Overnight case given
To me
And i don't
Even travel
Where have you
Been.
Traces of perfume
Or sweet smelling
Talc
Still linger on
Perhaps with memories
Pleasant or sad
Maybe a combination
Of both
Sun can't take the
Smell.away
Perhaps the smell
Is meant to stay
For reminders of
What may come

See you on the street
Hauling that battered bag
Around
Matching your pants
And top
Bleeding toes poking
Out of hole made
Shoes
What are you carrying
Crusts of bread from
Yesterday's trash
Could I bring you
A clean bag
With clean shirt
And pants
New shoes to
Walk in
What can I do
To lighten your
Load
And just not go
By
And say Tssskkk

What's in your wallet
Loose coins
Wadded receipts
Crumpled dollars
Cards for id
And health
Pictures for sharing
What's in your heart
Loose feelings
Receipts for friendship
Wadded regrets
Crumpled heartbreak
Pictures of family
Rooted deep within
Is there love and forgiveness
Warmth or cold
What's in your heart

Day not starting
Off to well
Hit my toe
On the bed
Put the wrong
Tea bag in
Who starts off
Morning with red
Herbal tea
When I can have
Black tea with milk
Fixes from yesterday
Need fixing today
And don't have
Right material
Afraid to walk
Fear I might fall
Over crack in walk
Forget the toe
I can ice up
My red tea can
Be my second cup
If I don't finish today
I have tomorrow
And if I don't
Have tomorrow
At least I
Had today
So I better get
My jacket
And head out
The door

Night time is near
Chasing the sunlight
Away
Birds in their nests
Geese flying high
Children heading home
Stores getting ready
To close
Street lights on
Noise a bit
Lighter
And for me
I'm just a settlin

You said you wanted
To set the world
On fire
But couldn't light
The flame
Wanted to a be a
Gold medalist
But couldn't a
Record set
Tried  to be soldier
A gun you could
Not shoot
As for a doctor
You couldn't pass
The test
You.wanted to
Leave your legacy
Behind
But couldn't fit
Right in
A pen you.
Picked up
With tears in
Your eyes
Writing what a
Failure you'd been
Then a poem
Birthed forth
And you read
What you wrote
A famous poet
You then became
Leaving your
Legacy behind

Big leaves small leaves
Even the babiest
Of leaves
Lay crumpled on
The ground
Reminding me it's
Time for change
Throughout and within
Leaves scattered
All around
Like thoughts
Within my soul
Full of decay
Needing to die

Oh to be
Young again
Make silly jokes
And laugh
Out loud
Giggle till your
Belly hurts
Have no shame
In falling down
Just bounce
Right up
Oh to be
A teen again
Play silly jokes
And laugh
Too loud
Giggle till your
Belly hurts
Have some shame
In falling down
Just jump
Right up
Oh to be
Old again
Tell funny jokes
And laugh
Out loud
Gaggle till your
Big belly hurts
Have some shame
In falling down
Just hoping
To get up

Just when I thought
The day was ending
And I could
Put my mind
To rest
A word or two
Now became three
Just enough to get
Me to start thinking
How those words
Could work
A happy here
A sad there
Bright colors
Splattering words
People and places
Animals and stars
A grocery list
Of topics
Waiting to be born
But for now
Day is done
Day is done

Moon beaming through
My window
Waking me up
From the darkness
And into her snowy
Light
Nightmares disappear
As the brilliance of
Light
Dances upon the shadows
Stars a blinking
And a winking
Sending kisses goodnight

You are just a crook
And you have stolen her heart
She's  locked up with you

The wordsjust flowed
From your mouth
Like a poet's
Dream
And a song of
Bird
Words too strong
To bury inside
A seed to plant
And let it grow
Whatever happens
It just can't die
Take time to
Think it through
No one can create it
But you
You alone have the flow
So with deep thoughts
Let it go
Out into the
Atmosphere
Where you wait
No more

Just put the pen down
The pad of paper will stay
Now just go to sleep
Rest your weary eyes
Put your racing thoughts to sleep
And wake up refreshed

Words racing through
My cluttered mind
Past moons of light
And galaxies of stars
Oceans crashing by
Songs sung before
Grasses dancing
In the breeze
Cats crawling softly
Between my legs
Dogs with their
Head in my lap
Words playing cat
And mouse
My eyes growing
Weary
My thoughts
Caving in
Just one more
Verse before
I tuck in

Thought I was ready
To face the day
With her aches and pains
And her bouquet
Of surprises
For Nature's kisses
And long lost tears
Joy at each moment
Every step of the way
To enlighten me
Or hurdles to cross
And move on
And letting go
Not ready yet
Where's my cover

