Poems and Fables

Contents

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“Backyard Show”

[INTRO]

C G7
Watching the sun coming up
Am G7
Sipping coffee from my favorite cup
F
Warm glow feeling
C
As the world begins revealing
F G7 C
Treasures I love so much.

C G7
First to fly on in are the ground birds,
Am G7
Quietly they come without a word,
F
Scratching in the dirt,
C
Seed-rich dessert
F G7 C
While watching for dangers unheard.

[CHORUS]
G7 G7 C C
Come on over for the show,
G7 G7 C C
Come on over, let everybody know,
G7 G7 C C
Come on over, there’ll be ice cream and pie,
F F G7
With entertainment coming from the sky.

 
C G7
As the sky grows brighter with the sun,
Am G7
Comes the chattering of songbirds on the hunt,
F
Pushing for first place,
C
Seed-eating race,
F G7 C
Battle till the day is done.

[BRIDGE]
Am G7
But waiting around the corner for a chance
F G7
A Cooper Hawk begins its lethal dance
Am
Birds stop their chatter
C
All begin to scatter
F G7 Am
Escaping the claws of the hawk’s advance

[CHORUS]

[SOLO]

C G7
Heralded by plaintive callings,
Am G7
Sparrows come when leaves start falling,
F
Flying in from far away,
C
They’re welcome here to stay,
F G7 C
Returning home in early spring.

[CHORUS]

[OUTRO]
F G7 C
With entertainment coming from the sky.

“As Never Before”

As I walk along the shore, C G7
I feel your love as never before, F C
To live this long, how strange it is, C G7
To never have felt it quite it like this, F C
So new, so fresh, G7 F
Sending shivers through my flesh. G7 C


I want to run out in the sea, C G7
Swim in circles in a crazy spree, F C
Latch onto a fleeting wave, C G7
Get pulled along for a ways, F C
So new, so fresh, G7 F
Sending shivers through my flesh. G7 C


No longer hidden, no longer disguised, C G7
I feel it now and it can’t be denied, F C
Rising to the surface in a wonderous show, C G7
I’m knocked to my knees with my heart in tow, F C
So new, so fresh, G7 F
Sending shivers through my flesh. G7 C

“Brazilian Blend”

Though far from me,

My love transcends space and time.

You arrive like a sip of savory coffee,

Or the taste of fine wine.

——–

The coffee is soothing,

I think it’s Brazilian Blend.

The conversation is moving,

I lean in to hear more of what’s said.

Then relaxing in peace,

I lean back in my chair,

And into your presence,

That’s suddenly there.

Your black hair flowing,

Across your face.

Your dark eyes flaring,

Into my space.

Lingering there,

For a time in that land,

I search for the flowers,

And reach for your hand.

Then fancying your smile,

I melt into its glow,

And bask there awhile.

Nowhere I would rather go.

——–

Though you are far away,

I reach you through my love,

And make the day,

A blend of you fashioned from Above!

“The Gift – A Christmas Parable”

By Art Walker

When he evaluated his life, as they say, “objectively,” he had to acknowledge that he was very fortunate.  No major health issues.  Wonderful family.  Lots of flexibility to do pretty much anything he wanted.  What was there not to like?  Despite all of his good fortune, however, and despite all the times he reminded himself how fortunate he was, his life seemed to him a little dull and ordinary. 

One night several weeks before Christmas, he stepped outside to look up into the night sky.  He smiled to himself, and almost in jest, he shouted out loud to God for a Christmas gift that would make his life feel a little less ordinary.  He didn’t really believe in God, but it couldn’t hurt to ask, could it?  Nothing much happened, but he did notice a star in the night sky that stood out from the rest.  So pretty it was.  It shown a little more brightly than the other stars around it, it softly twinkled, and it carried a subtle purplish glow around its edges.  He stared at it for a long time as it very slowly moved across the sky. 

