Sunday 4 December 2016

Morning Feast

The full moon
is resting in the west
on top of telephone wires
The sky,
a lavender mystery;
indigo clouds conspire
to cloak the orb
as it slowly sinks,
while in the east, a feast
of tangerines and pinks
---
December 2009

Snow Angels

Do children in heaven make snowflakes
Or angels, with crystallized pens
Precisely designing each one
Unique as a sunset, a print of a hand
Do they sit on a cloud while they blow them
Like soap bubbles, down to the earth
Letting the wind take them wherever
Inviting hushes and juvenile mirth
Do they watch in delight as they see
Tobogganers and skiers below
And cherubic children with rosy red cheeks
Making angels in fresh fallen snow
---
December 2013

A Child Delights in the Mystery and Wonder of Christmas

How can a joy-filled man
Descend from up above
With so many treasures
For those who in
Him do believe
How does he know my name
And know the great desire
Within my hoping heart?

A small offering of gratitude
I've set apart for him
In the silence, I listen
For a sign of his arrival
I am restless
Wanting to see
A glimpse of him
To know for certain
That he is real

I know some people doubt;
Their eyes have become old
And faded,
Jaded
But I believe
I believe in Christmas
I believe in Christ
---
December 2015

Sunday 20 November 2016

Murmuration

See the visual

Did you see the starlings
See the starlings
Flying in the sky
In the sky
Hundreds upon hundreds
Upon hundreds
Of feathered wings
Swirling, swarming wings
Teaming for a twilight dance
Unified dynamic dance
Can you hear them murmuring
Murmuring, swirling
Where the spirit flows
Swooping over, under,
Over, under and again
As daylight falls
As daylight falls

Did you see the starlings
See the starlings
Flying in the sky

Like a song of praise,
They gather all as one
Lifting wings upon the wind
Bowing down onto the ground
Rising, falling, flowing, forming
A swarm of celebration
Hallelujah, blessed Creator
We glorify Your name
---

Murmuration Mesmerization

Aerial ballet, cosmic dance
Exuberant fliers grace heaven
Inspire joy, kindle lauds
Murmuration,
Nature's own phenomenon
Quintessential rhythmic starlings
Twirling upward
Vivifying wonder
Exalting Yahweh zestfully
---
November 2011

Yer Beatle's Blues

Dear Prudence:
Do you want to know a secret?

On my birthday,
I was fixing a hole
With Maxwell's silver hammer
On Penny Lane
When mean Mr. Mustard,
The taxman said,
"Lovely Rita,
Why don't we do it in the road?"

Nothin shakin
That'll be the day
I'll cry instead
Get back, bad boy

Dizzy Miss Lizzy
(Devil in her heart)
She said, she said
I'm a loser

Ooh! My soul
Piggies
Here, there and everywhere
Just a day in the life

So I drove my car
Helter skelter
Across the universe
With Eleanor Rigby
The paperback writer;
She wrote
Being For the Benefit of Mr Kite,
I Am the Walrus
And Your Bird Can Sing

Well, we were searchin'
For Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band
On their magical mystery tour
Eight days a week
This was no day tripper
But I was glad all over
Obla di, obla da

After a hard day's night,
The night before
Yesterday
We stopped at the Yellow Submarine
Near the Octopus's Garden
In was in the middle of nowhere, man
Down the long and winding road
Past strawberry fields forever

Then a girl, Michelle
She came in through the bathroom window
(Don't ask me why)
The two of us
Did the twist and shout
Until good morning, good morning
Here comes the sun

I told her
Wait
We can work it out
And I love her
But this bird had flown
She got a ticket to ride
She's back in the USSR
While my guitar gently weeps
And I can't buy me love

I should have known better
When I saw her standing there
And she said,
"Hello, goodbye
I wanna hold your hand
I gotta get you into my life"

Help!
Lady Madonna
Love me do
Let it be
A good day, sunshine
Let us come together now
Not when I'm 64
Or is happiness a warm gun

Hey, Jude always said,
"All you need is love"
But am I a fool on the hill-
Lucy in the sky with diamonds
If I fell

Thank you girl
For reading the ballad of John and Yoko

All my loving,
From me to you

P.S. I love you
---
November 2008




Spark Plugged

Ephemeral phrases
Have been siphoned off,
Leaving me lurching
And stalled
My fingers finger
At random keys
Hoping to unlock
A thought

Neutralized,
I wait for a charge
To reverse me from
This murky impasse
No spark ignites
I fume
And am choked,
Inspirationally
Out of gas

Stranded within
This maze of dismay,
Fuelled only
With hollow vapour;
To hope, I clutch
To be driven from such
But I'm finding
Naught for my labour