Oh these covid dreams
Awaking me from my sleep
Oh what a nightmare

Oh to soar
Freely in the sky
Not holding back
Or carrying a load
Just free
Not worrying what
Others might think
Feeling the breeze
Enjoying life
Begging for more

One crumpled paper
After another
Balled into the trash
How many words
Have been wasted
And how many trees
Cut down
Would it be easier
To build a fire
And set the words
Aflame
Or let the words
Disintegrate into the
Night air
Or not begin
At all

Stench of decayingwords
Piled deep within me
Repulsing my soul
Burning a hole
In my heart
Waiting to be released
Nothing emerges
Tears of long ago
Have driven away
The desire to let go
Only ashes remain

surely a poem
Out of this walk
Where the sun.breathed
Upon.me
A gentle.breeze
Whispering upon
My back
Grasshoppers in numbers
Dancing on the grass
So many butterflies
More then I've seen
All year.
Yellows and oranges
Splashing a kaleidoscope
Of colors before me
A hawk showing off
Its'freedom making
Crazy eights in the air
And a turtle in the middle
Of the walk peeking out
Of it's shell
The diamond colored lake
In her stillness
What a beautiful day
To be alive
For this iam
Eternally thankful

Yesterday.i went into
The darkened room
To write with words
Today I come out
Into a lighted room
With a poem

Words are forming
From scattered sentences
Of life
Out from the nether world
And into the arena
Of life
Words on display to
Choose from
Happy words sad words
Break the heart in half words
Words to whisper
Words to shout
Words that should have
Been said
Perhaps some I've heard
Should not
Words can be put to Life
To create or destroy
Words are a powerful thing
Must be put together
Wisely

How is it possible
To catch every
Beam from the
Moon
Every ray from the
Sun
Every pebble from the
Sand
Every blade of grass
To walk upon
How can.i count each star
And make them add up
To You
Darkness is coming
The sun has quit shining
While the moon is  a winking
The sparkling pebbles in
The sand wait for morning sun
And grass waits for morning dew
To freshen up
And you my Creator
Stay with me day and night

Meant to throw away
Now there's mold
All around
Reminding me I still
Have pieces of you
To give away
Your folded cap and shirt
Ready to kiss and say
Goodbye
Your coke shirt with a
Handkerchief  tucked deep
Inside
For the ladies to cry on
Although it's been a while
I can't give away your
Pencil or paper
You used to write your
Stories on
Perhaps you can
Whisper a joke to me
A prank to play
And that I can
Keep forever

Fall
A time to contemplate
Store memories of
Summers '
Golden sunsets ready
To thaw the pain
Of Winter's chill
Spring a new
Beginning
Hope is in the air
Ready to repeat
Its cycle

There you sit
Paper and pen.
In hand
Ready to write
For you so much easier
Then talking to a
Human being
How come you can't
Verbalize
What you so eloquently
Put on paper

Just stepped in
A glob of mud
Leaving my grey shoes
Brown
Stepped in
A teachers lounge
Leaving my sad heart
Warm with sun
Stepped into Church
With an open heart
Leaving with an
Imprint of love
Walked into.a
Grocery store
Leaving a masked
Goodbye
Hope when  I leave
This world
I'll leave. God's
Love behind

so much happens
When designing
Apoem
How much love laughter
Pain sorrow
Has been experienced
What one has seen
And experienced
And gathered in
The process
Stories told
Others made up
Poetry is Life
All around
Forming in and
Out of the womb
Man and animal
Sea and sky
Poetry is a thank you
For gathering up Life
And putting into words

My spirit like the
Morning sky
Can change at
Any moment
Stormy clouds ahead
Questioning what's within
Foggy skies bleak skies
What's happening now
Sunny skies warm skies
Putting at ease
Wandering thoughts
Soft breezes gently
Flowing by
Whispering softly
It will be alright

Most times we write
What we know about
That's a safe way
It takes courage
To pen about
What we don't know
About
But only surmise
Words come from deep within
Taunting us
Playing with our emotions
Forcing us to release
What's inside
Lest we explode

My  chameleon friend
What are you like today
Icy blue like your blouse
Red hot temper
Like your hair
Green with envy
Yellow like a chicken
Afraid to try something
New today
Warm shades of blue
Matching your eyes
Ready to share
Your dreams
Oranges of laughter
Or black shades
Of sorrow
Give me a hint
So I can come
Prepared
My fair weathered
Friend

