September filters
light and air into clarity
breathing change and calm

October slips inside
crispy manila folders
clasped in short cold hopes

November is fickle
naked branches of napping woods
chilled gloomy lethargy

December is sure
mountains glazed in porcelain
reflect the past year

January sucks
away heat and resolutions
to snickering darkness

February stumbles
over winter’s identity
but warmth tickles hope

March dissolves away
whiteness to mud and smudge trails
insecurity tracks

April rains leave their scents
crowding skies in heaping greys
electrifying life

May reignites life
as emerald greens tangle the sun
radiating love

June glories in rebirth
with children’s prison release
plucking small flowers

July scorches the sky
with fireworks, brassy parades
perfumes of grass cuttings

August burns away
May’s grace and gentle colors
in our bedsheets of sweat

amber drips of sky
are softly swallowed in the
vortex of the night

what eyes wait to behold
rainbow quilts of wildflowers
ours, or each flower’s own

is hope only human?
or may it float on nature’s winds
whispering our beauty

emerald leaves in morning
absorb the sun’s eager greeting
winds of eve quake goodbyes

my body’s daily deaths
feed the heart of the tallest trees
or sinks to oceans black

plush mountain bluebells
peer down on dark mother earth
bowing to future’s hope

pollen-laden bees
softly bless each vibrant touch
sun’s patient offspring

deep purple shadows
paint lofty mountain daggers
in perfect stillness

every word of nature
struggles to express majesty
bound in green prideful hands

laying on my back
leaves my down—trees my wind
pure psithurism

how does earth protest
our obese selfish hubris?
with simmering futures

freedom and liberty
blessings you give to others
not selfishly taken

freedom is fragile
born in love, service, and tears
of responsibility

patriotism
is never owned by one party
it is paid for by all

liberty forms the gift
earned by downtrodden ancestors
prayed now by descendants

freedom required
more ultimate sacrifice
and it still does

freedom still demands
deference for all people
and all ideas

our flag is a symbol
not some living entity
we become the flag

wearing a face mask
in a global pandemic
is a flag of liberty

kindness and empathy
remain the lasting foundations
of enduring freedom

You may amass power—
wealth, knowledge—beyond all bounds, yet
a virus drops all to knees

The most powerful men—
tremble in fear’s humility—
by the smallest virus!

Finding a particle
infinitesimal minute
needs man’s largest machine

Faith is a tiny seed
growing our works into a tree
shading other seedlings

Tiny hands in small acts
of kindness construct massive homes
warmed by tender service

Small and eager ears
listening to a tender voice
kindle both hearts in fire

A tiny soft touch
in darkened seeps of depression
ignite floodlights of love

truth is delicate
politics devours it
an avid parasite

we live dependent
on other fields of views
neglecting our vision

when our politics
turns into our religion
we destroy religion

power becomes craving
when our empathy dissolves
into tombs of ego

Jesus avoided
political derision
to save His nation

most all religions
marches upon paths devoid
of ego’s banners

treasure freedoms in
our liberal democracy
a fleeting temple

any government
that spurns grace and tolerance
will die in disgrace

when purity tests
determine your loyalty
wars will then ensue

embargo yourself
in a more resilient cause
of your inner light

Life is so much more
than a political catchphrase—
we must become God’s hands

People—protect all life!
Provide, nourish, especially:
children—unborn—nature

Nine thousand children
die every day from starvation
life’s loneliest of deaths

One in seven children
live in shackles of hunger
just in the USA

If men celebrate all life—
give health insurance to kids, moms
and feed starving children

Over five percent
of all our US child’s lives
lack health insurance

Eighteen of one hundred
pregnancies end in abortion—
provide more life choices!

Give life so much more hope
security of good health care
learning for future’s trust

How many children’s lives
feed all of our deep vanities
mining gold and diamonds?

Good jobs with just pay
blessed in ample education
grow living societies

Life blossoms in bounty
guarding rights and diversity
by kind eyes and hands

Life and truth flow one
when religious liberty is
not for one religion

Barring refugees and
caging their children from hope
chains our own life’s purpose

Feeding the wealthy
at the expense of our meager
starves our means of life

Ignoring science—
turning a blind eye to climate
slays life which feeds us

Words in loving-kindness
protects us from the guns of hate
which rob life’s freedom

Housing saves children’s lives
when built affordable in clean
soil, air, and water

Life craves a good parent
a role model, friend, or kind ear
not some transaction

Be an example
of a true life of plenty—
full of experience

Don’t laugh at the young
the children may save us from us
our life is their life

Give us environment
sustaining all of life and joy
God’s good earth can bless all

Life is not complex
life is born of loving hearts—
void of politics

Life abounds in small things
smiles, service, forgiveness
like words of poetry

Again—in the end
life never stops at dead-ends
life takes an on-ramp

Life can turn dreary
when you ride on the highways
and skip the byways

Life flows as pleasant
when traveling as a pair
with your one best friend

Life remains secure
when focused beyond our now
into future hopes

Life’s hope is composed
of notes in a symphony
our master’s masterpiece

2019—
the year we prayed for a hope
in God and science

2021—
the year we wore politics
on our blank faces

2021—
the year introverts like me
masked behind shields

2021—
the year you could see kindness
deep in people’s eyes

2021—
the year angry protestors
walked exposing noses

2021—
the year we learned how to work
in disconnection

2021—
the year our sturdy voices
were muted in strife

2021—
the year we made enemies
with our own science

2021—
a year that never ended
and masks absorb tears

2021—
a year we really thought we
could make a difference

2022—
the year we forgot to feel
our first million deaths

2022—
the year we all realized
we are not that smart

White velvet snows dissolve
warm winds drizzle down rising flows
to coarse-angry rivers

Furious waters bundle
haystack piles of soft velvet sands
deep burdens heap mountains

Coarse—angry sandstone cliffs
succumb to times more patient winds
in fine red velvet sands

Ocean ruffled warmth
disperses in clouded vapors
heaving the darkened sky

Mountain cold punctures
the clouded bilge in dangling
streams of gentle tears

Rivers fuse and erupt
gathering life in wet clutches
feeding oceans below