The next day he couldn’t help wondering about the star.  Was this a gift from God?  He hadn’t noticed it earlier, not until he had shouted out to God.  But it must have been there all along?  It couldn’t just have popped into existence after his appeal to God for a Christmas gift.  But how could he have failed to notice it before then?  He wondered if the star would be there again that night?

When night arrived, he went out to look for his star.  He soon found it, although its location in the sky had changed a little.  It now seemed a little closer, even a little brighter.  And the soft, purplish glow around it now seemed deeper and richer.  He was mesmerized, unable to take his eyes off it.   

Shining star now in my sky,

Softly glowing forth a sweet lullaby.

As he stood staring at the star, he began to feel a soft throbbing within himself.  A warm flow of heat emanating from his heart began spreading out through the rest of his body.  And with it came a feeling of peace and serenity.  The flow didn’t stop at the exterior of his body, but continued to flow out into the night sky and beyond.  As it did so, the stars grew brighter and more vibrant.  It was as if a switch had been pulled, lighting up his world like an enormous Christmas tree.

When he woke the next morning, he could see just how much his world had also changed!  Colors in the trees and brush around him seemed brighter and more vivid.  Multitudinous variations of color stood out as the light shimmered through the trees and brush.  Flowers seemed to pop out from their surroundings like lit Christmas bulbs.  His world had transformed to become alive with birds calling and animals rustling through the bushes. 

Night after night he went out to watch his star, until one night he was moved to shout out to it: “You are beautiful!  You are wonderful!”  As he spoke, his star began to pulse.  Its light was expanding and contracting.  “Was this occurring in response to my shouting?” he wondered.  “No that couldn’t be.  Stars can’t do that!”  But in the nights that followed he couldn’t shake the feeling that the star was engaging with him. 

Beckoning me through the breach,

Speaking to me without speech.

One night in his exuberance, he reached his arms out to the star.  He so wanted to embrace it and make it his own.  But, of course, he could never reach it.  The realization stormed through him that the star would always remain beyond his grasp.  This frustrated him, and his frustration soon turned to anger.  He shouted out to God, “What kind of gift is this?  What good is such a gift, a gift that can never be embraced?” 

The next morning, he awoke to the dull, ordinary world of old, the world he had previously inhabited before it had become infused with life and beauty.  The plug had been pulled on his worldly Christmas tree.  “What have I done?  What have I done?” he shouted in exacerbation.  “I’ve blown it, again!”

The hours till dark were excruciatingly long.  He couldn’t wait to view his star and beg forgiveness to it and God.   Finally, darkness came.  But he could no longer find his star in the night sky!  It was gone! 

Night after night he looked for his star, but it was not to be found.  When Christmas Eve night finally came, he went out one last time to look for his star.  In desperation, he shouted out to God to please bring back his star.  Just after midnight, on the morning of Christmas, he noticed a star off in one corner of the sky.  It seemed very far away and difficult to see.  But he could make out his star’s same purplish glow around it.  “Could it be my star?” he wondered.  As if in response, the star twinkled and pulsed for a few seconds.  Immediately the warm feeling emanating from his heart returned.  And, as before, the warm feeling swept over his body and out into his world beyond. 

When the morning light dawned, his star had disappeared into the light, never to be seen by him again.  But the feeling in his heart, again awakened and infusing his world with life and vibrancy, remained.  And he embraced that feeling.

To be loved is a gift to be savored,

But the opportunity to love is better by far.

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“Silent Dance”

Each now in our silent dances,
Sensing the world under different trances,
Traveling around with private steps,
Moving beyond our past regrets,
Guided by our own soulful music,
Away from the sounds of the heavenly mystic.

Dancing apart,
We play our parts,
Dancing alone,
We feel at home,
Confident in our own chosen moves,
Uninterrupted in our own selected grooves,
Focused only upon where our own paths lie,
Turning away from the light of heavenly skies.

In the distance soft beauty plays,
Twirling around in a sweet purple haze,
Turning toward comfort we look away,
Regaining the beat that was beginning to stray.

