Celebrating a Year

this wandering mystery
to the path of the future
and as far as we can see
all’s possible nothing’s sure

to the path of the future
then let us raise our glasses
all’s possible nothing’s sure
for optimists that passes

then let us raise our glasses
to celebrate this new day
for optimists that passes
for faith or hope anyway

to celebrate this new day
suspending conclusions drawn
for faith or hope anyway
promises to lead us on

suspending conclusions drawn
nothing rings true yet but light
promises to lead us on
smiles as time begins to write

nothing rings true yet but light
and as far as we can see
smiles as time begins to write
this wandering mystery

for my graduating students

you give me back myself
the joy before sorrow
cleared dreaming off the shelf
removing tomorrow

the joy before sorrow
clouded the horizon
removing tomorrow
what I hoped might have been

 clouded the horizon
and so I couldn’t see
what I hoped might have been
evaporated me

 and so I couldn’t see
life drifted pain concealed
evaporated me
’til laughter truth revealed

 life drifted pain concealed
cleared dreaming off the shelf
’til laughter truth revealed
you give me back myself

4jw

our worlds are so small
the touch of a hand
a smile can recall
us though we expand

the touch of a hand
bringing thoughts back to
us though we expand
joy still carries through

bringing thoughts back to
the important things
joy still carries through
whatever time brings

the important things
the life we have earned
whatever time brings
the lesson is learned

the life we have earned
a smile can recall
the lesson is learned
our worlds are so small

confusion mocks me
get it together
before long you’ll see
real stormy weather

get it together
not just said but done
real stormy weather
it waits for no one

 not just said but done
the work is calling
it waits for no one
why are you stalling

the work is calling
it isn’t your pride
why are you stalling
it’s time to decide

 it isn’t your pride
it’s music I could
it’s time to decide
that I’ve understood

 it’s music I could
before long you’ll see
that I’ve understood
confusion mocks me

she’s walking in the dark
yet still she smells of flowers
listening to the waves mark
the passing of the hours

yet still she smells of flowers
tasting sea air she waits
the passing of the hours
will decide many fates

tasting sea air she waits
a twinkle in her eye
will decide many fates
the moment she’ll know why

a twinkle in her eye
listening to the waves mark
the moment she’ll know why
she’s walking in the dark

a leaf flutters falls
‘tis the autumn of
our discontent all’s
fair the sky’s above

‘tis the autumn of
regret it isn’t
fair the sky’s above
waiting to imprint

regret it isn’t
what we were promised
waiting to imprint
the truth and it’s missed

what we were promised
a job a house time
the truth and it’s missed
perhaps the worst crime

a job a house time
in the land of the free
perhaps the worst crime
camouflaged fury

in the land of the free
our discontent all’s
camouflaged fury
a leaf flutters falls

we’ll save our golden eggs
hands off don’t even think
about it your sneer begs
defiance on the brink

hands off don’t even think
listen now we’re angry
defiance on the brink
just short of anarchy

listen now we’re angry
though still talking today
just short of anarchy
our patience could give way

though still talking today
we won’t accept your lies
our patience could give way
we aren’t fooled by disguise

we won’t accept your lies
there can not be two ways
we aren’t fooled by disguise
distrust whoever pays

there can not be two ways
about it your sneer begs
distrust whoever pays
we’ll save our golden eggs

The first line of this pantoum was inspired by a line from “Angry Bird” written by my poet-friend Raj. You’ll find her’s here . And also by the parable of the goose who lays the golden eggs. It seems we are all being asked for so much lately from so many who deal in half-truths. A bit of caution is prudent, a bit of anger sometimes unavoidable.

hoping for a window of grace
for something to go right not wrong
a pathway to depart this place
a reason to rewrite my song

for something to go right not wrong
I need this opportunity
a reason to rewrite my song
releasing the future for me

I need this opportunity
to fly away from bounds of pain
releasing the future for me
where sunshine laughs beyond the rain

to fly away from bounds of pain
finding as sadness disappears
where sunshine laughs beyond the rain
I can leave behind these old fears

finding as sadness disappears
a pathway to depart this place
I can leave behind these old fears
hoping for a window of grace

this is carnaval
twirl around laugh don’t
let the curtain fall
the night can’t end won’t

twirl around laugh don’t
sleep there’s no time now
the night can’t end won’t
we’ll dance through somehow

sleep there’s no time now
the music lifts me
we’ll dance through somehow
exhausted happy

the music lifts me
when it’s over then
exhausted happy
we’ll sing like madmen

when it’s over then
hold the memories
we’ll sing like madmen
any way you please

hold the memories
let the curtain fall
any way you please
this is carnaval

still life and street
perhaps a dream
where buildings meet
tall books that seem

perhaps a dream
two stories high
tall books that seem
to somehow lie

two stories high
where the world ends
to somehow lie
their truth depends

where the world ends
from what we see
their truth depends
on mystery

from what we see
Escher draws more
on mystery
beyond the door

Escher draws more
he plays the cards
beyond the door
like displaced shards

he plays the cards
where buildings meet
like displaced shards
still life and street

Written about a work in the Escher show I saw today, click the last line to see the drawing.