Small Simple Things With Love

Small Simple Things With Love (One Poet’s Legacy)

Because I am a poet,

I am wiser than I think,

I see the world with clarity,

Able to mix fantasy with reality,

Discovering beauty wherever I look,

Or find ugliness and mayhem out my door,

I can’t ignore the world and waste my life,

I try to create order out of chaos,

And do small simple things with love,

Because I am aware of life and death,

And within the parameters of my time,

I am working on my legacy,

For a poet leaves more than leaves of grass,

For life’s deepest meaning is in relationships,

For all the experience I learned,

Loves once had, so foolish spent,

Were ground powder fine as the world turned,

But my world is much bigger than loves lost,

My fingerprints have left indelible marks,

Doing a thousand small simple things with love,

Comforting those left standing alone,

Who shed great tears of pain,

Encouraging those who lacked hope,

Lifting their spirits from the depths,

Urging those who needed words of action,

Doing something that would make someone’s life better,

Small simple things with love,

My footprints also linger on,

For I’ve walked carefully throughout life,

Stepping forward in truth and purpose,

Walking tall and unafraid to face the world,

Leaving footprints, I’m sure,

Yet unseen by me if I turn and look,

So I go trudging on,

My words heartfelt and true,

Knowing that my words are powerful,

Solving problems, gathering information,

Abstract thinking, concrete thinking,

Words that have the power of life and death,

Should be words of love and peace,

Kind words, affirming words, a chance to show mercy,

I am a poet and I share my essence,

My heart is open and in my dreams,

I leap barriers that block love’s capricious whim,

I do not want to keep love’s fire without,

It has to burn within,

I am vulnerable to the world,

And my dreams are of love and peace,

Each footprint, each fingerprint, that I leave,

Will be small simple things with love,

For I am a poet.

The Most Efficient Path

The Most Efficient Path

As I take my walk through the woods,

I see untold beauty unfolding before me,

But I peer closer for I want to really see,

Nature’s royal form wrapped in fractal cloaks,

Natural occurrences as in the leaves of oaks,

Complex patterns rising from simple rules,

Fractal recurrences of nodules,

Using a mathematician’s way to explain,

How nature is not so complex but plain,

There is so much simplicity, yet elegant math,

Because nature follows the most efficient path,

Fibonacci numbers and the golden ratio have a say,

How beauty even exists in such a way,

With so many stimuli to overwhelm the mind,

I have to concentrate if the beautiful order I’ll find,

Branches, layers, spirals, are everywhere displayed,

 Concrete examples that can be touched and weighed,

Pine cones with the Fibonacci spirals, feathers of owl,

Gathering specimens with camera as I continue to prowl,

Later to change the pictures into numerical models to test,

Analyze, and record patterns from this treasure chest,  

Everything studied and written down as planned,

Like William Blake, “See the world in a grain of sand,”

Then once more I’ll be free to soar and see with eagle’s eye,

Chaos unchained and let my imagination fly.

One Lonely Rose

One Lonely Rose

One lonely rose greeted me,

I didn’t know why she left our home,

Beneath my window this morn,

It was not logical to be in the world alone,

She tugged her petals closer,

She always forgot to bring her coat and mitts,

While shivering in the storm,

If she needed warmth she wouldn’t admit it,

Her head drooped slightly,

I could tell she was tired and ill,

As she leaned into the rain,

I knew she struggled paying bills,

Against the winds, the mighty winds,

But she had to prove she had the will,

She was determined to remain,

She made it clear I was unneeded still,

Expecting the worst when all had ceased,

Surely after months my love she would lack,

I hesitated before I glanced outside,

Her world must be out of whack!

The delicate rose remained there still,

She did not want me to bring her back,

Bursting with fragrant pride,

Her pride will be her downfall,

I admired her courage as she stood alone,

She had heard freedom’s call,

Smiling as she stood sentinel tall,

She had no intention of giving in, none at all,

Knowing the other roses were gone,

Even to lose love she chose not to bend,

She waited bravely to face the first snowfall.

She would be independent until the end.

Sometimes in poetry the story is between the lines.

Women Love Santa

Women Love Santa, But What About Me?

Santa, I’m tired of being misunderstood,

You’ve been my hero, the subject of many songs,

This year I’ve tried my very best to be good,

But somehow everything just went wrong,

You’re not a good example, oh no, you’re not,

I’ve heard the song, “I saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus”,

So what about that time you got caught?

That act, I’ll tell you now, won’t win any applause,

At the mall you weren’t nice to a little boy,

Who reluctantly climbed into your ample lap,

You couldn’t remember his special toy,

So the little rascal gave your beard a snap,

When a little girl insisted you weren’t real,

How come your face turned as red as a beet?

