Things That Matter

Love matters most of all.

And hope.

Children and Family.

Stories, poetry,

and music.

Art in all its forms.

And friends, too.

The seen and unseen.

And Kindness.

And just showing up.

Faith and Charity.

Hard work.

Truth.

And Silence matters.

Listening for 

the unexplainable,

the unknowable,

the incomprehensible,

and all that nature offers;

listening with the ears of your heart

to the pain and joy of others.

Walking in the way of peace,

toward a goal,

even if the goal is 

simply to rest.

That matters, too.

From: In Transition

Unpub. MS p. 46

Some Things I Love

A songbird at sunrise, 

A hummingbird in flight,

The restless surf of the Pacific,

The sound of wind and the waves 

and what they bring to the grassland.

The languid glide of turkey vultures,

The surprising clamor of a desert rain storm,

The kiss and touch of a passionate woman,

Families and the bravery of children,

Seeing lovers attentive to each other,

My tile decorated home and anywhere 

there is love, peace, and kindness. 

More Things I Love 

Soft closing toilet lids,

Nippy weather and airy mist,

Birds chattering at the birdbath, 

A dark night and its starry-starry sky,

Independent bookstores and coffee shops,

Braying mules and crowing roosters,

Concertos, sonatas, and symphonies;

rock and roll, big band, and blues.

Rafael Mendez and Anthony Bourdain,

When summer relents and fall takes over,

The beauty and joy of children’s imaginations,

My family and all the love that has been and will be.

From: Shorts: Short Poems On How We Ramble

Unpub. MS pp. 45-46