I See, or Not…

Does squinting really make things easier to see?

It seems like it should be about as effective

as pushing on the dashboard

to make the car go faster.

And yet as I screw up my face

into wincing wrinkles

the word will sometimes float up

for a split second and I can skim

the essence off the top,

like alphabet soup noodles roiling

in a pot of boiling stock

and if I read fast enought I can

get the gist.

Such is life when the cataracts

are acting up.

 

#198

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

REMember

Why do I dream of beautiful things

falling apart, of useless relics underfoot,

of strangers in my home?

Are my dreams some strange waystation

for past, present, and future baggage;

a merging place for alternate realities

where outcomes are all able to occupy

the same space at the same time?

This is what comes from failing Physics in high school.

Why do I dream impossible foolishness?

What crossed circuit or over tired synapse

is responsible for my dreams of broken glass

and spilled wine?

My REM cycle seems to have a flat

and I awake, gasping for air.

 

# 197

 

Morning Song

The morning dawns with a pale, flat light
and eases out the last of night,
tired of black, you’d think she might
squeeze out a little spark.

But no, her bland illumination
consists of gray and its gradations.
You’d think there’d be some small temptation
to make the world less stark.

Lightening now, the grays turn whiter
as though the celestial lamplighter
decided graciously to right her
obvious shortcomings

And now a hint of blue I see
emerging o’er the snow clad trees
and a band of peachy red that seems
to set the sky a humming.

The light grows stronger now and gleams
on silent, stately evergreens
who rouse themselves from winter dreams
and start to switch and sway.

And as the wind begins to shake
their cloaks of snow to falling flakes.
Pink clouds begin to thin and break
and simply float away.

Winter white returns full force
and day progresses in its course
I’ll let it go, with some remorse;
this fleeting, lovely thing.

Another winter sunrise gone.
But I’ll recall the day that dawned
and spread her colours on my lawn
and made the morning sing.

195

 

Goodbye Arizona

Goodbye Arizona,

I liked you from the start

but now a fine grain of your sand

has settled my heart.

Gathering my memories

like layers upon a pearl

to make a jewel to guide the way

next time I return.

So, so long Arizona,

cause goodbye’s hard to say.

I know I’ll feel your sunrise dawn

on me again some day.

#191