When she insisted your name wasn’t Santa, but Bill,

And shouted, “It’s my neighbor, from down the street!”

Santa, women love you and want to sit on your knee,

You’re not so much to look at, don’t you agree?

They’ll set out cookies and milk, dressed in nighties,

So why do you get all the attention, why you and not me?

I want to laugh this year, a little chuckle or two,

Can you find a special someone just for me?

Someone who’s heart is full of love, but not for you,

Let me have just one to love, set her next to the tree,

No one will know our secret, I surely won’t tell,

I’ll keep her warm and hold her tight,

And the following year when you ring those bells,

The chimney will be blocked and you’ll hear me yell,

“Santa, this woman is mine, so stay out of sight,

You don’t want to fight by the Christmas tree,

So take your deer and clear out of here,

This woman is only going to love just me.”

I'm Not Fooled By You

You stand there with that smug smile,

And pretend you are listening,

But I’m not fooled by you,

You are simply waiting for me to finish,

So you can say what you rehearsed,

Before I asked you to discuss us.

Don’t think I’m fooled by you,

For I’ve seen you a thousand times,

Giving out messages without listening,

Never appreciating our differences,

Always sure you had the right answers,

Ignoring tone of voice, gestures, and words,

Yes, words that poured out from my heart,

I’m not fooled by you,

You think by being logical and advising,

That you are in control of our relationship,

But feelings don’t have to be logical or reasonable,

You tell me what you want me to hear or to know,

But when you hide the truth, or deny my feelings,

The beautiful ways we could relate come to a halt,

Perhaps you’re fooled by me,

If I gave you the impression you could trash me,

Put me down because you thought I was weak,

Maybe you didn’t like my confidence,

Because you were weak inside and attacked,

Afraid I’d find out that you were pretending to be strong,

Perhaps you were fooled by me,

I already knew you had to lean on my strength,

But that was okay, for I also leaned on you,

We have been wasting energy trying to discuss,

Where the you and me should become us,

I know that pain is necessary to grow,

But I am so tired of hearing your answers,

When you haven’t heard my questions,

Perhaps you thought I was fooled by you,

You were sure I would fit your mold,

You were so calm and so in control,

But you did not try to accept who I am,

I wanted us to share so much,

But my feelings are still bottled up,

And I think I might explode,

Don’t be surprised if I ignore you,

When I see you my heart bleeds,

But no longer will I heed,

My heart was fooled for awhile,

But you can’t beguile,

With your smile,

Anymore.

Dusty Tomes

Dusty Tomes in the Annals of Time

My life is an open book filling up with stories,

And as my life unfolds, I wait with anticipation,

Eager to see what each new chapter brings,

At the beginning, the plot and characters were simple and exciting,

Taking off in unforeseen direction,

Letting me develop as the main character in my book,

Sometimes I look back to see where I misread or was misled,

Caught in a mishmash, a tangled web of doubts and misdeeds,

It is then that I discover where my path lies,

Albeit twisted and overgrown with snares and woes,

Oh, but what a challenge to stay true to my character,

And to the whims of the Author,

Oh, but for a few more chapters,

Or for a sequel so that the protagonist can get his act together,

Because this book is rapidly coming to a close,

And the conflicts yet to be resolved,

My hopes are almost gone,

But the end will come just the same,

And I will be put upon the shelf,

Making room for the new fresh faces,

Ready for the bestseller’s list,

Legends in their own minds,

Until they, too, become dusty and worn,

Perused and abused, dull and unappealing,

Placing their spine alongside mine and the countless others,

Who have gone before,

Dusty tomes in the annals of time.

A Nobody

Although I am Nobody

I am a nobody,

I can go anywhere and not be mobbed or recognized,

Travel around the country, around the state, or even in town,

Talk to friends, big shots, or other nobodies,

I enjoy my measure of anonymity,

Yet I have talents not exercised,

Within me are golden treasures,

Stored and protected,

Spun out by centrifugal force,

Collected on the walls of my own chamber,

But thoughts and words only proclaim,

Possibly I could grab a measure of fame,

With a little luck and a lot of hard work,

Enjoy the glory, enjoy the luxury,

Yet along with the fame comes the pain,

The loneliness of being special, but not normal anymore,

Not always seeing the world without the world watching you,

The isolation while in a crowd,

The idea of not really knowing which are friends,

And which will run when the money is done,

Being mobbed, swarmed, roughed up,

Treated special, but always in danger of being,

Swindled, threatened, or stalked,

If I could have had fame, I would have balked,

A game of names and glitter and phoniness,

Although I am a nobody, I am more than some of the somebodies,

Because I know who I am and where I’ve been,

Some of the somebodies might drown in the adulation of anybodies,

Or nobodies, while acting out what is real and what is not,

 Just dancing to please the crowd of anybodies,

I think I won’t change, if it’s all the same to you.

