DESERT POETRY

RoseAnn

2011-12-29T17:22:00.000-08:00

I adore this newfangled thing called the internet.

Without it, I'd be lost because

I spend a lot of my time there.

Ironic thing, this internet.

I remember hearing some people say that they were afraid of it, at first.

Scared that the "wrong" kind of people would be there:

Scary people, crazy people, people that many of us wouldn't want to meet.

But, guess what?

There are all kinds of good people online on the internet.

My husband connected with Roger on the internet, on Facebook,

Some 40 odd years after they had connected in Viet Nam.

Because of their connection, I connected with RoseAnn.

I knew from the first time we "chatted" what a gentle heart she had

How loving she was, what a caring person she was.

RoseAnn always had a kind word for everyone!

We'd all planned to meet up in person, yet it didn't happen quite that way. Somehow when the two of them zigged, we'd zagged.

But now, I'll be watching for her in the stars up in the Heavens

You can watch for her, too. She'll be the star that winks!

One Clap of Thunder

2010-10-18T16:51:00.001-07:00

One clap of thunder.
One drop of rain.
One speck of dust inconvenienced.
Life in the desert.

Copyright 2010, DSR

How Do We Know a Miracle?

2010-08-23T06:17:00.000-07:00

How do we know a miracle?
A flower blooms in the mist,
A tree rustles in the breeze,
Hummingbirds flit and pollinate,
A branch falls and crumbles,
A mushroom sprouts,
An earthworm aerates the soil,
A sprig appears,
A flower blooms in the mist.

Copyright 2010
Debi Rodriguez

2010-03-19T16:17:00.000-07:00

Her Canopy

Her canopy is high above her head,
Making room for afar breezes,
Letting in the rain.
It is gathered in close.
Her arms cross folded across her chest,
Fingers tightly woven,
Fabric pulled taut against the grain.
It is see-through,
Letting in the Northern Lights and blinking stars.
The lightening brings the daylight, yet the black holds the daylight at bay.
Her canopy is a seat she seeks religiously every Sunday.
Below her it's a solid something, keeping her from the cold outside dirt.
It separates her from the next swaying shoulder.
In her mind she believes her canopy is tightly, impenetrably woven.
The canopy is visible to all.

Forward

2010-01-19T05:56:00.000-08:00

Today you speak to many people. You utter thoughts out loud.
Will your words be lifting spirits? Will they help a child feel proud?
Do you hand out smiles? Will you offer hugs? Will you "Make someone's day?"
Forward it was paid to you, forward you must pay.

Copyright 2010
Debi R.

Jet Lag

2009-07-30T01:54:00.000-07:00

My eyes are red
The red eye flight
Sleepless in Seattle

You or Me?

2009-07-30T01:53:00.001-07:00

It is as if I'm in love.
I cannot sleep.
What's wrong with you?

Lost Love

2009-07-30T01:51:00.000-07:00

My heart, it's crazy,
It doesn't know boundaries,
It searches for you

Not Fast Enough!

2009-07-30T01:50:00.000-07:00

Get the camera
Quick, snap before we miss it
Darn it anyway!

Flash

2009-07-30T01:49:00.001-07:00

When not looking, it's
Possible to find something
That surprises us

Seek

2009-07-30T01:47:00.000-07:00

In the bowels, where
The sun bakes and broils all life
Love is in the air

In The Desert

2009-07-30T01:46:00.000-07:00

Even two cacti
Can bend together in love
Forming a heart

Copyright 2009
Debi Rodriguez

The Sneaky Ones

2009-07-30T01:43:00.000-07:00

The ones who bite
Are the ones
Who never tell

Copyright 2009
Debi Rodriguez

Hiding

2009-07-30T01:41:00.000-07:00

What you don't see
Hiding amongst the pebbles
And the boulders
Of the tan and khaki
Desert vastness
Are the ones
Who blend in
And rise up
To attack
When you least expect them

Copyright 2009
Debi Rodriguez

What You Don't See

2009-07-30T01:39:00.000-07:00

The desert floor
Looks flat from above
But from below
It holds cracks and crevices
That hide creatures
And critters
Who lurk
Below and beyond
Be careful
Lest you step
Casually

Copyright 2009
Debi Rodriguez

The Warming Sun

2009-07-30T01:36:00.000-07:00

When the heat warms
And the soul cooks
And the eyes burn
And the tongue becomes parched
I think of you
And pant
And sizzle with the thought
Of holding you
Touching you
Feeling you touching me
Sensing tension
And desire
And love
With no abatement

Copyright 2009
Debi Rodriguez

Evil Politics

2009-03-12T15:48:00.001-07:00

Evil politics.
Decry optimistic loss.
Quickly walk away.

