Like the paper mobiles we made/the solar system perched/ in a shoe box/or a diorama/we’d like to think/we control the starscape/the cool beauty plumbed/remains elusive/remains/silvered distant/if not beyond our reach/mystery proves what we can know/fragile in victory/we race on

When I think of how simple life was/how fast we wanted to grow into adult sized dilemmas/ how they would say/slow down/you are trying to grow/Too fast/breakneck/We’d rush heedlessly on/years gone by/I found the child’s image/ he kept in his card fold/in his suit or shirt pocket/ close to his heart/wishing time would stand still/for us

When all is said and done/and the final words are spoken/petals crumbled/the turn taken/the seemingly normal duties of life resumed/a steady radar begins sweeping/homing signals activate/beyond our weary/sodden/broken hearts/we await the promise/of presence/the intimation of resurrection hoped for whispers

Cousins/share collective wisdom/beauty/joy in and beyond tears/strength/ love to walk into the future/together

When play is life/I remember/the passion and the fury/for each day/ to be stuffed with every possible exploration of joy/when play is life/I look at children able to be/children/able to/play overflowing/to be blessed/when play is life

The things that make for home/off the plane at JFK/family to meet you/and a neighborhood/NY/pizza/one of a kind/ blessed to taste home

Sometimes I just want to say/love is broken/obviously/doesn’t work right/anymore/ if it ever did/the evidence is clear/greed/corruption/vengeance/utter destruction/children eating and sleeping on garbage/and being gunned down/and so on and so forth/but this I remember/and this I call to heart/God’s love is inexplicably for us/ when nothing we do works right/it’s never stale or day old/God’s love is fresh/new every morning/so I’m trying not to bring/ years old grief/ to the Holy table/bitter rotten fruit/so old and tired/trying to take out my judgements with the same old same old trash

Brave enough to ride our monsters/the ones that lurk in the corners/strong enough to turn and walk away/from the voice of denigration/bold enough to laugh wisely/in the face of fear/as the adventure of life scrolls on/ride every monster/ Ford every flash flood/follow every emergency light/until you find/ the dream within

Sometimes it is good to remember/that we were held in arms of care/dressed and curled/shoes tied with jingling bells/with a bunny to cuddle/we would not have survived/without love/so fill the gaping holes of not enough/never enough/with gratitude/thanksgiving/show love/early and never too late

World traveler/knowing what it feels like/to receive hospitality/to be welcome/to be welcomed by many faiths and nations/all your life/you lived reciprocal care/and taught your children/as we all do/ by your actions