Upwards

Upwards

Water falls upwards in my tree
Breaking branches
Rushing up the leaves
Sluicing up the roots
From the wells we dug

Years ago, when the sun shone
When we sat on the shore
And brightly sank our boats in loam;

Who was to know those tarry planks would rise,
Drift so slowly up through earth and stone,
Stop our hearts, stop our breathing,
Stop our minds' sight

Until we walk in wood and watch through thin slats

Sunglasses

Sunglasses

Wearing sunglasses
We walk to Building B, East Annex.

Our new routine; a brisk walk
Through the hospital, for our
Health so to speak.

In our hipster chic. Organized;
We worked out this morning,
Breakfasted sensibly; our day
Is a bento box, this hospital visit
The long section in the middle.

Christmas Tree Man

Christmas Tree Man

Stands in the corner
When you come in he's just
Turned away
For a moment

Facing the corner
The Christmas Tree Man

After the Rain

After the Rain

The rains have come and gone
And we are still here
In our high place
Where it is warm and dry.

Today we will slip on our hip-waders
Digging in muck for buried treasure
Calling one to another like rooks

In the night rain fell like hard sheets
Wrapped around us

Today we wake up in our warm
Place and find laughter.

Morning

Morning

Pull my hand over
Like a blanket I'll cover you
Keep you warm and hold you

In that twilight we bob in and out of sleep
I'll be a boat, rocking gently
As dim lights flee the colder dawn

Alphabet Blocks

Alphabet Blocks

They gave us a little girl named Samantha,
A perfect Asian girl with hair in braids
Who said she was six at the slate.
Playing with blocks, the three of us searched for the 'S'
Block. I asked, "What's your favorite bug?" but quit,
After a while, realizing this six-year-old was probably
Well beyond such questions. Finally she found the block.
"Spiders!" she said. "I was wondering..." she didn't know
What animal her name was going to be. "I'm not afraid
Of spiders," she said. "Or snakes. Once I held two
Snakes." "What color were they?" You asked. "Were
They black?" I asked. But the blocks were all piled up
On top of each other, two stacks next to each other, the
Third on its own - our time was done.

Scott said it was a skyscraper.
"Modern art," I said.

Before we stood to leave, the little girl carefully picked up
The block between the lone tower and the two towers, and
Moved it to one of the others.
We packed our bags carefully, next to each other, picking
Our cell phones and wallets out, becoming ourselves again,
I said "Drive safe." You said, "You too."