Copyright 2009

Dangling Words

2008-10-10T11:36:00.000-07:00

Harsh words, forever spoken that
Cannot be removed from the air,
Dangle there
In front of our faces.
We cannot see past them,
Looking for the love we once shared.
Copyright 2008
by Debi Rodriguez

HOW AND WHEN AND WHERE AND WITH WHOM DO THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD PRAY?

2008-03-09T13:50:00.000-07:00

HOW AND WHEN AND WHERE AND WITH WHOM DO THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD PRAY?
by Rev. Deborah Rodriguez
March 08, 2008 04:57

I was the guest speaker at Universal Wisdom Church on Sunday, March 9, 2008.

*** *** ***

I'm not going to talk about IF we pray. Maybe some of you don't pray, or don't want to pray, or you won't admit it one way or another. But, I'm certain that we all pray.

Now, how would I know what YOU do? Give me a few minutes to clarify…

I think of prayer as the words and actions we use when we talk to our divine. It matters not who or what we consider sacred, or to whom or what we pray. It matters not what name we use. It matters not how we position ourselves. It matters not what we say. Some of us can only say words such as, "I hope," or "I'll keep you in my thoughts," and that's okay. That we might think there is something besides ourselves that governs the universe means that we pray because we think about that something, that higher power. Our thinking is our praying.

How and when and where we pray is as diverse as how or when or where we cook. I love to cook. Do you cook? Maybe not. But, you eat nonetheless, yes? How was your last meal prepared? Was it fried, baked, micro-waved, boiled, broiled, braised, slow cooked, hard-boiled, BBQ'ed, sun-baked, sun-dried? Was it out of a can, a jar? Did you drive through a local fast-food place?

Or, maybe your food was raw? Maybe you ate only vegetables. How was your food seasoned? Or, was it seasoned at all? Maybe you normally eat only certain types of fish, or you eat eggs but no other dairy? Maybe you eat nothing that begins with the letter "B" -- broccoli, beans, bok choy, Brussels sprouts, baked Alaska, butter?

All that being said, we may not all cook but we all eat. So now maybe we can think about how we all pray differently.

So, how do you pray? Where, and when, and with whom?

To pray in peace we need safety, a secure setting, in this room, the space in this church, at this time of this day, alongside each other. There is safety in numbers after all. And, we are social beings, we like to gather and do things together. We can be together and feel secure at this time in this place.

So, or course, we pray with others in a church. Yet, each church is different because each religion is different. Some churches have pews made of hard, hard wood, but then you get to kneel on a softer, padded piece of furniture in front of you. Then, once again, you sit back up on that hard wooden bench.

Thank you Oscar for these nice & soft chairs!

Does your prayer methodology depend upon where you reside? Where is your birth corner of the world? Maybe before you sat here with us, you used to pray in a temple or a mosque? Did you have to face a certain direction? Do you still kneel or bow or lay down in a prone position when you pray at home?

Do you don a particular piece or type of clothing, maybe a robe or other attire? Do you cover part of your body, your whole body? Do only your eyes and hands show to the world? Maybe just your head is covered?

Some of us might seek solitude and silence for meditation. Meditation is a method of prayer. It's calming, soothing to the mind and soul and good for a body's blood pressure.

Rather than meditate, we might chant. Does anyone remember the chant:

Nam miojo rengue quio? What's that mean anyway?

Maybe you pray when you marathon? Are you a marathon reader? Or a marathon quilter? Maybe you are a runner? A writer? Maybe you garden for hours on end. Is there reverence in a garden? You bet! Things that grow are reverent! That we help beautiful things to grow is reverent!

Maybe you paint? Do you pray while you mix your colors, pray that the color you mix will be the right color?

Do we pray silently in our thoughts, or dreams? unconsciously, noiselessly, or maybe we move our lips but make no sound?

Did you build an alter in your home, with candles and pictures or icons, or no icons? Is there a picture of Jesus? Mohamed? Buddha? Confuscious? A Flying Spaghetti Monster? Your kids?

Do you light candles? Do you light candles online and send them to others to help light their way in times of darkness? How much incense do you burn? Is there sacred water nearby?

Do you pray on street corners, shouting to your higher power above the noise of the traffic?

Do you wear a kind of adornment around your neck, maybe a cross or a star or a chalice or a dream catcher? Do you hold onto it while saying your words?

Do you cross yourself with your hand?

Do you pray with others and dance in a circle? Are there drums in the background? Flutes? The wind? Silence?

You may prefer to sit in the middle of the forest and listen for the sounds of the trees? Or for the wind blowing the desert sands? On the beach with the rushing waves?

