Quietly sipping his steeped motivation, peeling away the fog of another fitful night, somberly grateful for the peace of morning, thoughts begin to un-blend. They gather into a palette of emotions, the colors of mood — moods he recognizes too well. The dark ebony of anger, the shades of pain’s purple. Here is the violet of regret, and the sorrowful blues. But here too, peaceful greens, golden joy, laughter’s bright amber, love’s deep ruby red, and the scarlet of passion!
As he muses, reflections on his mortality creep in, unwelcomed. His failing eyesight shoulders in coldly. He curses his fate, struggling beneath the weight of uncertainty — of heavy emotions.
Reaching to his iPad, midst dawn’s saffrons and corals, he begins typing deep indigo. “I fear the death of light, loss of colors, if it went grey. Where can we find light in this never-ending shade?”
Like drizzled honey
the sun through the treetops
paints the tall conifers
that embrace our meadow
in golden warmth
in that moment
my thoughts drift to you
and the tall ships in Beaufort Harbor
their massive sails aglow
painted in sunset shadows
their masts and riggings
set in fired relief
you had commented how the patterns
reminded you
of abstract charcoal sketches
the artist in you
always interpreting your world
this day
sunshine makes radiant your gentle face
your green eyes sparkle
I reflect back once more
to seeing you squinting in those rays
of that past North Carolina evening
your smile
had shone brighter than the sun
I remember staring
captivated
watching your eyes dance
among the docks and ships
in that beautiful little harbor
that unfolded like a still life before us
mesmerized
I had watched your lips
sculpting your words
in gentle excitement
you’d said yes
accepting the engagement ring
I offered you
there by the tall ships
I had wished that moment
would last forever
knowing that it would not
could not
it was a singular precious moment
anchored forever in time
here now
on this anniversary evening
my thoughts amble sweetly
back through time
I find a joyful peace
lying here with you
in the cuddled light
of this sunset-drenched meadow
my heart adrift
long ago
in the deep harbors
of my memories
After your leaving footsteps long were silent
after the open front door caught no goodbye
after your front porch shadow faded away
after all our hope just imploded
after all our joy became a memory
after penetrating sadness collected day upon day
after the promises echoed hollow
after the dreams blurred to empty grey
after our days of passion had become the past
after the taste of regret grew ever bitter
after the loneliness mercilessly mounted
after sands in the glass spilled away to the last
what was once love’s rich blaze
had burned through the fodder
sadly all that remains is ash and char
our vision was most beautiful
our intention honest and real
its brightness so intense it burned out like a star
I did not know your leaving would set my soul ajar
I did not know your gone would be so final and far
I did not know love could become a haunting quiet
I did not know how deeply this silence would scar
Once my truth was my only guide
a rigid compass of steadfast pride
my wisdom I wielded like a spear
to vanquish doubt — settle my fear
in every debate I sought to prove
that my rightness surely would move
your beating heart to my love train
fallacies squelched — truth maintained
to prove correct was my ironclad creed
the flawless path for our love to succeed
now I see my flaw in final glance
the hollow triumph of circumstance
my being right did break our bond
a bridge destroyed – a faith undone
the truth is cold — barren of care
its sharp precision a lethal rapier
to listen — to feel — truly connect
outweighs the pride of being correct
my insistent being right proved my fallacy
your tender heart broken — ironclad shut to me
The fog rolled ‘cross the lowlands, a smothering damp and languid chill, dense with dread. Twilight having receded, moonlight labored hard, shouldering its way through the thickening shroud.
The gnarled shape of leaf-dead trees, with their spindly spiked branches, thrust skyward, knobbed and twisted. Their trunks bending and swaying menacingly.
