A Father’s Goodbye

I am your father

I’ve always been here

You are my daughter

You are my son

 

I’ve never wavered

I’ve never questioned

You have been foremost

By far number one

 

But now I feel distant

Now I feel lonely

An inconvenience

Who no longer belongs

 

And soon I’ll be vacant

Gone to my maker

You both left to wonder

— the right and the wrong

 

(To Aging Parents Everywhere: April, 2026)

New Thunder

A troubadour wanders

through star laden space

Absorbing new light

from destiny’s face

 

The truest reflection

opaque at the heart

Intrepid attacking

repelling the dark

 

As hope and a memory

marry within

Strings of eternity

tune on the wind 

 

Where off in a storm cloud

the Jester forays

And wrapped in new thunder

— a violin plays

 

(To Scarlet: April, 2026)

Reason Kneels

Is it logic

Is it impulse

Is it neither

Or then both

 

Is it Descartes

Is it Hegel

Is it Kantian

In our hope

 

Will we whisper

Will we dictate

Will we prejudge

Most devout

 

Will we wonder

Will we question

Will we pander

Into doubt

 

In the morning

In the noontide

In the twilight

Of our youth

 

Reason saunters

Reason flounders

Reason kneels

— before the truth

 

(Dreamsleep: March, 2026)

Stepping Stones

The devil

is a

dancer

In the

cabaret

of fire

 

His steps

are most

alluring

His eyes

beget

desire

 

He twirls

amongst

the partners

Disguised

but known

to all

 

And making

his

selection

A child

of Adam

— falls

 

**

 

Never let

reality

— obfuscate truth

 

Never let

the legend

— be tarnished by proof

 

Never let

the facts

— carry the day

 

Never let

the magic

— get reasoned away

 

**

 

 

Staying close

to the moment

the world made sense

 

In touch

with his feelings …

tomorrow’s paid rent

 

Alone

with his questions

the answers collide

 

Breaking through

the unconscious

— forever alive

 

**

 

You can never tell

unless you show it first

What the eyes will see

— the mind will free

 

**

 

Colors drip down

but never up

Gravity’s palette

— rainbows to touch

 

**

 

 

Looking for a

socket

to plug in tomorrow

 

Looking for a

conduit

to exit today

 

Looking in a

mirror

reflecting my future

 

Looking until

breathing

— each word that I say

 

**

Hidden

in caverns

the words

rising forth

 

Each droplet

a treasure

in ladles

to pour

 

Through whirlwinds

of drought
and twisters

ordained

 

The wellspring

indulgent

to fill

— and sustain

 

**

 

 

 

There are no

accidents

though some

would explain

 

Cause

or causation

each hair splitting

phrase

 

What is

and what isn’t

their images

born

 

Unconsciously

conscious

in matter

— and form

 

**

 

 

The art of looking

grows slowly …

Tall oaks in

the wind

 

The bison in

Winter …

His warmth

from within

 

The art of seeing

takes longer …

with each passing

glance

 

Reforming

the picture …

you once left

askant

 

**

 

In the distance

pirates chase

like devils

on the wind

 

Tonight’s horizon

morning brings

 what destiny

— portends

 

**

 

Metaphor

only thrives and grows

forever

on the vine

 

Simile

lies a

rotting fruit

— bereft among the rinds

 

**

 

 

Saturday Threesome

Forever To Hide

 

You’ll never escape

 a bad memory

when it’s buried deep inside

 

It’s hard to run away

from the ‘stalker’

in dark moments that reside

 

Within to keep you captive

your soul

indentured and restrained

 

Forever to hide

from what lives to prey

— on what you cannot change

 

(Dreamsleep: March, 2026)

 

 

Though Tattered And Torn

 

Many salute

before the flag

some will turn their backs

Many will bleed

to keep it flying

some let it go slack

Many fight …

Old Glory tattered

some avoid the fray

Many will die

within its folds

some — their hearts betray

 

(Martha Browns Woods: March, 2026)

 

A Darkened Sprit

 

With Satan’s

vow

He damned

his soul

Denying

God

His fate

ran cold

 

Blessings

offered

Turned

away

A darkened

spirit

His will

— conveyed

 

(Dreamsleep: March, 2026)