Heavy Hearted Son

i agree with him
maybe this is best
fast, like a band-aid
but i see sad eyes
oh to cradle, rock
kiss soft red hair
promise happiness
wrap him up tight
but it is her arms
he is missing
not mine

Pavlov’s Pawn

a sensory explosion
happens in my nose
(ivan disagrees,
salivary gland)
making mouth water
at the slightest turn
(he thinks a bell
might work too)
first it was curious
now uninvited
how do i explain
(psychic secretion?)
the tart of a lemon
a table away
as i watch eyes
widen with curiosity
(nobel prize already won)
a sneeze and request
to move it further
i think it is a condition
not a reflex

Band of Two

song rolled forth like thunder
grins flashed lightning strikes
air guitar hitting every chord
strumming to the frantic beat
before taking a rock star leap
to crowdless sea of laughter
caught both as sweet refrain
tossing to ottoman for encore
followed by bedtime farewells

Clouds Parting

blessed the sun
at every angle
even when hid
behind cloud
shining on water
varied shores
warming faces
of the unknown
reminding me
that we share
heat and pulse
in varied beats
creating space
offer heart as
empty vessel
making others
our souvenir

Sixth Sense

dragon quest moves
along these streets
cloaked gray mist
to a marble bar

where flower can bloom
beneath boiling water
ailments healed by
chrysanthemum

words drift to open ear
anxious discovery
of the veiled lair
passage home

Tear to Cheek

flying in
over open sea
water
falling from sky
drifting out
infinite scape
spilling from spirit
no sense of time
just circumstance
moisture
on desert scape
tear to cheek

Cracker Jack

box me up like cracker jacks
popped, exposed, lightly coated
with a sweetness that lingers
sprinkle me with nuttiness
then dig around awhile
you might just find a prize
something endearing
worth keeping in your pocket
taking along on adventures
maybe we could be a
double pack

Family Baton

what a joy
to relive the past
without the ghosts
catching the scent
of past meals then
tasting them from
new hands of
next generation

sneaking into
a quiet corner
watching laughter
chase shadows
into the last
note of the song
sad to see coats
calling it a night

Multitasking

sometimes multitasking means
centering in on the moment
allowing yourself to enjoy it
while you are still feeling
aftershocks on your heart

Night Static

sometimes i dream in
wizard of oz whirlwinds
removing cardboard
stadium seats from suv’s
while she tells me of
fancy bifocals and
past indiscretions
purchasing blue icees
by the case leaving
me disappointed
watching him unload
the car like it’s a party
she lowers her voice
the volume in my head
goes up a decibel