She’s
dishing out the gossip,
spreading the news,
telling tales
He’s
wagging tails,
reading the clues
washing dishes, cutting his losses
poem- belated gifts December 13, 2014
I heard you sent it
and it makes me smile
to know my mail box
will receive a gift
from the past.
When it arrives
I will float back in time,
swim in memories for a while,
then break the surface
to be thankful
for now.
poem- Christmas Lights 2 December 12, 2014
I only have to say
Here’s a problem,
can you solve it?
And next time I turn around
You have illuminated
my world.
.
poem- everybody dies alone
You tell me
you’re afraid
of the inevitable destination
of this journey,
and I can’t help you.
I’ve never been there,
and I don’t know what to say
to ease your fear.
POEM- Christmas lights December 11, 2014
Time to hang the Christmas lights.
From the shed
lights on pine swag are excavated.
From the basement
cup rings are hunted.
From the kitchen
bulb to plug converter located.
Bore the the rings above the door
Arrange the swag in elegant balance
Screw the converter into the light socket
Ready for festive glow, plug cord into socket .
Nothing,
Sigh.
No Christmas lights tonight.
poem-dust December 10, 2014
Yesterday
this was everything.
Novelty exploded
and now we’re only
dust.
.
.
.
(Oh, those poor children. When you’re 14, everything is hyperbolic)
poem- ready December 9, 2014
Oh, she’s ready
all right.
And you’ll be
regretting
that tone of voice
before the evening’s
over.
poem-wording December 8, 2014
She was told,
“You are a poet.”
She wrote,
“If only words could make it true.”
I laughed,
because of course,
only words
can
make it true.
Is there any other way
to make a poet?
poem-small December 7, 2014
It’s not small.
It overwhelms.
Unending paper piles
proliferate in the night.
A day’s work
becomes a week’s.
Somewhere under there
is order,
but it will take more
excavation.
.
.
.
I’ve been cleaning and re-organizing my office space. Made some progress after a week, but it’s not there yet. Arg.
What task do you have that seems to expand when you’re not looking?
poem- longing December 6, 2014
I light blue and white candles
bake cardamom spiced breads
and remember a home
far away.
.
.
.
Today is the 97th anniversary of Finnish independence.
hyvää itsenäisyyspäivää kaikille suomalaisille
Runo Suomeksi:
Itsenäisyyskynttilät
pulla
muistan
ja olen ikava sinulle,
Suomen maa.
,
(I was an exchange student in Finland when I was 18. I have been back a couple of times, but I’m still waiting for my Finns to come visit me in Canada!)
Shawn L. Bird 