I make an appeal
To end this ordeal
And send up a flare
To the muses
They throw me a wrench,
Say my wires are crossed
And they'll have to
Order more fuses

My reserve of expletives
Exhausted,
I sputter off in the night,
Careening into my bed
To dream of a poem to write
---
November 2008

And They're Off

Like a marathon of runners,
The leaves race down the street
A few soon get distracted
By traffic, and retreat

Regaining their momentum,
They gather lagging ones
Who swerve into the fray,
Not willing to be outdone

With the wind upon their backs,
Around the corner, they scurry
Attempting to catch up
In a gust of bustling hurry

Down the road they plunge
Until they reach the wall
Where a golden trophy waits
For the wind who swept them all
---
November 2008

When the Moon Is Round

The moon is waxing -
Slippery are my feline's feet
In a tizzy, she scatters
Down the hall in rapid retreat
Up the walls she tries to scale
Her crazy antics abound
And we all howl in unison
When the moon is round
---
November 2007

Wednesday 9 November 2016

Dark Day in the Life (A Beatles remake)

I read the news today, oh boy
About an orange man who makes me cringe
And though the news was rather dire
Well, I just had to pray
Maybe he’ll go away

It blew my mind it went this far
I guess America really wanted change
A crowd of people stood and stared
He’s the one from The Apprentice
Nobody was really sure if he’s the Orange Menace

I saw a pic today, oh boy;
A German paper had Melania 
A crowd of people turned to look
At their next First Lady 
Completely naked

I'd love to turn back time

Sunday 30 October 2016

Where Blossoms Still Bloom

Upon my midnight wall 
a wintering shadow appears -
naked limbs silhouetted
like an X-ray 
lit by moonlight 
and neighbouring homes 

In this reflection of death,
there is beauty
mid traces of what once was;
fragile leaves have broken free
the earth to renew

I return to my down spread,
hear geese making their way
to where blossoms still bloom  
---
October 30, 2016

Saturday 1 October 2016

Windfall

The thief is lurking
As he surveys the scene
His breath, palpable
Though furtive, unseen

He eyes his victims,
As they stand unaware,
To which he will return
To abscond with their wares

He doesn't seek emeralds,
But rubies and gold,
Amber and opal,
Topaz, his goal

These jewels are hidden
Until the night of the ball
When he'll blow into town
For an awesome windfall

Like taking candy from babies,
They'll be swept off their feet
As they fall down before him
Like autumn leaves on the street
---
2008

Fall Under a Spell

Cursing the Indian summer,
The witch's gnarled fingers
Cast a spell
From her barren abode
Halloween nears
As her spirited accomplice howls;
A screech owl hovers above.
Colour vanishes from the treetops
Like the tattered pages
In her volumes on voodoo;
The leaves curl and crumble
Onto the darkened ave
Whole limbs lie severed on the ground,
A trail of magenta nearby.
Midnight approaches
As the forest transforms
In the shadows;
Bony boughs harbour
A kettle of nocturnal eyes;
Skeletal forms tremble and cower
Under the lunar glow,
Their silhouettes now mirror
That of the wizened old hag
---
October 2005

My Life as a Poet

In nursery school
I met the pussy-willow
Whose coat was dapple gray
I memorized her meadow home
Not very far away

From a high chair,
Lyrics lathered
In my elementary brain
As I washed for hours
Crumbs and mustard
Down the drain

Plagued by
Plagiarizing
Accusations
Before I knew the word,
Squelched my
Inspiration

In the 8th grade,
Mr. D. recited
Samplings
Of my ramblings
To the class

But therapy
Became my reason
To fill reams
Of endless rhymes

Love-struck,
Pages turned
To sonnets,
Then dirges
In the night

For decades, verses
Sat cloistered from boisterous
Critical voices

Then, testing the waters
And honing my craft,
I dove into the depths
Of euphony
And penned an ode
To honour Roget's
Supportive stance

Occupied with poetry,
And lines that make me laugh,
I pensively composed
My decomposing epitaph
---
October 2007

Octobrrr

This is the month of rain,
Of clouds and icy chill
The month when crumbled colours
From weary limbs are spilled
And nightfall falls too quickly
I would wish this month was over
But it's only going to get worse
When we've left behind Octobrrr
---
October 2007

Autumn's Almost Forgotten

A portion of the season's passed
Sweeping away experienced leaves
But today I celebrate
The clouds' all too brief reprieve

Jacketless, I amble
Mid mercury's confusion
And witness wasps balancing
On poppies Californian

The sun alights on rosebush, red
While berries black reveal allure
Free from heavy blankets gray,
My heart, with warmth, is stirred
---
October 2007

