Epistle #1
rose garden, un-promised
thorns protect and prick
bees pollinate and sting
missing your touch
your voice, your sense
of style I was too young
to understand
forty years shrink to a single
moment in time, in space, in thought
we are alone, and you –
you are in the ground
and in our hearts and memories
Epistle #2
did I become what
you had hoped I would?
did my achievements
surprise or disappoint you?
i know you were with me
every step of the way. you
never deserted me. But
did I desert you? Did I
prove myself worthy?
Epistle #3
I still have all your letters –
a few years ago I began
their transcription
but stopped out of fear
I might conjure you up/back,
and disturb your peace,
your sleep, your rest
Epistle #4
life is morphing, changing
new opportunities are
self-presenting,
eclipsing the old –
there are still souls to save
Epistle #5
under the watchful eye
of the green flag waving
and the two isosceles triangle
imposed –
I head down to the river
for my morning walk
Epistle #6
took a July vacation from blogging
ended the job, closed out the house,
packed the car, made the trip:
first to Greensboro, then to DC –
aka Chocolate City,
Head of the Beast,
Whore of Babylon –
but enough of hyperbole.
Epistle #7
Thank you for the fishing trips,
and the science fair helps,
each time you took me
with you to work,
and each piece of advice
that fell from your trembling lips –
wouldn’t be the same without
your presence, good or ill.
Epistle #8
I know you had your demons
and your burdens were great –
and tragedy outweighed comedy –
and life was far from fair –
I choose to think
you did your best –
until it all became
a crushing blow.
Epistle #9
I fell behind, I’m late
the world turned upside down
We saw a film about a setting star –
extinguished too soon –
by love and drugs and pain
her lyrics, poetry
blew my mind. The way
she turned a phrase.
Nothing short of magic.
Epistle #10
ten represents completion
and a new stage beginning
but first the old expires –
the ancient, the wrong-tracked
each day brings new opportunities
new random chances
new rolls of the worn dice
and I am learning Agile
Epistle #11
I recently discovered
I may be descended
from aliens
there’s something I need
and cannot find anywhere.
It must be out in space
Epistle #12
just started a new job
where all the cubicles are empty
and you need a coded card
to move from place to place
there’s no work being done.
Perhaps they are waiting on me
Epistle #13
tonight there is happy hour
lots of drinks being served –
but alcohol never makes me
happy – just grumpy and sleepy –
call it grumpy hour
Epistle #14
you have to type fast
to get two consecutive tweets
pausing to think
will set you off course
so many voices competing
for limited space
Epistle #15
broken wrist
is on the mend
but the arrhythmia
that brought about the fall –
we now know –
is a different story
i’m black –
ain’t i got rhythm?
