Sunday paper
an old woman
skimming the obituaries

or

Sunday paper
an old woman finding no one
in the obituaries

hot engine
     steam rises above

my car died
a g a i n.

or

hot engine
steam rises above
my dead car

steam rises
from the engine
wishing for a new car

balloons and flowers
How do you
celebrate the birthdays of the dead?

or

flowers and balloons
on a child's grave
her birthday, today

Birthday cake and candles!
Instead, flowers and balloons
on my daughter’s grave

flowers and balloons
on my daughter’s grave
a single tear escapes

diapers
walkers
caring for an elderly parent

diapers and walkers                        mom’s second infancy

buying diapers
and using walkers
to care for elderly parent

        as the SCREEN flickers,
the Woman exits
        another night’s love

full moon
through the branches
crickets chirping

or

full moon
gleaming through the branches
illuminates the chirping crickets

cool mountain air
a struggle
to beauty

fresh mountain breeze
struggling
to catch the sun set

yellow flames
black smoke
blending amongst stars

fresh mountain breeze
struggling
to catch the sun set

as the alarm rings
s h a t t e r e d d r e a m s
cut into my slumber

sleepy dreams
s h a t t e r
with the alarm

the screen door:
a spring breeze
to open and close

or

open and close...
a screen door swings
spring breeze

freshly baked cookies
chocolate chip fingerprints
fill the room

or

freshly baked cookies
fill the room
with chocolate chip fingerprints

warm, wet kiss
holding lips
one instant too long

or

holding the kiss
one instant longer
warmth lingers

sun shines through the glass
shadows play
on the carpet

sun shines through the glass
on the carpet
shadows play

sun shines through
on to the carpet—
shadows play

fire crackles—
the smoke
it rises to the stars

or

crackling fire
rising smoke
in between the stars

wisps of smoke
reaching the stars
—the fire crackles

yellow flames
black smoke
blending amongst stars

weeping willows
for the loss
of a marriage

or

willows weeping
a marriage
lost

the once strong branches
now weep
for love’s lost promises

weeping willows
thoughts of her
lingering

weeping willows
for the marriage
of a loss

the once strong branches
now weep
for love’s lost promises

thirteen swollen balloons
campfires and marshmallows…
childhood

campfire and marshmallow
childhood
then, thirteen candles

August evening
a cool breeze
reminds me of fall

or

cool August
evening breeze
reminiscent of fall

August evening:
a cool breeze
falls over me

a narrow alley . . .
another almost peaceful
midnight

or

midnight
almost peaceful
in the narrow alley . . .

autumn wind
khaki pants
to wear while raking leaves

or

raking leaves
in khaki pants . . .
remembering autumn

crisp khaki pants
to wear while raking leaves
combating the autumn wind

words in the book blur
eyelids droop
time to sleep

or

eyelids droop
words in the book blur
time to sleep

leaves rustle in the trees
wind blows across my face
calm surrounds me

or

tree leaves rustle
face brushed by the breeze
calm all around

leaves rustle in the trees
the wind across my face
calms me