Grand Canyon darkness—city nights,
towering votives in wingless flight
Elevator to the desperate peak,
ninety-nine floors above the waiting street
Torment and doubt ride to the top,
buttons numeric finally stop
Ten steps to the railing, writhing in pain,
the cure within reach—calling your name
(225 West 57thSt, New York: June, 2022)
Reports…
cold facts on paper
Truth
unto itself
The World
to judge in concert
One man
much deeper felt
(Dreamsleep: June, 2022)
A minute to make a moment
the instant to endear
A vow to make a marriage
more committed year to year
A ribbon to make a bow
once the tie is fastened right
A hope turned into wishes
wrapping tidings ever tight
A man begets a son
with his legacy passing on
A matriarchal mother
making lullabies of songs
All time forever timeless
past—future in default
As fate unlocks eternal
the Muse inside your vault
(The New Room: June, 2022)
There’s a voice that hides
with message plain
“IT STILL IS NOT ENOUGH”
No matter how the
phrases turn
“THEY LACK THE FINER STUFF”
It sits in judgment
undeterred
to flame and scold unbound
To speak when I’m
inopportune
—and turn me inside out
(Dreamsleep: June, 2022)
Twas deep within my golden years
when youth came rushing back
Tired of being left behind
seducing what I lack
Clocks run down as midnight harkens
options running thin
Amorous feelings lost to time
whose walls are closing in
But then an archer from the past
tightens up my bow
One arrow left to fire off…
that girl I used to know
It flies directed from my hand
t’ward one I left so young
To strike a memory buried deep
—of first love woe begun
(Saint David’s Pennsylvania: June, 2022)
Indelible the writing…
each theme enslaves the words
The weight placed squarely on their backs
to bear the message heard
The meaning what’s important
four ruling two plus two
Verbs forgotten, nouns erased
—their insight still imbued
(Villanova University: June, 2022)
Unlike the first Revolution…
this time we have to take America
back from within
Like drug and alcohol addiction
we need detox
and rehabilitation
The traitors and despoilers left
to wither and die
Too many have sacrificed
for the freedoms we take for granted
to abdicate our responsibility
to the lunatic fringe
(Villanova Pennsylvania: June, 2022)
The end of all is vanity,
damnation so accused
The mirror speaking falsely
—of promise purple hued
(Dreamsleep: June, 2022)
‘Keeper Of The Kingdom,’
entrusted with the key
Words unlocking blocks of time,
setting moments free
Caretaker thus chosen,
fate to walk the fields
Watching insights stalk and grow
—destiny to yield
(Dreamsleep: June, 2022)
Waking every day
finding part of me behind
The loom threadbare and empty
no yarn there left to find
Coming apart in pieces
stitches lose their hem
Expectations falling fast
inching toward the end
Daylight into darkness
bespoken twill in threads
Voices used to mend and fit
silenced, like the dead
Sleeping with the remnants
dreams of memories lost
Desperations patchwork quilt
—blanketing the cost
(Dreamsleep: June, 2022)
An Anthology Of Perception 