Open House

Eight-legged architects
Transpose their machinations
Void of rappelling gear
In towering elevations

Un-harnessed, they manoeuvre
With infinitesimal cables
Assembling gossamer designs
With translucent gables

With dexterity and daring,
Their vision is accomplished
A stunning habitation
Expeditiously established

Anticipating patrons
In the parlour, they await
To usher in unwitting rubes
And guarantee their fate
---
October 2007

Harvest

Like a patchwork quilt,
Autumn's harvest unfurls
Mustard, carrot and russet
Cinnamon, pear, tangerine
A delicious array
Has descended
A bounty
Of cornucopian leaves
---
October 2007

October's Overhaul

Hemlock trees have been poisoned
By October's biting chill
Dogwoods look ravaged by mange
The landscape is littered
With dismembered leaves
Branches now barren seem strange
Willows wither and wallow
Without their foliage fringes
Chestnuts crash to the ground
As the wind loosens them
From their hinges
Beneath the maple tree's height,
Helicopters hover and whirl
Autumn's script is rewritten again
Its worn pages yellow and curled
---
October 2007

Goddess of the Dawn

Aurora lies upon
The blanketing of dew
Rousing from her slumber
She peers for morning's view

The shadows of the evening
Filter to her gaze
As she slowly lifts her eyelids
Before the horizon's set ablaze

Softly she whispers
Into the placid hush
Before the day overtakes
With cacophony and rush

Pastel, she dons
In pink and yellow hues
Then adorns her countenance
With hints of powdered rouge

Radiant, she appears
To those enamoured by her charm
Who rise to the occasion
Bereft of wearisome alarms
---
October 2007

Bawdy Arbor

Radiantly robed in exotic colours,
Autumn Forest beings her new dance
She sashays onto the stage
With all eyes upon her, entranced
Slowly she slips
Off her coral cape
Then the golden scarf
From her elegant nape
She sways side to side
And coyly twirls
Loosening her garb
Like a shy little girl
Then she drops to the ground
A saffron layer
As she tousles
Her frizzed flaxen hair
She bares her buff shoulders
Then lifts her billowy skirt
And licks her carmine lips
Like a coquettish flirt
Then she rushes offstage
As the howling begins
Her torso exposed
While the crescent moon grins
---
October 2008

To Be Ready by a Crackling Fire

A colony of butterflies
Disguise as falling leaves
Swirling, twirling colours
Curling in the breeze

Oh, how I hate the fall
Its temperature, the chill upon my back
The howling winds, the rain
Pelting in attack

The cold insists its way
Into my gooseflesh skin
Yet in the hearth of me
A fire burns within

Unleashed like copper sparks
And amber banners blowing
Autumn is an awesome time
When poetry keeps flowing
---
October 2008
Maybe one day I will publish A Fall Collection. 

Are You Ready to Bundle?

In the southwest corner
The wind clocks in
At a whopping
80 kilometers an hour
Sparring simultaneously
With a line-up of cedars
And one obstinate oak
Acorns pelt
The needled ground
Power is knocked out
As howls and roars
Fill the arena of night
In the first hard-hitting
Storm of the season
---
October 2008

Tuesday 6 September 2016

Gather in the Garden

The garden
It's where we first came to life

The Father's hands
Had planted seeds,
Stooped down,
Gathered soil
Then Yahweh breathed
Slowly, deeply

On our knees
We tend to harvest
And remember
In September
And the fall
The call
To gather in the garden

There we reap
A bounty of good-ness,
Taste and savour
Giving thanks
For the Lord's
Abundant favour
---
Autumn 2014

Like Ripening Fruit

Like ripening fruit,
Clusters of leaves appear
The scent of rotting
From the ground
Tells me autumn's here

Umbrellas become
A necessary accessory
Clouds the nouveau norm
Shorts and sandals
Go into hibernation
Breath visible in early morn

Farewell summer
I'm sad to say goodbye
It's been a slice
But hey, hello pumpkin pie
---
September 2011

Autumn Blazes In

As I travel in a northerly direction
I ascertain through visual perception
That autumn has begun in blazes
Gold and yellow fill ocular gazes
In the south, it's much more subtle
Here, you needn't pose rebuttals
Autumn has arrived
Weeks before the equinox
Galloping through the forest
Unpack your woollen socks!
---
September 2010

Open Air Theatre

Autumn arrives on stage
Coached by whispering winds
Her limbs shiver and tremble
But in the spotlight she resembles
A peacock displaying its plumes
Her costumes she quickly changes
Leaving a patchwork of shades
On the dressing room floor
There will be no final encore
But rave reviews she receives
When she finally leaves the scene
With naked humble boughs
---
September 2009

