And Then the Rain

This is the first publication where these poems appear anywhere. This book is over 550 pages long! I put all of myself into this. I know this is the goal of the poet, and probably every poet in the world would say this. I do not keep secrets when I write. This is as close to me as a person can get, probably more is contained here about me than you or anyone could get by knowing me personally. In person I am not as open or confident.

Here are some samples of poems that are contained herein:

The White Jug
The sounds of blood
pulsing through my heart
Oars splashing in the water
notes played on magical instruments
The baby singing
in another part of the house
Birds singing
in the back yard
I melt into the sounds
of life
The tablet I wanted
cries out at the edges of the page
I write silent poems to you
Full of sounds water flowing
Children laughing
echos of the world
The white jug
full of amber liquid
I did not drink
shattered now in the kitchen sink

Twilight
We rise, perhaps
out of solar dust and gas
Water molecules, coalesce
flesh and blood flow inside us
Unique products of evolution,
chance, divine miracles, and defiance
We pray, or not, consider
prophets and raise our dead
Wage wars, make peace,
pick our way carefully through life
Each day trying to decide how best to live
before our nothingness bubbles up…

Remarkable
the resilience-

falling
in love
again
Peace of Mind
A little bird singing
in the heat and passion of the night

The Empty Mind Considers Itself
The empty mind inside
my head looks back
All these years judging and
condemning almost everybody else
Few friends, fewer to love,
uncertain there is anyone to trust
And out in the world, so little
kindness, little show of respect
Their lack of love,
their barbarism, violence
Their lack of connection with God
to show them how to live
Until one dismal day
the empty mind
Realizes it is truly so
much like everyone else…

Please enjoy this book.