Author Archives

by

Golden Glow

Laughter bursts above
clinking cutlery and
toasting glasses.

There is a buzz in the air.

Friends reminisce
with pleasure, the hours
they just spent together
as the sun drops along
the horizon, turning the
golf course a golden green
in light that entices fairies
to come out and dance.

As stories grow,
merriment increases and
new memories are made.

Beer suds mustaches
and rum twinkling eyes
reflect a zest for life
of friends enjoying time
together, even if it meant
chasing a little white ball
for miles on a sunny
afternoon.

by

Apothecary Cabinet

The many drawers
of an exquisite
apothecary cabinet
catch my eye.
Lustrous brownish-black
wood with a hint of purple,
appears to glow
from within.

Strong straight wood grain
is etched with delicate
curls and waves.
A unique beauty stands
before me.

I am transported
to a long ago time.
A dark haired man with
gentle hands grinds a
mortar and pestle.
A young woman with a limp
child in her arms
stands rocking
side to side
waiting patiently for the
apothecary to complete
a potion for her son.

Spices, tobacco, dried herbs,
mortar and pestles,
spoons and scales,
can be seen
in various drawers.

I wonder about the
compartments in my life.

My home, the shell I live in.
Filled with carefully chosen
art and trinkets to adorn walls,
soft blankets and bright colors
strategically placed in homage
to an identity I continue
to seek.

My car, a familiar cocoon
I enter each morning
and hurtle down roadways
to open the door into
another compartment
where I will spend
eight hours of my day;
one third of a revolution
around the sun.

My life is a series
of moving from compartment
to compartment
with only
slight adjustments
along the way.

As I continue to look at the
beautiful cabinet before me,
rich in history and
memories polished
into the wood,
I look skyward and envision
a great alchemist
looking down.
A great alchemist
peeking into the drawers
of my apothecary life
waiting to see what
combination of materials
I will choose
from the many compartments
before me.

by

Silence and Stillness

I sit outside
on a weather worn park bench
beneath a fragrant cherry tree.
Deep pink blossoms
punch a bright statement
of their presence
to the surrounding burgeoning
trees and shrubs.

With legs outstretched
on fresh green spring grass,
arms crossed below my chest,
I tilt my head toward the sun
and close my eyes.

Silence.

A cool breeze blows my hair
across my face and drops
cherry blossom kisses upon me.
Stillness follows styling
my hair abruptly in a abstract
modern art form,
casually dishevelled.

Stillness and silence;
agents sent to calm my occupied
mind, a prisoner of my own
thoughts, captive of racing
ideas and procrastination –
no focus;
Peacekeepers sent to mediate
warring factions of my
right and left brain.
Yellow sticky-note lists
battle for priority against
stacks of paper clutter and
baskets of laundry.

Birdsong can be heard.
Laughter of children, squealing
as they chase and dodge each
other. The clink of a dog
collar as it passes near.

I drift on a cherry blossom
into words of an unknown future.
I drift on the breeze like a
prayer rising to heaven,
a petition piggy-backing the
promise of spring bursting
with color and fragrance from
a dormant winter.
I drift…

And when I return,
silence and stillness remain
continuing their mediation.
My world has not changed
but my heart feels lighter
as I shake cherry blossom
petals from my hair.