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Circles
We visited Foote's Pond this morning
A shallow still water marsh
edged by bulrushes and tufted high grass
Six Black Ducks paddling for breakfast
A stalking Great Blue spreading his wings
to lure fish into the shade of his umbrella
A pair of white cranes pecking in the cattails
Bullfrogs booming out the background beat
like the bass guitars in a blues group
But oh the circles
Every touching of the water's face
a minnow touching up
a petal touching down
produces a perfect surface circle
'til the face of the pond becomes a mirror
of the solar systems in the sky
circles ringed by circles
each dilating until it disappears.
Last Words
You were great
I love you
Will you forgive me
Grandparenting
When your grandsons grow bigger than you
and begin to excel in soccer, rugby and water polo
and one is an undefeated arm wrestler
and their eyes soften and blink when your reminisce
and your eleven year old granddaughters
can high jump as high as your sore shoulder
and throw you off balance in Indian wrestling
and they all have an old friend called Blackberry
and their eyebrows squeeze together when you say
you met Truman but not Lincoln
it's time to get the easel some paints
start your memoirs
or compose some poems
turn in your racquet and try bocce
call the pharmacy to refill those prescriptions
and settle down for a nap before supper.
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The White Moth
An elegant quartet
spotlighted from above
four strings rising to Mozart's challenge
A white moth spiraling up in glowing cone
kissing the light and tumbling down
circling up again and then again
drawn to the piercing light
damning the heat
Finale in forte
The white moth mighty in its crescendos
unyielding in its quest
fearless in its touchings
in even its last flutter of life.
To My Elbows
You're properly named for your funny shape
and you move in the strangest ways
You're the L - my body's knight
guarding both of my flanks
You can deliver a gentle jab when needed
move hands to hips in defiance
and you are a joint of many talents
You can make me pat or hug or rub
hide my hands in penitent pockets
even surrender me with forearms raised
You do tend to wear out my jackets though
and you are tough enough to heat and unpretty
but overall you're commendable joints
I'd be awkward and stiff without you.
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