Maya

My guru spoke, saying,

me and mine, you and yours,

illusion.

Told me long ago, we're

all brothers and sisters,

even animals and bugs.

Spider spinning mandalas,

cicada rubbing knees,

worms overturning soil

all relatives.

Me and mine, you and yours,

your tribe, my tribe,

maya.

Not card up your sleeve illusion,

but illusion at its most elusive.

A Dozen Summers

A dozen summers have I loved you,

and a dozen before that,

and a dozen before that,

way back to the summer

when I was a lass and you

were my sun and moon.

And things have not changed,

but add now a sprinkle of stars,

cinnamon of misty mornings,

cayenne of anguish averted,

curry of sage warnings,

tumeric of sultry nights.

Six of one, half dozen of another

would not describe the way I feel.

Give me a dozen more, a dozen

more and then a dozen more again.

*written August 25, 2009 -

five days before our twelfth anniversary

August Evening

Twang of cicadas,

tart apricot moon,

squirrel's screech,

back to school.

Twang of cicadas,

honeyed apricot moon,

squirrel's chuckle.

children up and out.

Glimpses of then and now.

Aesop's Fable

Tried to hold it together

so pot wouldn't crack

maybe overindulged,

maybe enabled.

Wake up call,

got to slow down, no lashing out,

remember tortoise and hare:

"Slow and steady wins the race."

366 Partridge Street

Descending the steps of 366 Partridge,

dandelion spores filled the air,

I walked down Myrtle Street, right onto Quail,

then to Providence.

Albany, a small town, young, old, lean and mean,

all nodded "good day." and Was a good day - 

myrtle wavering, quail cooing, Providence hovering,

time had come to close a chapter. 

I'd shepherded him best I could.

Time to inhale myrtle, atune to quails, thank Providence, 

once more for all my bountiful blessings.

Iris in May

Spring whispers hello

Unfurled indigo,

Spring whispers hello 

Forsythia's yellow.

Spring whispers good day

Magnolias of May,

Spring whispers good day

Dogwood by the bay.

My Bengal Tiger

Fierce, tender, wild and free,

Here you are at sixty-three,

Among the rose and peony,

Here you are at sixty-three.

Tiger eyes with raptured glee,

Here you are at sixty-three,

Majestic kindness, goodness, chi,

Here you are at sixty-three.