The Traveler

The traveler had walked
 on the dusty road
all through the night,
trying in vain to catch up
to his elusive quarry.
His walking stick,
carved in the likeness of an owl,
had been put to good use.
Now, the sun rose,
bringing with it
a light that would help the weary
traveler with the promise
of better sight than at night,
when all the moon would offer
were a few weak beams.
As he approached a copse
of trees
(beech by the looks of them),
the traveler quickened his pace,
knowing the promise of
a good rest underneath the
shade of the gracious and
kindly leaves.
He sat down in a heap of
dusty and worn clothing,
taking this chance to rest
his fatigued body and mind.
As he sat there,
walking stick on one side,
pack on the other,
the wanderer lay back
his head and dreamed.
He dreamt of lovely things,
of happier days,
of peace in his homeland.
When he awoke,
it was to find a red sunset,
and a willowy figure before him.
Stunned and surprised,
the traveler stood up quickly,
grabbing his stick and pack,
which lay untouched on the ground.
He glanced at the stranger
in front of him-
his eyes widened in surprise.
It was her.
He whispered her name.
She nodded,
the curl in her hair
bobbing in conformation.
It was miraculous.
They had
found one another
again,
just like they said
they always would.

Reflection

The sun had gone down
just minutes before
with no sign except
the darkened sky.
Clouds above were
invisible,
inky black,
blotting out the sunset's
brilliant palette
of vibrant colors.
Reflected in the street
illuminated by the orange
glow of tall, indifferent lamps
was a face-
smooth, young, innocent
of the exposure of
adulthood.

But those eyes.

The eyes were bright
and intelligent
with a depth that spoke
of internal aging
and growth uncommon
to the younger generation.
The eyes were full of
grief, sorrow;
a sudden need for
abandoning childhood,
stripping away all pretenses,
leaving behind a hardened
youth
with a steel core
and disciplined mind.

The reflection disappeared
with a splash
and the ripples smoothed out
the surface
left to reflect darkness
alone in the rain.

Then and Now

Can you hear us?
We have been calling
for you since the beginning,
the very beginning.
Our voices echo across
years, decades. centuries,
eons.
But always our voices
come back to us,
empty of any reply.
Please come back to us,
even if only in murmur.

Yes, we hear you.
We have heard your
tales and stories, as if calling
from the very dust of past ages.
We heed your every word,
at least in several attempts
to follow your words
of wisdom.
The world is not
as it once was, and though
we try to call back,
there has been no way
as of yet to do so.
But we wish we could,
oh, how we yearn
for that opportunity
to speak with you!

Yes, we hear you.
Yes, we can.

I Said Hello

I said hello to the birds today.

I greeted them with my song.

I said hello to the newly grown grass.

I greeted them with a tousle.

I said hello to the trees today.

I greeted them with a bow.

I said hello to the sea today.

I greeted it with a wave.

I said hello to the sun today.

I greeted it with a twirl.

I said hello to the world today.

I greeted it with a large embrace.

I said hello to you today.

I greeted you with a chill.

Did you know me?

In the Shadows

I see things
in the shadows.
I see people-
at first.
But then the people
morph into 
beasts;
birds, lions,
monkeys, dogs,
cats, horses,
cows, and the like.
But then the animals
change into
something different.
Myths and legends.
Dragons, fairies,
elves, mermaids,
and so on.
I see all these things
in the shadows.

Odd and Strange

Every night I lay down to sleep
And dream of the odd and the strange.
No one knew how far or how deep
The sad, broken heart had to change.

The Monarch

Streaks of red and gold

colored the sky like

magnificent banners

proclaiming the entrance of 

a greatly honored monarch.

Rosy pink flushed the canvas 

with its gentler hues,

a watered-down blue

just on the edges.

On the horizon, a touch

of white and yellow

barely spread across

the work of art.

As the seconds and minutes

wear on,

the much anticipated

guest arrives in a 

splendor of color

and light.

A new day begins.