vanishing point…

an apparition
like everyone before us
we just disappear 
leaving no trace of our lives
except unread inscriptions

 

 

with some political aid…

demons get their wings
every time there’s a murder
could be a bomb
or just a mass school shooting 
doesn’t matter as long as
they are innocent young souls

 

 

 

not what we give…

an old woman
embarrassed
but
desperate
whispered
from
a night
darkened doorway
for
alms
our guide
noted
how humiliating
this was
for her
but
assured us
as he stepped
away
from her
that
in his country
people
look out
for
one another
unlike
where
we
came from
it was then
i recalled
lowell’s
vision of sir launfal
and tho
i had little to offer
i had much to share
and shared
the gift
i had

 

 

mind your manners…

 

although death
had not scheduled
an appointment
it arrived 
none the less
complains
about
premature
and
unexpected
were
notoriously ignored
most folks
know
death
rarely sends out
notices
requesting
répondez s’il vous plaît
since
most
would never
reply
anyway

 

 

rehabilitation center…

i suppose
you’d find it hard
to believe
that
at my age
i can 
easily
climb
to
my treehouse
but
i can
and
do
it’s where
i go
to be alone
with
my thoughts
trying to
make sense
of
the senseless
or
finish a dream
that
i didn’t want
to end
i’ve been going there
for years
whenever life
becomes chaotic
or
just too depressing
for words
i go there
for
a little
r&r
now
if for some reason
you can’t recall
your childhood
treehouse
or
hiding place
you may want
to increase
your cognitive load
and
reconstruct it
you’d be surprised
how much
magical healing
is
still there

 

 

change of state…

our lives
are sometimes ruled
by inertia
events occur
because
they were set
in motion
years ago
and
we chose
not
to stop
going in
what we knew
was
the wrong
direction
such decisions
leave
the bitter taste
of
what if
lingering
in
our thoughts
especially
as we grow older
gradually
slowing
to
a stop

 

 

searching for death…

you know them
the ones walking
on
the edge of existence
with lives
emptied
of
hope
and
purpose
going through
survival rituals
perpetuating
the meaningless
ignored
by those
who should care
those
good
christian souls
who
for
some reason
are unable
to see them
and
extend
a helping hand
christians
no doubt
baptized
in
dirty
bath water

 

 

morning affirmation…

before you rise
or even open
your eyes
recall a moment
of pure joy 
breathe deep
into that moment
fill your body
with its radiance
and
let that purity
sustain you
throughout the day

 

 

one and the same…

with time there’s fusion
although there’s two unique souls
at some point they merge
so they are inseparable 
that is the strength of true love

 

 

fellow travelers…

so here we are
standing in the middle
of the road
not sure how
we all got here
but
i know
this doesn’t
end well
some people
are busy
on their iphones
or
ipads
others
wander off
the road for awhile
traveling
or
working
on one thing
or
another
but
everyone
returns
to the road
i must admit
available time
has
not
until recently
been
a factor
in
my decisions
and
i suspect
the rest of the folks
on this road
are
the same
otherwise
why would we all
be
standing
in
the middle
of
the road