Poems

When you were a child, skies went on forever

golden light, your heart – of fiery field

with a toy gun to shoot the falling stars

from heaven

Once I saw a funeral march

walking slow as fog, gray sorrow made it’s way

with flowers, and faces cried like rain

and stayed with me, all the day

When I was a child, death was foreign

mysterious as plague and strange

on wintry wings it seemed to come

– never calling your name

In those days and dreams of ocean birds

with songs of love, you swam to the warming sun

Today outside your window

a tiny bird sings

to the solemn dawn

unaware that you have gone

just like all the golden flowers

of yesterday and tomorrow

Your hypnotic eyes, faceted beguiling jewels

bright as a million stars, entrancing liquid silver pools

and I, just another one of love’s dumbfounded fools

stones

thrown

ripples

waves

crashing

madly

over

me

and

you

There was an orchard

lemon trees as far we could see

a memory of neroli flowered breeze

I was running in the scented rows of yellow

in a dream, you were always catching me

ever the days, when sunlight seemingly chased the moon away

there in a school, where we lingered in the sweetest lessons

of our lives and trees

When I return to Hope

it will be the height of summer’s warm July

I’ll stroll the gravel road to take the cutoff path

gathering lupine wildflowers, breezy among the dewy grass

make my morning way along heaven’s labrynthine trail

with chirping cheery bird, sweet songs or distant calls of loon

where blue of sky is woven wild with magenta all abloom

and I will lose myself most complete

immersed in nature’s room

Paper trees

winter still lingering

soon begins water ice trickling

big eyed, dogwood blossoms, rain

pink cherry flowers blooming mad

snow of paper petaled lawns

gardens whisper underground

in colored arrangements

awaiting dawn

Tree rings, circling

spiraling to the sky

branches reach, cloudy entwined

summer swirling, silently

blossoms on the ground

tiny seeds planted

soft the rain seeps

without a sound

Leaves sway, decay

lay in the cold

all their days turn to dust

gone the reddest golds

Skies of white

awash in winter’s grey

with warming light, snowflake

patterns will run and trickle in

the sun

days born of velvet green

layered buds, jeweled petals, encased within

resplendent colored fragrance

waiting in the wings

and so begins life’s

sacred circling

again

How swift my childhood days of green

all the gorgeous scattered seeds

free among the chiming winds

in the shining gold of summer meadows

only a distant diamond song, of painted hills rolling on

where I may but, only dream again

When petals of sun shined above

I bloomed long and wild as flowers afield

days, I flew like birds singing high above the willows

far into the shine of golden yellow

Splendorous hours I lingered lazy

beneath a sprawling meadow maple

adrift in bliss of summer’s dream

in a world, where children

soar and sing

I could write messages to the sky

climbing to the top of this summer mountain

digitalis pink, swirling sweet with bees

this place, tangled all in green

At the overlook, I am with trees

windward hanging on, dream

to fly away, a seabird ocean soaring

my mind of paper kite, adrift

through clouds of sky

Smell of moss and cedar

release of incense

in the warming sun

footsteps, fragrance

soaking deep

within

This must be Eden’s

color of azure water

glinting flecks of sun

transforming turquoise blue

that my reflections go

diving in

It was an unexpected wind

that carried you in

a golden sun of love

blazed high the sky

bonfire of winter, raven nights

when you glowed breathless

as moon and stars

Unlock

the door

of your heart

tomorrow

soon will come

leaving sorrow

far and gone

from this

place

Lilting, lull

of ocean’s

gentle waves

seashells play

songs of love

washing

over

you

watch

the rise

and fall

of love’s

breadth

Leave a path……

breathless, fearless – of love

your footsteps born of sacred celestial dust

forever imprinted upon the soul of earth

sit and listen, deep the winds within

settling into sweetest calm

beckoning the power of love

waiting there to find you

break free the traps

of dark illusory, lonely rooms

envision bright worlds anew

all for you to choose

let it begin

let love

win

Snow is falling

lightest snowflakes float

across fields deep

disappearing

densely slow

my feet

Night is glowing

snowy owl flies

from sight

lost in moon clouds