Concords

Concords speed to my lips,
Their fruit exploding
Through their seams;
A rush of pleasure ignites
The desire for more;
My taste buds soar-
These grapes are first class
---
September 2008

The Girls of Gamboge

One story
Comes to a close
As Summer descends
Into the final stage
Of melanoma's curse

This vivid tale
Since ancient times'
Retelling, has left
Saffron pages curled
And tattered ,
Splattered, worn

A new chapter unfolds
As Amber and Scarlet
Erupt on the scene,
Auburn highlighting
Their crowning glory

These stunning sisters
With flickering hazel
Pigments and tinted
With crimson's kiss,
Leave their mark
On the countryside

Their sassy style,
Making even the
Hickory brothers blush
---
September 2007

Autumnal Alliteration

The leaves are leaving the landscape
As amber acrobats attempt to fly
Bronze ballerinas bend
Swirling through the shivering sky

Cinnamon couples celebrate
During this demonstration of delight
With their spread of sangria and salmon
They feast on fall's fabulous sights
---
September 2007

Saturday 6 August 2016

Liquid at Day's End

Sitting on the dock
Of the lake called Swan
Watching the sun descend

Birds sing their evensong
As the sun's reflection
Bathes the water
Gold and pink

I think I see a smile
As the sun rests
On the horizon
Beneath brightly-tinted clouds

I am immersed
In this moment
Mesmerized, moved
By the water's rhythm
And with its flow
I am united

And you are here with me
---
August 20, 2013

Anthophobia: Fear of Flowers

Of such things, I've never heard
To me, it sounds quite absurd
That a flower of any genus
Could to some be such a menace
And not because of allergens
Simply petals, stamens, stems
A pansy's face, daffodil's horn
Venus flytrap, a rose's thorn
These might cause heart palpitations
Effecting one to need sedation
But if they dozed in a hospital room
Don't let them awake amid blooms
Bouquets of fruit, balloons or candy
Would for the anthophobe be dandy
Don't bring dahlias, lilies or Sweet William,
Peonies, foxglove, phlox or trilliums
No nasty nasturtiums or bunches of tulips
They might make the fearsome one flip
And the devil's flower is duly condemned
Even plastic impostors shouldn't be sent
To those who dread delphiniums and daisies
But send them to me; for flowers, I'm crazy
---
August 18, 2010

Waves Wash Over Me

Waves wash over me
While in the surf, I run
I behold a shining pearl
That is the setting sun

Waves wash over me
As I race against the tide
Until this jewel disappears
And diamonds fill the sky
---
August 4, 2007

Sunday 10 July 2016

An Acrobatic Architect

The spider prides himself
On cleverly constructing every web
He chooses the site, height,
Design and parameters
Permanence is not afforded him
He must adapt to change quickly
His flycatcher is flimsy
He has no time for whimsy
Nor silly parlour games
Like Connect4 or Aggravation
He is an acrobatic architect
Worthy of awe and applause
Instead of squeamish squeals
And getting squished
---
July 31, 2015

Gabriola Sunrise

A concert of geese
Skim the water pre-dawn
Like a bad violinist,
The marina squeaks
And groans its own song
Crows and chirping birds blend in
A motor hums near the distant fog
Though tired, I rise
To see the sun light the sea
I wait nestled in a blanket
While my husband of 2 1/2 days
Slices and feeds me an apple
The water is calm, reflective
A seagull roosts atop a pylon
And performs his rooster impression
For the sailors' wake-up call
The clouds begin to blush
The water ripples copper
In a fluid native-like psychedelic dance
A crow interjects his placement here
Clouds turn from pink to golden
The geese return to rouse latecomers
To witness this moving painting
The flock floats in a buffet line
Purple goldfish shape-shift
Beneath the surface of the water
The blue expanse expands
As clouds dissolve in the sun's approach
A twin engine heads to the east
While we wait here
As the sun spreads
Through the mantle
Of mottled ghostly clouds
That momentarily rest above
The evergreens
They slowly slide out of the vista
As the sun begins to burst and blaze
In blinding radiance
We share this moment
In sunlit faces
Preserved in photographs and poetry
The sun is in full body
Pouring itself into the glass of sea
We drink in this robust view
As the neighbouring sailboat departs
To display the port side
Of another moored vessel
It becomes a silent movie screen
Of light and shadow
As Aurora rises
I almost descend below before
Spying a spider web-
A copper coil of stunning design
Shimmering prisms
Of fragility and strength

Feeling fragile,
I return to my bunk
And seek strength for the day ahead
The sun is hidden by clouds
When I finally stir
My cup of tea
My reflection shimmers, calm
---
July 22, 2014

