Saturday, November 16, 2019

Fathers


Fathers

As I wait he sleeps
years expressed
with each breath
this is all the time we have

Moment he sees me
his son he brightens
reassured by presence
to drift away again all to soon

Glimpses remain as shadows
lengthen hours into days
once lumbering with life
now fragile

Poem 19-313y
#highplainspoet
about my dad in the waning season of life

Friday, November 8, 2019

Dusty Contrails


Dusty Contrails

Dirt road's dusty contrail hangs in the air
memories drift of thirty years together
smells of grit of fighting for us over time
tastes of talc sticky upon palette
drink of the union of us

Now our children leave dust hanging
as release them from the home
watching as they leave
anticipating when they return
blessing their coming and goings

Each time they venture further
plying the seas of life
ambivalence
joy in their thriving
sorrow in them letting go

Soon we are back to just us
new memories to create
remembering when love was young
once again igniting a new flame
where we left off to raise a family

Time to press into what's been put aside
rediscover who we are
giving you the honor you deserve
tending to our union
after all these years you are still the one

19-201y
#highplainspoet, #westernnebraskathoughtsandlife, family, seasons, love, father, parent

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Silent


Silent

I've been silent of late
as I ponder broken things
broken people
broken relationships
and my own brokenness

Words seem hollow
like that tree's rotted inner rings
'til it finally breaks in the storm
facade gives way to empty space
time ravenously gnaws away

19-187x
#highplainspoet, #westernnebraskathoughtsandlife, brokenness, growth, change

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Two-gether


Two-gether

Along the path between us
bare feet hungerly grab
morning's slippery stones
unsteady as land each step

19-233z
#highplainspoet, #nebraskathoughtsandlife, relationship, journey, life, love, adventure

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Kananaskis


Kananaskis

Flaming sky melts into soft lavender
against jagged granite peaks
shadows long upon the face
time is late as sun sinks low

19-224z
#highplainspoet, #westernnebraskathoughtsandlife, nature, Canada, Kananaskis, beauty, mountains, summer

Monday, November 4, 2019

Puff


Puff

Each puff inhales death
yellow stain upon fingers
holds death greedily
addiction's gratification as exhale

Can't let it go
lungs raped as light another
choose death in sulfur strike
blow out match snuffed life

19-239x
#highplainspoet, #westernnebraskathoughtsandlife, addiction, death, choices

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Peaches


Peaches

Serenity tastes
of fleshy peach
plucked yellow red
ripened fruit

Velvety
upon tongue
bite deeply
exploding sweetness

Juice
rolls down chin
dripping joy of
late summer's fruit

19-265Z
#highplainspoet, #westernnebraskathoughtsandlife, summer, fruit, peaches, Western Nebraska

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Blanket of Gray


blanket of gray hangs low
veil that hides shadows
sun obscured in brume

warmth of life
pumps through my veins
dissipating internal gray

no hiding anymore
come out from the shadows
find new life

19-274Z
#highplainspoet #westernnebraskathoughtsandlife


Grace



a babbling brook of warmth
fills the internal cup
revisiting past with grace
that sees what's been in reality

artist colors upon the canvas
some blustery gray other brilliant gold
when look at the whole
forms one image of journey

grace for today
hope for tomorrow
mercy for yesterdays
blankets who I am

19-305Z
#highplainspoet

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Hope Whispers


hope whispers
     in the rustle of limbs
leaves
     lackadaisically float
memories
       dried leaves devoid of color
seasons of marriage as walk on what once was
      now dead

hope whispers
     in the sliver of moon
wondering
       if I am crazy in what I see
beauty
       for me found in ordinary places
that
       others walk by

hope whispers
     softly of restoration of brokenness
where forgiveness
     flows and mercy embraces
undeserved love
     expressed in spite of the pain
remembering
       the good times we have had

19-298y
#highplainspoet

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Blazing




Blazing sky awakens
vibrant quaking of Aspens
of impending change again
as shed their summer coats

Invitation cross liminal land
into star filled pools above gaze
penetrating slowly as dew falls
softening path of heart trampled and packed

19-239A
#highplainspoet

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Lean In


Lean In

She hangs on his arm
leans into him
bound together
they walk as one

In the cool morning
they glide among the crowd
sparking embers of fire
gloam upon the ground

Arousing hope in all
the young and old
of what can be
once again

19-285z
#highplainspoet
Inspiration - a younger couple, late 20s, walking around at the balloon festival in Albuquerque. So entranced with each other they clung together as they walked. A blissful moment.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Raspberry Sunrise

Raspberry sunrise
dolloped with
blueberry expectations
facing the resistance
of mid-October's gale

briskness shakes
shivers down spine
radiates into core
of endings
and beginnings

layers now cover
what was once bare
skin swaddled tight
once again 
winter's foreboding

19-293y
#highplainspoet
#westernnebraska, #seasons, #nature, #fall, #winter

Monday, October 7, 2019

Crown


Crown

Clothed in vibrant purple
needle thin petals an ornate crown
about bold yellow pistil
unaware of impending season change

Stands in powerful defiance
against forbidding gray
uninhibited by approaching cold
exposure draws in curious eyes

19-272B
#highplainspoet
image (c) b. bucks from the Black Hills

#westernnebraskathoughtsandlife, #BlackHills, #Spearfish, #hatchery, #nature