the stirring of the wind

across his sleep the dog has smelled the rain 

felt the currents of a summer storm ~

before a human ear has caught the tone

of thunder as it moves around the sky 

he twitches in his dream and starts to moan 

shivers march in furrows down his back ~

a cold nose burrows underneath my hand 

paws are planted firmly on the bed

terror's language I can understand 

take the paws and stroke the noble head ~

--------------------------------------------------------------

last evening, heavy rains, thunder and lighting woke us all up around midnight

Jake had a difficult time with all of it

comforting him ~  he slept soundly ~  cozied up next to me ~ 
(this is one of my favorites photos of Jake, so peaceful)

Our Kingdom ~

it was just us in our kingdom 

a simple courtyard of cool green grass

encircled by cream colored concrete that was 

toasted warm in the afternoon sun

and chilled in the pale indigo evenings ...

in our kingdom 

we were superheroes with beach-

towel capes and pine cone grenades ...

we were princesses with clover crowns 

and 25¢ lip gloss 

sometimes we would sit barefoot in the dewy 

summer grass and watch with popsicles bleeding 

their sugary nectar over our scraped 

knuckles as shades of evening rolled over 

the oranges ... yellows ... and purples of a fading 

sunset 

we were all alone then:

my friend and I ... all alone in our own 

kingdom ~ 

______________________________________

this is dedicated to my childhood friend Monica

who died at the tender age of 14

she drowned as her dad tried to rescue her from an undercurrent

it was one of the saddest days of my life!

dear friend, I wish you were still here but 
you are never far from my thoughts and missed always ~ 

Loneliness ~

Loneliness:

a winding sheet

of sorrow 

has bound my heart 

today ... tonight ... tomorrow 

a chill 

that wraps around 

my arms 

and holds me close 

to be downcast and morose

an ache 

so fierce 

it surely would be seen 

but everyone has gone 

the room swept clean ...

____________________________________________

This was written when my son went off to college 

My heart was so heavy with his being gone.

I had a great friend that helped me through 

those hard days of missing my son. (my husband) 

My son has finished his studies and has a great job.

He lives close by now and I see him often.

I am truly blessed ... 

One Eternity ~

Do you really know me?
The minutes, the days, the months, 
       the years together ---
or ---  do the many facets of my inner 
being elude you to be hidden in 
darkened shadows, unseen 
unknown?
Do you really know me?
Do you hear my heart call --- 
to you? You look up 
our eyes meet. Do you feel 
the warm hand of love
cup our hearts and hold us
for one brief second --- breathtakingly 
suspended in a limitless space?
When you hold me in your arms
do you sense our souls drifting 
one toward the other --- to meet 
and become as one?
you a part of me
me a part of you  ---
inseparable 
one sun --- one moon --- one star ---
Do you really know me?
the true depth of my affection
for you? The love you shall 
never forget 
the glow ---
the warmth --- 
minutes, days, months, years 
together ---
one eternity!

Innocence of Childhood ~ (To my beloved granddaughter ~ Rose)

She toddles through the lush green grass

upon her tippy toes 

and falls upon her padded bottom 

she giggles as she goes ~ 

A daisy chain begins to grow 

upon the field of green 

she picks the daisies with her toes

and drops them in the stream ~ 

She tilts her head to gaze upon

a sky of azure blue 

and dreams of dreams within the clouds 

as only children do ~

(Rose Elizabeth is now 20 months old

and the joy of my life!)