take off

just after midnight

my alarm jangles to rise

to take family to the airport

for a trip to the east coast

they love to travel and i wish

them well as long as they are able

my stars

so pretty, the brilliance hovering

above the town in the valley

so sad, the light pollution hovering

over the town in the valley

blue-purple

mauve bruising to thunderhead

as gold edges blue-purple clouds

sunset promise of anguish

to be faced in lone darkness

anger to be mellowed by night’s quiet

battle for peace

courage to be summoned to face

a rather-not reality and fears

i will admit to sadness and strip

delusion of control

“i” remain, depleted though i am

i will give what i can and keep

what i need to

dawn will come again with warmth

to swell the sight and smell of purple plums

if only Leonid

memory of riding in the bed

of battered pickup out  of the Maine

woods to a sloped field to gather

bundled against the cold to watch

Leonids slap dash across the night sky

if only Oregon would yield its

November mist and fog for the annual

streak show