now available:
serenity and wisdom
yellow poppy field

at the old wood pile
i exchange quick pleasantries
with a startled mouse 

dirty winter streets
i find myself surrounded
by poetry

as a talisman
slipped into his breast pocket
corroded penny

the gates of hell
the gates of heaven
tying father's shoes

this late-autumn chill!
a leaf or two still clinging
to the ginkgo tree

the first evening stars
attending to the embers
of a dying fire
rather unexpectedly
the wind changes direction

a single flower
placed in an over-sized vase
shines like a lighthouse

by remaining still
the humble pond possesses
the entire sky

five minutes after
i've refilled the bird feeder
the squirrels are feasting

out looking for moose
a lynx runs across my path
north of Rangeley lake

modeling success
the fishermen take notice
of the cormorant:
he is never in a rush;
takes a breath when he needs to

inexorably
extending toward the sky
— the amaryllis

sprinting sandpiper
chasing then being chased by
the unceasing sea

eventually
even wet wood
will burn

deep into autumn
the oak is my companion
both of us past peak

crows
turning their backs
on other crows

rejection letter
the taste of wild raspberries
dancing on my tongue