an olive branch

a greater distance to the sun from earth
paint underneath my fingernails the work to file
deny my mother and her first born child
deep chill my heartbeat still on trial
older than a tree root rots
misgivings tied to have me nots
assert the failures of composure angry hot
middle of day the right to have their say
no matter what
a break in the weather a mix of sun and rain
our tears forbidden words bring angst a cruelest pain
a flux corrode like rust repeat the same refrain
you cannot trust the ones you love so much
with loneliness to claim no loyalty no gain
as a moon will wane I think we go insane
for what is love but someone else to blame
let light shine in eyes that look deep blue
as wide as an ocean she will rescue you
she is my mother bearing flowers
she is the ear that listens for hours
she cries the tears when she feels powerless
she is my dear she is my love an angel the sign of the dove
offering an olive branch
on the other end of the phone telling me she loves me
while eating olives.

Monolithic Aberdeen

the mind a monolithic Aberdeen
in the middle of a fantasy
where all goes well between you and me
you are my spring where June may avail
bird on the wing of a dove in love spinning her tale
I will fail no doubt to lend
the end of such sweet harmony
to bend like spoons weighted down by too much sugar
stirred to awaken a sense of milk and honey
left of tomorrow’s yesterday’s
birds sip sweetest sap from the maple milked to tap
buoyant buzzard bargains for bones in the shoulders
of boulders-
camping out bugs bite bats borrow ubiquitous unity
bears outfox fish for lunch beavers bristle
civilization dine on vacation steak gristle
I am so lost not knowing the cost too much so little
incurable thirst the juice of an orange wets the whistle
where is my prayer book what have I done
with my leather bound missile?
my silence is saved it goes to the grave-our little miracle
an answer so sweet to rub your feet to gain your trust
to know that you love me as best as you can
is genuinely just
God bless you woman.

with the swallow

masked moon cloud aloud with heavy rain
cling to bough droop currants vine
the train cumbersome-
trunks of bending birch quench their thirst in puddled dirt decay
sweet root, bearded bark shade shadow glade in shallow dark
to hear a lark
giddy in his yelp
a cry for help
mellow memory of the swelter
give me shelter
oh how he weeps
to see the dove mourning
an irreconcilable peace
the cost of knowing
tomorrow
an hour
in the life of an owl
lucky to find field mice,
sleep in a barn
with the swallow.

a peaceful dove

impressed by your candor
reduce the grand glamor
dirt road hold your own manor
that open door step forward toward
the harsh hard life before past sworn
an ernest yearn to earn your grin
the favor won to win
all the ones there to share
the time the wine the care
why are we so stoic?
I know not what I was to let you go
to save you from myself I guess
you know
there hollow in the wallow
of sorrows known
to follow a borrowed tomorrow
as if it were alone
burn the wick that wrote the writ
that swam with you in the harbor
wake come of age in an arbor
shake off the rage of a martyr
turn the next page of your partner
sigh as a night sky cries
to carry the innocent dark
to save the moon
too soon to part like a peaceful dove
who flew away with my heart.