The fleeting comfort of her silence,

rocking his troubles to sleep

All noise has abated, the bats have gone out

—till dawn o’er the belfry to greet

(Dreamsleep: December, 2021)

Leaving the things we need the most,

we come back for what we love

A circle squared from inside out

—the cream to rise above

(Dreamsleep: December, 2021)

Alone with his memories,

sleep would not come

The minutes, the hours,

time’s haunting begun

Together reliving

each choice made in vain

His will and his conscience

—in conflict again

(The New Room: December, 2021)

The sun is down

and you’re standing on the platform all alone

with night

that friend who never questions…

But dawn is looming

with its predictable answer

never asking what went on before

 as you stand there and wonder…

Does all confusion surrender to the darkness

or is there but one confusion

wherein your mind is set free

to rush through the empty spaces and moments…

Looking beyond what your eyes betray

  you sit down at the back of the platform

and open your journal

while closing your eyes…

New words to be told

no time to be old

one truth to behold

—and write

(Fairmount Park: December, 2015)

You linger outside

always questioning why

when the answer’s inside

where uncertainty dies

Your world of approval

and life of acclaim

provide little comfort

when there’s no one to blame

You told me it mattered

you told me you cared

but as glad handers turn

almost nothing got shared

So, I’ll stay in the moment

 inside looking out

knowing what I’m in search of

leaves no room for doubt

As your memories die silent

 no one to hold dear

what’s lost to remembrance

—abandoned in fear

(Villanova Pennsylvania: December, 2021)

Reason dies without faith

 men but a pawn

to move in set patterns

not seeing beyond

Logic and cogence

delude and mislead

 with vision and instinct

left wounded to bleed

Reason dies without faith

enslaved to the line

 paper to crumble

One voice to remind

Years add together

with hope on the run

belief when left wanting

all thoughts zero-sum

(The New Room: December, 2021)

Faith,

Reasons Achille’s Heel

Dialectic’s

Lord And Master

Philosophy’s Warden

Academic Invader

Time Imploder

Existing Divine

(Dreamsleep: December, 2021)

The bars of the jail

those electronics we serve

our cellphones and laptops

new wardens in stir

 Ipods and Ipads

to Tweet and I.M.

the virtual distance

created within

24/7

we Text back and forth

when Email’s too slow

 a much faster course

But nature is watching

and planning a storm

the power grid wanton

with darkness for sure

And who is to blame

as we cry and we scream

our minds have been sentenced

we no longer dream

The reckoning promised

has come home at last

and this time not virtual

—our prison recast

(Dreamsleep: December, 2021)

High minded but low brow,

and living the contradiction

of a greater truth

I’m caught between transcendence

and pontification

my pockets ladened

with a traitor’s silver

—in search of gold

(Dreamsleep: December, 2021)

When writing the words,

are they thought or then felt

Which to come first,

cards different once dealt

But sometimes together,

as in straights or a flush

They win back the reader

—with more than potluck

(Rosemont College: December, 2021)