I begin anew
I begin with you

You are my isthmus
You are my tombolo

You connect me
You ground me

To this place
To this duration

One heart
One love

THE PLEASURE OF

the pleasure
of your mind
we are in good company
just two of a kind
alike, alike, this camaraderie
we share
has brought us closer than
anything else-mind over matter
words as knowledge-
so there-spread the word
up to you-draw
your own conclusions

by Michael Perry

I met her
as a child

and fell in love

she was so
tall and bright

she lit the world
and helped me see

and I knew
the sunflower

loved me back

she saw the
brightness

I buried
in my soul

I may not
smile as much

today as I
did then

but I
know the

sunflower still
loves me

she knows

in a way that
is not normal

she devours
everything

she is not
gluttonous

most of it
is useless

so as she
processes

she discards them

and only keeps
what she needs

to create
her own

universe
that she

shares with
others in

the most
creative ways

The Lonely Man’s grave
at the bottom of the hill,
“pushing up Daisies.”