Remembrance

Memorial Day

We bought geraniums

dug them into soft brown earth

red orange against gray granite

purple lilacs, bright green moss

quiet place

we try not to walk on graves

Grandparents, Aunt, Uncle, Mom 

in respect to them who lie beneath

I read their Headstones 

Mother

Mother's Day Eve

I look for photos
of my mother to share
but they're missing
I don't know where they are
a few of us together
when I was very young
no adult together photos
were they never taken
I think not
no mother daughter embrace
because it never happened
until it was far too late
and no one was snapping

Days of Me

Days of me

Morning rising up
out of the ocean of sleep
dreams pulling loose
I want to dive back in
to the wonderful worlds
I escape to each night

Awake begrudgingly at last
I face reality and wonder 
why get out of bed 
know because I am blessed
alive to a new day
I escape into wonder

I turn over leaves
get out my microscope
click on my stargazer
read, paint, write, listen
talk with a friend
walk my dog with my husband

He and I shop, cook, eat, laugh
go our separate ways 
for our evening, me to write
he to watch TV and then
I pull the blinds shut
dive back into the ocean of sleep

Drought

The lakes are down
the temperatures up
two mockingbirds 
attack a boat tailed grackle
in a bottlebrush tree
another lies dead beneath

green scum floats on water
duck family disappeared
rings disturb the surface
no splash from roils beneath
lawns are green as all water 
despite the bans

for rains will come
perhaps with a vengeance
this is Florida after all
just one hurricane can fill us up
brim full and overflowing
for now we wait for tropical rain