felicity

Two days ago,
Tea captured my affinity
In the mug of a friend’s
Hospitality.

I was unaware
Of the drink’s capability
To enter so often my
Verbosity,

But that cup of chai
Offered curious dexterity
On the whole of our
Vitality.

So leave to the dregs
The choke of animosity
And the stifling of
Vanity,

And drink deeply
The delight of generosity
(And don’t neglect
Spontaneity).

grandpa’s pond

The pond in Jackson,
More of an oversized puddle, really,
Bears easily the pair of ducks
Gliding over its surface.

The feathery couple,
Initially interested by my presence,
Loses interest on discovering
I’ve forgotten handouts.

Pine needles litter the banks,
Dropped as playbills after a show
Leaving bare the tall specimens
Gathered at the theater.

A path of ancient bricks,
Once making a complete circle,
Disappears beneath my feet,
My walk now cushioned.

I remember the advice,
“The world is too much with us.”
The moss grabs the bricks
And spreads its fingers.

the echo

The wind halted my long run today.
I decided instead to lie down
On the hilly lawn of Union University,
Smack dab in the “U” sculpted out of bushes.

A thought welled up inside my head.
I watched the clouds heave,
And they began to play tricks on me,
Convincing me I rather saw waves in the ocean.

Then the others got in on the joke.
In the limbs of the bushes,
I saw tributaries branching out of a river,
And the veins carrying my blood were there, too.

The wind, of course, took its turn.
I felt the earth inhale,
Even as my own lungs filled themselves,
And nature’s respiration proved much more effective.