fading light

Stars are humming

in fields of velvet

black

the earth

the universe

the breath and pulse

of life

Your hair,

of smoke, it floats

curls adrift, waves

of wild sea, upon your head

I gazed long into the storm

before my hands ever

learned to swim

sometimes perfect suns

stream through my dusty windows

memories of you, in sepia colors undone

the breadth of days long gone

all of this

each time I go

driving by

Today

silence

a garden

losing ground

cold and deep

my feet in

buried snow

sometimes pale ghosts

of winter whisper

in the footprints

that I follow

long, until the

Spring

Sword ferns warming

some unfurling toward the sun

deeper green the moss, grows softly underfoot

forest fog the breadth of morning, breathing

grey of pale lichen clinging

a snow melt creek splashes running

clouds break away, to light the day

the shine of mossy flowers sunning

this church, it has no walls

no doors to lock nor ticking clocks to read

only of the sacred does this wooded temple sing

and I so humbled bow beneath

resplendent evergreens

If these words be thy home

salvation for my soul to dwell in

let them be of love

no beginning

no end

better to go barefoot, on glass

running to catch trains,

going anywhere

one way

to find you are real

blood stained tracks

to make you feel

go far from loveless rooms

where monsters stir

under bitter yellow moons

leave behind hollow tarnished flutes

playing cruel notes

of a blinded, deafening past

play loud

a new song

blissful notes ever

resolute

Today only clouds

white, blue, grey

always they hover

mingle in tallest trees

too far my eyes

to see

winter sky

pale light

soft, silent

diffused

passing by

everyday

I think

and

dream of you

how you speak

to me

never knowing

my name

Who can think straight

spinning in seas of shells and waves?

Tireless tides play a game, of dragging in and out

marooning or tossing one about.

Many sailing ships adrift, you’ll see passing by,

or weathered wooden boats, some row and row,

to the edge of earth, foggy

never dreaming they

can fly.

long silky filament

curved, reaching for stars

peduncle, sepal and petaled

ovule, jewel – seeds of renewal

encased in velvety red

pollen explosion, pistol potion

anther tipped stamen bled

evening stars now far-off shine

bees drowsily dream

in wax house, honeycombed hives

She was speaking

butterflies floated from her lips

fragile wings

caressed your mind

together, entwined

you flew

fragrant petals were her pillow a scented garden filled your room

you were dreaming,

roses soft, laid

upon your bed

a morning of golden sun

compassion, salvation of sacred dawn

they were barren

void of masks

becoming utterly

love

forest path of light

visions in gradient greens

incense of wooded rain

puddling streams

splash awakened in

bliss of dream

faerie orchids

rest upon mossery

scented rain

sprinkles on

hues of

green

a path

invitation, hesitation

elation, compassion

a truth

intuition led

Red table mesas

Whitest clouds dot to dot sky

Healing waters run

Of you,

I speak of

softest petals, always kissing

flowers, full bloom

wet drops, your reddened lips

pour darkest cherry wine

all the day, watercoloring

my skies

Ever twisty they climbed – the vines

the tree was speaking low, so slow – the breathing

roots were diving deep, so deep the breath, the depth of grieving

concentric soul, go within to flow, letting go, it’s time the past was leaving

born a child, wild as smiles, dance in meadows green

with joy your heart is weaving

and when the night starless looms, you’ll bloom

your heart, open as a flower

When I was a child

making my way, always to a forest

obsessed by green, or light

shining through greens

that is how I lost my mind

never even knowing it, or why?

No explanation needed

for a child, crazy

deep in bliss.

When white wings, feathery scatter

silent as snowflakes gather

resting on rooftops,

in death, does a soul linger,

does it fly in the vastness

of forever?

Like some birds in clouds

we’ve never seen, though

felt in rain, or wilds.

Swift a rush that chills

and floods the heart unknown,

a gift of truth reveals

that which eyes cannot look upon,

and only hearts

can feel.

with the recent passing of my Father, it’s good to know his presence is felt, at times in unexplainable ways, but also he has appeared in my dreams 3 or 4 times since he passed, with two of the dreams being deeply spiritual and profound to me.