Do you pray in another Tongue other than the one you use in public conversations?

Do you read the words from your sacred book, or create prayers of poetry? Are you sitting in a certain position, the lotus position comes to mind, even though MY knees won't bend like that anymore.

When you pray, do you ask for help for others, family or friends? For yourself? How do you feel about others praying for you?

Do you pray at night, wishing upon the stars? How do you pray during the day? Again, do you look up into the "Heavens?"

How many of us kneel by the side of a bed and place our hands together in a certain position while reciting a poem that we learned in our youth?

Maybe you count beads instead. Do you use Rosary beads? How many beads do you use? How many psalms do you recite? Or, do you say the same thing over and over again as you touch and hold each separate bead?

Does anyone you know use different kinds of beads on which they pray? Are they wooden beads, or olive seeds, or ivory, amber, pearls, or maybe plastic? Do they string a certain number of beads to represent divine thoughts? Some prayer beads may be non-denominational in practice. In his book, Simply Pray, Erik Walker Wikstrom offers a modern prayer practice that can be customized to meet individual spiritual needs. Using a set of 28 beads as a frame of reference, the practice includes centering and entering-in prayers, breath prayers and prayers of Naming, Knowing, Listening and Loving.

Do people you know repeat chants or devotions? Do they use a prayer rope made of leather? Maybe they use loops of knotted wool, instead?

Do you pray in a tent, raising your hands and arms into the air, shouting, singing, being healed, fainting?

Each time we give thanks for our food it's a prayer. Do YOU pray before each of your meals? Do you use salts or herbs to enhance your thoughts and words as well as your food?

Do you pray when you wake? When you find you have been granted yet another day and are able to rise to face it.

Do you pray in your daily speech? How many of us pray only on certain days of the week or only on holy days? How about on each and every day, 24/7/365?

How many of us allow total strangers into our houses to pray with us when they knock on our doors on Sundays or leave us their publications?

Do you pray while using your fingers? Each finger can represent specific things you might pray for:

1 pray for those closest to you using your thumb

2 use your pointer finger for those who point us in the right direction, those who teach us, instruct us, heal us

3 use your tall finger for the leaders in your lives

4 your ring finger, the weakest finger can be used to remind us to pray for those who hurt, weak, or in need

5 we are little compared to the world around us; our little fingers can remind us to pray for ourselves,

How many of us pray before we begin a journey, or a new job, or when we reach a milestone in our lives? When a newborn cries for the first time? When a newborn doesn't take that all important first breath? When any friend or loved one passes on? Nary a graveside service goes without prayer!

Is it hard for us to pray for people we don't like?

I've seen many bumper stickers over the years that remind us to pray for our military, our men and women in uniform. How many or us pray for those in the service of other countries? For our enemies in war?

Do we pray for the neighbor we can hardly tolerate? You bet! That's probably one of the hardest things for ME to do, but, you bet, I do it! We're taught to love our neighbors, but, y'know, no one ever told me I had to LIKE my neighbors!

What have I left out? How many other ways can you think of to pray? At what times, what other places, with whom?

Again, the fact that we might think that there is something besides ourselves that governs our universe means that we pray because we think about that higher power. Our thinking is our praying. And, any time we think or we reference our holy one then we are praying.

And don't we pray that our divine one listens and answers?

Reverend Deborah Rodriguez
Copyright 2008; All Rights Reserved
My thanks to the Reverend Oscar Reconco for letting me have the lecture.
Namaste.

*** *** ***

With You

2007-12-14T08:35:00.000-08:00

My lips bite at the air.
I chew my thoughts as you pass my tongue.
My mouth caresses a glass of wine.
My eyes shut but I see you clearly.
My mind sees all.
You caress my skin.
I stroke your softness.
I open myself for you.
I feel your heartbeat,
Your lifeblood,
Your pulse,
Your energy.
I breathe with you.
I cannot catch my breath;
I am alive with you!

Copyright, 2007

I Won't Call

2007-12-14T08:34:00.000-08:00

I won't call you on the phone.
No, I said I'd let you rest.
I will call you in my mind while I dream.
I need the feel of you inside me.
I need to hear you scream.
I need to feel your soul!
Feel your heartbeat!
I want you!
I love you!
I'm dreaming.
I'm dialing...
Where are you?

Copyright, 2007

Images

2007-12-14T08:33:00.000-08:00

Love creates images in the soul!

Copyright, 2007

Radiance of Love

2007-12-13T16:57:00.000-08:00

A day in passage without you
Has no sun to light the way.
There is no radiance of love.
There is no warmth to kindle the fire,
No life worth living,
Flowers cannot tilt their faces to the gift.
Creatures cannot smile in the playful mists.
Nothing moves.
All are withering beings
Who cannot embrace and be embraced by love.

