The Simple Word Poetry

Like a perverted young teenage boy peeping through his sexy female neighbor’s bedroom window, Dozens of small eyes gaze at me from the power lines across the street. These winged friends intently observe their surroundings from above. While resting their tired, feathered wings, They breathe the cold, crisp air and Announce their presence in a muted chorus. Are they watching me or Searching for gnats and bugs for a tasty midday snack? Do the vibrating wires below their feet hum a soothing and stimulating tune? How spectacular is the view from up there, I wonder? I often wish I could fly. I dream of my next life as a nimble and fearless hawk soaring high above the mountain tops. A gust of wind, a distant sound or perhaps the scent of an edible distracts a handful to flight. With the window closed, I refrain from sudden movements or sounds to spook them not. Some days, whether walking outside or closing my car door, I have unintentionally frightened them away. I have been awed, though, b

Aged stump, alone Infant seedlings rise nearby Nature's progression

Leaving civilization behind, if only for a week, I arrive in central Maine's expansive countryside, far from the northeast's bustling cities and crowded populations, besieged by Trump 2020 signs, yet entranced by nature's overwhelming sublimity. My home away from home will be a 100-year-old rustic cabin, originally built by railroad men, straddling the shores of Spruce Mountain Lake, sans modern amenities such as running water and electricity. Deciduous forests surround me, creating an exotic perimeter of lush green flora. Loons take to flight, then dip for a wade in the lake's cool waters, their hymns echoing around me, sung in high pitched tones. The winds whisper softly in my ears, nature's deafening silence satiates my soul. Outside the cabin, dead fall makes ideal fire wood, laying in a heap awaiting the campfire's roaring flames. Home to millions of micro-organisms and bugs, I feel a profound sense of guilt for disturbing these stumps, their humble abodes,

Across the still waters, with glorious hues of red, orange and yellow, the sun sets in the west, yet awakens our souls to the day's denouement.

We have a moral, ethical and, ultimately, a political choice to make in our lives. We live today, in 2020, in a country that is divided not only politically, morally, ethically, religiously and environmentally, but above all else, economically. Nineteenth century author and Transcendentalist Ralph Waldo Emerson proclaimed that man need live a life of "self-reliance" free from the fetters of government subsistence, religious dogma and societal handouts. Over time, though, particularly here in these United States of America, we have seen this mantra of individual freedom leave many destitute, lacking even the most basic of human needs, such as food, clothing, housing, education and health care. What good, may I ask, are these freedoms when many of our own country's citizens suffer day-in and day-out due to inequities in our political system? How may we call ourselves a Christian nation when we willingly ignore the pleas of the poor and the cries of the hungry? Is not h

I look out my window and what do I see? Memories of how it used to be. Bicycling and running, laughing and playing, talking with friends, good vibes conveying. The sky is dark, the weather gloomy. Most of my time pent up in here, thank goodness it's roomy. Budding flowers perk my mood, pandemic can't last forever, surely good times await ahead, lest it continue my brood, while feelings of good humor I long to exude.

January Frigid west wind Rattles the denuded trees Outside my window Round-shaped bushes Remain full and lush Seem not to mind Insulated from the cold Not a bird in sight No gulls, no pigeons Or any other winged creature They are the smart ones Then I'm proven wrong A solitary gull Flies into the wind Wings outstretched Gliding effortlessly Chilled bay waters rest While the large hulls of boats Sit idly by Awaiting the warm summer And winter's release The brown tinged grass Uncut at summer's end Bristles from nature's blows I envy its resilience While I'm cozy inside