The Singing Bowl
The mystery is safe (and sound), A song that’s made by circling round, Expanding out beyond the ring Unseen yet clearly lingering. When mental busy-ness has ceased, With inner peace the tone’s released. With deepened breath the hands learn much…
Bluebird of Friendship (to Carol)
The bluebird is fabled as herald of joy. I’ve asked her to add to her tidings: Whenever you glance where I’m perched in your heart She’ll sing of our friendship abiding. Our vision of aging included much time Indulging in…
How Can I Love?
How can I love All of us Without first embraces From the ancient songs of sages? The African drums, The arched harp and rabat That urged mating and soothed pharaohs, The Pan flute, the Roman lute, The Gregorian chant Dark…
Sonnet to Dave on His 72nd Birthday (in iambic pentameter)
In ‘fifty-two a baby came along To add a gentleness to what we had: The geeky girl who thought her brain was strong, The cocky son who followed every fad. He had a special place as Grampa’s prince, The godson…
Labyrinth
To love Is to enter a holy labyrinth Without a map. There will be wrong turns, Retracing of endless winding steps, And dead ends. Why, then, enter and endeavor To plumb the maze? “If only I could find,” I thirst,…
All I Want for Christmas
With what amazing grace he did appear A spark, a gift, a seedling to behold. His future and his inner life unclear When he was just a precious hour old. His mirror neurons and his mother’s gaze so full Entangled…
1973 Poem to My Husband Jack
loving you is like having land- scapes—thousands of them—to live in and look at. i get oh end- less views of the same scene, and certainly endless scenes. i love you. i love you when your sky is clear, and…
To Andy
Heaven was a midnight chat with Andy On the Grand Canyon rim. I can see you: The chasm is darker than the dome, Both mute, an unsung hymn. As I lie on a sandstone slab, the star-salted sky Outlines your…
To Kathy on Her 80th
After Eve and Adam left their primal home, Eden fell asleep. And while it slept, it dreamt, And conjured up A future gardener. Such a one Could plant a unity, a blend of earth and heaven As existed long ago.…
The Church Bells
I miss the bygone bells, The bronze deep-throated Sunday thrum That synced with the vibrations of my heart And called me out of time. O hark. The weekday Angelus, in sounding noontime pause, Pressed gently on the reset button Of…
