Please check out Emerge Magazine. I’m excited to have a poem in this month’s issue.
Thanks for stopping by! 😊
Tag: community
Rising
Do you feel it?
The growing weight
A blanket sewn of fear
and hate cast over
everyone in its path
Another layer added
with each news story,
unsolicited opinion,
misguided answer
Like being wrapped in
a down comforter on
the hottest day of summer
And I am suffocating
But no amount of worry
will ease the weight
Or change this season
Do we burrow deeper?
Do we kick off the cover?
What if I reach for your hand,
and you reach for mine-
Then together, together
Like brilliant sun rays
piercing storm clouds
We poke pin holes
in the fabric
Each aperture releasing
a breath, a smile, a memory-
Droplets of hope
Rising in solidarity
State of the Heart
Are my hands open,
gently reaching?
Arms linked
in cooperation
Ears open to
understanding
—Or—
Are my hands clenched
into tight fists?
Arms stoically held
across my chest
Ears closed,
even to my own voice
I have choices-
And my choices
offer clues as to the
health of my heart
May my hands remain open
My arms graciously linked
And my ears, intent on listening
A Shared Lament
Like unwanted vines
choking a rose bush, it
blocks the sun and rain
until delicate buds,
nearly ready to bloom
Whither and fade-
Their true colors
never allowed to
grace the garden
I would miss your
beautiful colors
even more than
those of the roses
So, let’s face our
grief together, and
let tears fall like a steady
rain, reviving wilted buds
And with open arms
invite others who are
hurting to join us until
we are wholly comforted
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Matthew 5: 4
Take a Listen
I am excited to be part of this spoken word anthology. You can listen Here.
Not the Only One
Pink lines and blue spaces
pulled me into the day
Inviting my thoughts,
one note at a time
A quiet calling, not
rushed, but encouraging-
Today waits for your melody.
Waits for our melodies-
Whether joyful
or melancholy
Raucous or
Peaceful
So, go ahead, sing
Let your notes float on
the breeze, blending
with others before
returning to you
A new song-
not meant to soothe
every worry, but to
remind us that we are
not the only ones singing
Person, Place, or Thing
We hope and dream
Plan and build
Laugh and live-
Until we compare-
Then we search and rethink
Remodel and rebuild
Until our misguided focus
Causes discontentment and
Greed leads us to
Tear down and abandon-
Oh, that we will realize
Before it’s too late
Our emphasis on places and things
Has the power to destroy the heart-
Unless we, the people,
Choose to treat each other
With dignity and respect
Dreaming and planning together
To build a kinder, stronger tomorrow-
At least, that is my hope…
Neighbors
At first glance
I saw a man
Back slumped, head down
Weathering the storms
In this life-
Not giving up
But, oh, so tired-
If only I could see his face
Faces often tell our stories
Our eyes allowing
An elusive glimpse into the soul-
But his back was turned
And I passed by too quickly
For any other possibilities-
One more glance
In my periphery-
Oh, it was not a man
It was an old piece of wood
Worn down from
A different set of storms-
No longer holding branches
That held leaves
No longer able
To reach toward the sun-
It was not a man
But it easily could have been
Back slumped, head down
Not giving up
But, oh, so tired-
Still able to reach
Toward the sun
With a little help
And encouragement
After sharing an elusive glimpse
With a neighbor-one soul into another
Passersby
I pass by them
Almost every day
Structures, homes
Once filled with life
And all of its joy and sorrow
Now abandoned
Void of purpose
I pass by them
Almost every day
People, living souls
Once filled with life
And all of its laughter and tears
Now standing alone
Their gazes hollow
Purpose forgotten –
What if the latter filled the former?
Would it be a step toward living again?
Maybe a small step
Requiring help from passersby like me-
Surely an answer
Lies somewhere between
The tangible and the sacred
“Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”
Proverbs 31:9
Dampened Cheek
Rain continues to fall
While the wind rests
My racing thoughts
And rapid pulse
Gratefully embrace
A moment of calm-
The saturated ground
Swells, painfully aware
Of its limited capacity
Struggling as the rain
Completely unaware
Continues to fall
Like a continuous stream
Of tears rolling down
An already dampened cheek
Unsure of their destination-
Will the tears be brushed
Away by hands, dry and cracked
From denial and indifference
Or allowed to freely flow
Softening hearts
As the rain softened the ground
Piano Girl 