watch it grow

put seeds down
with dad
now we watch
the garden grow
as we feed and water
and enjoy the spot
created as a peaceful
place the family
is tight and the way it
should be always
seems to be the time
to write is as the daylight
fades away...

a real angel

wish I could stop
my sister's tears
the sadness maybe
from her fears
packaged beautifully
seen in angels eyes
real angels not
the belief in them
the reality of her
the smile and hope she brings
don't forget the smiles
and miracle she is at her
hottest crying hour
she will cool and grow
into this thing called life
one thing learned from
this family is that fear
can be conquered with support
but I am no teacher
if I was I would teach
understanding and search
for truth by any means
necessary without fear
life is but a dream...

the page reflects

can't hardly believe
the chill in the air
looking at the calendar
and forecast for tomorrow
supposed to hit eighty
and humid never made it
above fifty today sun should
still be illuminating
the lower western sky
but the clouds
help darkness approach
quicker luckily the page
reflects light under
the pen...

doesn't seem real

when there are only a few
pages left in a book
I am filling
the rush of completion
is upon me
and I want to put
everything else on hold
to finish the task at hand
even if I know it could
still take days
to be done and onto the next
chapter another pile organized
nicely to flip through
in the future
thought that doesn't exist
until I put it here
what if you don't know
I exist maybe you do
and wonder where I went
but I have been right here
all along or so I thought
anymore questions
might have to wait until
further discussion volume
seventy doesn't seem
real yet...

what we know

what we know
or think we know
how much does it even matter
who is going to change the game
change the world
how much does it matter
what we know and
what we think we know
for sure to be truth
how much of what we believe
can we prove or even speak
upon at length
what do you think about
as you sit and read
or get distracted
and some won't attempt
to read and it's exactly why
I try to keep it short
bend the thought inward
and wonder about what I truly
know and pass that like this torch
to those who aren't distracted
and able to turn discovery
on your own thoughts
and the journey they
will take you on
no matter what
you think you know...

born day of the jester

the jester still sings
twelve x thirty-five
even as he turns
seventy-five
wonder what his days
look like his nights
filled for decades
with live music
and amazing musicians
might not be moving
as fast might be napping
on the tour bus
before the show
just keeping up his end
of the bargain
the one that pushed him
fifty plus years ago
to take that trip
down the long lonely road
filled with all the riches
you could ever desire
lyrics expose the truth
treasure buried beneath
the blues he's been brought to
in his own style
the jester reaches a milestone
another year older
on this rainy day
at twelve x thirty-five...

no opponent

don't even have
a chess game
set up and ready to go
but wish we could
throw down like we did
when we were
on Kingman
we never had to agree
leaning to the opposite
side of where I was twenty
years ago now
a different time twenty
years later and
I don't even have
an opponent...

seen this way

about an hour
since the intention
to sit in the garden
distracted briefly
now focused
again intention
to record these thoughts
and today politics
on the mind
sadly billionaire business
man is the least of the evil
available for our voting
pleasure believe it or not
some have fallen so far
left the can't see the destruction
that socializing everything can cause
“don't make me hit you!”
becomes the repeated come back
when pushed to explain the stance
left leaning for no reason
why would we give it to her
don't get me wrong
not exactly the guy you'd call patriotic
not exactly proud of the country
bombing the shit out of people
the world over and creating
more conflicts that will continue
war from now on
but this time it seems
we might have some one on
the side of sanity
national sovereignty
and sensibility
unfortunately it's a billionaire
businessman
can he be trusted
we shall see...

excuses just-sayin'

sometimes time
goes by like a breeze
blowing the smoke away
from where I sit
take a moment to take
it all in and not miss
any of the spring sounds
just far enough
out of the city
noise still from further
longer afternoons will
keep us all up later
unfortunately still need
to be up early
amazing how many persons
become known and then unknown
seemed so important at the time
to become no one
over night or over a bunch of them
added together with every
excuse in the book
tired of them all
wish I could erase the memory
of everyone of them
because it's a curse to remember
or think of those who
couldn't care less
about you, just sayin'...

hide the remaining sunlight

the trees create
shadows on the ground
and the page dinner
time at the homestead
brother comes to the table
tonight always like when
the whole family is together
the trees hide the remaining
sunlight my thoughts
stay hidden until unveiled
here under the trees
in the back in the garden...

green knuckles

there are the days
made for the mind
to simply release
and relax absorb
the sun not afraid
of the light
sit right in it
as it provides
the necessary
ingredient
to get the garden
growing two days of sun
and seeds knuckle up
through the soil...

