Poems

stricken streetlight's
feeble flickers

ironic reminder
or humorous hint

of the limited light
in our brief candle?

I saw on the side of the road,
A stone that, when looked at
From one angle, slightly resembled
A cartoon heart.

I picked up this stone
That resembled a heart
I brushed off the dirt and put
It in my pocket.

I carried this heart-shaped stone
As I walked to your house
My hand in my pocket
Holding it, warming it.

At your door, I pulled the stone heart
Out of my pocket and examined it.
It was warm now and clean but
Rough to the touch, mottled and gray.

I handed you my heart
And you were charmed by it
You placed it on your nightstand
Where it remains to this day.

Sandals sit on the porch
With a view of the beach
They enjoy the night
Crickets' cheerful song
Moths' fluttering wings
Ever buzzing mosquitos
Quiet mice under the table
The sandals wait wistfully
Always ready for a stroll
Ah here she comes
For the sunrise walk

While we fascinated ourselves
with ourselves
repeating our own reflections
back to us
with slight variations
infinite iterations
the moon
(old trickster)
swung overhead
drew to its gray vault
all those things we
had once known
and loved
and reflected
in wonder and admiration—
trees mountains rivers
herds of caribou blue of ocean
sound of rain giraffes
up they flew
surprised and star-dazzled
all cargoed in moon's
hollow core—
and with full-bellied
sail he charted a course
out of the solar system
leaving behind one of our own
copies of itself
pinned on the sky
in its place;
we haven't noticed
the difference
haven't realized
we've been
robbed

Do you tend to virtue
Courageous generous just
Unfamiliar words today
Given virtual notoriety
You must be neither
A coward nor a fool
Cowards always flee
Fools forever leap in
Courage stands
Between the two
You will not be greedy
Gifts are freely given
With no expectation
You will not be devious
Right is done
No gain in mind
Like a work of art
Virtue's beauty
Is unto itself
Nothing added
Nothing taken away
Just you in thoughtful action
Building Aristotle's good life