Thinking at 3 Am

The house is quiet at 3 AM, no creaking,
no sound except for the small bells
that always ring in my ear. It is as though
the house and kitchen
and floor and chair
are there only as a cocoon
for my thinking.

An old mans thoughts do not
lack consistency.
As man for eons has seen himself the keeper,
so do I
still take on the role of provider and protector

The poems in Thinking at 3 AM are tender, poignant, and frank expressions of the emotions of aging and the last phases of life. They also deal with the continuing love of a long and successful marriage, with serious illness that led to a near-death experience, with commitment to family, children, and grandchildren, as well as with diverse topics that always seem to express themselves in a poets mind and pen.
In contrast to the poems about aging, one long autobiographical poem describes the poet's childhood and young adulthood, and contains stories and incidents one hopes ones heirs will know and remember. These poems reflect the authors deepest feelings, remembering life, loss, and the glorious world that he lives in every day. There is a knowing that resides in each of them, inviting the reader along for the ride on the poet's life journey.