The Coming of the New Year

the coming of the New Year

brings gracious opportunities

it encourages the imagination

to create a new life plan

and help us realize our dreams

if only we shall dedicate ourselves

pledging to live a life of joy

and bring good things to our realm

the Light and laughter encircle us

among all we love and love us

that there shall be all we desire

all healing, all happiness, all harmony

Heavenly

in rural places there are scents

that might not seem like heaven

but sweet clover at the height of summer

comes awfully close, I believe

it resides along the roadside

with Queen Anne’s Lace and milkweed

the blue chicory and pink columbine

and if you’ve never seen these

or known the delight in wildflowers

I must say you are missing a treasure

that you can never find on city streets

their random placement is all the more

beautiful and charming to the eye

and a deep breath of their scents:  heavenly

Free

dark clouds churn and tangle

a sunbeam streaks the air

the threshold of the century

opens before us, beckoning

like a puppy caught in its fence

how will we answer the call?

should we turn away in ignorance?

nay, the Light sweeps into us

and we face the darkness with joy

we succeed in our hopes with laughter

our mirth not only heals the heart

but opens the doorway to a new dream

where we are everything we desire

overcoming worry, doubt and dread

moving higher, lighter, brighter

coming into the realization

that we are free

Good Cheer

the holidays sneak up on you

with special timing to be sure

you wait and hope and hold your breath

and then the days come fast

when baking and a traditional meal

each day as it comes to you

your dreams carry you forward

in a magical wonderland

snow or none, leaves or none

the weather is like a fantasy

but the most for which to be grateful

is the joy of our loved ones

that we share in good cheer

Sol

I had a dog, his name was Sol

he lifted my spirits, was faithful, too

he protected me from the world at large

he was a big collie, smart and cool

he walked with me round about the town

every day we went, to keep him fit

no matter the weather, winter or spring

fall or summer, we would go a bit

he was the leader of the pack, you see

he would put all the strays in their place

none dared to attack us or come nearby

we would always go fast, he picked the pace

Sol was my friend, my buddy, my pal

he is gone now, I miss him and all

Return

geese sitting on the icy pond

in rows getting ready to fly

to the warmer climes in time and space

such perfect formation, I wonder why

they remain as they do this winter

perhaps they have not received their orders

from the leader of the flock to go

or perhaps these are young ones

not knowing the direction they’re meant to go

or perhaps still, it is global warming

that redirects them so to stay

somehow, somewhere, they will need to fly

and enjoy the warmth of southern water

The Shower Song

let the water spray upon me

like an all-day springtime rain

like a waterfall because I’m small

I sing as it goes down the drain

when I’m good and wet, the soap is next

a lather’s good for my skin

I rub my belly and laugh like jelly

I splash and dance and rinse again

my hair is last to scrub-a-dub

the bubbles run down my arms

don’t be mean, I’m crystal clean

when I’m dry I rest all my charms

my shower’s done, I dry my head

whew! time to hop right into bed

Witness

the feeders are surrounded by squirrels

where once there were meant to be birds

a cavalcade of colors and sizes, chirping

taking flight and trading places

while ducks eat seeds from the ground

and chase away the naughty squirrels

but further out, beyond our reach

there is the home of wild turkeys and deer

and, of course, the hopping bunnies

that dodge the feral cats hunting

so much nature weaving amongst the trees

and we are blessed to be witness to it all

Muddy Little Feet

little feet find muddy puddles

to hope, skip and jump through

on rainy days with overcast skies

like a duckling as it waddles

to and fro, flapping its little wings

as the droplets spray over it

and little human feet do likewise

feeling the glee of being alive

running back and forth, hopping

taking Mother Nature’s plaything

to new heights of fun

muddy little feet don’t care

about being messy

Songs of Tomorrow

he speaks in whispers like a soft breath

caressing your cheek in perfect rhythm

to the light of a summer’s day

we know, we see, we hear

and yet we think it is an illusion

the message of the eternal one

the mind of the whole universe

where we find our aspirations

amongst the daydreams of childhood

we can still get there from here

if only we allow the joy in our hearts

to be expressed with songs of tomorrow

Deserve

fair weather or foul we still move about