Muffled deep within the gloom of the grove, a wind throbbed, like a drone of seeming voices, in dark entangled disembodied chant. This night memories rose. Memories of glory, memories of wealth, memories of conquests, lustful memories of sensuous willing lovers. These are memories of powerful magic.
left here with the trees
stolen from your ancestors
this night — take them back
The great wheel of time
rises up through fog of history
midst missed-moments meadow
silhouetted by grey of mystery
this great wheel of time
turns ever slow and steadily
its fluid mass unstoppable
it revolves onward mightily
outlives the mortal mountain
bears the burden of potentially
sees ages and civilizations
borne and razed eventually
our frail lifetimes ride this wheel
how far — is not for us to see
with faith and fate, ’round we go
orbiting bold toward our destiny
as ever fragile temporal beings
of a most truly amazing bravery
we choose to dream of a tomorrow
for which there is no guarantee
though circling toward this future
of veiled and vague contingency
still, on we whirl — and dare to love
despite this vast uncertainty enjoying the amazing mind-blowing ride
the sensations the emotions the mystery
I
want to
do my best
make an effort
to make no mistakes
counting the syllables
making sure I’m accurate
because I want this to be right
something I can truly be proud of
for today as well as for the future
so now
that’s done
OH
you are
my true love
my reason why
my morning sunrise
my brightly shining star
it’s in you I found my truth
you are the one guiding my heart
sparking my purpose to move forward
in you I have discovered life’s meaning
thank you
my always
Rags-ole-iron, he called out loudly rags-ole-iron, rolling down our road
collecting scraps of post World War II
gathered this’n’that in a recycled load
he had a slow n’steady way about him
from where he came — I never knew
he always seemed to me quite magical
a TV enchantment that had come true
he was such a mystery to this young boy
tattered mad-hatted wizard from the past
I’d hear his call echo between the houses
I’d rush to watch Freddie Freeloader pass
his horse clippity-clopped along the pavement
his bulged bounty clicked n’clacked n’clattered
he walked out of my TV then into my memory
always knew Fred’s mys’try mission mattered
time-to-time he still passes by in my memory
rumbling down that misty street of long ago
was it Mr. Freeloader who’d shuffled by me… that boy from ‘52 prefers to imagine it was so
Red Skelton’s iconic 1952 B&W TV character, Freddie Freeloader
Got the turkey on the table
we’ll eat as much as we’re able
and sautéed green beans — man oh man
stuffing is a really big hit
sweet corn – can’t get enough of it
mashed taters made the dinner plan
we’ll wrap it up with punkin’ pie
rich whipped cream piled high as the sky
food porn with good wine — such a fan!
Rags-ole-iron, he called out loudly rags-ole-iron, his cart rolled our road
collecting scraps of post World War II
gathered in a this’n’that recycled load
he had a slow n’steady way about him
from where he came — I never knew
he always seemed quite magical to me
like some enchantment had come true
he was such a mystery to this young boy
tattered mad-hatted wizard from the past
I’d hear his call echo between the houses
I’d rush wonder-filled to watch him pass
his wheels rumbled quietly on the pavement
his piled bounty clicked n’clacked n’clattered
he came out of a dream then into a memory
somehow I felt his regal purpose mattered
time-to-time he still passes in that memory
rumbling down that misty street of long ago
where he came from and to where he went
truly a magical mystery I care never t’know
The dual suns
still above the horizon
warm me as I journey
casting the strange landscape
into stark vivid presence
planet Terrius
its orange suns
and black sky
make this alien world
startling
yet fascinating
I embarked at solar midday
senses alive and alert
consumed by the thrill of exploration
heady with anticipation of discovery
given the physical evidence
present on the planet’s surface
of seeming ordered thinking
I had set out today believing
or certainly hoping
I might make first Terrian contact
but it is day’s end
the suns are setting
darkness spreads
over this severe terrain
void of color
early shadows fall across my face
a veiled foreboding settles upon me
there are many shadows here
other shadows
odd shadows
unfamiliar
disturbing specters
that disrupt my nights
disquiet my soul
steal my peace
they come unannounced
almost imperceptible
but no time for worry
there is still far to go
I am eager to move
drawn by the need
to reach my ship
to reach safety
yet here I stand
momentarily motionless
immobile with uncertainty
yet captivated
captivated by the haunting beauty
that is this planet’s rising moon