Illumination

Before daybreak
The leaves are still
All is hush
Save for the flapping wings
And morning chatter
Among feathered friends

As the golden globe
Appears,
Rewarding us
With light to see
God's new mercies,
The shadows flee

In their rush
They leave behind a breeze
That rustles leaves
The rat race begins
The din of driving
Distracts us
From this better thing

We descend the mountain
And resume the business
Of another day
Keeping at bay the busyness,
The flapping
And rustling rush

Our souls quieted
To hear a still small voice,
To breathe in
The perfumed air
And see every bush aflame
Lit by the sun
---
July 17, 2014

Led By the Nose

As I walked through town,
The scent of incense
Tried to lure me into a shop
...I didn't stop

Wafting leather
Contended to corral me
Into purchasing a new purse
But I dispersed

In the park, the heliotrope
Greeted me
And welcomed me to pause
I found good cause

While the forest invited me
To meander beneath its canopy
Of oaks and sun-warmed cedars, firs
I did concur

In the distance, sea waves glistened
Their goodness, I inhaled
Breathing out a grateful prayer
For priceless treasures in the air
---
July 30, 2011

Serendipity?

While hunting for a secluded spot to recline
A little white bunny darted before my eyes
Then down and around the corner, I veered
Almost bumping right into, a tall antlered deer
Past a crowd of crickets, I leisurely walked
Until I encountered what came as a shock
A fragile fawn and I exchanged glances
Until it no longer felt safe taking chances
And into the shrubbery it disappeared from my sight
Then finally I discovered a haven, much to my own delight
Safe from the breeze that was mixed with sea chill
Where I could lie down in the summer sun, still
Watching dragonflies and honeybees as time sped away
On this phenomenal, natural high type of day
Now rustling in the thicket beside me, a deer
Was it another, or did one follow me here
I cannot decide, nor if I've felt the smile of God
But I have discerned serenity and for that I applaud
---
July 17, 2010

Saturday 9 July 2016

Notable Disclosures

Beneath the leafy pergola
Coins of sunlight
Deposit into the tiny stream
That would go unnoticed
Save for its tinkling voice

From there,
My virgin eyes are exposed to
A brood of peacock hatchlings
With humble colour and constitution
Meandering across the pond
In this garden
Of Japanese design

Stealthily,
I edge along the water's edge
Hoping to appropriate
Their likenesses on film
But they promptly withdraw
To the security of shadows

I am left to scribble notes
Promising myself
They will be exchanged
For a poetical account
Of these notable disclosures
---
July 27, 2009

The Flying Passerines
















Perfect orbs of plume and feather
Appear before me now
Twig-like legs
Traverse the tender boughs
Bouncing upon tendrils,
Hanging upside down
These tiny pine tree dwellers
Are the cutest acrobats in town
---
July 7, 2009

A Dog's Life

He perfectly suited the name
That we had previously picked out
For he was wiser than the average dog
Of that there was no doubt

At the playground by the beach
There were trees to climb, with cooling shade,
Swings and a slide that Weiser
Went up and down (both ways)

When sledding time arrived
He pulled my daughter through the snow
Then he joined us going down the hill
Once by himself, how our laughter flowed

He was not only smart, but handsome
His likeness appeared on book covers
But sadly, he met his demise
By someone who was not a dog lover

His sister, Bud, the cat
Was out of town at the time
But it could have only been a rat
That would take a life so fine
---
July 4, 2009

Senses Stirred

I have seen You
In the shadow of the morning
When the sun and moon
Trade places in the dance
And in the evening
As the constellations form
Guided by Your sovereign hands
I have heard You
In the robin's lilting melody
And in the crashing waves
Of the constant sea
As I inhale
The fragrances of spring
And savour summer's fruit
I taste and breathe, my spirit sings
I can feel You
In a loving child's embrace
And I sense through all these senses
That Your goodness flows with grace
---
July 31, 2008

Creation's Story

Bookless,
I lie on the grass
And scan
The volume of sky;
Through my view
Soars an eagle,
A miniature hummingbird
Perusing the blossoms
For nectar,
A squirrel traverses a tree
Then dashes off,
A dragonfly pauses
Resting upon my knee;
With nothing to read
But Creation
Declaring God's glory,
I find language fails me
I am left without words,
Engrossed
In the story God shares
---
July 12, 2008

Mariposa Weather

From the wings of butterflies,
You have ordained delight
To ride the winds of summer
Like rhapsodies in flight
A silent song with moving
Melodious riffs
That rise and fall,
Spiral, sway and drift
Then rest upon the flowerbeds
And dance as if a feather
I love to wander free and gaze
When it's mariposa weather
---
July 12, 2008

