leaves

each leaf chlorophils this backyard 

with summer greenness 

and I sit happy to be here 

midst all the burgeoning life of 

flowers 

    grass

        birds 

            weeds 

                garden 

                    ants 

robin beak digs into lawn searching 

plump worm and I get to watch this opera

this do I not take lightly 

when so easily it may be done

as simple as a song fading out 

or a worm plucked out 

of the ground and eaten 

I doze and wake to witness wind shaking leaves

clinging

what is this pensiveness 

low strings agitated almost dissonant 

almost unrhythmic 

a serious chanting of sorrow 

in this heated June filled with thunder 

what is this prevailing pall 

over all we do 

soft choral voices breaking through in 

broken harmonies 

so hard to cling 

to bright clean hope

pride

I marched in a Pride Parade 

on a hot day in June

avenue furrowed with cheering 

we walked one step at a time 

towards the meeting place at the Forks 

yes we take one step at a time 

towards acceptance and love 

there was thunder but the rain did not come 

on this humid afternoon 

as we sat on a blanket and played 

with a rainbow baby