In the Woodwork (a poem)

In the Woodwork

January 30th, 2012

When I go off on my own

And we are separated for a time

As I toss and turn at night, longing for home

I’ll remember the sound of your boots

Thumping on the porch upon your arrival

I’ll remember running to the door on little feet

When I heard your cough at midnight

I knew you still lay awake, restless

But when I heard your snore

From across the house, on a different floor

Rumbling in the woodwork

I knew I could sleep easy;

You never drifted into dreams

Unless all was at peace, all was secure

The Five Senses (a poem, thoughts)

The Five Senses

Written January 29th, 2012

If I lost my sense of sight, I could never see the faces of the ones I love,

I could never see the wonders of the world.

If I lost my sense of touch, I could never feel the kiss of my true love,

Or the touch of my child’s hand to my cheek.

If I lost my sense of taste, I could never enjoy my father’s cooking,

Or open my mouth when hiking to sample the pine and soil in the air.

Faerie Dreams (a short story)

Faerie Dreams

Written in Winter of 2011

A small boy, no older than the age of five, came to find himself in a large, fantastic house of stunning, brilliant colors. It was as though the house had been specifically designed for Easter celebrations. The walls were adorned with luscious pastel shades and intricate winding patterns, delightfully filling his senses. There were wonderful smells of fresh baked cookies and pies, and the taste of sugary, candied things was in the air.

            Faeries danced and flew about the room, singing and laughing and playing, their voices like summer birds and sweet Sunday bells. They welcomed him with smiles and pinched his round boyish cheeks. One faerie in particular, an impish, mischievous girl with bright orange hair, took his hand and twirled him around. The air shimmered around them as they spun, as though they were a sparkling mirage. With a cry of delight, the boy found he could fly.

This Moment (a poem)

This Moment

Written January 13th, 2012

I’m taking this moment

A feather drifting on a breeze

I’m taking it, and I’ll keep it

Tuck it away somewhere secret

A hidden safe place

I’m memorizing these seconds

And stowing them away

So I have them just in case

I find myself lonely on a cold, rainy day

Wishing for Sleep (a poem)

Wishing for Sleep

Written January 5th, 2012

How I wish I could sleep at night

But my waking dreams keep my eyes wide

And the stars shine so bright

Tires hiss on wet pavement

Passing like tumbling leaves, a phantom sigh

The music spins and twirls with the shadows

Singing with the lonely midnight train that calls goodbye

How I wish I could sleep at night

So worn out from a crowded day

That made my mind so dusty and numb

And changed my feet to sore old men

Yet energy still flows in my veins with a soft hum

I see snippets of the future on paths unchosen

Scattered across starry skies and stormy oceans

How I wish I could sleep at night

But my head is bursting with you

My ears full of a voice of warm velvet

A smile so wide and eyes so blue

I remember the heat of your touch today

And dream of the flames of tomorrow

A familiar wandering spirit fills my heart again

Wicked Lovely Circles (a poem)

Wicked Lovely Circles

Written December 31st, 2011

Here we are spinning

Spinning in circles, just a blur

Spin until we’re too dizzy

And fall away from one another

This nightmare merry-go-round

Stops for no one

Fate snickers at us

While we point gingers

At every person in the room

Except ourselves

This house no longer shelters

Infested with angry shadows and black holes

Until (a poem)

Until

Written December 28th, 2011

The candle burns until the wick is gone

A pen writes until it’s out of ink

The moon floats until the first light of dawn

A ship sails the ocean until its sinks

The stars sparkle until they explode

A man is rich until he’s spent his gold

The message remains a secret until one breaks the code

A child doesn’t know until he’s told

Beneath the Fairy Lights (a poem)

Beneath the Fairy Lights

Written December 20th, 2011

The soft fairy lights

Make the midnight room glow

Like the love of a heart

Or an infant’s smile

The wall is sprinkled with rainbow reflections

And the shadows of the dim room

Hold no malice

Wrapped in the comforting season,

A child lies in soft slumber

The glittering colors

Alighted softly on his cheek

As if brought by the soft sigh

Of a passing breeze

His eyelids flutter with dreams

A Shooting Star (a poem)

A Shooting Star

Written November 8th, 2011

You breathed life into my lungs

Took my hand and lifted me from the ashes

You dripped sweet poison into my veins

And burnt me down into nothing

You gave me everything I hoped for

I finally had something to believe in

Now you’re just a whisper on a passing wind

And I don’t know you anymore

You sparked fire in my soul

Saved me from a desolate past

You drowned me in freezing water

And demolished my future

The Love of a Friend (a poem)