Around the corners we glimpse sights unseen,
Promising treasures of forgotten dreams,
But we turn around toward grounds more stable,
To the sounds of laughter from our dinner tables.

Occasionally moved to shout out to the wind,
Our obscure words whistling behind,
Maybe heard or maybe not,
We cover our ears,
Afraid to find out,
Maybe answered or maybe not,
We close our eyes,
Afraid to call out.

——

Each now in our silent dances,
But the world has moved on and taken our chances.

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“Silence Before the Storm”

Part 1: “The Storm”
“Where do we stand with each other?”
“Are we friends?”
The inquiry seems legitimate.
Are we not to ask such questions?

The silence was deafening,
What did it mean I wondered?

They say that in time of war the enemy has a say in the matter,
What we plan to happen,
What we hope will happen,
What we think should happen,
Has little to do with what actually happens,
The enemy has a say in the matter.

My staggering naiveté,
On full display,
I didn’t realize it was a state of war,

The perfunctory Response,
With its underlying message,
No need to explain anything to you,
Why would you even think that?

The Announcement,
Stay away from me,
You have no business in my life,
You seem crazed,
Maybe dangerous.

The Walk,
Walk of shame,
And humiliation,
With the threat,
Stay away or else.
It’s Judgement Day, sayeth the Lord.

The Accusation,
You are a monster.
She needs to be told,
It’s for her own good,
Let’s run through the evidence,
There are diagrams and charts,
2 + 2 = 4.

What just happened?

Part 2: “Now”
Pausing to contemplate things now that the shock from the Storm has worn down,
I can make out the glistening of discoveries beyond,
The allure of new things to explore.
Her Light reaches out,
Paving the way,
Nourishing me in the warmth of its embrace.

Trusting her Love as never before,
My past doubts now appear as silly remnants of another time,
Long ago, long before the Storm,
Her Rescue putting an end to them all.
I reached out to Her,
Worried about being the monster I was accused of being,
She took my hand,
“You are not a monster,” she said.
Then she stood in front of me,
Taking the brunt of the rain,
Allowing me to catch a breath,
Providing an anchor to grab on to.

It must have looked bad to her.
So much I hid,
My troubled mind,
Thoughts she would prefer not to hear,
It must have been a shock,
Being told these things,
And not having a clue about any of it.

It could go either way,
What I thought at the time.
She shouts,
“You betrayed me. Maybe you are a monster?”
Or perhaps less harsh fully,
“How could you do this to me? Haven’t I been good to you?”

When I told her the story,
As accurate and forthcoming as I could be …
Although some things are difficult to acknowledge to their full extent,
It’s not always in our power,
That’s the truth, isn’t it?
Those things we believe might be hurtful,
That might make Her feel diminished in our eyes.

She believed me,
Believed in me,
Believed in my honesty,
Believed in my heart,
If that isn’t love, what is?


Part 3: “Looming Presence”
With escape from the Storm now appearing more doable
I hazard a look backwards,
Towards the images now receding away behind me,
Their source now barely visible in the distance.

No longer are the images sparkling with anger orbiting and swirling around them,
As the object of the anger has grown distant.
The thick fog of mistrust that once enveloped them has now evaporated,
As trust has become an asset no longer required.
The images are now standing alone in the heavens,
Surrounded only by emptiness,
Slowly fading and withering from a lack of nourishment.

As my mind adjusts to the new light, I begin to see beyond the images,
Beyond their source.
A Presence is looming like some mythical Greek god,
Waving its hammer over its head.
It’s no longer hidden behind the thick fog that had shrouded its presence.
A shadow of itself visible below me
Appearing as just another poor soul hammered by the Storm.

Suddenly I realize that the Presence has been there all along,
Before the Storm,
Bearing gifts of false alarms
And chains.
A sudden wave of warmth runs through me,
Flowing to the images and their source
And infusing them in a warm glow.

I momentarily slow my escape as I contemplate this new reality.