Copyright, 2007

Just So You Know, Luv - Haiku

2007-12-11T09:07:00.001-08:00

Just so you know, Luv,
A moment apart from you
Is a moment lost.

Copyright, 2007

My Love - Haiku

2007-11-30T23:47:00.000-08:00

You've a gentle soul.
Kindness and love are in your heart.
See that there they stay!

Copyright, 2007

Hearts In The Desert

2007-11-30T23:45:00.000-08:00

Succulents bending toward each other
forming hearts of love
Tempered only by the sand

Copyright, 2007

VISIONS IN THE SAND

2007-11-30T18:36:00.001-08:00

Dancing waves of heat
Scorch the mirrors of my eyes
Curiosity
Wonderment of the next stop
I see palm trees and oceans.

Copyright, 2007

MANY TEARS

2007-11-30T18:35:00.000-08:00

I see by moonlight
The tears welling in your eyes
The frown of your lips
The sadness in your crying
Because you don't want me gone

In the moonlight glare
Eyes well up with many tears
As I also weep
And you prepare to leave me
Should we stretch for that last kiss

Can we say goodbye
As we wipe away the tears
Or maybe just walk
To our different corners
To live our separate lives

Copyright, 2007

THE LAW OF WATER

2007-11-30T18:34:00.002-08:00

The picture I draw of the dam that I saw
Just before it burst and the water ran raw
Was a peaceful and quietly muted spring thaw
But the log jam groaned and I ran with clenched jaw

Copyright, 2007

Shall We Gather at the River?

2007-11-30T18:34:00.001-08:00

We who frequent Gather
Shamelessly gather points.
We connect with friends and colleagues.
We gather them and anoint
The many of us together
To reap rewards of kinds.
Can I comment on your work?
I'll read your comments on mine.

Copyright, 2007

Click on a Limerick # 1

2007-11-30T18:33:00.000-08:00

It cannot be all of that hard
To sit and relax in my yard
And eat one meal in peace
'Til comes the wing'd police
And they find me badly off guard

Copyright, 2007

Click on a Limerick #2

2007-11-30T18:32:00.002-08:00

I once knew a gal named Beth Pine
Who sat in a cup full of wine
She sipped it all up
From her paper cup
And since then she's been feeling fine

Copyright, 2007

Click on a Limerick #3

2007-11-30T18:32:00.001-08:00

Mama your day now draws near
Your escape route looks so clear
It's right next to the pies
I hear your deep sighs as
You wind your way to the beer

Copyright, 2007

Click on a Limerick #4 (for Bill)

2007-11-30T18:31:00.000-08:00

The was a young man named Bill
Who lived on the side of a hill
He gazed down o've the town
Then set his monocle down
To take a big bite of brill.

The brill was salty at best
Bill laid down his fork to rest
He watched the town again
To see o're that which he reigned
And said, "I love it!" with zest.

Copyright, 2007

time - a poem

2007-11-30T18:29:00.000-08:00

time cannot be stilled.
it keeps its own clock
ticking past
the sun dials
in the light
of day.

it races through
the window panes
in the sky.

it circles around
weather vanes,
then doubles back
playing tag.

silently,
it slips away.

tomorrow,
maybe tomorrow,
we will find the time.

Copyright, 2007

The Simple Life of a Dandelion

2007-11-30T18:28:00.002-08:00

My tired feet don’t want to blow
Down that winding road.
If I can stay right here, my friend,
These seeds I will have sowed.

I’ll tell you simply how I am
You tell me what you’ve hoed,
Yet, if my addled brain won’t work
I’ll simply just explode.

My life might be a simple one
You pass on by, my friend,
With simple pleasures found along
A road that wants to bend.

A day as simply fine as this
Won’t come along again -
To live a life so free and sweet
Is life that cannot end.

Copyright, 2007

Batteries

2007-11-30T18:28:00.001-08:00

They light up our lives
There's no harm in their charge
They bring forth the juice
The come small, they come large
You find them all here
You order, they ship
"I'm in charge," they all say
Of lighting your ship!

Copyright, 2007

Time is Timeless?

2007-11-30T18:27:00.001-08:00

time is timeless?
how can that be?
to be it and not?
i don't know. maybe.

Copyright, 2007

Anthology

2007-11-30T18:26:00.000-08:00

Just my opinion

for what it's worth,

I think your work is worthwhile.

If you are not published

You sure should be.

Your verse you should compile!

