Hands

buried in blankets
brown, wise
95-year
child eyes
rise
from sofa
soft-cupped hand
hovers
sacred word
murmurs
over my chest
drifts from left
​to right
down to belly
up to throat
to give
a final blessing
echoed
over chicos
nightly
family, friends,
weekdays, weekends,
hearts
welcome
hands
that warmed more
than a million
tortillas
with her love
wise
and gentle ​as a dove
soon to pass
through by the Hand
of God’s love.
.

Rubies

today
he confessed 
his true love,
Ruby, 
connected
to the Lord
by a chord,
a mother who knew
the Job  pattern
fit her child,
a wild
spirit
who climbed high
who'd thrive 
then crash dive
and emerge
once more to 
more than survive,

years ago
a messenger
saved
​a brown man's life
he had a wife,
Ruby 
and she, too, 
spoke
and through her
an L.A. Mexican
excavated 
the entirety
of a Mayan king
with dignity
a profile
buried beneath
the culture crushing
cathedral
​built on Tenochtitlan.


two raw Rubies 
uncut gems
​who lit lives
of these beloved men
the kind of
deep-red love
that ignites liberty
​permanently.
​

Exile

they suffer 
and I am far away
mandated to stay
here;
it's clear
nothing to do but pray
but oh
how my soul
wants to be close
not disconnected
ejected
into a down-spiral
of doubt, denial,
unable to be
where bees sow
the blossom
buzzing in assigned roles
"the Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want" 
and "want" I do 
so therefore
have been exiled 
to let go
one day at a time
get aligned
to what is right
​be peace
not bring ANYTHING
not wanting
​to be helpful,
hopeful, healing...
but here, in exile
a want persists:
i may return
one day
after I've bone-level learned
from so far away. 

In Time

the dancer
was STUCK;
with a partner,
a thorn
in her mind
hijacked capacity
for presence
with promise
of rhyme;
each time
she said, "no more"
something supernatural
yelled,
"don't leave the floor!"
slowly learned
to let go
realize
from all sides
her need for control
before able to be
with someone so free
a man
unwilling to surrender
to be
dictated steps
she couldn't see
had been programmed
into her feet;
over the years
a need for four four
gave way
to release
where next moves
reveal
a shifting groove
to a man
and woman
the unpredictable
but playful ​beat
of divine choreography.

Seer

 lotsa-money man
shape shifts
energy
​dons disguise
to be
invisible
in lush 
he frequents;
but cleaning lady 
casually asks
"where you been?"
she'd always seen
his real -
not the maitre d
or fancy folks 
or friends,
the One
who recognized
without bling,
​trappings
​of a king,
had open-heart eyes.
. 

Leggings

poison man
released
finally
but cold weather
returned
late Octo-burrr
"Where
are those
wonderful warm
leggings?"
sought high
sought low
realized
they perhaps hide
where poison resides...
text to check
comes reply
"Yes"
and phone floods
with cries:
"come home!"
shudder soul
for once more
venom's at the door
that's destroyed
everything
worthwhile in life before.
God, guide the release
of those leggings
to know,
you provide
warmth,
protection,
when we abide
under your direction,
on your side
as poison
stealthily, persistently seeks
cunning ways
to get inside.

Raise the Wage

good white folks 
on the golf
plantation-island
mentioned 
to the Isle admin
that higher wages
were appro-pre-it
since stock
assets new highs hit
capital boomed
in Pandemic
millions  of dollars
had zoomed in...
​
sound of
hem haws
talk of costs
and worker
budgets
remain razor thin
since good white folks
let it go
after a brief moment 
of tension
justifying an 
extra shot of bourbon
that evening;

when I asked about it 
a month later
good momma lied 
and said they were raised
and I?
let it go. 

Easy Go

I have a mind
that chops down trees
in a milli second
decrees
"no utility!!"
or negates
shade
 tree's capacity
to convert
CO2 as
oxygen,
hold soil and
cool community
give sanctuary
to squirrels, birds,
​bugs, bees;

mind takes a precise path;

first it doubts
"no one would miss that tree."
"what good does it do, really??"

then it denies
"this community would be better
without me!!!”
"too dominating, a show off!"
​
then it dies
as chainsaw hits
does its
duty
turns to dust;

what took 38 years to grow
easily goes.

Jubilee

Yesterday,
the whole country
was diagnosed ADHD
by God Almighty
and mandated treatment
so every web site
was deleted
the TV's
computer screens
collected
in the street
and someone screamed,
"a rose is blooming over here!!!"
Oh my God!!!"
and everyone ran
and gave a loud cheer,
"Yeah God!!!!"
the billionaires
​shared
showered
everybody with stuff and money
precious gems, metals, ores
were all returned
​ to Africa
presidents, ambassadors
doubled over
laughing
bus boys got to drive
the Maseratis,
cashiers ate caviar
drank champagne
for free
all debt eliminated
all dogs unleashed,
and the debutante
got to taste, really taste
Mama's beans
and feel see
​the beauty of that rose
in her bones,
in her toes.

Time to Sleep

wash feet
at evening
to release
the day
from soles;
head to toe
outflow
worries,
fear, pride,
through pores
micro-doors
what entered
from streets,
emotion's heat,
let go the holy
unholy
​ ground
that attached
​to burden
Spirit down.

Clean 

Penny fist-bams
my door
furious
about lawnmower
I feel no fear
in her rage
though
she is yelling
 in my face;
she's clean 
pissed
no residue
no sloppy glue
sticking me
to some
​ancient stew.

In Loving Memory of Penny Vaughn
​10/23/2121

Leaves

time
like leaves
is designed,
a fluid stage
for roles to play
created
in love
by the Divine
Choreographer
Composer
who conceives 
where and when
she enters
where and when
she leaves.