Harvest of Dreams

Harvest of Dreams

I could say the world is fractured,

Spinning crazily out of control,

With floods, disease, and death,

Corrupt governments with no soul,

How can I find words of gratitude,

For the blessings I have received,

When voices wounded and angry,

Are saying they have been deceived,

I could say I’ve been lucky,

With family, health, and a job,

And ignore the world’s pitiful wail,

As it’s trampled by a mob,

There are shocking glimpses of truth,

With media and words of pleading,

They resonate deep within the soul,

It’s hard to stop the bleeding,

From out of chaos I will rise above,

Blessing others on destiny’s road,   

One step forward, one day at a time,

I’ll help lighten someone’s load,

Soothing answers though are not enough,

To stop the destruction and greed,

So I will climb over the walls,

To help someone in need,

I cannot forget the troubles of the world,

While I listen to the anguished cries,

During this season I’ll give of myself,

I’ll reach out as the needs arise,

What can I do? I’m just one, you know,

That will show that I’ve been blessed,

I’ll give thanks for all I’ve received,

But service for others will be my test,

I can’t tune the world out,

Just to let beauty come in,

But I can work to change myself,

Starting with my heart within,

Every day is a harvest of dreams,

When I ease the plight of another,

The things once said could not be done,

Are possible when I work with others.

Let's Forget About Tomorrow

I will be waiting patiently,

When dark comes to out the light,

We will meet at our rendezvous,

We are in love and tonight,

Let’s forget about tomorrow,

And feast on Aphrodite’s milk,

We’ll dance away our sorrows,

And rest on sheets of silk,

While the fresh scent of roses,

Permeates the humid air,

We will satisfy our desires,

And begin our love affair,

I feel a sense of belonging,

Your heart must feel it too,

For you are wearing myrtle,

I will love you so very  true,

The stars will see us locked in love,

And early dawn will turn to day,

We might be kept apart for awhile,

But our pure love will find a way,

For our souls will find increase,

Eternal flames intertwining,

Flames that will never cease,

And should we find ourselves free again,

The power of love will draw us together,

And we will dance to the same refrain.

Caretaker of the Earth

Caretaker of the Earth

I am a caretaker of the earth,

For I have no peace unless I

Feel the soil under my fingernails,

Johnny Appleseed was a step ahead,

Or he was me, for in my dreams,

I walked new lands,

Bending, stooping, planting,

Planting orchards in my wake,

Birds sang my song,

And bees hummed as I went along,

Wild animals treated me as an old friend,

I am a caretaker of the earth,

I cannot ignore the cries of the land,

In my dreams there is more than planting seeds,

I hold myself responsible for violent deeds,

Things I’ve left undone, or not done to my best,

Haunt my dreams and put me to the test

So come along, my friend,

Perhaps to my defense you can attest.

 (But Lord, You Can’t Blame Me!)

I think the Lord doesn’t understand.   I found that out today,

“What have you done to my garden?” I heard the Lord say,

“Lord, I was asleep.  It just wasn’t my fault,

I didn’t see anyone cover it with asphalt,”

“Where are my fishes? I’ve searched down and even deeper,”

“Wait a minute, Lord. Am I the fishes’ keeper?”

“Where are my animals? He whispered with dread,

“They got in the way, Lord.  They’re dead, all dead.”

“Is that a mushroom cloud hanging over mankind?”

“But, Lord, that’s the only way of peace we could find.”

“You must try harder. Give up your wasteful way.”

“But, Lord, I only take what I want.  Even then I pray.”

“I’m one of the good guys. Why should I repent?

I salute the flag.  I give ten percent.”

I saw the skies grow dark and the wind began to howl,

“You’ve disappointed me,” I could see his angry scowl,

“But, Lord,” I muttered, “you can’t blame me.

I’ve done all I could.  Don’t you agree?”

The dream was awful, for it made me feel,

That what I was dreaming was in some ways real,

As a caretaker I cannot let others pillage and rape,

And watch the earth destroyed as I stand and gape.

Sunlight in My Eyes

Sunlight

I’m throwing open the shutters,

So sunlight can flood the room,

I’m tired of shadows in my mind,

Brightness will erase the gloom,

I’ve been looking to escape the world,

My house has been my cave,

I can hold shadows off for awhile,

But I’m tired of being so brave,

The world last night seemed grim and dark,

Uncertainty overpowered my life,

But sunlight bouncing off the floor,

 Sliced the darkness like a knife,

Shadows of the past stand tall,

When the clock strikes one or two,

I wish I had an opportunity to express,

That I’d always be true to you,

Because you’re gone, I’m not sad at all,

It’s sunlight in my eyes,

This has been such a beautiful day,

It caught me by surprise,

I’ll stand by the Christmas tree,

And sing a song or two,

And no one will ever know,

That I’m really missing you.

