Sunset

There's a hint of the sunset
Where pink nestles
Between the gray and blue

Tortilla Chips

I pop the light chips into my eager mouth
The crunch is instant, like a boom
I taste both corn and salt
And my attention is consumed by chomping

Choir

Ordinary, unsteady voices
Make the most beautiful songs

Movies

As we sit side by side in the dark
Images fill the big screen
Sounds surrounds us
My thoughts disappear
And I am entranced

An Afternoon Walk

A light breeze nudges my hair
The sunshine warms my back
Band practice sounds in the distance
And a puppy races over the post-rain green

Anger

I feel jammed with frustration
And don't know what to say
This disconnection is like a low hum
Pulsing in the background
And it's relentless

Downpour

The rain embraces the trees, buildings, and people
With a fierce, swift love that nurtures
It's really something ... watching water fall all around us

Movement

As I walk along the side of the road
Thoughts race through then go on their way
A few moments of insight stick, but then swerve
Today is full of the hint of letting go

Anxiety

It started at the tiny table this morning
And hung around all day playing peek-a-boo
The sort of excitement that's not the fun kind
The feeling that no matter what I'm doing
I'm supposed to be doing something else

There Used to Be a Sea Here

I hear what she's saying
And feel what she's not

My eyes wander down and up again
As my feet carry me over the stones
And cracked dirt holding fossils
Alongside the junipers bending every which way

Plantae

Up above your chipped trunk and concrete base
You reign gnarly and strong
With your tangle of branches

You are such a witchy tree
I can't help but watch you
Holding court

I see you reaching out with those thin fingers
Through the night sky
And I smile

Third Thursday

I stand in the dark room enjoying a pocket of quiet
Watching Magdalene being carried upward by the angels
Nearby there are cowboys charging on horse
And the occasional visitor with too much perfume

Satisfaction

My fleece feels just right for this sunny, cool day
Green smoothie in hand,
I hit a comfortable stride:
One foot and then the other
Over and over
All the way home

Grounded

You're resting warm on my shoulder
As I look at the tree and its thick branches

Release

My busy mind considers the exact words
And impatience comes close
I tap those snappy keys,
Choose "send", and hope for the best

Silence

I lay back and feel my hips open
Breath moves my belly up and down
My eyes pause in darkness
As my intentions roam large

Word Games

We take our seats under the grass umbrella
Enjoying the warm sun that spills over the edges

As we begin our breakfast
I chew slowly
And make a few words in between bites

Ice Cream Break

Dear Häagen Dazs®,

You are cool and very smooth

Sophisticated, too

At first you seem like caramel

But a hint of coffee lingers

Is it true what they say about too much of a good thing?

Writing

My pen slides across the paper, picking up speed
The ink is dark, but doesn't smear
My hand grows tense, but persists
And the duet between my brain and hand
Gives way to something else

Oatmeal

While it's cooling, I add milk, and more milk
Then agave and cinnamon
And more cinnamon
Voila!

Surrounded

In between the anesthesia and the cold pack
I slip into another space
Losing all sense of direction
Krishna Das sings in my ears
I pray, then drift and surrender
Surrounded

Sick Day

Lying in a soft, warm bed nursing a cough
Hearing the rain fall outside the window
Taking my time to rest
While the sounds and smells of breakfast emerge

Sunday Afternoon

Paintbrush slides across the wet paper
Music floats across the room
Daylight's fading over the trees
And I see clouds crossing the page

Comforts

The gifts of a few pillows on the floor
And a blanket for warmth

The Day is Young

The sun warms the side of my face
A tickle of a breeze sweeps through
A mug of warm coffee to my left
A glass of water to my right
Sitting in ease as the traffic zooms by

A Winter Walk

A wall of large rocks
Topped with skinny bare trees
That are reflected in the still green water
As if pointing to something deeper below

Keeping it Real

Tired right eye
Tight jaw
The sting of frustration
Opportunities for practice abound

Savasana

The cello does a gorgeous dance
While my eyes rest in darkness
I feel the breath as it flows in and out
And my lower back releases at last

Today's small stone

The whoosh of coffee and cream down my throat
Air coming in my nose
Watching the wind strike up a tune across the sun-filled trees
Through the smudged glass window

First small stone

New Year tree
Leaning over
Limbs toward the chalky white stones, like an ear to the
Mother of all roots
The two-toned bark, revealing some shedding
And some remains
Such strength in this dry landscape of Winter
Such grace and confidence in
This natural order