Saturday 11 June 2016

Sunset from the Ferry

A ball of fire
descends into the sea,
rivers of lava flow
into the ripples,
liquid gold and
red embers forge;
the sun is sliced
by the clouds
suspended above
its blushing reflection;
now, like
half an orange
it smiles back at me
as I watch,
absorbed by this
glorious orb,
immersed in the
golden night sea
---
June 30, 2008

Follow the Butterfly's Path

Follow the butterfly's path
as it drifts
from orchid to aster;
trace its trail
as it slows
then beckons you
to move faster;
pause as it
tarries so briefly
upon nectar
till it flutters away,
follow the butterfly's path
delight
in the fragrant array
of summer's
succulent vistas,
feasts for the eyes
and the nose;
forget the world
for a moment
linger
and savour the rose
---
June 25, 2008

Daisy Dilemma

He loves me, he loves me not
Back and forth, the daisies sway
Does he love me, yea or nay?
To and fro, from side to side
The age-old question to decide
Daisy, daisy, give me your answer true
Does he love me, love me not
Tel me, daisy, do
---
June 26, 2010

Bees Do It

The bees are getting busy
"Bizzy"
On the bus
Causing quite a buzz
Bustling passengers
Are being wary
Not to bump
Their bumping bodies
They're doin' it
Don't ruin it
Or you might get it in the end
Pricked
With a sticky stinger
My bumbling friend
---
June 15, 2010

Stop Hummingbird

Stop, hummingbird, stop!
Go and smell the roses divine
There is no nectar her for you
This is just a traffic sign
---
June 11, 2010

On Being a Moth

Shall I compare me to a butterfly
With brilliant painted wings
Whom children chase and frolic with
Through fragrant leas in spring

I might be tossed and turned about
In shadows for long hours
While the butterfly flits and flies
In sunshine sipping flowers

Yes, we both have a common genesis
Crawling on the dusty earth
And we share a wise Creator
Who designates our worth

I am assured that I am
Always in His sight
So I shed the baggage of this world
And flutter toward the Light
---
June 3, 2010

Sunny Fun Day

The man with the sunny disposition
In the position behind me
In the line at the grocery store
Surveys my berries,
Reproves me for sport
For exceeding the limit
I quickly assure him
We are not it,
(The line for express)
Too early for you, I guess
At 8:21? He protests, but
We both attest
It's a great day to be up
"Look at the smile in the sky,"
He flubs, meaning the sun
But no mistaking, it feels like
God's saying, "Have fun!"
And I did
---
June 27, 2012

Stretching R & R

Like a lion, the ornamental grasses
Lie upon the stone-filled yard
Reflective of meditative retreats
Unlike the street's
High-maintenance lawns
With watering and weeding
She'd much rather gather
A blanket and book
Point her feet in the path
Of the park by the shore
With lush lawns and gardens
Hers free to enjoy
A water feature
With sailboats and kayaks,
An occasional otter;
Here she'll relax
Away from the stacks
Of things she 'should' do
No phone calls to woo her indoors
She has time to rest and restore
From the roar of the city
Like a lion, beneath African sun
---
June 25, 2012

Treasures of Spring

En route to an outdoor
Bevy of bargains,
I see a proliferation of poppies
Filling someone's front yard
(Buttercups clutter the side)
My eyes delight in the sight
A I all too quickly pass by
Further on, a length of fence
Employs to corral
This bright orange joy

I disembark from the bus
And decrease my pace,
Stroll past vivid gardens
And a duck-filled stream,
Savour the sun's
Long-hoped for embrace,
Pause at the sound of rejoicing
That flitters through
Whispering leaves

Even the basket I rescued
From the boulevard
(A cast-off
From one of the hundreds of
Trash/treasure sales)
Is decorated with flowers -
A handy receptacle
For 50 cent vases
And a handful of daisies,
Poppies, campanula

With my pockets still full of jingle,
I meander back home
Inhaling rosy perfume
___
June 9, 2012

Friday 10 June 2016

Amy Winehouse
















Her heart wanted 
what it would not attain:
to hear her father's voice
tenderly call her name

Instead she heard it screamed
by nameless fans. Fame
caused her to grieve the gift
with which she had been graced

She had been born to sing
and write about her pain,
learn to live by living 
as her idol had maintained

His heart was sad and lonely
when he saw her silent remains
For such a brief moment
we were warmed by her bright flame 
---
June 10, 2016
Inspired by the documentary, "Amy". 

