Together in the Distance

a
gentle
hum
somewhere
interrupts
the still-
ness
of a
lonely night,
and threatens to
distract me
from my
thoughts
of you.

The Freedom to Live

Her life had overturned, become a sort of hell;
The devil lost her soul, but sought her mind to claim.
Once happy, now ensnared inside a secret cell,
Played by her tormenter as if it were a game.

Eyewitness

My laps for exercise were done,
So I let the water hold me,
Felt the rise and fall as breathing
Filled and emptied out my airways.

Conscience tried in vain to scold me,
For I would not idle linger,
But a moment only savor
All to me the world bequeathing.

Promises for Life

The world is often merciless,
And loved ones dispense hate.
But you, my angel, came to me,
And I became your refugee.

Transitory

As clouds cannot one moment hold their form,
So life moves on through weariness and mirth,
And death is more significant than birth.

Abbreviated Haiku #3

welcome
October
morning

Abbreviated Haiku #2

pale-pink flowers in autumn—
who knew

Abbreviated Haiku #1

excited
chatter above me—
treetop songs

Longing for Solitude

could
i duties
leave

voice
were not
noisy

speed
away to a
quiet

dream
retreat
alone

A Dark Peace

I didn’t mean to be found there
huddled in the corner—
red face and swollen eyes
were to have been protected by
the darkness….

Cheese

Orange, yellow, white
Milk of cow or goat
Made within the mold

I Wish to Be

I wish to be with you tonight—
When evening sky has darkness thrust,
While you and I are still robust;

Sandwich Delight

I love to eat
It is no lie
On wheat or rye

No Truer Friend

To condescend
Is not unkind,

Some People

Some people
come into our lives
and we hardly know
they are there.

The “A” Word

You wore a scarlet letter
At first I could not see

Language of the Heart

Any emotion
may be expressed

Substitute Teacher

A substitute teacher came today
Your absence to fill

Passion and Purity

Passion’s precious gift
Exchanged between you and me

Only in My Dreams

Each evening as the sun goes down
I draw the blinds and pull down the covers

Imagine

If we were not by hands unseen
Unshackled from temerity
Imagine how things might have been

Double Header

The game we started off to play last spring
Seemed innocent enough to me at first.

Be Still

Be still, my soul! Keep silent.
You roaring waves, lie down.

Pretend Wife

A pretend wife am I—
My body belongs to you
But another man claims my soul

Fire and Ice

So cold
yet I burn

Eruption

Who sees the heat that in my core
Has made me burn and boil and sore,

Ain’t No Other Man

Don’t know about tomorrow
Today’s the only day that matters

Included

The things you do
I want to do with you
The places you go
I want to go too