A Lullaby Prayer

A Lullaby Prayer

A Lullaby prayer

After the funeral

Came news of the newborn

Later
In the deep
I saw them

In the waves of time

Standing in the light

Of my childhood home

Asking -how have you been

And -what’s been going on

Would you like a cup of coffee

She asked, but then
I left out

In the night
Of the city
Looking

For someone,  
A brother

Of a different mother

But lost in the concentration

I stood among them

On the terraced hills and streets

Throngs of youth

Waiting, watching, cheering

For a concert, football or some event

Once again
I was at a loss and lost

To put together my way in life

But comforted by the display

On the faces of the future

And the hope shown there

Eyes aglow
And smiles in their words

Contrasted by the despair

Like a negative reflection

On the surface of darkened alley ways

O’er those hills and peoples I flew

In the silent craft of surreal circles

Aware of a need

A nagging feeling that

I had an appointment to keep

With yet another loved one

Should I be surprised in

The light of morning

That the times past

The experience present

And the vision future

Are joined in one place

As Family, babies, friends

Life, society, death

With the cold moonstruck dew

Rising into day

Spiraling, Ascending

Toward Completion

In the brightness

The flash of heat

From eternal shores

To infinite oceans

Pure, white

Spirit’s breath

And sight

Creation’s

Flight

Old

To new

Set

Aright

Counting On Florida

To southern Florida 1 2 3

Let’s go there just you and me

Take a hot tip for a nice trip to Miami

White sands, t-shirts and dolphins to see

4 5 6 clear jellyfish on the shining sea shore

Hammerhead sharks just above the rich sea floor

We’ll walk the green croc and the occasional alligator

As we stomp down hard on our fan boat’s accelerator

7 8 9 feeling so fine in a comfortable sweltering recline

Sipping up some bubbly sweet ice cold Moscato wine

Sleeping on a sunny beach, or snorkeling the blue coral shell

Dancing, Kissing, romancing, strolling in damp night back to the hotel

Clouds haze rolling past the moonlight’s gaze upon a glimmering ocean swell

Tides overwhelming our secret silky silent spell, hours slipping well past 10 11 12

Fireworks and starfish flung far above lighting up across the humid coastal sky

Heat lightning flashing throughout purple velvet making the heavens cry

In darkness deep lay a swimming waves keep where nothing can be seen

Only faces, feelings, visions and reelings of memories that we dream

Until foaming the waters flee away from day’s brilliant dawning gleam

White gulls and pelicans preening and teaming after fishes keen

Way down in the crashing slap of a Floridian spray and steam

Far below our perch 13 14 15 levels high up in the game

16 17 18 breathes the tanning, playing surfing scene

19 20 21 winter, spring, and summer fun in FLA’s sun

22 me and you, 23 see the sea, 24 + 1 lines, 25 alive

Add food, friends and family to join in the revelry

So I say to you old chum, away to that Shangri-La  

In happy total sum, always count on Florida.

Tiffany Song

Tiffany honey

You are so lovely

Mellow as the month of May

Tiffany honey you are my sunny day

You’re in a quandary

We’re having a baby

We got no money to play

Tiffany darling everything’s gonna be ok

Sometimes get moody

Happy and angry

Colder than a winter’s day

It doesn’t matter, we work it out anyway

We could get married

With friends and family

Wedding bands and everlasting vows

Dry your eyes Tiffany, let me see you smile

Now we’re together

It’s not always easy

Wouldn’t have any other way

Sweet loving Tiffany and kids, we’re a family.

Precious Sail

Precious sail on whom the winds did prevail

When you were but young and pale

Filled you up and carried you in heavy gale

Who can tell of the hell cast in the open sea

When far out the wind cries away with thee

When black clouds the hull enshroud

And you reach out a friendly hand noble and proud

As you list from side to side in the heave and pitch

What devil, what witch would sling thee into watery ditch

But you were beautifully made and strong

Who would have predicted you’d round the horn

Not once, not twice but so many, many times in life

Only to spy the ice at the poles and the equator slice

No matter the sea squalls and ice, you had been tied thrice

Set tall and wide along the splintery oaken mast

From the time the silk was sewn your life was cast

Made like a morning mist ‘neath the sun, of finest silk

Embracing ocean’s breath with cloth, coursing o’er the wavy depth

Were you running away from terror or pursuing a dream

Both perhaps, in sailing’s up and down stormy scheme

With bell overhead and rippling flag the sound did nag

Bell Ringing, or tolling, then clanking out like a sea hag

Flag snapping, and cracking or hissing of something wrong

Yet sometimes happy like a bird you sang a joyful song

Sounding the depths and anchoring sunny safe harbor

Set about by children and pets playing in grass and arbor

Until the next journey to the cape should begin

Another battle with storm and sea to be won

The little seaside town kept vigil for your return

Spyglasses peering, tracking horizon up and down

Fiery sunset turned blackest night to reddened eyes

Then dazed sunrise catching salty hearts by surprise

Whitecaps riding sweeping gusts of shrieks and cries

Brought news, the lighthouse stood in disbelief and sighs

Your vessel had broken in violence against the reef

Sliding down watery embankments in tempest deep

But you, it is said, were broken free of moorings and taken

Carried up on high in beautiful display a by whirlwind in the sky

Dolphins, Terns, gulls, pelicans and pipers yet travel sea and coast

Hoping to see you in windswept coat and then to the world of your glory boast

But you are sure to be found in the heaving hearts of friends who loved you most

For Maggie May in fond memory of M. Shelley

Fine Feline Fellow

In the baby’s breath of morning

With the sun’s face warmly calling

Came a sound outside my window

I spied there a fine feline fellow

Shining coat, eyes of yellow

Black and white, lithe and rippling

Exotic moment; I felt like Rudyard Kipling

Psssht! Said I, dressed in my bedroom array

Surprised, tail saluting he scurried quickly sidling away

Later at the breakfast table

Between the bites of oats and maple

Outside, rustling green leaves in the orange tree’s 2^nd story

Up the branch padded the cat in all his stalking glory

Out came I to offer him helping arms and hands

But his fierce and glowering look spoke of other plans

So I went back into the house, onto coffee, sugar and cream

As I grabbed my leather bag to leave, I heard the mouser scream

Cup, bag and keys in hand, I rushed out the back door

Mr. 9 lives was in the garden, like a dragon on the moor

What hobbit had he seen that spooked his lives to 8?

