Yelp!

Writing a review
of my favorite cafe,
So glad they are here!

After Sleeping Late

Walking to Washburne*
Ready for morning coffee
And some steel cut oats.

In My Dream (3) ...

I'm getting ready,
heading out the door to drive,
Car missing again!

For How Long?

Feeling "nearly normal,"
No more waves of dizziness,
Whatever that means?

Wierdness

Feeling off-balance,
Dizziness with eyes flashing,
What's this all about?

Holiday?

The 4th of July,
Lots of noise, flash, and hoopla.
That's independence?

Art & The Vineyard*

A warm, sunny day,
Great for a stroll in the park
to enjoy the art.

* 4th of July Weekend

Summer Job

Scrubbing the back deck
Getting it ready for stain,
How long will it last?

Manipulator

No reason to change,
Her guilt-trips still work so well.
Six years and counting.

At a Poetry Reading

Grieving

Two women poets
read words about their mothers,
Daughters of the dead.

Dorianne*

"If I had a choice,
I would only write poems
about rock and roll."

* Comment while reading a new poem about her love of James Taylor.

Really?

"It's all positive,"
he said, then waited three weeks
to share the "good news."

Time?

What time is it now?
Must be "buddha standard time,"*
This present moment.

*  Reading buddha standard time by Lama Surya Das

New Arrival

Tower of foxglove

rises next to the old fence,

Wasn't here last year.

Early Start

Birds singing their songs
As morning light gets brighter,
Woke at 4:15.

Shameless

Men behave badly,
Using power to get sex.
Do they have no shame?

In My Dream (2) ...

Lost my car again,
It's parked somewhere on the streets.
Never did find it.

Noise

Tinnitus gets old,
Always ringing in my ears,
No silence ... ever!

Buzz Cut

Pruning the big hedge,
Giving it a short "haircut."
Hate the way it looks.

Summer ... Finally?

It's summer solstice,
The longest day of the year.
More daylight, less sleep.

Sweat Work

Cutting down tree limbs
that hang over the sidewalk,
Long overdue job!

"She Walks in Beauty" *

Went to bed early
to read poems together,
Rekindling our love.

*  "She Walks in Beauty" by Caroline Kennedy

Too Early!

Woke at 4:40,
a.m. that is, not p.m.
Time for a long nap!

Annoyed at Joe's

Shopping Trader Joe's,
Looking for stuff on my list.
Hate that they move things!

Dreamland II

Dreams of terrorists
Using Harleys as their bombs,
Poor choice of weapon!

What will happen next?
Motorcycle explosions.
Harley riders' weep!

Playing Taxi

Cruising the highway
on the way to the airport,
Fast-moving traffic.

Waking Up

Woke at 4 a.m.
And couldn't get back to sleep.
Listened to the birds.

Housework

Cleaning the kitchen,
The cabinets refinished
but the dust remains.

Headed South

Southbound on the train
on the way home to Eugene,
Left late; arrived late.

Northbound Train

Sitting on the train
slowly rolling down the tracks
Headed for Portland.

So many ringtones
are interrupting my sleep
(Annoyed on the train).

Sun breaks through the clouds
Brightening this gloomy day,
The train whistle blows.

Feeling so sleepy,
Hard to keep my eyes open,
Train rocks me to sleep.

What is this I hear?
It sounds like Spanish hip-hop
From headphones too loud.

Long Bus

Riding the Em-X,
Just 10 people are on board.
Not a word spoken.

Headed for Breakfast

A cloudy morning

Greets me on my walk to

The Washburne Cafe.

"Gone Away" Party

Off to Hendricks Park

for a picnic with Jasmine,

Wishing her life's best!

                         Photo by Jasmine Rose Penter (in the center)

Back Yard Beauty

Another iris

brings beauty to the back yard,

Sweetening my day.

Just Ducky

A duck in the street
Busy pruning his feathers,
Never mind the cars.

Lantern

A bright pink rhodi

With blossoms big as a ball

Lights up the morning.

Blossoms

Gracing the back yard

A fuchsia azalea

Makes me want to smile.

In My Dream (2) ...

I was confronted
for touching a man's shoulder.
I resigned and left.

Homophobia?
Or did I touch an old wound?
Maybe it was both.

So what happened next?
Sharpened up my boundaries,
No more playful touch. 

A Hint?

Woke up to sunshine
filling the house with bright light.
First sign of summer?

In My Dream ...

I was the preacher,
My sermon lasted too long.
Everybody left!

My sermon that day?
Something about "listening,"
Paying attention.

What is the message?
In waking life as in dreams
"Practice what you preach!"

Fooled Again

Another hard rain
Pouring outside my window,
Left raincoat at home!

Snooze

Sitting in my chair,
Eyes beginning to close and ...
An afternoon nap.

Lost

Memorial Day:
Remembering dead soldiers,
Killed to keep the peace.

"Start Your Engines"

Indy 500:
Thirty-three cars turning left,
One hundred years old.

Nap Wake-Up

Hailstones pound the roof,
Quarter inch white balls hit ground,
Wonder what comes next?

Shining Bright (How Long?)

Late blooming rhodi

Finally getting sunshine,

More rain on its way.

Diagnosis?

Went to the doctor
for answers about my cough.
Lungs clear.  Just takes time.

"O"

For twenty-five years
She opened her heart to us.
Today, her last show.


She shared life lessons.
All that she learned with us.
"What I know for sure."


It came to an end
Just as everything ends.
Be grateful for life!

