Writing

There’s a longing in my heart that’s been speaking up, A student with an insecure voice. Who raises her hand – will the teacher see me? Or will he prefer another choice? There’s a restlessness inside me that’s gaining strength, Like a horse birthed to stand right on up. Who wobbles on legs freshly kissed with cool air, Will she submit to the bully in stirrups? There’s a tiredness in my soul that needs refreshing, Like a sand-heavy towel from the beach. That I shake and throw

Spark the sulfur and toss the match She’s about to burn it down Scrape the flint and prep the fuel She’s walking onto the battleground The air smells of sparks and pain She pulled the firecracker’s string The mother bird constructed her nest With no longer a desire to sing Her hair reeks of broken promises Her glowing pit chars his skin She spreads her tears on his substrate soul When will the end game begin? She ran into their controlled burn lines As they professed their co

These are the mighty things Birth + death Light + dark Sun + moon Heat + cold These are the mighty things These are the tender things Flesh + blood Smiles + laughs Mind + heart Joy + peace These are the tender things These are the simple things Straight + narrow Conscience + mercy Freedom + curiosity Present + aware These are the simple things --- These things, these things My purpose reconciled These things these things, My worldview beguiled.

Death started it When became now And the earth welcomed a child At last, at last Death started it Shallow turned deep Love opened spaces in my heart This must last forever Death started it Yes became No And my tired eyes saw my wrinkled neck How long will this last? Death started it Questions became answers And my clothed flesh gave way to my naked spirit at last, at last And love finished it all.

Hey little woodpecker, I see you up there, Jockeying along a bare branch. It’s quiet on the street, Except for your beak, You’re drumming me into a trance.   Hey little woodpecker, I see you up there, Hopping up, up and away, The larvae of grubs, Insects and bugs, Are you all work and no play?   Hey little woodpecker, I see you up there, By the way: your belly’s not red. Your belly is pink, Your head’s the red part, Why aren’t you ‘redhead’ instead?   Hey little woodpecker, I

I couldn’t be “more proud,” the young mom had posted, But “prouder” is preferred (and correct). When you add “more” before proud, And OH LORD you say it aloud, Don’t be surprised at all when you’re ghosted. They’d travelled “further” than ever, the girl just said, Or was it that they travelled so far? Farthest or nearest, I’ll educate you, my dearest, That they can’t travel fur in a car. “Let me be clear,” the politician rehearsed, Perhaps he should’ve been so up front. Let y

sweet boy, what have you done? things look different now they don’t look like they did they’ll never look like they could   roll flip fall shatter siren speed needles veins steel sleep dream   pray, pray, pray   you have no idea what’s going on are you whole in your dreams?   we mourn you even as you live for who you were for who you will want to be

I lie, facing the sky. Clouds move so swiftly, I feel like it’s me. But I Am Motionless. My insides churn the decision; the clouds overstay their welcome. I sigh, closing my eye. Sleep envelopes me so quickly, I feel like it’s death. But I Am Timeless. My outside seeks peace; I smile and say, “welcome.” Life, inside out, As I lie, Facing the sky.

I’m sitting in the middle of a beautiful bliss, I haven’t yet heard your reply, I slow down my speed as I approach the door, because I want to stay in denial. I’m standing in the middle of a temporary shelter, not knowing if you’re dead or alive, I hope for the best answer to the question at hand, But I know that I’m safer inside. I close the lid of the bucket I’m in, But those holes let the worries seep out. I press down my fingers, my pinky and thumb, I try to barricade my

We look up as they drift by cotton candy vapors taking the shape of dragons spitting fire and turtles swimming in the ocean. as soon as we see them they disappear. figures spun in the atmosphere look quickly! what would the doc say about what we see? what if we see nothing? “you find what you’re looking for,” they say, so, hold your breath as I tumble into my imagination.

