Poetry

A resounding thump A deciding dump That dung clump From elephant rump Remove that chump A Presidential jump Over the plump grump YOU’RE FIRED!!! Curses! Trumped. James Floss

My next door neighbor set three boxes out between the sidewalk and her lawn, boxes of apples from her backyard orchard, one of something like delicious one of a rosy-cheeked yellow kind — redolent of sweetness and of Fall — a third of tart, green keepers good for winter pies A man with a backpack […]

A shower of starlings Splash into the feeder Overspilling upon the ground Invisible against the black soil Until they burst like a geyser Perceptible for but a moment Swimming the currents of night Evaporating among the clouds Reigning over us all

Stars through bare trees And Aleutian geese. The climb to the higher dune drowns The motor sounds Lets in the surf. Across the bay 101 strung with colored lights Burning holes in the weave That keeps us watertight. Monte Merrick

Pantoum I see why the Karuk created here Earth’s air, water’s fire, soil’s wind, ash’s rain All their materials readily near While Klamath curates floods in her veins Earth’s soil, air’s wind, fire’s ashes, water’s rain Minerals form, fall, flow rock over rock While Klamath recalls floods forming her veins And geese honk on high […]

When the growing season ends, some gardeners (and some lovers) will pull a withered embrace of sweet peas from the supporting trellis, sweep puckered tomato kisses off a stained patio floor, and say “so long” to root-bound, disappointing efforts.     They’ll feel free at last.     No longer engaged     in watering, feeding, weeding.         Free . . . […]

Redwoods are resilient, fire can consume their core yet they continue But we are so much more combustible, our lives are made of paper and wood, our memories attached to possessions We can’t imagine our lives without our curated collections And a photograph might be the closest we get to defying impermanence Sarah Brooks

With our morning glow on We stare out windows Now covered in ash, Drawn to the coast By offshore winds. Indifferent notions Perch on tree tops No longer in motion, As we all breathe deeply Longing for lost horizons… Kirk Gothier

Ouch! Dang it! That low gate! Then, the wind laughed saying, “Silly man, you will always hit your head, Until you learn to bow.” Richard Parish

Strange days Isolation Canned food To maintain a budget. Day and night Sleep and wake No longer match No longer matter. Too much T.V. Too much bad news Too much racism Too much. Eyes behind masks Breath behind Masks required Where is my mask? ‘Help Wanted’ sign Could use the money If only the potential […]

Inflame the landscapes We all take for granted, Driven by toxic plans To Divide & Conquer. Was there ever a time Clear skies prevailed, And we all gathered To discuss the obvious? Kirk Gothier

The next home we leave Will belong to both of you. Curtains will be drawn To let in the sunlight We will dearly miss. Doors will be unlocked To make all feel welcome, As is our custom. Memories will be scattered Everywhere too familiar For you to bear. Still, something will exist where There would […]