WE ARE

torch raised high above her crown of light

chin firm, resolute in knowing

that all beating hearts long for freedom

she towers over the harbor

making a promise to those who come

that they may have life, liberty and happiness

once they pass beside the golden door

but no longer can the huddled masses

find relief within these borders

for tradition has become a lie

and the hearts of the people

are burdened with the path to return

unto the ideals upon which we were founded

for we ARE the Nation OF the people

BY the people, FOR the people

Take Flight

the inspiration of the moment

catches glibly on my tongue

unsure of what to say or do

to climb the ladder’s rung

to stimulate the interest

to make your questions fly

to have you wanting more and more

with imagery in the sky

I know I cannot promise

to give everything to you

but I will try to grant you

many colors of language too

and then the pictures that I write

will jump into your mind

let my words truly take flight

and I shall come to more in kind

Yet Another Fall

the wind blows fall into town

while paint drops here and there across the trees

a splash of this, a dab of that,

and then it all lights up like flames

with autumn rising full bore

we enjoy the cooler temperatures

jumping in the piles of leaves

cozying up to a bright bonfire

and dodging the raindrops of an all day rain

soon enough, the weather will change again

but for this moment, all is perfection

Castle

beneath a salt sea-whipped precipice

the castle stands guard

over centuries of pirates’ assaults

invading the king’s lands

proud as the crashing waves

steady as the rolling centuries

the turret, home of the sentry,

towers over the ground

the walls still firm and stout

hinting at the strength of the army

now just a ghostly presence

seen through the fog

as steamships move to and from port

Songs

songs from long ago play in my mind

I look only forward, forget what’s behind

the mellow tunes repeat, making life full

the colors expand as I’m duly resigned

to connect the dots that fill the picture

like a fine mosaic that becomes a scripture

for study and learning life’s no longer dull

the remedy of joy comes in a tincture

so far, so good, the benefits come

in droves, marking the days at home

so much to lighten the spirit once null

and repair the memories as they roam

around the world, bringing forth delight

remembering the names of all as I might

Returns

Swirling into the corridor

and past the steps in all directions

the Spirit of the Wind resides

in places where the sun shines

upon white sand and broad water

where the blue of the sky and blue of the ocean

come together on the horizon

where palm trees and green moss

invite it to cool them and carry

their essence into another world

if only this spirit stayed so calm

but the occasion comes when clouds muster

that water and the wind becomes angry

blowing up in its place and traveling

across the sea, with all the fury

of a spurned lover

as it hits lost lands to reclaim them

twisting, twitching, and pouring its heart out

until its tears have washed away

the anger and it returns to peace

Most Popular

clear blue reflecting the cloudy sky

ripples sometimes, sometimes waves

the inlet makes a perfect panorama

for the windsurfers to glide and ride

rocky walls surround it as they hug

the calm waters and gentle breezes

all year long the sun seekers visit

making this locale the most popular

Saxon Forest

green hues in every direction

rocks upon rocks covered in moss

virgin forest that devours the landscape

bright verdant trees, walls

letting in the light from above

with a dash of sunrays

elegant limbs reaching upward

feeding itself as old trees shed

their tired branches to the floor

of the forest and the cycle begins

again

Wobble

pieces of eight in hidden caverns

roll off my tongue without cause

the treasure of bygone days

illuminating the old world charm

once visited by pirates and miscreants

to warrant their unholy deeds

the messages now lost to the deep

cunning swordplay notwithstanding

and where, oh where, can they be

as the earth spins faster to end the wobble

Hurricane

water moves over the ground

flooding the low spots

it moves through the ground

and out to the Great Lakes

the winds carry the water on its back

and drops nearly all of it at once

the waves roar and crash

giving their best and worst

to usher in the hurricane winds

that rip into houses and trees

angry, full of rage

desperation in the storm cloud’s eye

we hope to be spared

and we are, for but a moment

until the dome of silence ends

and we are once again

torn asunder

We Will Have Peace

the number sticks in our heads

the numbing 9-1-1

we all know where we were that day

when the towers were demolished

and people around the world

witnessed the murder of nearly 3,000 souls

our friends, our colleagues, gone

as if it were a dome of silence

where we wait, hoping the other shoe

never drops on our country

but we will remember

and we will be vigilant

and we will have peace

School Begins

the weather changes rapidly

as children go off to school

their leisurely life now vapidly

excused from their plans of cool

no swimming in the ebbing tide

the games that held their full attention

now they want to run and hide

not give their studies their full retention

but then the bus comes roaring along

they find ways to play and cheer

they share what they know of dance and song

and this is but the beginning of the year

school builds friendships, mental wit,

and reading skills so they can twit  

Turbulent Times

chaos swarms like a hive of bees

to worm its way through government

tearing away at the fabric of life

in these United States

where friend clashes with friend

and the notion of civil war emerges

sadly causing disdain, disagreement

how can one man stir the pot

to remove the safety of environment

and gaslight the electorate with knives

so sharp that some will never understand?

the sky above knows no turbulence

the like of wrath of Republicans

whose solidarity defies reason

Flood

water, water, everywhere

flows down the rooftop, onto my hair

the fields are soggy

the pond is overflowing

the roads are flooded

I am groggy

we are thrilled in the knowing

that everywhere is mudded

no, no, rain is not what we need

yes, yes, there are places that do, indeed

California needs some rain

but not so much to make mudslides

gentle sprinkles are okay

to wipe out the fires that stain

charring of the land all over the countryside

to give them less heat today

Tornado

the roaring sound of a freight train

announces its coming

skies churning and swirling

the funnel cloud coming to full bore

it gathers treetops and rooftops

power lines whiplash over the ground

crushing all in its path

rearranging homes and buildings

all life must shelter beneath the ground

or face Mother Nature’s wrath

it seems to pause for a moment

charging past, leaving a wake of debris

then moving on to bully the next town