I'm a Tad Confused

2007-11-30T18:25:00.000-08:00

I'm a tad confused y'know

The tadpole said to the reed,

The tad is a lad who swims all day

Yet is sad beyond the weed.

I come here often, thinking of you

You grew up here with me,

But a tad's too little to get through the rough

And find the meaning for free.

So on I'll swim back up my stream

And find my tadpole lament,

To explain how the reed came from a seed

And grew up to be a gent.

Do You Remember When?

2007-11-30T18:24:00.000-08:00

Do you remember when you used to hold my hand?

We walkied barefoot leaving trails in the sand.

Do you remember when we warmed our hearts by the fire?

We cuddled and sighed deeply as we loved.

Do you remember when rain drops fell on our heads?

The oceans reared upward fighting back against the sands of time.

Do you remember when tears fell on our hearts?

The mountains heaved and shouted rock down, down in a landslide.

Do you remember when we used to seek out each other?

We had to find the time to be together.

Do you remember when, my darling?

I won't forget to remember when, don't you forget to remember.

Divine Arrogance

2007-11-30T18:23:00.000-08:00

Divine arrogance is playing a trick on thee.

Mother Nature won't rain, she dries out the sea.

Father Sun makes us hot, brings us to our knees,

We need dancing intervention for water, if you please.

The creeks won't rise when it swelters like this.

The oceans' mist simply does not exist.

The trees loose their leaves, they're all brown and barren

There are no birds in flight, not even a heron.

We're thinking that divine arrogance is mistaken for wrath,

Maybe a chuckle gone bad to a laugh.

If Mother Nature could see fit to give us a break,

Then, Father Sun may comply and slow down the bake.

My Resident Critic

2007-11-30T18:22:00.000-08:00

My resident critic is beside me to say,

My time on computers, she thinks, is play.

She barks commands, "Mom, rise from your chair!"

The back yard, the outdoors, she'd rather be there.

She let's me know in terms uncertain,

"Turn off the 'puter, open the curtain,"

"There's life out there." She wiggles these words,

"Mom, let's take a walk, let's chase the birds!"

So, I turn off the switch and shut down the screen

And we head to the door. Goodbye life serene.

How can I resist my 8-inch-tall friend?

With a leash and a clip, we're off again.

"Ells Bells, from a very confused poet

2007-11-30T18:21:00.002-08:00

Ellison Ellsworth said,

" 'Ells Bells"

Every time on the ice he fell.

He'd pick himself up,

Brush himself off

And climb to the top o' the dell.

Ellison lived

On Pellican Street,

On the top of the hill o' 'ell.

It was there he would dwell,

But occasionally'd bid farewell

And slide his way down to 'ell,

Ell's wife, Danielle

Gave an umbrella yellow

For balance to use if he fell.

But he was hesitant and so

The umbrella stayed home

For, at falling, he felt he'd excelled.

Now, un-conveniently located

At the bottom of the dell

Was a bell the town fathers made,

And it hung like a shell

Just above the well

In the path of the slide from 'ell.

So, slipping and sliding and haphazard gliding

Ellison Ellsworth would rush pell-mell

To the bottom of the dell

Wherein he would yell,

"Move the bell! Move the bell!"

"Oh, 'ells bells!"

Little Things

2007-11-30T18:21:00.001-08:00

There, on the shelf in my kitchen, sit my many bottles of herbs and spices. They are little bottles, most usually less than a few ounces. Yet, they are packed with potency! What fragrance! What taste! They transform the dullest of foods into cullinery delights. They are little things, but they are big things for me.

There, on the carpet next to my desk, sits my little dog. She's so tiny, only 8 inches tall, with a tail that can beat up my face in the morning as she wakes me up to take her outside. She's a little thing, but she's so very big to me.

There, sitting on that desk, is my laptop computer. It's smaller than a personal computer, it's a little thing. It's my lifeline to the world: to my family, my friends, my work, my outside. It's a little thing, but it's so big to me.

There, on the bed, sits my son. He used to be a tiny little thing. Born prematurely, and at less than 5.5 pounds, he was so small that when my husband held him in his arm that the boy barely stretched up to his elbow. Now, he's almost up to 6 feet, and a very big person to me.

There, in a dish on the nightstand, next to my side of the bed and on the other side of my desk, sits a ring. I took it off my finger recently. My bare finger feels funny. It feels, well, naked and bare. There is a mark there where the shape of my finger became molded around the band. I put my ring back on for special occasions: when I go grocery shopping, when I go to lunch with the girls. It's such a tiny little thing, but it's ever so precious and so very big to me.

Thank you for sharing my love of little things with me.