positive into

twenty minutes
mystery as thoughts
seem to face
inward looking forward
to restful days
plow through the week
do the tasks
long enough and
at times I feel as though
they pay me to workout
and if treated as such
it almost serves a double purpose
monetary and physical building
twenty minutes
living in historic times
it's the current year
so stand and face the diminished sun
turn around and watch it come
on back around tomorrow
hoping by then the season
will act accordingly
maybe take a ride to the beach
twenty minutes thinking on good
company and the disappointment
reoccurring even with a random
positive visit into the pre-star-riddled
sky hoping it find its way
to the right mind...

the wind

the wind won't quit
keeping it unseasonably cold
at least the wind
keeps the clouds moving
it's as if there is no end
to march
sun pokes a face
full of light
out as it starts to move
out of sight
quickly shadowed
by the next
bank of clouds...

see sun

don't expect
anyone to really
want to spend time here
but can't understand
why it's too peaceful
for most not much
going on just growing
some veggies enjoying
the sound of the birds
as the sun fades out west
don't expect eyes
to even see words
as I see sun...

season forgot to change

bury my head
and plant my feet
wait for the sun
this year the season
forgot to change
where would I go
anyway have all I need
right here while I write
here it's all I really
need to keep sane
in any situation
therapy or simply technique
to put the body
into relaxation mode
just as long as it takes
to be relaxed then onto
the next task whatever it is
today I chopped bacon
and made eggs
used salsa wrapped them up
rolled them and ate them
standing up all from the one
thought, I want eggs...

watching Dad in the garden

suppose it should have been earlier
but it's still cold well into spring
and the constant gray has kept
sun's warmth away
so I sit in the garden
and watch my dad
begin the garden
last years grape tomatoes still
pack the back of the freezer
he has a stick to dig a long
two inch horizontal hole
to spread out the seeds in a line
today it was peppers and beans
on either side of the tomato plants
this year it will be beefsteak and
early girls suppose I should have
come outside earlier but took
the ride to the store
and get some plants and flowers
second year now
just need a few days of sun
the give the garden it's pulse
so it can get to November...

not a bad place to be

switch it up
to a night time theme
as things get dark and heavy
night always seems heavy
if that even makes sense
the only light for now
is the white of the blank page
holding enough light to
allow me to scribble over
a couple more pages
invited a few and no one came
it's not all bad still built
the fire even had a few ideas to share
just put them here instead
unanswered and unquestioned
undone and redone until tomorrow
switch it up again back to
the daylight thoughts
not as heavy like the indica
stomping grapes by the fire
not at all a bad place to be...

mind frame it

under the tree
next to a fire
rain won't get me here
no one sees me here
little time away from the grind
and hoping to unwind
and of course did it daily
as an integral part
of the routine
under the roof
of the porch now
needed the table
old fashioned I suppose
if one needs to time frame it
just continuing to
'mind frame it'
my art as plain
as it might be
just me and my fire
started under this tree...

ceiling of clouds

gotta try and hear
my thoughts through
the rain as it beats
the roof above where I sit
today one day at a time
to strengthen any recovery
just glad to be back
why is it survival is based
on some sort of money
too bad as reality sets in
as the sun still sets
behind a ceiling of clouds
and buckets of rain...

painting of today

paint it into the picture
so only those who really
focus will see
not hiding it just small
part of a whole lot more
so finer details might get lost
funny though the things that
get noticed versus those
that stay hidden
until a second or third look
taken up close then step back
too many times not enough
attention paid or too much
seldom but it happens
to be getting dark
because of the clouds 

and rain otherwise
light would not be so faded
like the paint drying
today's painting make sure
to look close up
then take a step back
take it all in
as you simply breathe...

the ducks return

the inspiration
or the muse might
never know just like
the waterfall
it just continues
to inspire without
understanding
the audience
surrounding the pond
absorbed like a sponge
for the beauty
of a regular day
and the pair of ducks
return to the relaxing
area they have been visiting...

something going on right here

sirens blaze
through tonight
just as I might
the entire time
away from work
something going on
in the distance
something going on
right here eyes on
where I rest my own
blazed but didn't choke
laughed at every joke
because of the ease
of the situation
sister helped create
the freestyle afternoon
without a plan for Friday
night looking ahead but enjoying
every step watching the youngest
get lost in horizontal stripes
and a new face to add to the memory
as smiles were too big not to share
time flies too fast to give the clock a care
ignore it like sirens in the distance
every step counting on one hand
and then the other then to the stars
if the skies stay clear Orion
will be seen as he is every night...

nothing to hold but the pen

determined again
to take another step
toward something
more than just a guy
that writes a lot
determined to finish
another volume of the near
daily ramble how many
more days will this book last
worn now from nearly six months
of that near daily ramble
determined again to make it up
from all the time when I felt down
and alone probably I was both
sort of makes sense enough
to realize I want it gone
move to tomorrow only for a few more hours
no reason to dwell on solitude
just where I am at nothing can
stop or hold me back when
I have nothing to hold but the pen
and the book until I fill it up
and pick up another...