Thursday, January 27, 2011

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.

Monday, January 10, 2011

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.

Sunday, January 9, 2011

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.

Monday, January 3, 2011

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.

Saturday, January 1, 2011

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.