Pink Is

2007-11-30T18:19:00.002-08:00

Pink

Is the ink

I should use

For my blues.

Writing my own epitaph

2007-11-30T18:19:00.001-08:00

Writing my own epitaph

When I die

I want to lie

Near the sand and sea.

If that won't work,

Don't have a quirk,

Throw me to the lee.

Flowering Things

2007-11-30T18:18:00.001-08:00

Flowering things

Blooming for all

Who care to see

My Bonzai Tree

2007-11-30T18:17:00.000-08:00

How big a tree

Will my tree be

If it's a Bonzai

That grows for me?

2007-11-30T18:13:00.002-08:00

Edible Rhyme Thyme

Corn on the cob is tasty
It goes well with a rib eye steak
A salad on the side
I sit down with pride
But the phone rings and takes the cake

***

He tore off the corn from the cob
With his teeth he gnawed to the nob
The kernels went flying
The cob it was crying
The ears they did not hear the sob

***

My favorite food is asparagus
There are no rhymes for it, I guess
I'll find a green stalk
And mark it white with a chalk
But, oh, I'll have made such a mess

***

Artichokes are yummy leafy greens
Vegies with a heart it seems
But don't eat the choke
It's not good for the folk
You'd have been better off to eat beans

***

I cannot describe how I felt
When the server brought my patty melt
The cheese was ooey
The bread was phoey
And the plate needed a good swift belt

***

The cantina dancer was nimble
Her waist was a thin as a thimble
The drinks were a-flowin'
The wind was a-blowin'
But the food was as sparse as a cymbal

The bartender tended his keep
Into the glass I would weep
I came here for fun
I left with no one
And was hungry not looking for sleep

I walked out into the night
The stars they were all shining bright
The dancer she followed
I gulped and I swallowed
At her place I could catch a bite

***

She asked for a poem 'bout food
I guess I was in a mood
My fingers dance as they type
But his tummy it did gripe
I should go and feed my dude

***

I wanted to rhyme with pickle
But I found that it was fickle
There are so many words
That rhyme with birds
But not many that we can tickle

***

There goes my buddy, Hector
He watches the bees gather nectar
They buzz his head
As they head for bed
My buddy is a honey collector

***

Kahlua, I make mine at home
I can't drink while I'm all alone
I have quite a bit
Come over, come sit
I'll wish you a welcome. "Shalom!"

***

I think I am done for the night
It seems that I've lost my light
The Kahlua I poured
The taste I adored
But it's time to say, "Nighty night!"

The Satire Poem

2007-11-30T18:13:00.001-08:00

The Satire Poem; do I need to explain?

I wrote a piece.

Did it exist?

Did it get read?

Did you get the gist?

Was it satirical?

Or just plain dumb?

I wrote it for all,

Not just for one.

Is it visible?

Did they pull my word?

I need to know.

This is absurd!

Noises from the Storm

2007-11-30T18:12:00.000-08:00

The lightening it scares her.

The flashes ~ she runs!

The storm sure 'nuf shakes her,

Like the shooting of guns.

The noise it does blare

The lap offers help

The poor puppy whines

Yet, she loses the yelp.

The Green Chameleon

2007-11-30T18:11:00.000-08:00

You are the perfect specimen, a changing green chameleon,

A wanderer of tales and tides you bring to me, my persimmon.

You love to travel with your feet; I see your footsteps in the sand.

I'll go with you, to find the lead, the horses all have gone to land.

To reap rewards we seek our fare, we dally here, we dally there.

You stub your toe and walk on by the feathers in the desert lair;

I'll follow in your footsteps rife with boulders under sun-burnt hand.

I hear you calling out my name when I am deafened by winded band

Of storm clouds harried out of dusk that break loose from the thunder skys.

And can you feel the lightening that I see that's thrown down from your eyes?

I See Illegal Aliens

2007-11-30T18:09:00.002-08:00

I See Illegal Aliens

Some people see dead people.

I see illegal aliens.

I live one town over from Area 51, in Nevada.

They appear above and over my town all the time.

I even know some of their names.

Some of them have families.

They buzz the cars on the highway that travel through my little town.

They don’t send their kids to our schools yet. There is too much hollering about illegal aliens.

But, they’ve been spotted shopping at the local Wal-Mart, buying up the supplies of sunscreen.

___

No one was harmed in the making of this article! This is strictly a spoof. Don’t persecute me!

The Witch With The Twitch

2007-11-30T18:09:00.001-08:00

The Witch With The Twitch

Have you seen the witch with the twitch in her eye?

She winks and she blinks to the beat of the sky.

How many times must she mount broom and fly?

As many times as it takes to get rid of the sty!

Do You Haiku?