As a giant I peered down intently through the many flowers sweet

Senses alerted but finding naught and the hour was getting late

When suddenly he pounced back into the flora bed, earnestly in a crouch

But something moved, and with hair straight and his back up in an arch

The puss jumped high and away from his march, right out of his boots

As something prehistoric hissed and backed into the bushy roots

The big Lizard’s tail switched violently as I caught his terrible gaze

In an instant the fairy monster had disappeared into the greenery’s maze

The kitten wanted to pursue, but with water I shoo’d him away

Then I went off to office work and he to sunny play.

Everything Is Broken

EVERYTHING IS BROKEN

Everything is broken

Everything falling down

The things I thought I knew

The people that I’ve known

The sadness of it all

Like Ophelia’s gown

Plunged in darkest waters

Begins to pull one down

Weight upon the shoulders

Weight upon the back

Bursting heart asunder

Tired soul’s hope doth crack

Looking to the sky

Look into the earth

Ask the question why

Shadows cloak the girth

Clothes of burlap sack

In the falling ash

Turn ‘round wondering eye

All the world is black

Where is friend and family?

Who hath made us foes?

Killing with our words

Ugly thoughts come and go

Tangled forests of the mind

Melting globe’s failing show

Bathed in  moonlit lava flow

Piercing lilith’s terabinth

Glowing sweat upon the brow

Running out the breath

Wearying the violent clay

Pale in swamp and pouring rain

The whooping crane flies away

Dost thou flee a lost friendship's pain

Or be ye a shade upon the land

Sent to rent the cloth once sane  

Deathly soldier with sickle in thy hand

O roaring destroyer come among us, 
Go back From whence you came,
Away from warm hearth's loving brand

Kill not the rose, 
Cast not thy poison o'er the brae

Descension, hate and lies sowing in the heart of man

May you and cursing die in the blinding light of day

When the brilliant shock of Heaven’s Sun 
Doth reign life upon us once again.

Springtime

Walking in the morning mists of Springtime
Her dewy kisses bringing forth the blossoms
Nursemaid to her young in mountain and meadow
Wet nurse to the wild and tame creature alike
Giving birth to the beginning tender months
Darling white April, dearest pink and blue May
Chased along by handsome ruddy June
In every heart the music of life abounds
Melodies of discovery, and songs of love
A redolent cornucopia of colorful progeny
Buttercup, Daisy, and Dandelion fine
Grape, Citrus and Honey in red and white wine
The green of grasses, shimmering leaves and swaying trees
Flying birds and glimmering bugs, shiny fish and little feet
Gentle sun upon his bed of clouds beaming with pride
Fixes a bow curving down through the wide heavens
In celebration of motherhood and the arche of creation
Here the eternal and finite in amorous embrace
Restore hope and joy as the cold sleep of winter melts away
Displaying beauty and the newness what is now
Shedding light on what should be, and filling the senses with hope
Touched by the caressing wind's foretelling of a more glorious Spring yet to come!

Wheat in the Grainery

Wheat in the Grainery

O the stupidity of bureaucracy

The mendacity and monotony

With its tendency toward autocracy

And condescending snobbery

Conditioning thoughtless lobotomy

On the masses in chicanery

Till from the grave with lilting melody

Muffled voices cry in harmony

To the headless horsemen of plenary

You shovel dirt and filth and sod o’er me

With head down as wheat in the grainery

Be ye not dismayed with the foolery

Rather look on it like a magic serendipity

Serving not the masters of inefficiency

Conversely, employed in a congenial reality

Extending a hand to forgotten needy humanity

To thankful friend, community and family

Unto One, who shouldered man’s brutality

Sheltering us from our certain mortality

Thus enobled and contented, we engage our capacity

Head of the Vale

Head of the Vale

Two hearts alive in love

Softly holding one another

In the warm flood of yellow light

We stood high up at the head of the vale

Rolling down and spreading out before us
A blanket full of life and many shades of green

The Wind spoke heaving sighs of silence

Greeting our faces with cool streams

Perched upon a palatial sandstone

The lizard welcomed our advance

A king snake bade our leaving goodbye

Hissing quickly up the hilly underbrush

Hawks pointed out the trails below

Circling far above with large eyes

Tattooed under the raptors' winged expanse

Rabbits played and ran
Coyotes hid In their dens

From each passerby shown a fair countenance,

Like the flowers of blue, red and yellow,

Of serene happiness for the chance

To walk, to breath, to see, and to feel the rigor

Of the curving way once again in the spring of life

To experience the dancing animated vitality 

And the buzzing of little wings

Before the hills, trees, wild grass and bush

Must once again become brown

With every step down into dry gravel

Bringing up the hot dust.

Beautiful American

O Say can you see by the dawns early light

The beautiful american standing on your foreign shore

With lots of ideas and money to buy more

At uncle Harrah's big fat store....

Smoke a cigar buy a fast car and go go go

To the countryside or late picture show 

Because you know its the beautiful American way