Photo: Corwin Willard

Featured Poem for Fall 2017

Farewell

I sent you off like dandelion wings
to float upon the wind.
My breath had liberated these
feelings, lovely, delicate and kind.
But now I hold in saddened hands
a stem, topped by a sieve,
which gives a strained remembrance
of multi-petaled, butter-golden spread,
once sweet and deep,
turned rancid-sharp and dead.
A flower must give way to seed--
which leaves.
And so I grieve--
yet understand,
this shriveled stalk,
this fruitful end.

Published by The Alchemist

Featured Poem for Summer 2017

Oh, Gorgeous!

Nubile June,
preening green,
buttercup glad,
Rosa rugosa
swirling pink,
luscious wink.

Published by Folded Word

Featured Poem for Spring 2017

Occupied

This spring I missed again
the day the waking plum
raised green hands in prayer--
my mind too occupied with striking
items from a relentless
to-do-list.

But today I breathed
the blooming thistles' sweetness,
each lavender head exhaling holy names,
entraining my harried heart.
And praise erased all thoughts
of chores.

Poem published by Sacred Fire Magazine


Featured Poem for Winter 2017

After the Diagnosis

Snowy straitjackets restrain the firs.
In front of me, hills and mounds
form feet and folded hands,
stiff below a pulled-up sheet.
I breathe the stinging cold.
Silence slows my pulse,
shadows fill my tracks.

Still, the old oaks’ fingers point
towards the moon, a pale and elevated host.
Branch-built arches raise a ghostly abbey,
where black-cowled juncos murmur
like ancient priest-physicians
incantations which incline
this body to the surgeon's knife.

 Poem Published by Mused