the heart travels far / across the whole universe

the heart travels far
across the whole universe
and universes of universes

you can't catch them
break or take them
only admire how they are

you might shed a tear
if you do that is good
can make your heart better

you'll affectionately
see all the hearts around you
coming and going with this life


**

there's a beautiful road / on a blue sky sunny day

for Heather

there's a beautiful road
on a blue sky sunny day
wind keeps blowing
in a refreshing way

playing a symphony
of rustling trees
the curling waving
flicking sun-dappled leaves
of elms maples and pines

when i hear this song
i stop from my ride
and i wonder how such
clear loud beauty
so serene yet active
can exist

yet it does
without a single word
devoid of all thought
and having no fears
wind keeps blowing
in a refreshing way
playing a symphony

a beautiful road
on a blue sky sunny day


**

Medicine Lake

i dream i am taller / and it is just a dream

i dream i am taller
and it is just a dream
this being amusing
and also irritating

laying in bed
looking at the extra
two or three feet
extended at my shins

like in charlie and the
chocolate factory
who was the kid stretched

mike tv that's me
three in the morning
with daddy long legs


###

when you live your life/ knowing you don't

when you live your life
knowing you don't
have infinite time
to go here or there

while life is sweet
but time is turning too

appreciation of place
and setting
of sentiment
or simple gesture
becomes acute



***

insert time here

insert time here
in diminishing amounts

but each moment
as infinite as the last

as we move forward
the past takes on a red tinge

like from the taillights
of a car or speeding plane

as we move forward
the future is lit white

like from searchlights
from a battleship



**

or how / your goodness to me

my recollections
are distortions
mostly self-serving

but some
are innocent constructions

prayer
images hovering

a fondly remembered
vignette

or how
your goodness to me
will never go away


**

how could anywhere not be as nice / as the place we are now

going to a foreign country
where no one is ever unhappy
and nothing bad happens

after a few seasons
you forget what home was like
someone asks you how it was

you think it must have been nice
how could anywhere not be as nice
as the place we are now


**

dream factory of night

dream factory of night
on the assembly line
till 3 am

quota made

you can relax


***

my favorite experience / reading a poem

my favorite experience
reading a poem

the words unlocking
a door in my heart

i wasn't aware
was there




**

Poem - nothing else / matters

the trees

all the tips
every twig

and branch 

white knots 

then suddenly 

everywhere 

full of 

blossoms

the sky 

splendid

like rose
watercolor

or blue satin

i forget my 

phone 

i drive back 

to see 

white petals

shaking 

and waving

entrancing

under 

the evening

sky

nothing else

matters

****

May 3rd

Minnetonka