Saturday 4 June 2016

Reaping Early Rewards








5 a.m. finds me
With camera in hand,
Feet out the door
For a pink sky and sea
Down by the shore

My eyes and ears focus
On a pair of geese afloat,
Dozens honking on sand
A gray fishing boat
Ventures out for the day
I see condos submerge
In fractured reflections
In the calm blue bay
A light scarf of clouds
Covers white-capped peaks

At a picnic table
I sit down to feast
On window-panes shining
As the sun lights up the east;
Swifts live up to their name
Swirling around the stanchion
Where birdhouses dwell;
A heron hunkers down
On a log for a spell

From behind me
Comes a curious sound
I see the wet webbed feet
Of waddling geese
When I turn around;
This flock of fifteen
Shakes off their feathers,
The goslings nestle
Into a cluster;
I muster the courage
To slowly move closer
The ganders approve

Enraptured,
My camera captures
The golden geese
With their family squabbles
And morning rituals;
Their victuals digested
They now find release
Wherever is convenient
Even if that means
On the back of another
Be it sister or brother

They begin to
Head for higher ground;
A snack in the grass
By one is found;
The mother goose
Spreads her wings to gather
Dawdling stragglers

As I, too, toddle on my way
I feel blessed and privileged
Like I had a golden ticket
On this bright auspicious day
---
June 4, 2016

Wednesday 11 May 2016

Butterfly Delight

From the wings of butterflies
You have ordained delight
To ride the winds of summer
Like rhapsodies in flight
A silent song with moving
Melodious riffs
That rise and fall,
Spiral, sway and drift
Then rest upon the flowerbeds
And dance as if a feather
I love to wander free and gaze
When it’s mariposa weather

An Offering of Praise

Jasmine scented serenade
You woo me with delight
At the entrance of the spring
I breathe your petalled life

Awakening my senses
Your blossoms do revive
Dormant echoes of my soul
Exultantly, I thrive

Enchanted by your fragrance
That stirs in me such bliss
Ebullient, I endeavour
To honour you with this            
--
March 2008                                         

Cherry Blossoms by Moonlight

Angels have gathered
Out on the boulevard
The scent of divinity
Cascading
Down from their wings
I swoon in their presence
Revived by a whiff of
The essence of spring
---
April 2009

Saturday 7 May 2016

Placebo Okinhand

Come and sample
A simple remedy
Passed down on parchment
Through chapters of history
Book your appointment
Not with an apothecary 
But with a poet perhaps,
An author of literary 
A dose of this medicine,
The energy of art,
Will benefit blood pressure
And the rate of your heart
Soothing portions 
Of poetic meditation
Is better by far 
Than costly medication
Have trouble relaxing?
Take from your nightstand
The natural path to rest
And place book in hand
It's not a placebo
But truly therapeutic 
Whether or not 
You're symptomatic or sick
Travel in time 
And to other locales
Lo-cal pleasure awaits 
As you meet with new pals 
From our fractured world
Fly to foreign nations
Jettison your baggage
Fuel imagination 
For a moment, an hour
Forget your concerns
Read, read and repeat
Curled up like a worm 
---
May 7, 2016
Inspired by 
http://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/can-reading-make-you-happier

Sunday 1 May 2016

From One Glory To Another


A child's eyes see
A shadow of a shadow
In death, life
Seeds of opportunity
Where the wind decides
Stillness, waiting
To be called and dispersed
The lion's legacy
Brings healing to the earth

---
Poem inspired by the image   
May 1, 2016

Saturday 30 April 2016

Blessings of Spring

California poppies
Pop, orange bright,
Into my view
To my glee and delight;
Sunshine sparkles
On the kayakers' path;
Songbirds flit about excitedly
Causing me to laugh;
Spring has
Most assuredly arrived;
On a day like this
Who wouldn't feel
Blessed to be alive
-----
2012

Sanctuary

Cedars and sequoias
Line the walls of her cathedral
From the lotus, she leafs through
Parchments of elderberry on birch
She becomes sage
Through this communion
Having drunken fully
From this earthy bouquet
She rises and sings
As a chorus of fiddleheads
Follow her home
-----
2009

May Day

May Day! May Day!
The golden trumpets blare
Spring's arrived  in all her glory
Blooming everywhere

Daffodils and tulips
Grace the promenade
Displaying finest finery
To praise of oohs and aahs

Revelling in sunshine
Butterflies abound
Robins' trills return -
Springtime's sweetest sound

Breezes blow their warming winds
Through magnolia trees
Lilac bushes come to life
Cherry blossoms please

The beauty and the fragrances
Of spring, invigorates
May Day! May Day!
It's time to celebrate
-----
2009

