Moon Over the Abandoned House on the Hill

(from the moon series)

Flies buzz through glassless windows and the roof
only wooden beams. You can imagine any life
you want to in these two large rooms. Now
there are two tall beautiful flowers outside, thorns
upon their stems and in the distance, the castle of ear.

I’m so used to being in a city, I wait to be observed.
But the only observer is nature. And the inverse?

Where you built a house and lived a life and grew people
and food and it was as strange to see a stranger.
When the kids came running from miles to hear news
of the great and mysterious world beyond from uncle Henry.

Moon Over the Whistling Wind

(from the moon series)

when you ask what do you hear,
on top of the cliff looking out
over green and brown cropped fields.

When you can see in the clouds
where the rain starts and stops
and you know it is coming

and you don’t mind
because it won’t last long.
When you think about the turbulent,

hot and cold friendship with time
and you send a message out saying,
what happened to us and you get a reply,

you will only understand in the future.
When you can hear the felt of your pen itch
the paper and the oft exchange of language

it has with the whistling wind.

Moon Memory

(from the moon series)

Remember when the circus was the only thing
in town and the kids would raise havoc
if they couldn’t go. Remember life

was simpler then. When we slept
out in the fields. When we crossed
a river how we could, by fallen tree
or hand made bridge. When we grew

our food and knew our neighbors
and the doctors were friends or uncles
still sleeping. Remember milking goats

and making cheese. Remember grandma’s
special recipe for apple pancakes.
Remember when everything changed

and no one noticed when that rich guy
in the mansion on the hill bought
the first car in town and drove through
main street on Sundays chin held high.