Dangerous Driving

Blue day too quickly ends
consumed by foggy night.

Proceed with care
or mesmerized by garish light,
you’ll quickly see how
steel sharply grinds
and tears at fragile flesh,

and, too surprised to scream,
you’ll fall into that empty space
behind life’s busy dream.

So keep control!
Hold tightly the narrow wheel
and never let it go.

the fog lifted yesterday

we grew used

to the low sky,

bland light

grey blight

over our dim

winter lives,

when suddenly the sky soared

the sun streamed gold and red

crossing the broad blue spread

of pure, clear

atmosphere.

Assassin

Moving through dark

shadowy trees,

slumped center-frame,

he walked awkwardly,

mumbling

his mad invective,

ineffective rage until

reaching the flag

he vaporized

into anger’s

flame.

That was his manifesto

video

you-tubed

cabled

into my reluctant eyes.

But I cannot turn away.

I must see how

anger and madness,

armed and dangerous

shatters a mind,

murders

a judge’s wisdom,

a child’s innocence.

Christian Burial

We cross the resilient lawn,
stepping over flat stones,
engraved names, lives
encapsulated.

Under the corrugated tent
on green folding chairs
we pause
as his bronze casket gleams
golden in the shade,
you faithfully standing
by his side on this
burial day.

Touching the cold metal
one last time,
I peer down
to a new
deeper place

and see how sharp angles,
hard, cold walls rise from
the dark concrete floor.

Like Lazarus he will wait
under the tomb’s heavy door
for Christ the Lord
to call him forth
and at last free him
from death’s dark ties,
raise him high
into the living Easter light.

New Year's Morning 2011

Cold rain falls

as the earth turns

for another round.

Last night’s cheer

dives into deeper tears

as his wan face

rises in the air.

His gaze is sad;

your sharp tears wash

his watching eyes

and hungering arms

can not  bridge

the thin divide

that separates was

from is.

But this morning

the green, new world waits

slick and shivering,

crying for warmth

and a reason

to go on.

Let me be your warmth.

Let my arms enfold you

as I share my little light

to end your long,

cold night.