Springtime Maple

The maple stretches far out over the pond,
Though rooted deeply in the nearby hill side
It is telling us, it seems
That it likes to keep its feet wet.
And so it is doing well
Where fate has planted that one glorious seed


Springtime maple at Long Pond
 

From which it sprouted.
-Some others have also prospered
While countless have floundered-
All things not being equal
When wind wills seeds to fly.
 
Today the seeds are just a dream
A plan within the springtime scheme,
The buds will drop and soon go by
As the sun creeps higher in the sky,
From pond to limb to pond once more
As trees can change from rich to poor,
And flow from life to life each day
And on it goes by nature’s way.

 

 

 

Over the Sink

Is it simple or is it complicated?
Just now, leaning in over the sink
While eating toast
Crunchy and crumbly
Simply saving time
(Can that be done?)
Or at least avoiding the effort
Of wiping up
Sweeping up
And washing up
(Such acts of civility)
I’ve been told it’s “a guy thing,”
Although the truth be know
I’ve come to like these cleaning tasks;
They offer a slower pace with sure results,
A simple pause and singular moment
(And with a lesson if you like)
And when they are done
They are done.
So try not to make a mess of it…
 Or at least clean up after yourself
Leave it a little better
For the next “guy.”

 

Be

It’s Mike’s birthday.
The day he began to be.
Mike and I love helping verbs.
The Big 23 begin with the two most important:
Be
And
Am.
We both love the Beatles, as well,
Who sing to us, so wisely,
Let It Be.
Was and were should be used cautiously,
Shall and should, respectfully.
Am is now,
And I have found it a better place
To Be.

 

Leap of Faith

Standing on the lip of the earth
The waves below pulse and pound
Grinding the lava rock
Into green sand.
Every rock tells its story...
These upon the South Point stage.
To the newly arrived, like us
Everything is far away
And out of reach
Antarctica 5000 miles to the south
And the ocean below
By contrast a mere 50 feet.
You say,
“It is like looking through the wrong end
Of binoculars.”

Crazy and foolish?
If you choose to see it that way.
But we know it can be done.
It’s been done before,
A leap of faith,
An expression of joy,
Life affirming, exhilarating,
Bonding and beautiful.
I take your hand in mine,
Come on…”

 

 

The Real Thing

It's the real thing.

I held a goldfinch in my hand,
It was a hopeful spring day,
The seed that he had gambled for
Still held tight in his bill.
I, the man of see-through glass
He, the bird of see-through air...
It was a grave misunderstanding.
I made a cup of love for him with my hands
As he melted away
Like a lump of coconut oil in my palms
He took some of life's sad poisons
With him.
He was the kind king,
The king of the maples.

Fatherhood

You can hold your breath a second longer
Can't you?
You can stand the heat
Bear the brunt
And convert the cold
Into something less chilling…

-There,
A band of little ones
The clay children
Subjects of your artistry
Monstrous muses
Innocent and pure
Free and fragile-

You can take the tedium
The noise and neediness
The fortunes of fatigue
The days and weeks and
Mountains of months,
You are the chosen one
More reliable
You need to be ever so reliable
Responsible
For the unexpected, for
There is no one else
To take your place.