gentrification
(for Tina)
the better-off displace old families
leaving just a remnant behind
neighborhood changes fast
innovative foliage, bolstered lawns
porch, deck, people repaired and not
show it all happening at once
talk celebrates an old friend’s
scars from a journey’s bad wend
yield to a love just moved in
whose hand to face, to waist
and other glyphs of joy finally
open his closed-off life, make
his aged house, a new home
then there’s the girl, spared little
given much, until her beloved
took the offered cash, sold
their lavish place and hit the road
leaving her to drive drunk
off our street, then off a rock face
up north—young thing in her red
red mustang, flying amid seabirds
who dare fledglings to spread wings
glide, defy tumbling to a river below
and there’s even this tête-à-tête
about retirees moving where the sun
won’t set, leaving more properties
for sale—well, hate to disappoint—
but I know at least one who rests
dear dance for aging, whose face
a sunflower turned from sun
toward a stationary east
says the tawny owl’s last call
told her stay and see the change
prayed for, her grand-girls
flair like daisies on this block
grow fast as poplars
toward home...
(for Valerie)
fatalities fill weekly
nightly daily news
devastating drought
hurricanes tornadoes
sweeping homes
away with whole cities
and yet...
the peace that surpasses
for
broken families
continue to anchor
highway lamp posts
with signs letters posters
pointing their lost ones
home
couples wear out evenings
lying wake sorting how
to fix being uncoupled
wandering a lifetime
till they find a pathway
past impasse
brothers and sisters
stop signing till mute bodies
ask from turned cheeks
who’s to blame?
until the day they see
each fighter a victim
and forgive
like mourning doves
twilling shadows toward light
we learn about the might
suffering teaches
and know the reticulation
of goodness—
its nets hedging, wrapping us
till high winds from our fists
lax to zephyrs
flowing through calmed fingers
as if through daffodils
the finery of flowers
(for Siani)
sparrows given grace today
humbly give the same tomorrow
we’re helpers who lift
victims from bottom to care
comfort people searching
triumph over ill-time downs
acceptance of infinite ups
volunteers who aid folks
gathered like lilies round
the church’s east wall
waiting for a hand up
not a handout
after help fixes our troubles
acts of dignity come
as kindness in pay—
because we have been
we remember
sparrows neither toil nor spin
but in offering thanks
don the undeniable elegance
of beauty in the eye-popping
starbursts of dahlias
the timeless allure of exotic
orchids in bloom
vibrant rainbows of lazy daisies
pink snowfalls of cherry blossoms
which every resilient bird will
forward maintaining harmony
balance