One Of Those Days

Before I could seize the day,

the day seized me.

Though I kindly asked

the day to set me free,

 I knew this assertive day

 had other plans for me.

All in all, it seemed best

to join this day in 

a misguided, one-sided 

two part harmony.

                                                                       JDG

Once The Ground’s Prepared

Seeing that field so rich and brown,

ready for planting,

leaves me wondering

what the owner has chosen

to plant and why –

a question I now address

to myself – what am I choosing

to plant and why?

                                                                                    JDG

Where Do I Go When I Am Lost

Where do I go when I am lost,

when mind races,

when, heart beats fast,

and fingers shake?

 

Where do I go when I am lost,

when feet won’t move,

when mouth goes dry,

and eyes just stare?

 

Where do I go when I am lost,

when what I knew

and the one who 

knew disappears?

                                                                          JDG

 

 

Penned

I pick up a pen

to write my daily poem.

Its thin expanse is white

except for the red inscription:

Office of Alumni Affairs

and with a start I realize

my granddaughter will be an alumna soon.

My eyes turn to the retractable point

and I know there’s nothing retractable

about this or any moment.

In another year she’ll graduate from college

and this year her sister graduates from high school.

 It won’t be all that long before I’ll be an alumna too –

  unretractable awarenesses of this poem called life

                                                                                                       JDG

 

 

The Call Of Spring

To answer the call of Spring,

let’s till the hard ground of established habits,

plant fresh seeds of new growth,

and weed and water with care.

                                                                                              JDG

Cleaning

Systematically

I move the vacuum across the floor.

Even though I know it won’t be long

before I’ll have to vacuum once more,

it feels good to see the dog hair

and tracked-in dirt disappear.

I wish I could as easily clean 

the mess my angry words

made earlier in the day,

but while the floor relinquishes

dirt with ease, I don’t expect

the one I hurt to do the same.

Some things require more time

and a deeper clean.

                                                                                      JDG

 

Still Life

Scarcely a breeze stirs.

The pond remains unrippled. 

The folks at my house are still asleep

and even outdoors there’s hardly a peep.

From this stillness what will be born –

a squawk, a howl, a sweet murmur,

an argument or, perhaps, a song? 

                                                                                      JDG

A Shining Presence

Every now and then

in the midst of our struggles,

grace comes shining through.

                                                                     JDG