But the Presence responds quickly
Growing larger and more menacing.
I turn back
And continue in Her Light.

—————————————————————————————-

“Looming Presence”

With escape from the storm now appearing more doable
I hazard a look backwards,
Towards the images now receding away behind me,
Their source now barely visible in the distance.

No longer are the images sparkling with anger orbiting and swirling around them,
As the object of the anger has grown distant.
The thick fog of mistrust that once enveloped them has now evaporated
As trust became an asset no longer required.
The images are now standing alone in the heavens,
Surrounded only by emptiness,
Slowly fading and withering from a lack of nourishment.

As my mind adjusts to the new light, I begin to see beyond the images,
Beyond their source.
A presence is looming like some mythical Greek god,
Waving its hammer over its head.
It’s no longer hidden behind the thick fog that had shrouded its presence.
A shadow of itself visible below me
Appears as just another poor soul hammered by the storm.

Suddenly I realize that the presence was there all along,
Long before the storm,
Bearing gifts of false alarms
And chains.
With this realization a sudden wave of warmth runs through me
Flowing to the images and their source
And infusing them with a warm glow.

I momentarily slow my escape as I contemplate this new reality.
But the presence responds quickly
Growing larger and more menacing.
Return is not possible.

—————————————————————————————-

“It’s Over”

Sweet relief washing over me
I finally can believe and affirm to myself that it’s over
Like the chronic back pain that finally disappears
After months of nagging
Gone is the worry that things will never get better
Gone are the feelings of false hope
No more mysteries to puzzle over
Nothing anymore to fix
No need to smile and pretend that it doesn’t hurt

Though paradoxically it never really began
So nothing really to get over
Just an image in my mind of a sweet smile
And a look of childlike vulnerability

Was I in love with her?
Certainly not.
I barely knew her
And things I did learn about her I didn’t always like.
Maybe it was just the allure of a new friendship
In my otherwise ordinary life

Sweet relief washing over me
I still retain those images of her
But now they are free of the microclimate of anger and misunderstandings that had traveled with them
And there’s now the allure of new explorations without her,
In my otherwise ordinary life.

—————————————————————————————-

“Oh it Hurts When You Look at Me”

Oh it hurts when you look at me.
Tears apart my fantasy.
Your friendly smiles and gentle touch
Cut so deep and hurt so much.
You run your hands through your long flowing hair
Stops me cold in total despair.

Oh it hurts when you look at me.
Breaks my heart in its jealousy.
You came to me as a shining star.
Warm and bright you found my heart.
I came to you as a trusted friend.
Loyal and true to the bitter end.

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“Reset”

The days roll into months then years
Filled with joy, sadness, laughter, and tears
As you reset the clock for the second half
Lift your spirits and roll up your sleeves
Your path is yours to take
Your bread is yours to bake
Your heart is yours to thrill
Your cup is yours to fill
There’s nothing to keep you where you stand
You can roll the dice and see where you land
Happy 50th Birthday dear Amanda.

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“A Toast to My Friends”

(with apologies to Bob Dylan and to my friends)

May you find shelter from the storm,
As you shelter in place.
May you hide a smile,
When you cover your face.
May your patience never bend,
As you wait for this to end.
And may you succeed at last,
To find the softest paper,
To wipe your ass.

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“It’s Over”

No regret that summer is over,
Closure is a kind of freedom,
From worries about fires and preventative power outages.
We take pleasure in recalling the warm evenings, the warm Sun, outdoor picnics, walks with friends and lovers ,
We forget the uncomfortable and awkward times, which now have no meaning,
Untethered we move forward.

—————————————————————————————-

“You With Your Sparkling Eyes”

You with your sparkling eyes
And your playful smile
You with your bright gold shoes
And your English style.

You appeared from out of the blue
I had never met a woman like you
Bathed in the gods glistening light
Your image took hold and held on tight.

You with your sparkling eyes
And your playful smile
You with your golden smile
And your English style.

