Sunday, May 17, 2026

when no one is watching





water-skims 

and puddles

on the deck


whisper secret 

rain-dreams  

as we sleep



**



One of the many ways to like

Robert Lax the poet is 

at my same age now he continues 

to scoff at notions of wisdom

in favor of the ancient practice 

of patience, 


calling all else fool’s games 

of fancy names.


And showers persist into rain 

two days through their nights 

into blue skies, green hills 

and two feet 


led to the feel of perpetual promise.



**



ducks


two groups, two and three,

take what seems the whole 


of the bay’s sunrise surface

to send silent signal-circles 



of the living presence of

the bounties beneath


webbed feet 



**



if you

have not

in spring

smelled lilac,


yes, do—


it’s spring



**



so often

I don’t see


then do see

the light light


the way back

to right here…



**



I do think

I’ve finally figured out

the fool’s smile: confusion 

embraced



**



phenology, the study

of how nature changes

over time—my face

in the mirror



**



two clean

journal 

pages

remain

before

the re-

cycle

bin takes

its turn


pages

turn too


do like

we do


turn like

leaves do


and fall…


letting 

breath and 

breeze turn 

free


over

earth’s 

turn



**



Searching

my mind

this day


seems

to mean 


a sweep of eyes

over it all


finds no where

to land—


and if freedom

is the goal,


where’s the problem ?



**



I can’t know, can only guess

what the old learned ones came to know,

to see, of themselves, of the world,

except for what they might have said

that was heard


but I do know I can come to know

this moment’s coming to fruition

at the bottom of this

once empty page.



**



drawn back 

to explanation,


I catch myself,

re-member, re-call


fingers pointing

to the moon,


its light letting us see



**



early dark-chilled streets take your breath 

with a snap—no wimps here, what you get 

is to breathe with those thoughts

that woke you—so, shut up

and listen



**



sun broke bright

orange flames


then lost itself

behind cloud-


claiming light

taking morning


for it’s own



**



ji-nen honi


after storms, blue sky

wakes horizon’s reach 


of greens and browns

to the sun for the day


as we lift our eyes



**



Spoons tinkle cups 

in the kitchen—bells 


of our quiet living,

or tolling 


for nineteen lost

on Negros—darkness 


falls on both.



**



Said softly, whispered

so as not to spoil, 


the ache and fatigue

of aging hips and thighs melts 


at the shift from street to trail,

remembers resilience.



**



the quiet of the room


doesn’t move like the leaves

outside the window do


but then, I breathe…