like so many ants on a popsicle stick

we go to and fro, helter skelter

little sense in our movements

as they see us from above or below

what makes humankind special

that we count ourselves superior

than the four-leggeds or no leggeds

fish, fowl, bears and wolves and deer

all have life teeming through their veins

and all our relations count on us

to give them the respect they deserve

The Coming Year

butterflies fresh from the cocoon

rest their wings to dry for now

not to be too anxious, lest they tear

the fabric of their delicate form

soon enough it will be time to release

the helter-skelter flight

to collect the nectar inside flowers

to pollinate and spread nature’s mysteries

so that the kaleidoscope of beauty

might be reshuffled and ready

to delight the senses once again

in the coming year

Sounds of Winter

the sounds of winter are oh, so silent

snow dances its ballet with no drumming

the wind comes and goes in a huff and a puff

but then returns to nothing on its exit

the pond freezes over time and yet

the fishes therein make no noticeable melody

how the songs of carolers stir our hearts

as the out of doors suffers lack of resonance

and in their planned harmony we feel

warmth against the dire cold of the season

were it just a moment to remember the lost

such dumbness might be tolerable

yet, it is such intolerance that urges our harmony

our coming together in joy

Echoes

echoes through the air

heavy, like bated breath

a story told of centuries past

yet ears not meant to hear it

for the darkness swells

and the daylight is yet too far

when will humankind learn

that life, however made, is precious

and some are the same value

as any other whether two, four or none

and what about the Earth Mother?

she is the most precious of all

not to be trifled with in her wisdom

yet watching eyes know it all

Remember

walking through a garden of delights

a circle of lavender and roses and bluebells

a small fountain of water sprays upward

leaving a covering of dew on the flowers

trees from all around the world

elms, cherry with its pink blossoms,

the stalwart oak, the white dogwood,

all of these leave a freshness in the air

a pond with golden koi swimming in circles

leaves the heart calm and restored

somewhere, the sound of wind chimes tinkling

urges the soul to rest and remember

Meditation

the body floats upward in relaxation

the arms stretch outward toward freedom

robes hang loosely, the head rests back

and music, like singing bowls,

spread their songs like a dream

a whisper of meditation forms a gentle fog

around the entire body, like an aura

so sweet a touch of healing lights

like so much water in a slow stream

lifting the emotions and the spirit

to rise for yet another day

Notes

musical notes float from the piano

the vocalist paints pictures with his voice

seed lights around the fence create an air of fantasy

and the warm air feels like velvet on your skin

a fine red wine tickles your throat

someone asks you for a slow dance

you nod and follow him onto the dance floor

the two of you sashay and breathe softly

what more could you ask for in a dream

the anonymous greeting of a soulmate

as the new bud of the proverbial rose

it starts here and who knows the path

Once Upon a Time

gallant heroes race across the screen

saving gorgeous damsels with ebullient grace

the trolls defeated with an arrow or blade

how remarkable a pattern to inspire us all

grand gestures of medieval times

or other realms we cannot see but feel

lead to the best and brightest in our world

and guide us to heal and restore life

what may seem like a tale of woes

shows us the path of right or wrong

each character a hero or a villain

and how we suffer as they switch roles

but hope is the answer that is always there

our hearts are warmed as it comes to pass

thankful that goodness wins out in the end

and wishing our own world could be thus

Applause

dancer in tights jumps and kicks in splits

hands raised, carrying him forward

he lands and bends at the knees

as the symphony plays a classical tune

a crash of the cymbals and he jumps again

this time he reaches his hands to his toes

spread eagle once, and, turning, again

a spin now, fast, bobbing up and down

then a tick with a great stretch

and, finally, the dancer takes a bow

uproarious thunder of applause

Star Bright

a smattering of stars in the Milky Way

home to humans, created from dust

what do we see in quiet of night

so many shapes:  a scorpion, a bear

we could study them forever

and never know them completely

do other creations exist on their landscape?

can they travel through time

like they travel through space?

are we friends in some when, somewhere?

oh, the pain of growth in spirit

learning to trust, to put our hope

upon the star light, star bright