my incompetence
measured with twenty stray marks
and one rude comment
let us speak the truth:
your presumption has failed us
and i have lost faith
i pedaled uphill
for incomprehension. served
with sarcastic sides
my happy birthday:
giving up my Saturday
for a wing, a prayer
but the bike saves me
the cuddling girls save me
the cheap wine saves me
(how singularly
simple English verbs can be)
lost in translation
now, my Spanglish wish:
let my tongue thrive like my legs
uphill pedaled dreams
dreams
Si Fuera…
Spanish in my dreams
audiobooks, printed books
just not on my tongue
La Escuela de Verano
finally, a chance
spring breaks through with summer hope
work for road trip dream
Sunday Summary
blueberry waffles
begin a windy spring day
end of sleepovers
playground half empty
we watch cormorants build nests
wait for timeliness
it comes with patience
for people nothing like us
who make Rio grin
oldest gets her wish
while younger two learn to sew
with grandma’s guidance
kids’ clothes for one buck
the gift Goodwill offers me
shorts for all summer
medium rare steak
(vegetarian’s nightmare)
my chef-made dream meal
so ends my Sunday
sister talk moves toward kindness
summer dreams await
Too Many Times
i search for blossoms
book i’ve read too many times
haunts the cloudy day
feet ache from standing
walk i’ve walked too many times
spring pops out, teases
to erase my dreams
dreams i’ve dreamt too many times
they become nightmares
i see what i want
plans i’ve lost too many times
(life’s a rented dream)
he doesn’t see it
talk we’ve had too many times
he sees only me
so hard to carry
weight i’ve dropped too many times
petals soften fall
i search for blossoms
words i wrote too long ago
too many times back
Crabapple
spring flowers bloom up
on hopes that flit like petals
breezing by my cheek
unadvertised grunt
standing, waiting, buses, crowds
in national parks
yes, the view is grand
if streams of tourists wait
rather than push, shove
green river bottom
whiny pine cone crunching walk
patience slowly comes
what will they recall
twenty years, many paths hence?
the waiting canyon?
or jubilant chants
away from home, friends, phones, games
(they make their own games)
it’s all a game, right
to see nature carve her art
humans: dumbfounded
The Drive
road trip to heaven
with a colorado drive
blue sky sunset dream
Inbox
inbox second chance
two weeks too late, money spent
hope revealed, heart lost
i want to find home
with work that’s my second home
please just show me how
no more promises
that crush dreams i’ve long carried
with your inbox lies
i came home to you
my city, my youth, my school
don’t betray me now
show me you have grown
built truths from these high prices
that surround me now
please just show me how
fill my inbox with one hope:
second chance success
Flood
on this rainy morn
a single note from that song
brings back teen heartbreak
a rough night of dreams
floods of memories, remorse
this reminder stings
why today, this week?
why torment me with lyrics?
i just need a break
to know i’ve moved on
is all i want rain to bring
not floods of regret
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