Still Tired

The cough continues,
Feels like it will never end.
Time for a long nap!

Tired of It!

Not much sleep last night,
Woke up coughing many times,
When will this thing end?

Awaken to Beauty

Beside the sidewalk

Bleeding hearts and irises

Grace my morning walk.

On A Neighborhood Walk

Purple irises
with their long flowing white beards
Blowing in the wind.

Cough, Cough

The cough has returned,
This time harder and deeper,
My vocal cords hurt!

Today At The Office

Change is forthcoming,
Not sure when it will happen,
Trust is the lesson!

Surprising News

In the staff meeting
She said it was time to leave,
Betrayed too often.

In Living Pink

Dogwood in full bloom,
Pink flower petals spread wings,
Flying to the sun.

Flying Home

Sitting in the plane
Listening to babies cry,
Joys of air travel?

Morning After

Sitting by the pool
Soaking up the bright sunshine,
Arizona heat!

5/14 @ 5:14 pm

May your wedding day
Bring you happiness and joy
Each day of your lives.

Last Chance

Flying to Phoenix
For Brother Bob's fifth wedding, 
Will it be his last?

Not Ready

Traveling again,
Gone for another weekend,
Longing to stay home.

Forgotten

Where is that poem?
Did I write it or did I not?
That is the question.

Life Goes On

Back at work today,
Returning calls, catching up.
Hard to concentrate.

Yesterday's News

Newspaper headline:
"Always listen to your mom."
Will I hear her now?

A Day Without Her

On this Mother's Day,
The day of my mother's birth,
No mother to call.

Wondering

As my brother drives,
We talk about what comes next.
Life without mother.

Celebrating Mother

A beautiful day,
We bury Mom with her kin,
Now she rests in peace.

At the Funeral Home

My brother and I
Look at Mom in the casket,
Together, we weep.

Remembering

Brother and sister
tell stories of our mother,
Remember her life.

Almost Home

Out the plane window,
"The Land of 10,000 Lakes" --
Minnesota home.

The Day After

Packing to go home
for my mother's funeral,
Feeling waves of grief.

May Day

The first day of May,
The last day of mother's life,
She died this morning.

Mother's Dying

Her heartbeat is strong,
Her breathing is getting slower,
Not much longer left.

Vigil

I called my brother,
He says mother is sleeping,
Not many words left.

Mother's Wish

He reads her the Psalms,
She asked to sing old church hymns,
Last days of her life.

A Brother's Tears

As my brother speaks
I hear the grief in his voice,
Our mother near death.

Mother's Last Days

Mother lays dying
In her nursing home bed now.
Waiting for last breath.

Oregon Spring

Hailstones pelt the car,
Followed by a big downpour --
Oregon Spring time.

High School Church Choir

It's Easter Sunday,
Sunrise service memories,
Sing Hallelujah!

Long Awaited

Sunshine ... finally!
Off to Saturday Market
to bring home veggies.

85 Years is Enough Life

My brother called me,
Saying that Mom is dying.
She told him "I'm glad."

Called to talk with Mom,
She said she's ready to go
When her last breath comes.

Said "I love you Mom"
And she said "I love you Todd."
Perhaps our last words.

What's for Lunch?

Ate a bowl of soup,
Chicken potato curry,
A great tasting lunch.

Dreamland

What does this dream mean?
Two woman friends stole my house
And held an art sale.


Caught them in the act,
Warned them not to sell my stuff,
And watch out for thieves.


Don't know what happened
because I woke up early
To write this poem.

Correct Diagnosis?

Back to the doctor
to diagnosis the fevers,
Caused by rash on leg?


Antibiotics
take on the skin infection
From the inside out.

Unknowns

Another fever
last night after a good day,
Time for the doctor?

Cornucopia

Out for a burger
and french fries with my sweetie,
Feel nearly normal.

Night Sweat

Spiked a night fever,
Today muscle aches and pain,
Go soak in the tub!

Where to next?

Taking our picture
to renew a lapsed passport,
Make some travel plans!

An Overdue Honor

Eighty-nine years old,
An American hero,
Honored peacemaker.

Edgar Peara Receives French Legion of Honor, April 14, 2011

Let It Be

That awareness heals
is a fundamental truth,
Welcome in what is.

Reading Ezra Bayda - Beyond Happiness

On the way to the Post Office

A shiny penny
in the middle of the street,
Who will pick it up?

The Point

Reside in what is,
The point is to be aware,
Be fully present.

Reading Ezra Bayda - Beyond Happiness

First Sighting

On grape hyacinth,
A hummingbird sips nectar,
An early breakfast.

Afternoon Respite

Sipping my coffee,
Eating a pumpkin muffin,
Basking in sunshine.

Do What?

To just be present
Surrendering to what is,
Doing sweet nothing!

Reading Ezra Bayda - Beyond Happiness

Spring Into Winter?

Ruby red rhodies,
Hundreds of flowers in bloom,
Snow in the forecast!

Sun Seekers

Petals opening,
Pink magnolia blossoms
Reaching for the sun.

Demorepublicrats

Government shutdown?
Politics of Washington
Where no one listens.

Ugly Ball

Watching basketball,
Final game of March Madness,
Worst I've ever seen!

Early Birds

5:40 a.m.
What woke me up so early?
"Gobble-gobble" songs.

Spring Morning

Breezy Saturday,
Sunshine breaking through the clouds,
Trillium in bloom.

April Fools Day

March gave us a bath.
Will April bring more sunshine?
First tulips blooming!