to be here

i challenge myself 
to change my attitude 

it must be positive 
from now on 
(so they say)

Pollyanna 
and I-
we will make 
such a pair- 

we will not dwell on 
current events...
nothing in the news 
will scare us! 

stalking x's-
drilling dentists-
none of these 
will daunt us

we will be so positive 
that nothing 
will stick 
to us 

we will sway 
we will circle 
we will float 
we will fly

who am I 
trying to kid, here 
no! I mean it!
This time I mean it!

Whether or not 
I can think myself 
a million dollars 

I much prefer 
thinking that the best of things
must be 
"just around the corner"

Better yet,
they say, 
is not to think 
much at all 

but to be 
here 
in the now 
in the space 
between 
the reality 
and 
the dream

just think, 
this space 
is free 

it is ours 
for the asking 

it has clarity 
it has peace 

it has that blissful 
space 

better even than being 
positive 

is to be here 
where we happen 
to be   

little animals

The little ground squirrel
Runs out
And looks at me

Animals at
Vegetarian retreats
Act differently

They are not so afraid
They know no one
Will eat
Them

We should all be
Like that

So mellow because no one
Is dropping
Bombs
On us

It is possible
For us all
To live like that

If we can imagine it
It can happen

Now
We all just need
To imagine
To help each other

To be like
The little animals
at
a
vegetarian
retreat 

Without which

Without which how
Can we be happy
Without it
How can
We be free

How can
So few know
That it is here
With us
In these moments
Alone

I just need to realize
How important
This is
To me

I think of all the riches
-I would like to have
-I think of all the youth
And beauty
- that is gone

I think of the perfect man
The perfect house and garden
The perfect car

I haven't one of these
But they pale
Before
This emptyness
This freedom
To explore

The depths within
The depths without
The feel of spaciousness
Of peace
Of bliss

U

All those years
I spent
In your
Institution
Teaching for u
Promised the moon
And the sky
Part time
All the time
While u paid administrators
To sit
And spin
Now I walk in
To a new district office
Conference center
All brand new
And all those years
I couldn't even get a pencil
Out of u
Now my retirement will be
A laughable pittance
Which I will be glad
To have

Just remember
If there is any justice in heaven
And if any of us
Get there

I wouldn't want to be
U

black cat with one eye

the black cat 
with one eye 
walks by 

this is one of the yards 
in the neighborhood 
the cats know... 

there is no dog 
there are chairs with 
     cushions 

there is a way 
to the alley 
there is a hole 
in the fence 
cut 
for when i 
had a cat 

they walk 
they stalk 
sometimes they talk 
to me 

mostly i am used 
for my cushions and 
and my chairs
and the calm, quiet 
air 

no kids- 
not much in the way of 
power tools 
or blowers 

and water- 
and fish 
to watch

little birds 
do hop about-  
these cats 
are not much interested 

they are being fed 
somewhere else
worried over 
by someone else 
vet bills paid by 
someone else 

part of the landscape 
part of the scene 
these cats 
walk by 
me

grey day

what can i say 
about today 
it is grey 

grey and damp 
with no rain

there is a drought 
with dampness 
and no sun  

the crack in the ceiling 
is widening 

i despair 

perchance 
i take myself 
too seriously 
here 

this body 
this life 
do not last 
long 

some days 
they last too 
long...

my stalker 
is not stopping... 

but i must 
i must find something 
to be glad 
about 

today especially 
something to beat back 
the grey 
and the grey mood 
i'm in 

oh yes
i got some news- 
the root canal 
does not have to be 
dug 
the Erie Canal 
in my mouth 
has got a reprieve 
silly me

if we think 
if we just stop and think 
amidst it all 
all the fog 
and drama 
and feelings

there is always something 
there must be something 

to be glad 
about  

The Tango Cloud

the tango stage show 
was beautiful 
with many young people 
showing their 
prowess 

and yet,
i remember 
my favorite partner- 
who doesn't move so well 
-is elderly now 
and yet- 

and yet 
we can create 
the cloud 
so easily 
so effortlessly 
it seems like 
we are 
the only two 
in the room  

the tango cloud 

the one we ride 
upon 
-the closeness 
we create 

-for only a few minutes 
and then we return 
to our respective corners 
     of the room 
and to our life partners 
     after having shared 
an intimacy of movement 
     which cannot be portrayed 
     on stage 

no matter how well they dance 
-how high they throw their partner 
-how fast they run 

it is more important 
by far 
to me-
to create the cloud 
to enjoy it 
to ride around on it 
to be enveloped by it 

to be held 
in the arms 
of my favorite 

Tanguero