Ceylon cinnamon tea,

cardamon, ginger

from painted cups,

drank she

Somewhere in a dream

in other countries, never mapped, a man was speaking

though I did not understand, there was never any plan

and I listened to the wind and rain upon the trees.

With no church bells to ring, and birds were the chorus

There in the forest, a silent steeple stood standing on it’s own

now a wild bird’s home, wrapped in thorny vines

a crown that stained, red berries bled upon my hands.

Mary was there too, she was looking through

a broken window pane, whispering my name

and too, the forest sang, bathing me in love

and with the birds I flew, silently into

a deeper dream, until I woke at dawn

to fragrant flowers on the lawn

remembering such heaven.

Of Spring I dream…

cool moss alive in verdant green

with cherry flowers – petals fall like snow

our footsteps pressing in

dissolve cold snowy lands

in the heart of sun

love, born of fire

unfolding

When evening’s

long shadows come shooting

swift as arrows piercing stars, darkening this world

leaving gold amber hills in underworlds, far until tomorrow.

How can we know the difference, but for light of day

and if the sun does not come, how long would

such a strange night be?

Mourning – you flew over indigo waters,

landing

Stealthy stalker you walked the shallows

billing silvery minnows

On rust red stilts, you’re built

to move in watery fields

Eyes piercing depths of algae blooms

rippled, your swaying seaweed room

Silent hunter,

feathery plumed

She loved the pale moon

he traveled beneath night’s sky

woven by starlight

She loved the moon

long awaited ripeness full

Stood gazing

out the window

Then came a fool

to close the shades

his senses dull

blinded dark

her world

Your eyes of clear water oceans, endless as stars

and seas I’ve crossed – a perfect tide gathered me whole

healing waters washed our days, birds of fluted music played

Breathing in

the rhythm of wind

we float, suspended as the stars

surrendering to the hypnotic glow of moon

We who lay

our troubled hours

soft on maiden ferns

never a lesson, but

for love’s sake

shall we ever need

to learn

Buoyant snowflakes sideways crashed

dripping down grey window glass,

stinging winds blew harsh – the lash

of winter.

High in pines, do they shiver,

nesting birds deeply hidden?

or

do they warmly slumber,

with downy feathers, nestled under,

night’s darkest cold, before

the light of dawn?

There were birds, and yesterday’s flowers,

the children laughing, never noticed fall retreating

or when winter began, forest faeries sprinkled snowflakes,

sparkling to cover the land, with magic until the Spring again,

when all their days were deep in lilies, silken petals

held dear in tiny hands, and very soon

Summer berries, reddest cherries

were laden sweetly, solely

just for them.

Lily white the mountains disappearing into sky,

silence of snow, growing ever deep the day and fades away,

I cannot tell where cloud meets dell, on such a winter’s eve.

Night will glow in moon tones, cold the foggy grey,

stars will shine for another, some other world away.

Dark and light, void of color, a palette

in winter shades.

It was as if they wrote only to set us free,

never thinking twice about the landing or flight,

plowing dirt fields, with scores of prose, in sorrow and delight.

In a room of sun, where seasons come

with snow and rain, and none will ever be the same,

long after the reading, and none will ever know the poet’s name

or why the words have opened wide

their buried hearts

to grieving.

Today – it came suddenly, like rain it came in sheets, stormy without warning

it left nothing to repair, no way to undo the longing, swift we fell, fumbling

as you flew far, forever and gone

with no one to find you

again at your home

Somehow I felt you smiling or knew you’d be laughing,

dancing in daisies, barefoot and singing Sinatra

on the other side, sweetly

by now

I lost my Father today, this just popped into my head. I hope to write something more poignant and meaningful about this loss in the coming days. A very sad day indeed my friends,

Cyd

In childhood days of dream, with grassy greens,

and swings we soared the warmest breeze,

in blue skies of laughter.

Under a canopy of wonder,

we laid under, O’ the hours of summer slumber,

the lazy slow of watching meadow flowers grow.

Spring it sings in budding greens and seeds

with rain and sun, the days you’ve grown

acorns planted for rebirth

I press my hands to your trunk

and feel myself divinely rooted to this earth.