2007-11-30T18:08:00.001-08:00

This haiku's for you.
No! Wait! This haiku's for me.
Huh? No! It's for all!

haiku

2007-11-30T18:07:00.001-08:00

You are on my mind.

Yes, I could have walked away.

You are in my heart!

Nothing, a poem

2007-11-30T18:06:00.002-08:00

NOTHING
I can do naught but think of you.
What kind of hold on me have you
that I cannot sleep?
I hear your laughter in my dreams.
I cannot breathe.
I find your scent on my clothes.
I cannot eat.
I break my bread to share with you,
I cannot see.
I see naught but your eyes smiling at me,
I cannot taste.
I taste only your sweetness upon my lips and tongue.
I cannot feel.
I feel your touch as you linger upon my soul,
I cannot embrace.
Only you are who holds me.
I can do naught but think of you.

Long Gone ~ Haiku

2007-11-30T18:06:00.001-08:00

Sad for things long gone,

Finding hands and hearts empty,

We gaze far ahead.

The Gray Ghost ~ a poem

2007-11-30T18:05:00.000-08:00

THE GRAY GHOST

The Gray Ghost comes to visit,

'Low this night of travel o'er land and sea

To find the one he's sought for years,

The one who waits. He's come for me.

He gazes intently, swiftly he rides,

Watching for boulders that bring about dread.

The faint wisp of a breeze blows past the petals,

Rustling the leaves, then the hairs on my head.

His arms surround me, holding me tight,

I slip against him while encircling his lips.

My hands cannot touch the heart beating wildly

But they feel the life force from his hips.

He engulfs me with passion. I'm too stunned to speak

Our words and actions transport us to a land surreal

Where we share our duplicitous feelings

For hours on end. I'm too numb to feel.

The Gray Ghost is no trixter, he loves with his heart

And his mind, body and soul. He excites me.

He won't stay, he has traveling to do,

Though he returns often to share love chablis.

Dark Night ~ Haiku

2007-11-30T18:04:00.000-08:00

Dark Night ~ Haiku

dark night, spirits rise,
headless horseman riding, tries
again for our lives.

I WANT YOU BACK

2007-05-02T00:30:00.000-07:00

You had no right to go.
All of this isn’t mine.
It’s not mine to share
By myself.
I can’t share alone.
To have and to hold
Means nothing now.
Alone. Single.
This was all for us.
Two, us means two,
Me and you.
I don’t know how
To do single.
I haven’t done single
In a long, long time.
My arms encircle the air.
It hurts deep inside
Where it’s empty
Without you.
There is NOTHING
That will ever be allowed
To hurt this much again.
Nothing.
I want you back!

Copyright 2007

FIRE IN THE RAINBOW

2007-04-30T19:51:00.000-07:00

Fire in the rainbow
Froth in the wave
Never flyeth the robin
Never sayeth the knave

Darkness overcomes all
Seizes heart and soul
It can't be forgiven
It's become a toll

Love in the sand box
Sand in the aire
Eagle with the nestling
Meerkat in the lair

When I think about you
The love it could go on
The dreams come and go now
The scents stay ever strong

I stand tall and brave
But quiver inside for you
The critters all stand by me
Waiting for the new

Copyright 2007

ODE TO DON

2007-04-26T14:00:00.001-07:00

I just buried my husband

In the green

On the hill.

He died suddenly last month,

Not unexpectedly, but still ...

Gently, I helped him into his next journey.

Bringing heart and soul with me

We bid adieu.

For more than two score he brightened my days,

Now he lights up my nights,

Everyone's nights.

There, to show him the way,

To show us the way,

Are millenia of stars before him.

Can you see him?

He's the one that winks!

Copyright 2007

NO MORE LIES

2007-03-01T20:12:00.000-08:00

I'm tired of the lies
The lies hurt
They sting
They cut like knives
The little white lies
The lies you can x-ray through
The lies that say I said when I didn't
The lies that tear down cities and countries
No more lies
None from you
None from me
None from anyone
Banished!

Copyright 2007

FLOPPY DOLL

2007-02-11T11:30:00.000-08:00

Floppy doll
Too wet from recent rains
To be picked up
Lays forlorn
Waiting for its mistress
Waiting forever
Beneath the headstone
Of grief
Looking into distances
With bright eyes
Of anticipation

FLIPPING SWITCHES

2007-02-11T10:29:00.000-08:00

Am I in a state of confusion?
No.
Well, rarely.
A state of discovery?
Always.
Never in a state of hyperkineticism,
Though, sometimes in a state of movement.
Is movement reliable?
There is movement in switches.
There are switches to be flipped
And flipped again.
Switches that change my state
From analogue to digital,
From light to dark,
From monochrome to color.
Switches that add contacts as they go.
New contacts beget confusion,
Yet allow discovery.
Who is the switch flipper?
Is the switch flipper reliable?
Am I?
Too fast?
Flip.