Am i wrong to like
The crashing sounds
Of helmets met
Knowing inside the
Squishing of brain cells
Collide perhaps
Forever
The pileup of body
Atop of body
One on.bottom
With well over
A hundred pounds
Coming from above
Cracked ribs concussions
Knees in pain
Are you ready
For some football

Words go flying by
Quickly grab or
Into the atmosphere
They will flow
Catch a falling star
It will tear a hole
In your pocket
Save your words
For a rainy day
Here goes Jupiter
There goes Mars
Words can weave
A story a song
A dream
So goodnite irene
Goodnite

Crying the night away
Not waiting for dawn
Tears sustaining me
Feeding upon my sadness
Hopelessness written
Throughout my.being
Death where is
Your sting
Anger at was and
Is to come
What could and
Should have been
Perhaps there is
A solution
Hello poetry
Goodbye  blues

Rock a bye
Rock a bye
Words go here
Words go there
When the wind blows
Words go everywhere
When the bough breaks
What's a bough
Words will fall
Down on paper
After all

Words spinning round
The galaxy in
My head
The Big Dipper
Ready to scoop up
Errors in the
Making
Planets join in company
The moon lighting
Its way
And stars
Are dancing
How much does
The Milky Weigh
Is there a
Black Hole
To hide these
All in
Star light
Star bright

Deep within
Dèep without
My words are
Leaking all about
Can't wipe them up
They are scattered
All over
Waiting to be
Magically pieced
Together

Once upon a time
A fairy tale was born
A prince who would
Be king
A princess to
Be queen
A slipper turned
To glass
Left on the step
For a prince to
Find its rightful
Owner
Golden spun hair
Leaning out the tower
Waiting
For a prince
To climb
Blood covered lips
For aprince to
Kiss and wake up
All ride off to
The sunset
To live happily
Ever after
Do they
Only we can decide
What really
Happens

Just walk all over me
Leaving your *****
Footprints behind
For me to clean up
Breaking my heart
And scattering the
Pieces all around
For me to pick
Up after
Tearing me apart
Piece by piece
Till only crumbs
Of humanity
Are left
Too broken to
Even piece together
All the kings horses
And all the kingsmen

feel like the dog
Who chewed his
Master's shoe
Needing a place
To hide
Or  Jack the
Giant Killer hiding
From the Giant
Or A big tree
To keep me hid
In Hiding Go Seek
A car to hide behind
So no one sees me
A branch to climb
No one can
Reach me
I just need
To hide
Where no one
Can find me
Cuz i just
Want to be
Left Alone

Sun shining through
Droplets of morning dew
On Autumn's leaf
Reminding me what
Season I'm in
Colors shining in and
Without my being
Vibrant oranges for
Happiness past
And yet to come
Brilliant yellows for
Warm memories
Long ago
And more to come
Blended leaves for
Joy and pain
And still will come
Autumn a season
For change
Within
     And
        .......Without

Ahhh it's that
Time again
Run my mouth
Run my words
Better the running
Of words
Then the mouth
Words when written
Are honey on
The tongue

'

Masked children running
To catch the bus
Watching out for
Cracked sidewalks
Can children hear greeting
From masked rider
Teachers near desks
Plastic headgear on tight
Laughtet from children
Muffled by mask
Footsteps softer as
Distance is kept
Will it ever
Be the same
Or is this
The new normal

Smiles dance upon
The  lake
Tiny bubbles happily
Glue together
Squirrels collecting nuts
For colder days
Ahead
Birds flying overhead
Enjoying the sky above
Runners with warm
Hoods on
Dogs leading their
Owners
And I just enjoying
Another masked day
In the park

we are a Covid people
Masked up
Keep our distance
People
Fearing what's next
Expecting the worst
People
Helping out giving out
People
Prayerful meditative
Non praying
People
Church going stay at homers
Watch preaching on tv
People
We are a people
Who want to remove
Our  masks
And be able
To breathe
Again

My eyes are closing
Yet my mind
Is wide awake
How I long
For sleep
But words are
Tossing around
And ready to
Recycle
If i piece my words
Together
Can i hang them
Out to expose
Or should I fold
Them neatly away

Oh to stop
These thoughts
Rushing through
My sleepy mind
If they could
Just halt
For the time-being
Picking up where
They left off
Surely tomorrow
Can gather up
The pieces

Night is drawing
To a close
Still can't let go
Of thoughts so
Deep
Making me explode
Within
Trying not to let
Anything surface
Let sleeping dogs
Lay

Words tossing around
In my mind
Like leaves scattering
In Autumn's whirlwind

Thoughts switching
Off and on
From darkness to light
Light to dark
Stumbling to grab
Paper and pen
Before the words
Disappear
Into an  empty heart