green grass, bad seeds, and rotten apples

bad seeds

sprout into bad plants

watered by liquor and lead

instead of sunshine and love

rotten apples 

roll down hill 

falling from the tree 

lumped and bruised

the grass 

always greener

when divided by light 

and darkness exists mid-day

Weighting Room

white noise behind Mozart

silver wine-rack holding only

rolled magazines 

check-in window

check-out window

chairs and couches

potted plants

random unmatched frames:

a painted fish, stain glass 

best of awards and evacuation plans

in the corner a kids area, empty

strange colorful bead and wire

contraption, toys, books

silence

all of this is waiting

we check in

we check out

we wait

for good news

and bad

and wait, wait, wait

sometimes the weight

is unbearable 

April Leaves

April and our trees have leaves

winter never leaves, she never came

leaving us a dry brown world 

in history's leaves, we know

the ice recedes, scars left

leaving all of us to wonder

what is left or right

or leave well enough alone

leave us to our own devices

to turn over a new leaf

When Stars Die

I cannot with doves cry

why, you ask and I

lie, as I 

try to avert my 

eye, avoid a sigh

dry the mouth goes, shy

spy purple laden clouds in the sky

high drinking rye

buy another good bye

by and by

my loved ones with yours die

Apps for Everything

apps for dating, rating, mating

for baby naming, gaming

pet taming

spelling, selling, body part swelling 

apps for love and sexting 

and secretly texting

apps to track, hack, and Trivia Crack

apps it seems for everything 

but empathy, 

and what a pity

no app yet to save humanity

The Game

teach them to play 

with passion and joy

teamwork and toughness 

when to lead or follow

win even when losing

miss and try again

learn from loss

don't play for the whistle 

remind them this 

the goal is meant to be

something to leap towards

the clock counts down 

from the first time they play

until the final buzzer

Like Riding a Bike

like riding a bike, they say

but what about the first time

when age is one part balance 

and two parts fear and freedom

what is that like riding?

a bull? a rocket? 

like riding a bike, they say

but what about the last time

when age provides no freedom

from fear of balance

what is that like riding?

a bear? a dragon?