true story

today I opened

my copy of

Ulysses

that I bought used somewhere

an old Penguin paperback with black cover

originally sold for $1.95

paged through it

and it opened to a page

where a pressed

four-leaf clover

rested                   pale green

brittle

near the spine

don’t know how long it had been there

but I lifted it out

and felt a strange lifting of my mood

rising notes of a flute

like I had cheated death

or something

maybe I did

James Taylor

still long      lankey

angular face now lined and fissured

flat cap hat

plaid shirt            rolled-up sleeves

ready to work

guitar a steady friend

and the fingers play

then the honey voice

sweetens it all

liquid love flowing out

to the five thousand

lifted aloft with waves of lilt

smile then

for this is antidote

maple tree haiku #5

seed pods in full flight

twirling whirling down to green

beige carpet of hope

maple tree haiku #4

half-size leaves in wind

twigs lined with wing-like seed pods

soon helicopters

Relay For Life 2016

dark clouds hover horizon

and we begin this walk

that began long ago

waking from dream

to hear white coat say

there is something there

a dark cloudy mass

and so began

a walk of fear and doubt

and readying for the coming rain

and the clouds gathered

and came near

and the drizzle started

but we kept walking

path marked by

glowing hands and faces

of love

and then the clouds

settled in the west

with setting sun glowing rays

shooting through darkness

and we walk on