Pictures of Naomi

Naomi's First Birthday


Naomi's First Dance


Naomi's Wedding

Local Live Poet's Chowder Society February 08 Love Poem

Let's Talk or Not

You are better at it than I am
Letting anger wonder around
until it cannot be easily found.
Letting time fill the spaces.

Letting the silence be heard.
Talking about tree colors,
techniques, and trivialities.
Saying things like
don't let those words
come out of your mouth

I expect that lack
of comfort in not
resolving with words
even those that may bring blood
for me comes in part
from an overly screamed youth
where conflict and creative survival
was the name of the game.

Sadly then maybe love
was conflict and
could not be easily felt
if not screamed or shouted.
Perhaps complete with
Threats and Ultimatums
If with a certain clear code
of what could never be said.

There was a certain
comfort in that predictability
of knowing eventually,
usually sooner than later,
there would be conflict.
So certain it was that
little time was there
for letting the silence be heard.

Hot words and lines drawn
strangely letting everyone
know they were loved
or at least in the playing field.
Watching my family even today
it is still hard to risk being silent.

We often stand at opposite
ends of this verbal playing field
You and I
You keep your own counsel
work out the scenerios

Creating you own reality show
in your head
You present your case
call in the jury
and set the sentence

Never showing an alteration
in tone or voice or
deviation from calm
your words not necessarily related
to the show in process.
All smoke and mirrors.
A certain artistic presentation.

I, in turn, can be in
Warrior Princess Mode
with you in a heart beat.
Weapons at hand and
ready to defend the terriroty
that feels at risk.

Turn around
you reach out or touch me
I forget what the war is about.
Sometimes silence can
fill the space for awhile
with no life threatening consequence.
So lets talk or not at times
Knowing love is there.

LSS February 9,2008

Horizons

Sack cloth
Ashes and Leomonade
Lost chances,
lost romances and
making the best of it.
Whatever it is

Not at all what I thought
it would be all about
in the Golden Years.
Yet here it is....
Struggling to keep walking

While refrains of the spirit of
Carpe Diem
thought lost or elusive
still remain
too close for comfort
clouding the horizon

Not without fear to
the heart of even
this optimist born,
Dancing through Moulin Rouge
could be a mistep
considering all

While throwing in the towel
wishing to be 15
still in the middle of
the joy of everything is
yet to come... to she who waits.

Little comfort is gained
from dreams of
an eternal playmate
at your side
In anticipation of
soulmate sharing ,sustance found

You know the one?
Mary Jane and sniffles
Poor poof piffles
Make me just as small as sniffles
and off to adventure land
by the shear will of it

Entering into the storybook world
by magic incantation
fearless of even
fire breathing dragons,
exaulted in that perfect playmate

Always able to return
home comforted
Full of places visited,
kingdoms won.
Knowing knights are knighted and
order restored to whatever

That time when
summer seemed eternal and
winter just a blip on the
universe of all
things lie ahead of us still.

Lost in the universe of
what might have been
too many could haves
like oil and water
won't be an easy mix with
looking at what is

Even while rewriting the
script for one more act,
incorporating the
stage at hand,
knowing tarnished troubadours

Sack cloth, ashes and
lost maps to Treasure Island
may be the crux of it,
What might have beens are
hard to lay down.

Lss May 5, 2004

Allegory

Chicago,Chicago
and All That Jazz
How I loved you
while you stood
horn in hand

Yourself draped
on the threshold of
a dream house
split level stairs
looking only at me

Something too grand and glorious
even to be put to music
Shining and Becoming
the Me I saw
reflected in your eyes

Razzle Dazzle
tap dance shoes
Silver Sparkles, Chrome toes
Clunky high heels
anything goes

Step to the left and
shuffle to the right
smile just right
checking it out
I don't think so

Long ago, presenting
short black lace gown
& baby doll panties
draped casually over an arm
Prentending to be fearless

Are you going to wear that?
You said.........
Understated as always
seeming incredulous
Smiling knowingly ..to you

No...I don't think so
I thought to myself.
Tonight remembering
I wonder
Where did I ever put that outfit?

Here I am
There I was
Standing in that window light
Where talk is of placing photo
subjects to be less uptight

Black and white balance
Learning a lot, learning a lot.
Notice the detail!
The hours, the hours
Hello. Hello.

Heel Toe, Heel Toe
Whirling, twirling
Dervish like turning
catching the light
Did you notice?
Probably not...

Somethings it seems
one just expects
to be there
What need to look
Is something gone you ask?

Who were those guys in
the forties and fifties
who played those arch top
Epitone Guitars
broadway movie score style

That they seemed to
look and see
What was there
in front of their faces
Here and now
with or without light

Razzle Dazzle
tap dance shoes
They never die
Like old indians
they just fade away

I am, you are, the music played
Good night Jimmy D
Where ever you are
Heel toe Heel toe

Lss May 23, 2003