Past Lives

comes the daylight - comes the sun
comes the insects just for fun,
slow and sure the day begins
whether it be winter, spring or summer,
our paths have never been more clear;
we reach high into the sky for answers
that no one sees where we stand,
our badges of courage have been
taken away - now belong the them...
them is who we fight against
them is who do not understand
them is where our future lies
them is who replaces our souls...
comes the morning - comes the day
comes the home of the brave,
no longer what we used to be and
far from where we ought to be,
we are the survivors of the past,
a lost generation in spacetime,
never to be seen again and never
to be retrieved from our illusive past.

February 3, 2024

Wonderland

isolation curbs our primordial thoughts

survival dictates the rules

fight or flight enters the minds

betraying our lust for life,

from desert sands to sandy beaches

from frozen tundra to grassy plains,

we are there when doubts and

wondering are no longer popular;

cities and towns along the way

flourish or diminish in size as we

proliferate our species - the wild

animals seek refuge elsewhere

when humans come to town...

we are thoughtful and thoughtless in

our approach to life as we seek to

dominate our surroundings, and when

all the parties conclude we are left

will a handful of wonderland crumbs.

February, 3, 2024

Warm Agreements

open doors and open windows
summer warmth in winter,
cats on the deck toying with
venturing out into the yard,
sunroom temps making it
convenient to sit out there...
fish on the bottom of the pond
wondering if it is healthy to
swim to the surface rather
then semi-hibernation...
crews of ants marching from
one house to the other in 
search of a place to stay,
tired of having the responsibility
for so many families...  sun
beckons itself inside, like an
expected intrusion, glad to see
the needle move red instead
of blue - not to be confused
with political colors...  a day
of change is good for the
soul and good for the mind
as long as we are in agreement.

February 2, 2024

Disgruntled Snowbirds

sun gushes into the sunroom
softening its coldness,
shadows hide in the corners
cats on their trees bask
in the winter warmth, finally
realizing its not getting warmer,
stuffed animals lean against windows
not caring about temperatures,
not understanding time or seasons;
ice sickles hang from tree limbs melting
onto the ground for birds without
the inclination to fly south...
dogs slip on frozen leaves as they
chase after fluffy cats, overfed
by their obese owners...
wolves waiting outside backdoors
for table scraps show no manners,
while bears wash themselves in
uncovered above ground pools;
we are free to come and go but
show no signs that we are leaving.

February 1, 2024

Immigrant Winter

immigrant winter arrives early or late
it matters not...
cold and icy winds prevail,
we ignore the needs of our neighbors
temporarily to take care of our own,
we cooks hot soups and sandwiches
sharing them with the crowds
that linger around homeless shelters,
not looking for work per se
but for warmth and comfort...
we tip the scales of justice to 
our advantage, offering a little
peace of mind and reassurance,
tires with chains tear up city streets
public works has no plans to fix,
thawed chickens, overpackaged
for resales lay on the shelves
as illegal immigrants steal them
to trade for fentanyl and children
use to calm their unanswered anxiety.

February 1, 2024

Koi Time

time arrives at our mental doorsteps in spirts
at various times during the day and night
at various stages of our undeveloped lives
but especially so when we are about to die;
time moves inside its dimensional boundaries
left, right, forward and backward, casting
shadows in which we attempt to hide from it;
a fabricated lie becomes the truth when time
creeps inside through our multitude of doors,
even though these doors always remain closed
and locked - opened only with the key that we
hide deep inside our subconsciousness...
time inflates itself when applicable and dilates
itself when necessary - leaving us small and
insignificant...  we swim in our mental ponds
like Koi, swimming close to the aerator and
popping bubbles with our lips - noticing not
those who have visited with their fishing poles/.

January 31, 2024

Spacetime

along the corridors of time and space

we move from galaxy to galaxy

searching for that which is illusive...

the creator of it all...

the mastermind behind the universe,

the one who set it all in motion

a millennia ago...  perhaps longer...

we face our fears and apprehensions

as we move about unnoticed,

taking turns influencing civilization

we have encountered along the way,

giving them hope instead of despair,

teaching them to see beyond...

into the realm of the spirit,,,   the ghost

who prowls the night skies.

i an effort to redeem souls and offer

everlasting salvation...  we are they

who you fear, who you misunderstand

since we are the guardians of it all.

that which you mortals call spacetime.

January 30, 2024

Today's Obituary

up and down our temperatures go
like a frigging yoyo...
it is winter in the south,
rumors of snow lurk around every
corner these days waiting to be
discovered...  enthusiasts point to
global warming when convenient
and blame the conservatives 
when it is not...  we sit in rooms
layers of clothes encouraging the
heat to come or way, knowing it
has been blocked by executive
orders wishing we lived farther
south so we could invite illegal
immigrants to dinner...  we relied
on experts to tell us the truth but
discovered their lies, too late for
tar and feathers...  we robbed
Sally to pay Sue because we
could not Perer and Paul...
thinking they must have left town
without giving a two week's notice,
and even if they had, it would
have made no difference...  we
are dead on arrival, we just have
not arrived at the right place yet.

January 28, 2024

Past Sight

how green grows the grass in our 
mental backyard?  do we tend to
the soil or just let is waste away?
stroll with me through memories
both bold and weak and let us
together enjoy the past we will
never experience again...  photos
lay dormant in boxes places on
shelves gathering dust, only to be
retrieved when there is a death...
mental images grow weaker with
age as faculties diminish and we
fight the battles of old age and
disease that ravishes our bodies;
how well did you ten your garden
when you were young and full
of the life that is now slowly
seeping out of your veins?  We
are reminded each day of our
memories, most of which are
now only good ones as we have
selectively discarded the bad...
walk with me and try to see the
past for what is really is today.

January 27, 2024

Borrowed Children

dark night - jet black - ominous

streetlamps obscured by fog,
creatures walk around in shadows
moving silently through darkness,
unnamed and unseen they crawl
to their destinations, darkened 
by their appearances...  as if
painted on the face for all to see,
and the ones who care are inside
hiding behind the doors, blending
in with the corners that were at
one time rounded, not squared;
we drop coins in the collection
plates for protection but receive
only words of forgiveness...
magnets pull us inside ourselves
as we dare to be outside and the
darkness grows on us like stink
grows on the world around us,
we are refugees in our own homes
as the dark night extends its realm
of influence over our minds and
those of our borrowed children.

January 25, 2024