I hear the men screaming at night; they just can’t take what’s happening to them. (They were dumped, but I don’t want to say that.) My son hasn’t seen me for three months, he’s busy, has a new wife has a full life. People forget that we need friends, and family, and visitors. (I was dumped, but I don’t want to say that.) Look at the picture of my sweetheart and me, read this valentine he gave me, notice his obit tucked inside. When will you return? You should leave a card, ma

I’ve never attended to politics, It’s rarely arrested my view, But sometimes there’s so much chatter and talk, There seems little I can do. I tune into stories to catch a whiff, Of what’s coming down the pike. Friend, I see you’re far to the left, But what if I’m far to the right? Omissions or angles? Lopsided or fair? Words confound me line by line. So I use my wits to rake through the letters, To determine what’s theirs and what’s mine. Do we read the same paper? Do we hum

They’ll say she can’t be saved, That there’s no motivation to find, They’ll pledge it’s a hopeless cause, Tell us to quickly abandon the grind. They’ll say he has no home life, No father to call his own, Try to persuade us it’s a hopeless cause, That there’s no positive place to go. We’ll read the grim statistics, And hear from downtrodden adults, The media will plead ignorance, That they don’t understand these results. But… It matters that we show up, It matters that we

A dusty middle school, A rotund chorus room, The chairs lined around it for glee. At the front of the room, Stood the grandest piano, Where you had a special place for me. The class would begin, The hums start off low, And falalas follow next. You’d wave me on over, “Sit here, dear girl,” Your piano, our bench. Your spindly old fingers, Knew every chord, You’d motion me, “turn the page” Where did you learn such skills? Was it college or church? Your dexterity defied your age.

Sherushesby enriched, elevated, culturally infused groupings of gregarious galleries, but stops for scribbles that utter forlorn comments. so unofficial so. not. professional. they showcase the unestablished, only suited for intimate discussions between the sheepishly aligned. Maligned? tunesmiths fill the alternative setting, flow through the nooks and crannys, but she hears and sees them all emerging, preparing to overcome. The odds.

Tossing the coin, starting the clock, my wishes flying through the air. Flip, and then flop, the metal my plaything , Is outcome equal to dare? It’s taking its time, It’s claiming my fate, acrobatically spinning up to then fall. Dutifully landing on my sweaty right palm, I’m regretting that I bet this at all. Now clenching a fist, I’m cradling the steel, and slapping it flat on my arm. It’s time for revealing, and accounting my fate, “Take no crap, but do no harm.” The crowd

I performed the most splendid feat today, You would have hardly believed it. I gave the glum teens all I had in me, No one else could’ve possibly  achieved it. With trust that I could engage the doubting tribe, staff gave me standards and said, “go” Could I lead the sheep to a trough of knowledge? My wisdom I was prepared to bestow!   The class bell noted the time was at hand, “Put the phones and the earbuds away, tikes,” The addicts complied while twitching in fear, That the

Whisper your joke, Stifle my giggle, Quiet…our parents don’t know. Start up your car, Turn up our heat, Lean into my neck just so.   Pen me love notes, Tuck them on my car, Who cares if our love’s on display? Think back to our time, When we were all that was real, The game we were happy to play.   You adored me, and I did the same, we held hands until we let go. It’s gone with the years, But it’s part of me still, How I adored my high school bo.

I believe you Just Confirm that you vanished For at least 24 hours And reluctantly returned.   I believe you Just Accept that you lived Someone else’s life Before you found yours.   I believe you Just Confess that you prayed Through the sad nights And tried to change.   I believe you Just Remember…I was there When she pushed you out And became the first.

You’re fighting it, The tumors are growing You’re fighting it But it’s hardly showing.   You’re waiting it out, The long Decembers and Mays You’re waiting it out tolerating delays.   The needles flow poison, They say that will cure The needles flow poison, But your husband’s unsure.   God bless you with strength Let’s pray for the best, God bless you with strength God bless Elizabeth.