Yesterday Was the Day

Yesterday Was the Day

She stooped and picked up a shell,

She studied it closely, then threw it away,

I became her throwaway yesterday,

I thought I knew her so well,

As they circled above the seagulls cried,

For they knew how love ebbs and flows,

My heart was aching, that’s how it goes,

Yesterday was the day my love for her died,

She smiled at me as if nothing was wrong,

But she kept that secret out of reach,

And continued walking down the beach,

She knew she was leaving all along,

We had lunch at one, then she said goodbye,

She drove away, then turned and waved,

In my memory a lasting impression I saved,

She was going back to her other guy,

I walked bravely along the lonely shore,

As the fog rolled in to fill the space,

Tears of pain rolled down my face,

While I listened to the waves’ constant roar,

A group of laughing people passed me by,

They couldn’t tell how long I cried,

Yesterday was the day that my love died,

I smiled at them, my face frozen in a lie.

Treasures Forever

Treasures Forever

Sharing words of appreciation for all that is done,

Shows me I’m respected,

Being open and honest when we talk,

Lets me trust you more,

Reciprocating by doing something good,

Demonstrates love,

Not using critical or condemning words,

Shows self control,

Giving quality time shows you care,

And builds bridges of love,

Forgiving my failures from yesterday,

Lets me love and move on,

Asking questions with a genuine desire to understand,

Shows that you listened,

Forgiving me as a commitment you made,

Shows that you accept me as I am,

Exchanging kind words between us,

Draws us closer together,

Telling me you love me, reassuring me,

Shows your sensitivity,

Believing that relationships hold life’s deepest meaning,

Makes me value you more,

Making requests and not demands,

Allows me to respond gracefully,

Showing mercy when an offense is done,

Shows a mature heart,

Turning away wrath with a soft voice,

Promotes togetherness,

Cherishing intimacy in talk and action,

Brings a closeness we both want,

Making important decisions together,

Helps build respect,

Merging our lives as we become one,

 Reminds us that our relationship,

 Is not a project to be completed,

 But a work in progress,

Treating our dreams as a gate to the future,

Helps us stay in love,

 Understanding that each of us is human,

Keeps us from falling from a pedestal,

Looking for the good in each other,

Lets us find treasures forever.

Push With Toes, Pull With Fingers

(Nighttime Insanity)

I am disappointed,

I thought you were the one,

I didn’t think you would take,

My heart and simply run,

You’ve left me with nothing but memories,

The world looked the same today as I made my rounds,

But within these walls my loneliness abounds,

My thoughts are well beyond repair,

I sink deeper and deeper into despair,

And louder and louder my heart pounds,

There is motion but it is within me,

My head is spinning, wild and free,

Distraught is how I might describe myself,

Not that I am bad or crazy,

Worthless or weak, but human,

Trying to sort out life,

And sort out our strife,

 In a compressed span of time,

Your words painted me a picture,

A truly great work of art,

How you would love me forever,

Instead you broke my heart,

Your words I don’t want to keep,

I close my eyes and try to sleep,

 But my feet and legs twitch,

I try to picture a peaceful mountain far away,

But I am compelled to ascend,

Grabbing knobs and buttresses that rise into the sky,

I can’t do this, let another night go by,

Acrophobia, possibility of hypothermia,

Push with toes, pull with fingers, don’t slip,

I’m falling into a vast crevasse, I’ve lost my grip,

My eyes pop open, I reach for you,

Why don’t I go and search for someone, anyone would do,

 Just don’t be alone,

I imagine going out,

But I’m indecisive, there is doubt,

 If I found you, or if I didn’t,

I didn’t know which would be worse,

I lie down again, and I silently curse,

I’m weary and fall asleep,

But tension won’t let peace keep,

And I’m fighting for my sanity to save,

I’m in the yawning mouth of a cave,

The temperature drops and all is quiet and dark,

My reasoning is off its mark,

Time seems to have stopped,

My breathing is soft and measured,

Claustrophobia, possibility of hypothermia,

Push with toes, pull with fingers,

Wriggle your way forward,

Relax, exhale, you’re stuck,

 Stuck like a cork in a bottle,

I guess you’re out of luck,

But no, I rise to meet the dawning,

I’ll begin my life anew,

My life has lost its meaning,

There will never be another you.