#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

#4 Road

We follow the lines

through the day.

What I believe at first

to be one thing, changes as I

get closer,

but then belief

recedes again.

Horizon as friend.

Coming closer to you.

Spotting clouds like moving

messages to swipe and quickly pocket.

Treasures in even the most strange.

Pilgrimage: email

I just deleted
three hundred thirty-four
messages

three
hundred
thirty-four

and that is not all
yet all those voices
tried to tell me

something
wanted to let me know
I am here

and so
are
you

#3 Journey With

For when the snow stills, it turns to rain

And see, the metal foot rest is not entirely tarnished yet

We are moving slowly even though the seat's fallen in

And the animals are all sleeping in a nuzzle of a team

Nowhere to be seen.

Third Day: When the Rain Stops

we are at
Cole Coffee
where food is the accessory
that coffee wears
we get lattes and a cinnamon
twist and gaze out
through steamy windows
at necessary rain
and black umbrellas
unfurling like mournful
morning glories

#2 About this Place: Journey

Shake a leg

Roll back the rug

Heaven is an

optical illusion

Until you get there

where the music

made of earth tones

is a little bit wicked

hopping

on the fringe.