The only child
but favorite
of two ‘outlaws’
mare and stud
He bucked each
gelded moment
on their wild ride
of love
Until that day
he up and left
their branding iron
of pain
To wander high
and lonesome
mongst the free
and tumbling sage
In search of one
last bronc to mount
that one last
horn to make
And spur the wreckage
of his youth
as Angels
— pull the Gate
(Pendleton Round-Up: June, 1993
Elko Nevada: Cowboy Poetry Reading: January, 1994)
“No Man Is An Island”
but that was before smart phones
To text and to tweet
technology’s drones
With ear buds in place
these Stepford’s march on
Virtually connecting
— to what’s already gone
(University of Pennsylvania: June, 2025)
Built on envy
and city lights
The vagrant actor
alone at night
In hidden alleys
with tinsel thorns
On celluloid
new lies are born
A big screen promise
of broken dreams
The waitress car hop
on Wilshire scheme
Drugged on stardom
with toxic friends
What footlight’s start
— the darkness ends
(The New Room: June, 2025)
The staff of my Father enjoining the past
futurity’s herding a bleating morass
The bloodline of orphans forever is linked
tattooing the flock with invisible ink
The first time the last time when nearing the end
tomorrow’s ungifted excuses portend
And times better nature is better untimed
beginning and ending forever conjoined
Eternity’s fenceposts hem in with disdain
all future inclemency fire and rain
But just as that last final sheep stays unsold
— my Father returns to re-shepherd the fold
(Dreamsleep: June, 2025)
It’s great
that they read us
a joy
when they say
“I loved your
last poem
the best one
today”
We post
and we thank them
for all
that they give
Refilling
our pens
with more reasons
— to live
(Dreamsleep: June, 2025)
The psychic tattoo
of paternity
darker than
fate’s blackest ink
The guilted knife
of maternity
cutting you
near to the brink
A prodigy alone
in the shadows
offspring of
scorn and disdain
Begging for love
and acceptance
from parents
— called heartache and pain
(Dreamsleep: June, 2025)
I said
what I had
to say
And did
what I had
to do
While asking
no one
to care
And seeking
nothing
from you
I went
where I had
to go
And saw
what I had
to see
To get
where I had
to get
And be
what I had
— to be
(Bryn Mawr College: June, 2025)
A Hall of Mirrors
ill conceived
With dark reflections
to deceive
From front or back
and side to side
Each look impounds
what time proscribes
Were you looking in
or looking out
When Alice voiced
her final shout
A dozen clonings
a thousand views
The glass your jailer
— in silver hues
(Dreamsleep: June, 2025)
Expressions
of spirit
the music
plays on
Beyond any
verbiage
or words
come and gone
At high
elevations
each note
takes you up
To reach
into heaven
where feelings
conduct
As harp
strumming Angels
with harmony
strong
Play chords
of acceptance
to guide
— you along
(1st Book Of Prayers: June, 2025)
Joy
cannot last
Few moments
contain
The unbridled
feeling
Euphoria
claims
Joy
but a transient
It comes
and it goes
Resetting
our wishes
To bask
— in its glow
(Dreamsleep: June, 2025)
An Anthology Of Perception 