healing beyond me

 as a physician, i never healed anyone

my best efforts went to shaping

all around them to help them heal

themselves in God’s arms

this day of remembering

with humble gratitude all

that has been given us, i have yet

again gifted with the laughter 

and caring that heals and bonds

friends and loving family

kitchen on Give Thanks morning

the oven is on low

sweet potatoes, yellow and orange

baking in brown sugar butter

aroma just emerging into the kitchen

anticipating Thanksgiving

smell of the warmth of joy

Ed

a gentleman

having carried two wives

through prolonged and painful

dying, is now quietly succumbing

to infirm age while retaining

his straight back, gentle smile

and stubborn spirit of strength

and giving

it is time for him to move to live nearer

beloved daughter and extended family

but how dearly we will miss him

privileged

 a young stag visited this morning

i did not notice him until he moved

astounding how stealthy

such a large creature can be

if he saw me, he was not impressed

enough to stare me down but came

right up to the porch to check

the bird food tray within ten feet

of me in my nook of an office

what a privilege to live in these foothills

let us know darkness

 let us know darkness

with comforter of stars blanketed

above us muffled in earth mist

before our small faces are turned

with out world toward the sun

let us know darkness of soul

the small, cruel parts of self

we want to deny, for only then

can we face all of who we are

and bring sunlight to our shadow

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humble before nature

given a choice

let’s always to defer to nature

acknowledging our humble place

as we strive to learn

rather than conquer

decision over returning

from ‘daylight saving’

would suit our position

in the universe better

with noon being when the sun

is highest over head

until we learn the true advantages

and disasters of skewing an hour

either way

nature has its own consequences

which we often learn to our sorrow

mri = music rendered inhospitable

mri = music rendered inhospitable

magnetic resonance imaging

must require a percussion band

on steroids to make that much—

i shall say sound rather than noise

in deference to scientific endeavor—

in such a confined space

but it did help to listen closely to

the quality of each sound so the half

hour went by with me being

musically no more understanding

than when i was slid into that machine

in a nutshell

crack open a nutshell

to get at the seed-meat

foreknowledge that nourishment

is to be had that way

needed to be learned

yet we laugh at ‘dumb’ animals

before we take the humbling time

to watch, to study, to learn

there is far more to living beings

‘than is dreamt of’

in our philosophy and our arrogance

retreat from anger

retreat from anger

wait to the count of one hundred

and ten

and then

wait until tomorrow before answering

at times, sleep unravels cause

so the anger can be channeled

at times, the feeling is appropriate

but the response must be moderated

and truth expressed quietly, but firmly

and that cannot be accomplished

if the anger still rules

end justifying

caught in its own war crimes

command center beneath

a children’s hospital where newborns die without electricity to operate

their incubators

these little ones, offspring not of the enemy

but of its own people already

by decision condemned as sacrifice

for world propaganda

such utter devotion to cause

without reverence for human

right to live

is truly terrifying

hungry colors

streaked purple-indigo clouds flung

rude across the struggling dawn’s

as yet undercooked pinks

and mushroom beige yellows

ravenous to devour sunrise

you got it

wandering, wondering

wishing i understood

laughing, unknowing

merely embarrassed

at my own incompetence

nothing is funny

in this state of confusion

no control over what the clues

tell will be, but i cannot read

i feel so alone

no longer able to bluff

or giggle fetchingly

so ma or pa will come rescue

wanting to show i am a grownup

though i know i am not

a tiny voice laughs: now you know

this is adulthood, friend

service

servitude, bondage, subjugation

a mat to be walked upon

but to serve is something else

to give freely of yourself

to help others

to prepare and serve a meal

to teach so that others may grow fully

to minister to needs so others may heal

to maintain a healthy environment

to protect others, many of whom

would be defenseless without

your giving of yourself

thus to serve is to provide a noble gift

which will not always be seen

for what it is, but will be cherished

by those with insight and understanding

haiku

richer by far with

brother, daughter on lunch break

amid fall colors

cloud screens

cloud screens

clouds gather to gossip

wisp-disperse to pass on notes

collect again shaped as news

art screens of horse in gallop

elm trees, sailing ships or seals

or as my kindergarten son informed me

“Look, Mom, there’s a man.

See his eyes and his chin

and there, under his nose

there’s his mustard.”

Pastor David

a gentleness of spirit

warm and giving despite disappointment

fighting spirit without violence

but with love and generosity

he draws my admiration

every Sunday with his sermon

and his supportive smile

daylight saving

 restless fog seeps between the pines

caresses blades of grass with silver

clings to windows, peering in

at humans’ clocks, wondering

at the foolishness of ‘daily savings’

when Sol burns on at a star’s pace

regardless

“You forgot me”

hiking in the woods as family

father tried to swing

his toddler daughter up

around a steep, muddy spot

but hands slipped apart

she tumbled unhurt to the bottom

whimpering, “You forgot me”

portend of his leaving without

recognition of her later attempts

at reconciliation

juggle

 medicines counter one problem

and cause two others

speed up slow heartrate

but release migraines from captivation

and disturb balance

a balancing act of trial and error

and occasional equilibrium.

chill fog

 chill fog writhing to envelope

warmth and golden sun in gray

cooling the marrow of our bones

as though to sap our will

or to command us to be still

and dig more deeply

into the rich mystery and joy

of being alive