The road unpaved, waved in winding red

high pines unfettered, buried feet under needles – strawed

Warmth of sap, fragrant, piney bled

Lithia springs ring clear, a tumbled water song

Owl tree softly spoke

to newborn lily fawn, caressed by mourning cloak

Sun begins to edge the hills

wings rise, and flies the morning fog

Fritillaria bends the light, leaning into

daybreak’s mantra song

* Mourning cloak (Nymphalis antiopa) – common butterfly, found in many parts of the world

green forest child

you grow in sponge drenched soils

drawing me in – an epiphyte longing

sunlight piercing raindrops

of lettuce lichens drinking

mosses soaked, greening

softly underfoot

Far away

it must have been another world or looked a different planet,

the earth red as fire all the mountains wide, dawn of painted skies

banyan trees caressed the landscape, we rested under, dreaming

words echoed through vast rock walls

that seemingly had no end

drifting up and out the canyon, mingling with clouds

to fly away with birds, the words are floating in the air

connecting all the world

in the birdsong

that we hear

Freeing my life force

unblocking meridians

energy balanced

Blue lake, iridescent dawn

soft foggy swan, swimming silent watery sun

mourning breeze of graceful wings

flies the fog, away the bonny swan

to see below with clarity

gray smokey bank

undone

In that place, where swift the sky blackens,

storms steal all the silken, shiny petals,

fading into pale yellow.

Words reign cold as winter rivers,

running dark from the shadows.

Strange roads, desert bones

leave you deathly hollow, searching

for the marrow.

Soul you speak to me, calling from far off planes

voice of wisdom, your power swirls round me

gentle as petals, you lift me from the fire

all ignorance forgiven

leaving only and indelible burning

of love in the heart

There is no river winding, trickles splash, vanish

silty waters stone cold, gone

glacial icy blues fading fast

recede deep into

our past

soon recalling

nothing

not even our

breath

Three flickers outside my window, smiling – I searched for meaning,

I wished forever joy could stay,

but one, two, three, they flew away

and with them took the fading sun

with clouds and rain soon falling down

now waits tomorrow, with shadows and sun

with joy and sorrow, the birds will come

Certain roads will beckon, haunted in their calling

enticing dreams, caress your head in pillows soft,

surreal, they wield black magic

leaving you stranded on roads unimagined, to unravel

dragging home, long through

dirt and gravel

When evening comes, the end of day

drink sweet the honey roses

and toast we two, day’s farewell

the sun to slip away

Til’ night appears fast before

a pearly blackened sea

Shells will sing

of warming winds

whistling through the hollows

A song of stars sparkling loud

humming skies of

moonlit ocean

My wintery windows, glow in many colored lights,

icy fog, distorts yellows, reds and blues

holly boughs and berries, pines of greenest hues

It is early, much too early

for morning birds still sleeping

snow will fall in swirling winds

from heavy branches weeping

Silver moon, too I see you fade

when foggy clouds go creeping

stars will follow and fade away

when comes the sun over

frosty rooftops peeking

It was winter then, pulling back the covers of dream

to sleep, cold occluded clouds to lift

and wake me, a bird flying by

feathers downy fly,

drift, softly

as the

sky

In dreams

beyond stars, night

can but

only

die

Bright chartreuse edged, magenta flowers, with lavender

just beyond in the bee fields of summer, thousands of seeds, days spilling over

planted in early autumn rains, to wait again, dotted in red rows of poppies.

Today no clouds will come

only purple mountains glow, before the sun

beyond these fragrant hills, I wander

watching hawks and sparrows

til the golden day slips away

and I am lost between the space

of night and day, and lose all trivial words

and think how glorious

to be a bird

No more to swim in your bluest seas, farewell my dear Pacific,

long did you sustain a myriad of lives, true unimaginable bounty,

you gave all for free and still we stole your life away.

Goodbye salty sea air, no more to breathe your sweetness.

Soon a plume shall come, raining poison death upon us,

watch for wicked winds of radiation,

to silent creep, and deadly seep into

soil and irrigation, you mustn’t eat

of tainted wheat, now flee thee to

south of the equator.