Morning ~ Moist and Cool ~

Confidence comes in with coolness 
as the sky and river meet 
and mostly embrace _
A lone gentle breeze 
disperses slightest fog 
that drifts along _
It may be only imagined 
so quiet is it all _
New softness comes to skin 
astonished are my fingers 
at the feel of chair arms, table tops 
and even the paper on which I write _ 
Breathing comes euphoric _
Moisture that flecks the patio 
comes in the window 
changing everything since yesterday _
Now comes the easy spending 
of a day, openhanded, leisurely _
The earth breathes in and out 
as if we are all freshly young 
again _ 

(photo was taken at Garden of the Gods

Colorado Springs, Colorado
one of my most favorite places 'on earth') 

Love Song ~

Whenever I say 
I love you, it may 
be that I'm conceding 
my own sense of needing 
your touch and your nearness 
the joy of your dearness 
and would have you stay 
close by me each day -

I love you means "yes" 
I now must confess 
without you life's lonely 
and barren - for only 
the warmth of your giving 
in love makes the living 
of life full and free 
and all it can be - 

What promises glean 
from what the words mean?
For comfort and sharing 
For pleasures and caring 
For intimate knowing 
A blessed bestowing 
The words are a plea:
"I need you for me!" 

Plenty ~

My wishes are filled
a single companion
on the path 
a little book 
from eternity's song 
shelter, water and food 
the presence of light 
when I remember to see 
and someone with whom 
to foolishly complain 
when darkness hides the sun -

Small Songs ~

Some songs are silver cymbals 
and some are jeweled lutes 
some are elfins dancing 
and some are magic flutes - 
       Bird songs! Fire-tipped harmonies 
       flame across far centuries
Some songs are bright wings glancing 
by leaf-hid waterfalls 
and others, eyes entrancing - 
some are laughing calls 
        across strange space where starlight     
        streams go, little songs that bear our dreams 
Some songs are flame-born whisperings 
poets have spoken of - 
but all are the time-harp strings 
that God has struck - for Love 
       such charm and cheer came not by    
       chance -
God too, loves rhythm and romance - 

photo was taken in San Francisco 

a place that always adds 

'a small song to my heart' 

Communion ~

Through the vast shining night in silence 
     we walk 
too touched with glory of it all to talk ...
Think that a million worlds of fire and light 
can crowd the radiance into one world's night 
each crystallized by distance to a star!
How far is Heaven? How far? 

Softly into my hand there slips the hands
of one whose comrade spirit understands 
my thoughts unspoken 
In the deep hush unbroken 
another soul is fused in reverence with mine 
and I look down to answering eyes that    
       shine 
So beautiful and close beside me here 
How near is Heaven? How near?  
So near - 

The Oriole's Singing ~

I am a child of the winds and must hasten
The oriole's singing
You claim this is only its nature? 
But, oh, I must hurry -
Come, it is ever surprising!
To me it's the freshest, the newest of lyrics -
He's swinging in orchards this minute 
With tree-boughs as pink as a sunrise 
The sky like a pearl all about him -

The grasses are green - this too, were of 
     magic 
And never a whisper of triteness 
The grass is aflame with its ardor 
And violets, the violets are peering 
Blue-eyed and sudden -
The orchard, the orchard will wait? Not one 
       living minute!
It changes from Maytime to Maytime -
Enchants one, surprises 
Oh, I am a child of the woods and must hasten! 

Coming Home ~

It was my seventeenth summer 
for the first time I had been away 
and now I was coming home -
My father met me at the station 
and as I walked beside him 
his eyes, usually so reticent 
were bright and sparkling -
Emotion rose in me, swelling until 
I could scarcely contain it -
The very houses we were passing 
houses I had known since childhood 
seemed to be brushed with magic -
It was as though I had never seen this street before -

In later years I would walk this street again 
on occasions sometimes joyful 
sometimes shrouded with grief -
but this was a shining thing apart 
a moment I would keep for all time - 
I had been away and was learning 
what it was like to come home. 

Night Ride ~

Light zooming in

from singing distances 

sifts softly through the atmosphere 

to sit upon these things:

a garden bench, a fence 

and faces, in repose.

The world of politics and groceries and taxes 

of work, and irritations and unfinished things 

slides of my back 

drains down to some dark corner 

of the yard.

Filling like a balloon 

with burgeoning delight 

I rise on moonbeams 

ride the starlight 

swim the breeze.

Someone speaks 

and I, who had perched 

upon the edge of heaven 

fly back, restored 

to this uncommon 

common place.