Wednesday, April 16, 2008

you may have thought


maybe you considered that your little girl would grow up
drive a car and talk on her own phone, eat her own food
you would be right.  and she still falls asleep in the back
seat on the way to Humboldt County.  she can't help it.

LPC16AP08

Monday, April 14, 2008

anything! write something! now!



where are we going



comparing his to mine, them to us

orange to blue, yellow to purple

always opposite, up or down, yes

no, where does bipolar make sense

if the arctic ice melts into vast sea


nightstand trivia, or is it

the last thing to see as the light

goes off, and darkness settles

into all corners, unsure until she

lies still, breathing into soft sighs 

watchful, still wondering if all the babies

are in their rightful places, the animals

secure, the birds brought in from the porch

floor swept, leftovers wrapped

was there time to contemplate and gaze


oranges are still on the tree in full bloom

filling an acre with sweet scent below blue

sky filled with swallows and hummingbirds

not sure how the nightstand works here

except that it is the place that holds

space for eyeglasses and beloved books

red bone mala and prayers whispered


comparisons litter mind and landscape

if only this were different and I could whip

out a poem a day and paint a picture

or at least a layer, and there we go

off and running in circles of critisism

self inflicted agony.  stop right there

come back to the nightstand 

small square under the light

place for Madonna and child

my favorite pen and two tall

teetering stacks of books


LPC14AP08

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

piece by piece


things fall apart if they are not checked
daily, or even moment to moment
a shingle can fly off the roof, an insulator
fall from a post, a fly buzz into the kitchen

geraniums are hardy, too stiff to wilt
when dried out the pots fall over, spilling
the dirt onto the shelf and floor, damn cats
a rock in each to help gravity

childhood stories wind around the pear tree
plastic bag tied in knots holds  a huge apple
in place on its branch, defying birds and moon
even the pull of the earth and tides

taking apart the household, piece by piece
ceramic frogs, chicken mugs, silver dollars
Indian head nickles, Roosevelt dimes
dust, boxes of shoes and pictures of us

it's taken a long while to find the courage
to open the corners, drawers and envelopes
"I hate to throw away things people cared about,"
our eldest brother says in the woodshed

each Christmas ornament, weary from holding shape
shedding its color, gathered into plastic bags
stashed out of context and found
brings us closer to an empty house

a silent kitchen without a fire
a greenhouse with no geraniums
an empty house brings us closer
to letting her go

LPC9AP08








Tuesday, April 8, 2008

oriole tango

humming now and then 
knowing that my prayers are heard and answered
the oriole sounds like the percussion instrument
I was given for Chirstmas one year,  it disappeared
too noisy, too ratchety, rr-rrr, rr-rrr, rr-rrrr

looking out my poets' window, over suds and dishes
I see a dance unfold on the branch above the bluebird box 
black tail fanned wide, two steps forward 
two back, he is the color of flames 
she does the same, turns her back
fans her beautiful less than black tail, watching
over her shoulder, two steps forward

they dart away, chasing their dance to heights
far up in the budding maple, the warm colors
blending orange, yellow and sparking white 
maple and birds wildly moving below blue blue
sky, I want to sing their song
dance that aerial dance, wear slick
hot colors and skip the dishes

LPC8AP08

Sunday, April 6, 2008

Luna wagging her tail

putting up with the camera in a good natured sort of way. 

not all poets can control their photo programs?

Can you see the osprey nest?  This nest has been here in the top of that matriarch Redwood for as long as I can remember.  I sure wish I could turn the image right side up.  Dang.



Here is about my favorite picture ever, of my big brother Bob on one of his favorite toys, in my rear-view mirror 'cause we just passed him.  I missed catching him on film when he tipped over in the petunia bed with Cleo and a 12 pack on the back seat.
 
script type="text/javascript" src="http://s44.sitemeter.com/js/counter.js?site=s44larabee">