Great Tree

Timber,

that something so great would tumble so fast.
We felt the disturbance; 

it shook us inside out, like a rumble of thunder

but it wasn't thunder, there hadn't been lightening,

though the rain was falling.  Only a light nudge of wind

pushed gently on the tree and it was all over.

The darkness of the depths of ancient roots and stale pale water

that never meant to be exposed

were exposed 

in the same sharp second

when the highest branches of the widened old tree met earth.

What made the tree great was that it had grown

for more years than we could count rings,

all through the seasons and extremities of weather. 

Small creatures

made homes and ran amuck, never questioning their security

as they hid in branches once indistinguishable
 from the bottom of heaven.

Camoflauge Girl

Right there in plain sight she is hiding

and I will not tell her apart.

Her camoflage smile 

covers secrets the while 

of which come from a wild beating heart.

Oh what did you see in the meadow

and what of the valley below

made you run from the tops

of rivers and rocks 

through mountains of white blinding snow?

There are plants that will burst forth in the springtime

when sun melts their blanket of white

til then, rest your head,

I'll protect you instead.

(She is hiding right there in plain sight)

The thing about Spring

The slabs of the fence are usually light brown, but today

they look gray from the rain.  

"Your father is dying," she says, matter of fact, but

she's been saying that for years.  

"Oh but this time,"

This time?

(Well, what happens this time?)

"Just make sure you tell him."

Ok. 

(Wait, what?  Tell him what?  Was I going to say something?)

The thing about Spring is that it was supposed to stop raining on Monday.

I didn't want it to go unnoticed, so I sat outside

watching for rainbows that did not appear.

Now two days later, it's raining again. 

 I am never prepared.

If today is the last day of rain, then-

goodbye.

Hot weather approaches

"Are you ready?"

(No.  Never.)

I can't stand the heat.  But this year I itch 

at the thought of summer's end

for the next time it rains,

He will be gone.

Re broken

Oh long and lonely lasting way we're made-

in sunshine, rain, and long in shadow's shade;

I'm thinking about the broken way

we're made.

Were you of plastic, you could last

unshattered

if lasting looking clear was all 

that mattered.

I"m more like glass; I still speak sharply, 

sometimes.

My bottle tipped and out poured salt

and grapevines.

The purple stains were wine?  Or juice?  Or water?

Salt water with a tinge of blood?

(cold, hotter)

I'm thinking about the broken way we're made, 

then broken, 

then re broken, 

then remade.

Keep A Dog

Keep a dog
on a leash
in the yard
near the fence
let him run
just as far
as your mailman
won't get bitten
let him bark
just as loud
as your neighbor
will not sue