You appeared from out of the blue
I had never met a woman like you
Your image took hold and held on tight
Bathed in the gods glistening light

—————————————————————————————-

“You entered my life”

You entered my life
With your flashing beauty
Your sparkling eyes
Enveloping mine.

Suddenly taken
To a world afar
With blazing suns
And exploding stars.

You are the one that came to me
When life changes set me free
You brought me to this other world.
I found life’s treasure.
It’s deepest pleasure.
The wisdom that comes
From an honest love.

Who knew it could be like this.
A woman like you and a man like me
Who knew there would be such bliss
Who knew? Who knew?

I found you darlin’
In my middle years
After sorry times
And many tears

You brought me to a world far
With blazing suns
And exploding stars.

We’re together now
For many years
A lasting love
And no more tears.

You brought me to a world far
With blazing suns
And exploding stars.

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“Song to Papa”

(aka “Live Your Rightful Time”)

She was young
Taken before her rightful time
Children all undone
Husband left on line.

I hear her just behind me
Whispering in my mind
Don’t postpone living
Live your rightful time.

Gentle spirited man
Taken before his rightful time
New love left undone
Son and daughter left behind.

I hear him just behind me
Whispering in my mind
Don’t postpone living
Live your rightful time.

Man we all loved
He lived his rightful time
Children and wife
Living on beside him.

I hear him just behind me
Whispering in my mind
Don’t postpone living
Live your rightful time.

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“Slipping Away From You”

You seemed like the best thing in my life
I pictured you in my mind as my wife
I loved every minute that we could spend
I talked about you with all my friends.

I’m slipping away from you
There’s nothing, nothing I can do.

I wish I could be the fool
sitting there nodding at what you do
Though I try to deny it in my mind
It’s always there, all the time

I’m slipping away from you
There’s nothing, nothing I can do.

Hardly a day goes by that I don’t cry
The dreams I had just won’t die
Finally, it seemed right there
A lasting love that we could share.

I’m slipping away from you
There’s nothing, nothing I can do.

—————————————————————————————-

“I Was Too Shy”

I saw you there at the top of the stairway,
Talking to your friend with the really bad hair day,
I wanted to turn and greet you, baby,
Look you in the eye,
I thought that we could make some magic,
Light up the sky,
But I was too shy.

You turned around and looked right at me,
I dropped my coffee in the middle of the walkway.
I looked right down, started to cleanup,
I couldn’t look your way,
What’s the matter with you?
Makes you want to cry,
You were too shy.

I finally looked up to see her there standing,
Smiling with a look that defied understanding.
She said, looks like you need more coffee,
We can get some over there.
But you better take my hand,
I’ll help you all I can,
Cause you are so shy.

—————————————————————————————-

“Angry Revival”

Fueled by anger,
He sees her as she truly was,
Not a destination of promise,
But a mirage of false promise.
Her cruel act,
Stripping him bare,
Blinding him with its glare,
Finally anger,
Lifting his despair.

—————————————————————————————-

“Time To Move On”

She’s a part of your life,
But has no business being there.
The judge over what you do,
The critic who approves and disapproves,
Someone to dance for,
Someone to hurt,
Someone to bother,
Someone to explain yourself to.
She’s a part of your life,
But doesn’t deserve to be,
Anymore than does the salesman at your door,
Or the butcher who sells you meat.
Both wonderful people, no doubt,
But nothing beyond that to think about.

—————————————————————————————-

“Dinner With Family”

A bright spot endemic
To the otherwise dull gloom of the pandemic
At first, remotely from separate encasements
Now together in common placements
Dinner with family feels so sweetly fine
And heralds a return to normalcy at some distant time.

—————————————————————————————-

“Mark the Time”

The roses blossom into splendorous bloom
Their sweet smelling fragrance elevating the mood
They promise a season of beauty and warmth
And mark a time to follow our hearts
And along with it comes our day
Sweeter than ever
With its promise of continuing charm
And the renewal of enduring love
Happy anniversary darling Bonnie