The quietly glittering suburbs,
run snug in a choired chain,
their mingled meandering lights
follow the curve of the river in vain

hope for a Yearning mouth,
not visible beyond
the fist of clumped spires,
resembling a pocket full
of New York slung
south westward,
on cold dry promises
of gold.

Watching the rhythmic rise and fall
of the breathing,
of the man
that was my Dad.

The family sitting in various positions
of anxiety.
Holding their breath
with each uncoordinated spasm and jerk.

Occasional disjointed speech,
riddles and ramblings.
drifting in and out,
slow, slurred words
struggle to form.

A different breathing pattern
deeper,
peaceful ,
drops back to shallow,
monitored by anxious eyes.

Ice picks of light
scatter goofy dream critters as they
scoot back down
underground
to continue undermining
my precarious reality.

They are cute as hell, figments
of fascination,
shyly appearing only after
day lids are securely shut
and the depth of dark becomes unfathomable.

Harmless little varmints, they seem,
but are voracious, insatiable root eaters
gnawing vigorously at the raw under-pinnings of the official Me.

ART and ARTIFICE

I don’t tell of sunny days ,
and past recollections
of better times fill my heart
with deep longing.
the soul speaks its tragic truths
of loss, pain and suffering.
the heart speaks of broken promises
and failed expectations.
a dying man cries out to humanity
for solace as he walks into the Unknown.
I don’t put flowers on a grave.
they are like meaningless words
that trivialize a tragic event:
pretense is artifice.
truth is art.

At night, the poems
Half formed,
Swirl between worlds,
Beguiling and beckoning.
Singing their songs of mystery
Sirens of the soul.

With morning light,
I will my words
To flow
In a great and glorious crescendo,
Showering the page with their glory.
Forging the link between
Mind and matter.

I can't be there today
to sit beside your grave,
I need to talk to you
its comforts what I crave

I've cried a million tears
as I've walked into forever,
wandering lost and alone
since our bond was severed

I look into the night
to see you walk the stars,
listening to the deep
for messages from afar

I've learned to write in word
my heartache and pain,
until that sacred time
when I'll be with you again

Her chassis sway
can't be duplicated
or deconstructed
or impersonated.

Reverse engineering,
kinesthetics,
or computer modeling
still don't get it.

She owns it,
she knows it,
and uses it to her delight,

knowing damn well it's delighting everyone else too.

I don't know what can I say
when words aren't enough
to pour my heart to you today.

So many quarrels we had
and things left unsaid.
I don't want a pinch of regret
to paint my heart red.

Do you know I'll always love you
even if we disagree?
I hope the best of life for you
for I know you love me.

Do you know I'm thankful to you
for letting me see the world
of vibrant colors, people old and new
how they grow and excel?