The Turns Of Time

Time turns us all
like a magician with no face
whose cape
brushes our lives
and makes us disappear.

Time turns us all
like a desert wind
that carves hollows
in our hearts
till be become earth again.

Time turns us
round and round
like a tilt-a-whirl
in slow motion
amidst the carnival
of our lives.

Time turns us
like a clock that
grows weary from being wound-
that soon loses time,
becomes useless,
and ticks no longer.

Time turns us
like a partner in dance
who leads us through our lives
until the last dance is danced
and the music
grows
silent.

I'll Do What's Right

They said marriage would be like heaven
Until the day I died.
They said it was sweet
and couldn't be beat-
Well...
Somebody lied!

They said housework would be a pleasure
Any wife would do with pride-
With a smile on my face
and an apron of lace.
But hey-
somebody lied.

They said children would be a blessing
Forever innocent and wide-eyed
I've come a long way, baby-
But maybe
Somebody lied!

So someday when my children grow up
And are fearful of saying goodbye-
I'll hug them tight-
And I'll do what's right...

I'll lie!

What Comes Beyond Today

you can tell it is August by
the dry hot air that hangs in humid drapes about the window

the sudden rush of a wet smelling rain that kicks up dust
and sprinkles the ground with leaves too young to really die

you can tell it is September
by listening to the earth breathe
long, labored, heavy sighs
that echo in the tall grass
and moan
in soft surrender
to the days that float away

days that wander
straight into
another season
and are swallowed up into the cloudy skies

you can tell it is October
when I begin to get afraid

wrap up in my dreams
and stare out the window
knowing

winter sneaks up behind the pine trees
crosses the pond
and comes
to find me hiding...

Stay.

If you were gone,
my life would be
tossed as raindrops
to the sea.

And never more
would happiness be
something that
belonged to me.

If you were gone-
my life would go.
Melt away like
springtime snow...

And never more
could I possibly know
the way to laugh-
to live-
to grow...

If you were gone
my life would be
Lost like a ship
upon the sea.

And no one
could ever
rescue me.