Dear Mother

Mother,
You have always held me
Ever since I breathed
Your rosy scent
There in your fruitful garden
Where peaceful days
Were spent;
You led me to the ocean
And taught me to explore
Your beauty
Surrounding me,
Constant as
The ebbing shore;
Pussy willows
You gave to me,
Delighting me
With child-like mirth;
I applaud you
For all these gifts
Dear Mother Earth
-----
2008

Narcissus

The sun has lit
Upon my slender form
As I trumpet spring's arrival
With my ruffled horn

Lovers swoon beside me,
My brilliant golden hue
And pluck me from the earth
Whispering, "I love you"

Oh, what joy I bring
The poets that I thrill
Immortalized by Wordsworth
Delightful daffodil
---
2008

Magical May

Dollops of buttercups
Flavour the ground,
Mid-morning dew disappears;
The rocks cry out
With wild-flower abandon;
Perfumed petals proclaim
The return of the Spring

Forget-me-nots
To daisies, aspire
Ever reaching higher,
The cedars ascend
Sending down
Their mystical scent;
Whippoorwills sing
While butterflies dance

Down the lane,
Alice stumbles
Rhododendrons
Tower above;
Around the bend
The willow dangles
Her fingertips
Into the stream;
Jewels of sunlight
Are just out of reach

Loitering geese feast
In this scene
Till they trumpet and fly
To the gaggle
Down by the lagoon;
A dragonfly hovers,
Then it's gone
Like this snapshot of Heaven,
It's all gone too soon
---
Written in May 2006 mostly in Hatley Gardens at Royal Roads.

Dollops of buttercups flavour the ground
Robins return with their cheery cheerful sound
The sunset's delaying now midway through May
For leisurely walks at the end of the day
It's time to take notice of all this good nature
Inhaling lilacs, let your spirit be nurtured
---
Written in May 2010 because of the love for the first line in the previous poem.

Friday 22 April 2016

Welcome to Canada

With a glowing heart, patriotic pride
I saw them rise, some people, strong and free
From far and wide, my Canada,
They stood in praise of thee

A young Indian woman
In her new-found home
Feels safe, is safe
While travelling alone

An Iranian woman
Who is finally free
To feel her long hair
Blown by a breeze

A grateful woman from China
Pursues education as the answer
So she can give back,
Hopes to eradicate cancer

An Egyptian man
Concerned for the shade of his skin
Found it wasn't an issue -
He easily fit in

A Venezuelan man
Who sadly said farewell
To family, friends, a job
Is faring very well

A Mexican family
Finding a new home
With opportunities
In our land of hope

A Belgian man,
World traveller and wise
Said with certainty,
“This is paradise”

This is Canada,
A welcoming nation rich with diversity
Where nationalities, cultures, customs
Are part of our identity

God keep our land
Glorious and free
To expand and blossom
From sea to sea to sea
---
March 16, 2016 
Written after my husband's Canadian citizenship ceremony. 

Wednesday 13 April 2016

A Time of Unruffling

A bird-like light
Emerges through gray clouds
Where I sit immersed
In feathered flight
A heron alights atop a tree
A pair of geese,
Appear by my feet
A single crow perches in-between
A solar panel and a lamp
My sandaled feet are damp
From an assortment
Of tiny rain-soaked flowers
On my nearby lawn
Otherwise, 
I might stay here for hours
Sitting on a rock by the bay
Watching the gulls fly in
And watching them fly out again
Not wasting time
While my laundry spins
But tasting life
At a slower pace
Making room for peace
In this placid place
---
April 13, 2016

Monday 11 April 2016

Theatre in the Park

The willow tree takes centre stage
Ready to perform her matinee
With marionette-like moves she takes her cue
And softly starts to sway

Each section in her vast ensemble
Moves to the beat of different orchestrations
Her languid leaves depict a script
Inspired by Hawaiian girl's imaginations

From the rafters to the floor,
Her movements mesmerize the audience
Slowly she sashays from side to side
Then suddenly some chaos fills her dance

She pauses briefly before the 2nd act
Of her pantomime for spring
Like a chorus-line of ballerinas
She lets her talent flourish in full swing

She basks in nature's velvet breeze
For this is what she was created for
She bows and leaves the crowd desiring more
Then rushes back and gives a 3rd and 4th encore
---
I wrote this in April 2005 in Hatley Gardens at Royal Roads, a very inspiring place for me. 

Sunday 10 April 2016

The Man in the Moon

The man in the moon 
Boards his boat every month
And paddles to far-reaching shores
He sails the black waters 
In his fluorescent craft
With stars on the starboard and port
---
This is probably the only poem that I have completely memorized. Since writing this in April 2005, it comes to mind often when I see the waxing crescent moon. My attempt at computer graphic imaging.