Things I Wouldn’t Have

         Things I Wouldn’t Have

Water out of a faucet,

light out of a lamp,

food out of a fridge,

a toilet to take my shit

if rockets 

were raining down on my city.

A garden to plant,

a stereo to play,

a computer to game,

a chair in the sun

if I were hiding 

in a subway.

A child to lift,

a partner to hold,

an elder to hear,

a front door to close 

if tanks 

were blasting my street.

Knowing 

where I was going,

knowing 

how I’d get there,

knowing 

how I’d feed my children,

knowing 

when I would eat,

knowing 

when we’d be safe,

knowing 

when we could sleep

knowing 

if our loves 

left behind

would survive,

knowing 

where my home 

will be.

 

Nua Beach

(Thoughts born from my teenage years on the islands of American Samoa.  Also, in reference to the note in the last post about my prostate cancer, I'm now at 9 months cancer free after surgery.)

Deep 

in night

when I think

I’m not 

sleeping

I hear again

the waves

pound, 

break,

and retreat.

That watery 

rush and rumble

disturbs me

with its power,

disarms me

with its 

yearning,

on Nua Beach

across the street

in my dreams.

Sometimes 

this old me,

dreams young

on Samoan isle,

slipping 

out of bed

and out the door

with barefoot tread

to cross the road

and kneel again

on sand and sea.

The agua

thick with salt,

rises,

peaks,

and falls

in crash,

crouch,

and spread

above my call,

beyond my shout.

Like breath

and heart,

like sleep

and wake,

like cold

and fire,

like indifference

and desire

the ocean

they call sami

pulls both ways,

knows no rest.

Worn me

bundled 

in bed

and dream,

torn me

floating

above coral

and reef,

meet at ocean 

that holds

and molds,

that sings

and rolls

the young me

into the old.

Life's Simplicities

 Diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer in September.  Surgery in October has brightened the prognosis considerably.  These thoughts from this struggle...

Life’s Simplicities 

Life’s simplicities

turn antidote 

in the struggle with

life’s complexities.

The dappled shade

under the apple tree

makes rest when

night makes little.

The full and ripe

of pear and squash 

sings the cycle 

when faith is lost.

The finch’s busy,

the bees’s devotion 

make light of riot 

and commotion.

The warm hand

upon the back

calms dark thoughts

in dark bed.

The call, the card,

the voice from far,

stir memory

when reality jars.

The sun’s embrace 

and daily journey 

counters the cold

drum beat -

the pandemic 

that stalks the street,

the cancer cells

that infest my deep.

Life’s simplicities

renew the spirit

that’s wounded

with life’s complexities.