In Memoriam
Savoring
For Chris
Standing on the rim of a red rock canyon
looking back in time
Humanity just a shooting star in the infinite universe
Every moment
Precious
Holding on
to memories of you
Grateful
for every one
Your face
always broadcasting your thoughts
The sparkle in your eye
Your mischievous laugh
Every moment
precious
Lucky me
to have had a friend like you
Your too short beautiful life
touched my heart
Teaching me
I could always
Do more
Care more
Help more
You are with me
always
dear friend
December 2021
Dreaming of You
For Kayle
If I leave a bowl of chocolate kisses at my bedside,
will you visit me in my dreams?
Come to me each night
Tell me how much you love me
how beautiful I am
Laugh with me
Peaceful, painless laughter
Cry with me
Sappy, silly tears
Tell me your secrets
Keep mine
Rage
fills us like wind in a sail
It carries us to distant shores
memories of better times
bring us home
In my heart
You will always be raising a glass
standing at the head of the holiday table
sharing your gratitude
Telling us how much you love us
and how beautiful we are
September 2023
Dancing through Time
-For Jimmie
Five, Six, Seven, Eight
Dancing through time
Radiant light
Twirling sublime
Holding you tight
Politics pace
brilliant debate
Gliding with grace
You just can’t wait
Smoothly you strut
Suave steady beat
We can’t help but
admit defeat
Effervescent
passionate man
Always intense
taking a stand
Debonair charm
draws us to you
wherever you are
forever it’s true
Jan in your arms
swaying to rhyme
no greater love
dancing through time
Five, Six, Seven, Eight
January 2024
Red
For my Aunt Elayne
Distinguished
by her signature tresses
More like the color of autumn leaves
or pumpkins
than hair
and her life-spanning wardrobe
Eighty-six
and still
stunning
in fishnet stockings and miniskirts
Proud to hail
from the Bronx
R’s
like A’s
spoken
loud and fast
Her dazzling
smile
brightened the world
and her heart
overflowed
with love
Ideas
like
shooting stars
zip
in
and
out
from outer space
As always
defying convention
she left us
laughing
March 2023
Why a Duck
- for David
I had forgotten how silly you were
until I saw this picture capturing your devilish smirk
How you used to make me laugh
Even at the Marx Brothers puns I had heard a million times
Groan too
You taught me to quack like Donald Duck
You broke my heart once
Back when you were an adorable heart throb
your silliness was sexy
Best friends
Nicknames, silly songs
Endless board games
The Cancer didn’t laugh at your silly jokes
Or nicknames
But you kept telling them
Even Now
when you are gone
The urge to repeat your retorts
never goes away
I changed my mind- I hope this one works
February 2022