Birthday Parties

Swings, cake,
splashing in the lake

water, slides,
and kiddie rides

giggle, tickles,
burgers and pickles

singing, smiles
large toy piles

a special day
in every way

"Awake early" by Laurie Molloy

Awake early to catch a glimpse

Of immaculate silence

Untouched

Without breath

Missing the chatter

That goes along

With obligatory words

 

Unleashed from beeping

And buzzing

And banging

 

No one outside

No one at the door

 

Those in the house

Quiet as a mouse

Then the alarm

 

And the banging

And buzzing

Remind me I’m alive

The earth has returned

As it was yesterday

 

Grateful for my moment

Of silence

Amazed at the bounty

Of noise

 

So happy to hear

Little words

Love and Stargazing

stargazers, romantic watchers

of the sky, vast and incomprehensible-

the wonders that live amongst the

endless stars and galaxies.
 

Lovers dream and watch quietly

holding hands, amazed by how their

love is as eternal as the universe,

and as big as the all the planets and moons combined-

as wide as the longest arms stretched all the way out

as deep as the bottomless sea-

love like that not for the lucky

Love like that for the loving
for the givers
for the dreamers
 

Fleeting naptime

As the quiet moment passes
the nap, not quite long enough ceases
activity increases
i forgot i was busy
with business
dizzy with
dizziness
for a moment i focused
for a moment i formed my own thought

Reading bliss

I've been consuming books
like a tired traveler devours food and conversation
at a rest stop
re-reading words to uncover new meanings
like a person repeats their steps
to find their keys
delving into simile and metaphor
as someone who purports themselves
a writer
and as all the pages go by
the minutes evacuate space
without my knowledge
and i slip into a world
imagined by another
a world close to mine
as all of our lives
meet each others
with daily similarities
eradicating loneliness
when realized

Johnny's life

Splish Splash!
In the puddle I sit
In the puddle I stomp
on the ground I stomp.
My head hits the wall.
Thud...
I laugh
My truck hits the wall.
Thud!
Splish Splash
now i'm in the bath -
eyes wide open
looking forward
fighting sleep
life awaits
I am the world
Stomp
Thud.
Hello!

Mom's Pocket

There are boogers in my pockets
and grapes
maybe the cap of a
milk bottle
rocks and other things
i ask the baby not to eat
so he hands them to me,
as if a wonderful treat
and, they are

treats I mean
everything he gives me
i keep a jar
for rocks that he gives me
and when he's asleep
and restful time awaits

i empty my pockets
throw out the boogers and grapes
and the the rocks go into a
special jar
a jar for rocks
Johnny's treats
that he isn't allowed to eat
but I will keep