deep within the shade
among the leaves and branches
cool comfortable
too lazy to face the heat
lying back and gazing out
the gamelan of rigging
softly tinkling from the docks
filling me with peacefulness
as yachts and sailboats slip past
the entrance to the inlet
and i calmly drift down the
stream of conciousness

all along the fence
small pink roses were blooming
dry oak leaves and twigs
covered the cracked gray asphalt
of the twisted country road
where it turned sharply and passed
the tall narrow old farm house
now covered in blackberries
its broken windows staring
from beneath the thorny veil
front door open and gaping
and the stairs now fallen down
i slowed as i was passing
and thought of all the stories
happy, sad and beautiful
that had been lived within it
this creaking old derelect
now just home to the dry wind
and forgotten dreams

so many wounded
hiding their deformity
they stagger along
ravaged by childhood abuse
lurching through lifetime's journey
from one crisis to the next
lonely and feeling unloved
angry and so full of fear
ashamed and in denial
unable to truly bond
with anyone else