For Now

I cannot put my words

Together

It is as if they are trapped

Inside my brain

Words I need

To express my distress

Feelings of disbelief

And if I am truthful

Horror

At what is being allowed

In the unraveling of my country’s

Beingness

I cannot get the words out

Write them down

Will have to let other voices

Be heard

Other voices exclaim

The anger     bewilderment

Outrage

Like silt building up

In the pristine waters

Of a mountain stream

I will listen

Follow where they lead

Trusting it be

Into the light of reason

Again

 

For now

My hibiscus blooms large scarlet discs

Under my window

 

For now

I watch crazy flights

Of a Phoebe bird

As it snaps up insects

On the wing

Am mesmerized

By these different sized evergreens

On a hill

Above the Camino Real

Swaying as one

In the wind

 

For now

Music     laughter

Kind voices from anyone

Anywhere

Human and animal

Voices of my children

My True Love

Sounds from my own world

The only real word now

For me

A Different Light

Light from this day

Recedes

Into approaching dusk

I watch it clinging

Still

To green leaves of the

Crepe Myrtle

To scarlet blossoms

On the hibiscus

The far off hills

And as it darkens

Out my window

 

Inside my room

The bedside lamp is

Lit

Creating a different

Light

Mellow warmth

Caresses the walls

And a feeling of being

Cocooned    shielded

From political storms

Settles in me

As I greet the coming

Night

In grateful    Peace

 

 

 

Beyond Redemption

yelling

Across the sky

Blue    blue

As my grandfather’s

Eyes

Clouds    white as angel wings

Might be

Undefined edges

Soft as baby hair

Float slowly in a promenade

Above my head

Eyes pull the scene

Into a place of

Remembering

I will draw it out

Create protection

Against the harshness

Of these times

Words    threats     accusations

Scatter like scraps of waste

Paper

That litter     soil     what is

Left

Of our political innocence

And I tell you this

There is a cancer

In the gut of the

Body Politic

It must be removed

Cut away

Before it will metastasize

Beyond    redemption

*photo credit