Copyright 2007

HAIKU - Early Years

2007-02-09T10:51:00.001-08:00

Golden drops of sun-
Shine hit my face as they aim
For my long, lost soul.

***

As the skier skis,
He leaves a trail behind him
To show where he's been.

***

The candle flame swerves
As a breeze enters the room.
Why does it shiver?

***

A bird's pleasant song
Wakes me in the morning.
How I cherish it.

***

Snow jackets buttoned.
Why does the wind outside howl?
What is it scared of?

***

Dew drops are hanging
On a branch for their dear lives.
They're too young to die.

***

The old tree bends low.
It's branches reach out and down;
Soon, they'll touch the ground.

***

The creek runs smoothly
Meandering nowhere 't'all,
As it travels on.

***

The creek runs smoothly
bothering nothing at all,
As it travels on.

***

As the shadow moves,
It reveals hidden visions
That weren't there before.

***

A big ball of fur,
Motionless and so silent,
Suddenly she growls.

***

The songs are played low.
I lay beneath the star light
Thinking about life.

***

Where in the world can
One find the love that one seeks?
I won't be deterred.

***

Working into dark,
We slave and toil the hours gone
Too tired to see light.

***

The street lights grow dim-
The morning sun approaches
And chokes the night time.

***

You are a great friend.
May your eyes always smile and
Our friendship endure.

***

"It is always so,"
Said my mother just to me
Right before she smiled.

***

Someone spilled the beans
And told them all 'bout our trunk
'For we brought it home.

***

I would never want
That you would see me like this.
Where's the nearest hole?

***

I have forgotten
What your eyes looked like; the time
Has erased your sight.

***

We cannot spend time
Together for we still fight.
We can't get along.

***

Happy birthday, babe.
May your luck never run out,
May you smile today!

***

I'm thinking of you.
The way your eyes dance. The way
You smile at me. Yeah!

***

Can I take you home?
Would you spend the night with me?
No? Then, shall we dance?

***

It's raining outside.
The wind is blowing quite fast.
Reminds me of us.

***

How fast can you run?
Can you run as fast as me?
Then try and catch me.

***

Congratulations!
None could have done it better!
A job so well done!

***

I'm so proud of you!
You pulled it off so nicely.
What's your trade secret?

***

What is your secret?
How do you stay so slender?
Please, I have to know.

***

I'd like to know you.
Are you free to dine with me?
May I ring you up?

***

What is your major?
Where do you go for your lunch?
Mind if I join you?

***

You are not so smart!
I can always out think you,
So don't try so hard.

***

How can you love me?
You don't love your pet lizard.
You let it go.

***

It's so obvious.
It can't be any clearer.
Open up your eyes.

***

Let's get together.
Your place? Or my place? Or out?
I'll let you decide.

Copyright, 2007

CHIEF TACOPA GRAVEYARD

2007-02-08T20:39:00.000-08:00

Silent
Wrought iron barriers
Don't step there
No one calls
Onlookers weep
Shovels ring
Dirt falls
No flags here
Prolific flags there
Handed down
Torn asunder
Salutes
Heads down
Heads in hands
Hands down
Helmets in bayonets
And empty boots
Firing squads
Silent wishes
Prayers
Tires trip
Dusty gravel
Lingering souls

Copyright 2007

FEATHER

2007-02-08T19:04:00.000-08:00

From the ground,
You, who will never rise again,
Are silent.
Where wind once played with your hair
Like feathers of the greatest
As you ran.
Now covered in eternity.
Carved into stone
An orange, granite slab,
Monumental,
Stabbing into the sky
Where the eagles once soared
For you.
Now,
Known only as Feather.
You may soar at will.

Copyright 2007

I CAN'T REMEMBER

2007-02-08T18:33:00.000-08:00

I don't recall
You never said
You let the words
Roll off your head
You wanted more
There's none to give
Let time be still
Let elders live
We feel the pain
We set the bar
We see the print
We seal the tar
We find the fault
We let it lay
We go on by
Another day

Copyright 2007

BONES

2007-02-08T18:29:00.000-08:00

Creaking bones reach for the below,
Toward cold and weathered ground.
Flaky, dry winds
Massage the aches in the shadows.
Furrows blend with the darkened.
Misty eyes see all and nothing.
Musty smells drip.
Sighs break the night as bones
Bend slowly toward the end.

Copyright 2007