round and round
circumnavigating the
unknown darkness

small and helpless
in the palm of His Hand
I rest in God

small and brown
in God's ecosystem
tiny bird

outside together
reluctant shoveling
mom and son bonding

creeping darkness
biting wind--
the ides of March

snow storm--

willows, pines and oaks transformed

in bright sunlight

soft fur
underneath a
gentle paw

voices
float over the mountain--
sing unknown songs

you pour out
the oil into my hands
some remains

i let the oil slip
through my fingers
but some remains

At Mass
sharing a hymnal--
tiny ladybug

winter
heavy snow; freezing cold
frozen flag

the sun sets
skeleton trees cry
crystal tears

evening light
illuminates a path
through the snow

poetry shared
across the shadows
music

moving
in frozen space
alone

the soul
hurling through
frozen space

sunshine
bitter cold
singing birds

bright star
quietly hovers above
thick, dark clouds

running fox
gently tapping bird
daily walk

blood sky

behind lacey

black trees

life in the ruins,
visiting our basement--
good luck frog

up ahead
pushing yesterday's clouds
tiny star

For Father Bell

purpously striding
through unchartered land
towards eternity

in prayer
stepping back to see the rose
amid the thorns

cautiously

walking together

through thick fog

teen fad?
menopausal monitor--
mood ring.

cold water
brushing my face--
alone at low tide

Ebbing waters
necessary journey--
alone at low tide

flushed face
icy hands and feet
seasonal paradox

the green house
revealed by God's messenger
square and sturdy

naked,
the vulnerable seed
picked up by the bitter wind

glowing sky
otherwordly clouds
breathing earth

God lightens our burden
as soon as we put it down--
He picks it up.

I clean my damaged soul
for the image of the Perfect
even in you

the dust of time
settles on my soul--
for God to touch

quietly, the finger
of God writes in the
dust of my soul

rag in hand,
I imperfectly clean
the dust of my soul

impatiently waiting--
lusting for your life's blood--
a vampire bat

sometimes the security blanket
is too heavy
to let in the light

hidden under the blanket,
one must choose-- security
or light

dark and sticky
oozing anguish and heartache
restricting all in its path

rich and firey
gives way to chocolate brown--
stored sweetness

sweet and fragrant
in the cold morning air
jasmine tea

Screaming yellow leaves
appear suddenly among
the abundant brown

Fussy toddlers scream.
Hoards of teen girls run by--
Friday at Walmart

Forgive me, Lord
for my mind sometimes sprouts wings
and flies away.

pounding raindrops
seeping paralyzing cold
into my heart

Moving forward,
we step out in fear--
together.

people are mirrors
held up by God for us
to see ourselves.

In the deafening silence
God Speaks.

I advance uncertainly,
yet balanced and centered.
I do not fall.

angels heal
in the hidden
mists of sleep

Autumn colored cat
hypnotically gazing
behind white lace

old woman
feeding a solitary
house plant

harvest moon--
reflecting on uncounted
drops of rain

unknowing
the spider clings to the web
in the rain

fragile tree
uncertainly blooms in
the midst of drought

tiny diamond
ablaze with love
luminous offering

on the road
fighting for its life
the grass grows

the apples
in the house are safer--
no bees

your head--
pounding against the earth--
the wound is yours

volatile water
furiously whirling
bursting its boundary

the divine healer
with a single strand of love
knits me together

luminous gleaming
dwelling of the divine
imprisoned for love

August lawn
grows in patches.
Are there goats?

mid august lawn
yearning for independence,
grows unevenly

mid-August;
the lawn a quilt
of greens and brown

in the twilight
dancing on my brain
fading shadows

fleeting moments
bourne away by the wind--
dandelion time

I awaken
to a crisp August morning--
God's surprise

scraps of yarn
collected from my life
weaving into recovery

cows in the stream
huddled in the shade
sizzling beef

searing heat
pours in the open window
while I clean

life is change--
like changing your clothes
in the public
of your own mind

what is hidden,
in the light of the blue moon,
is laid bare.

awakened at night,
I see shadows not perceived
in Standard Time.

tenderly
the rain falls; and
prayers rise

i move through;
drifting past a forgotten
familiarity

The Heron

silver and airborne,
I spot it as I drive past
swerving to avoid me

I hear the music
but I am powerless
to play the tune

interweaving pattern
unrecognizable but
from a distance

twilight intonation--
the muted sound
of silent mourning

the searing radiance
of complete love--realized
through reasonless gift

glowing like a ruby
it shimmers; lingering;
just out of reach

Midsummer
dons her wedding dress
patchwork fields of Queen Anne's Lace

the earth trembles
in a deafening roar--
biker weekend

is it a sin
to compose haiku
during Mass?

on a hot day
a woman fans herself
another wears wool

grey haired woman
on a hot July day
in a wool shawl

dog growls
runs down the driveway
timid deer

live in Gettysburg
see Abraham Lincoln
driving a car

the bright sun
declares the brilliant jewels
of God's Love

in my dream
a pink ambulance
waits

dog under bush
furiously digging
unearthing the past

enveloping warmth
invigorating coolness
each day a gift

I open my eyes
at midlife
suddenly unsure
of whether I am riding on a speeding roller coaster
or falling off a steep cliff

illusion
stripped away
like the bark of a tree--
the pain
of relentless sanding.

endings
made bittersweet
by spring life

morning darjeeling
fresh in a flowered tea pot--
sublime happiness