I wake before the alarm
most mornings
and lie still
listening for the birds
in the pre-dawn moments
I stand at the kitchen window
waiting as the smell of coffee
takes over the kitchen
watching the light
take over the yard
and day begins

NaPoMo 23 poetic asides prompt: morning

Not happy with this at all – I am tired and the muse evidently went to bed an hour ago. Will re-vist later.

A friend told me that William Stafford is quoted as saying ( when asked for a solution to writer’s block ) ” I just lower my standards and keep on going.”

This is me lowering my standards….

How long have the stars
looked down on me sleeping
surrounded by cold darkness
colors shifting as they record
my petty dreams and fears
an indictment for crimes
I didn’t know I was committing

How long will the moon
smile complacent
knowing that I will be long gone
and the slow circuit will continue
as though I never was
Making me miss
what has not happened yet

How long have the clouds
floated comfortably across
the heavens above aching my head
filling and emptying
their never ending cycle
giving no care to where they are needed
or where they are feared

am I  judged and somehow found
wanting, insufficient by a dead sky
that cares not what I wonder
or that my eyes fill at the beauty
that makes my skin too small
to hold prayers of thanks
prayers of yearning
until the words spill out
and I am judged again

NaPoMo 22 2012 poetic asides prompt: judging

emptied
carved onto blank slate
pieced in letter and pause
punctuated by breaths
an unfinished picture
like the elephant in the room
each part scrutinized
as though the whole
how can you know
when I don’t know
myself
this is who I am today
this moment – but it passes
and I gauge your response
curious to see
what I said
to you

NaPoMo 21, 2012

Look the moon is rising
Battered face still glows
While she hasn’t light of her own
She reflects what she is given
See that shadow of geese
Flying in her face, wheeling
Through clouds, and speaking of clouds
Why would they hide her
Let us stay and bear witness
To her faithfulness
As she hangs in the dark
This night as though
It is the only night and we
Are the only ones she smiles on
Let us feel the last drop
Of the suns heat shining on the moon
Feel the breeze move on the steady
Flap of wings as they blow
Cloudy mists across our faces
Leaving us breathless
In shadow

NaPoMo 20 2012 Poetic Asides Prompt: Title your poem “Let’s” and fill in the blank

john john saluted
in his little coat and shoes
as the horses walked sedately
I had measles and watched
as black and white images
played over and over
my friend from school
cried all day
big brother drafted
never coming home
I watched the news
as images of kill ratio
played over and over
older and wiser
or at least so I thought
cried like a baby
when John Lennon shot
into the atmosphere
giving peace a chance
wasn’t someone’s cup of tea
and the radio played it
over and over
like the challenger later
headed for the stars
and made it to heaven
before our very eyes
in technicolor repeated
over and over
and all I could think was
how it would be to lose a
loved one over and over
until nine eleven
when the worst of the worst
the unthinkable
was thought by someone and
thought became deed
and we realized we
were not invulnerable
and even then in
our arrogance we fought
about what kind of tribute
to erect to the fallen
over and over
you would think we would
learn but the lessons keep coming
and the wheel keeps turning
but over and over
we grieve and
don’t change

NaPoMo 19 2012 Poetic Asides prompt: life event

stir the pot
make sure it’s hot
and what is not
well that is what
you throw out
with the baby
sliced and diced
and sweet enticed
to sup on ashes
sugar crashes
little pinches measured
inches of this and that
to make you fat
it shrinks the heart
(in more than one way)
I say, you know
what I mean you’ve seen
it every day the have and have
nots, empty pots with stones
for soup throws one for
a loop just check it out
we super size it, maximize it
belly not as big as eyes, it
seems so odd to realize
we throw away enough
to feed just one so share
a little, care a little
whittle down the hunger
understand we can
our hands can hold
each others hands
and feed the bellies
feed the spirits
feed ourselves
with shelves and shelves
of love and laughter
happy after all
is what we need
so get to cooking
start your looking
for just one and give
a little of yourself
and find that you are fed
your heart, your head

NaPoMo 18 2012 Poetic Asides prompt: regional cuisine

take a thought and pull
a dream out of
the air and stir them up
and mostly you will
jumble up the muddle
of our middling ways we
want to try to
strive for clarity but
all the mystery is that the
more we try and cry and fry
our brain cells brain swells
big heads nod with
understanding wisdom
of the ages fill the pages
and we read and meditate
on all the information
but it causes conflagration
smelling smoke now
something’s broke now
take a poke and how
we think we have the answer
but the truth the deeper meaning
pundits preening it escapes
from under noses striking poses
knowing all but seeing nothing
fluff and stuffing just a bear
a silly bear would share his honey
and a hug you might as well
I’m here to tell you
It’s a mess and bless
your heart you think you’re smart
but part of you is like that bear
just silly willy nilly
take a breath or hold it in
you scold me but
I do not care and will not share
get on the bus and do not fuss
we’re all the same just in the game
and hope the driver knows the way
we bought our tickets
have to ride so hide the button
the inner spinner it’s your turn
feel the burn and realize
there is no prize
just keep on trying
stop the crying
take a peek and make your move
and try to prove
it’s not mixed up
we lost the rule book eight ball
all shook and the message
of the day is not today
tomorrow not too likely either

NaPoMo 16 2012 Poetic Asides prompt: Mixed Up

Slap a strap around your waist
And tie it to a blue balloon
Button up your over coat
Take off time is soon

Check your mask the air is thin
(make sure you have warm shoes)
Find a cloud and jump right in
Toss your fears, enjoy the view

NaPoMo 15, 2012

Poetic Asides prompt: slash, button, mask,strap, and balloon

I am not going to jump into
The crazy pool
With a little luck
I will just wade in
The shallows
Getting toes wet
But holding my nose just in case
Because luck is a bitch
That goes her own way
With no thought for life preservers
I wade with an umbrella
The sun is shining
But just beyond that hill
There is a helluva storm
Waiting to flood
My plane and I know
The truth
You have to swim
Through the muck
To see a rainbow

NaPoMo 13 2012 Poetic Asides prompt: unlucky

I rain
and you just stand there
the breaking bones
are deafening
and great mountains
slough off their soil
like so much dead skin
I want to curl myself
around the avalanche
ride it down to
the valley of stones
a passing by
of wind and fire
I held my heart
out on a leaf
you were
winter

NaPoMo 8 2012 prompt: rejected