Pilgrimage: The Mallard Factor

two mallards at the reflecting pond
this is the male
blessed by Nature with
patches of iridescent
green and bright orange
feet
the quiet brown feathered
female is not in
the picture

About this Place: Geometry of Sky

Every snapshot brings 
heaven, heaves dis-
ease out the window and
into the pink wing of beach
in the sky, candy at the hard
corners. No fancy equipment,
just me fumbling to pull
my tiny camera free, to stop
long enough.

Pilgrimage

This small city where
I encounter photographers taking shots
of the very place I wanted to shoot
So I shoot them instead
and I look at their tripod
and they stare at my lens
And we all smile at the silliness
and I move on knowing that the perfect shot is on the next corner
or down the street or
The one I just took
to send to you

Everyone Seated There

We stare out into warmer times

when the red wine and the white

bottles will pass across the table with

picnic fare promise of pleasure

when the warmer times

take us out to the yard again where

the birds befriend the trees again

and the children run in the yard

seeking spring treasure

and we play musical chairs

if only to talk to everyone

seated there

Pilgrimage: As When Lilies

the sky clouds gray
above wet sidewalks
the shops spill vegetables and greeting cards
out and overflowing
and the heart turns aside
as when lilies bloom
in black

Grass

Grass, a photo by vajra on Flickr.

the long blades blow
in the clear wind
only a slight hint of salt for flavor
I think of Whitman and Dickinson
and Little women
then carry my bag of cleaning supplies
to the car

#5 This Place and That

As there you

rise to sip

espresso

in shirt sleeves

Here the snow-

plows pull up

alongside me

Tonka toys

enlarged to

shove the mess

off to one side

My gloves on

the wheel

of slow

morning

As I return

home by the same

route, a husk of

hush remains

in the dark

clouds hinting more of the same

Slow Afternoon

yesterday's chill forgotten
in the unseasonable warmth
passersby are confused
some in shirtsleeve
those in heavy coats
lapels opened jauntily
cherry trees rush to bloom
and camellia petals fall
softly to sidewalks
the slight fragrance of
rosemary perfumes the sidewalk
and two boys drink espressos
in the sunlight