The Love of a Friend

Written November 4th, 2011

In the times where life takes the guise

Of an endless hell

When I’ve reached my wit’s end

And my frustration continues to swell

In those moments when I’m beyond stressed

I can still smile and carry on

And say that I’m truly blessed

Oblivion (a poem)

Oblivion

Written October 30th, 2011

The music fills the air around me

I can see the beat pulsing free

The particles vibrating

Dancing, quaking, shaking in time

Pupils dilate

Fingers tap, feet thump

The sound waves flood my ears

And smash through my drums

Fill my head and embrace my brain

The rhythm singes the synapses

And sets fire to my burning neurons

I shiver as electric currents

Sizzle down my spine

We Won't Give Up (a poem)

We Won't Give Up

Written October 26th, 2011

The forest glows with color

Filling our eyes with vibrant yellows

The air around us full of cascading leaves

Our laughter rises with the soft earth aromas

A sweet misty rain falls upon us

Racing through the trees

We burst into our awaiting refuge

Before we turn blue and freeze

The house creaks beneath our feet

Our delighted chatter echoes down the halls

The smell of old books fills the rooms

Paintings of summer cover the walls

A friendly warmth spreads and glows

Encompassing our hearts

And chasing the frost from the windows

Late at night on the porch

A chill wind flies

And the lake kisses the shore

Whispering of love and hope

The trees sigh softly as the sleep

Swaying contentedly in their dreams

The moon climbs higher

On the lake surface her lovely face gleams

Midnight Rain (a poem)

Midnight Rain

Written October 14th, 2011

Sweet velvet rain
Pattering on my roof
Sing me softly to sleep

The gentle whispers
Reach my ears
As you travel in swirling rivulets
Across the shingles
Of this midnight house

A Lucky Burden (a short story)

 A Lucky Burden

Written October 12th, 2011

Farmer Joseph made his rounds in the early morning as he always did, delivering to all his animals their breakfasts. First the cows, then the horses, followed by the sheep, chickens, and ending with the pigs.

            As he poured the slop into the pig trough, he watched one swine in particular trot over. It grunted as it walked and snuffed at the smell of food in the air with his slimy, whiskery nose. This certain pig could be identified by his front right hoof, which was pearly white, unlike the remaining three black hooves. Although Joseph called that pig many names, mostly cuss words, its official moniker was Runt. He had been a runt at one point, but now he was two years old and the fattest pig Joseph owned.

            Runt had been the sixteenth piglet of Old Maizy’s sixteenth litter; her last litter. She had died a few hours after giving birth, her seasoned heart unable to withstand the stress. Joseph had been quite fond of Old Maizy, and although he knew it to be irrational, he blamed Runt for her demise.

The Ice Tyrant (a poem)

The Ice Tyrant

Written October 5th, 2011

The mighty trees burst into flames
Their last stand as forest warriors
Against the sweeping shadows cast by the Ice Queen
Leaves of ember rain upon the ground
And a vibrant wildfire spreads abound
Across the rolling, tumbling hills
Reaching the distant glowing horizon
The warriors crash like a firework meteor
Lighting up the world before descending into brown

Montville Falls (review, rating)

Montville Falls

Moravia, NY

Hiked: September 25th, 2011

Reviewed: October 2nd, 2011

Interaction: 5 stars

Scenery: 4 stars

Diversity: 2 stars

Accessability: 2 stars

Size: small

Overall: 4 stars

This is an exhilarating, interactive hike that is about ninetry percent creek-walking with no defined trail. However, it is ranked as a difficult hike, and rightfully so. The hiker accesses Mill Creek through on of two cemetaries. We reached it via Section 9 of Indian Mound Cemetary, and began our descent near a large tombstone labeled C.A. Parker.

 Indian Mound Cemetary entrance

Seasonal Spirit (a poem)

Seasonal Spirit

Written October 1st, 2011

The cold surrounds a small house

Moving in with surprising, silent speed

Fingers of frost reach across the window pane

A warm orange glow radiates from the other side

A family gathered around a friendly hearth

Holding back the cold and keeping it tame

With mugs of steaming cocoa at their side

And loaves of toasty pumpkin bread

Fresh from the stove; they keep good mirth

The children huddle on the floor of blankets

Proud parents on the couch holding each other

Looking on with a quiet smile

The cat perches on a shoulder

And the large dog squeezes into a lap

As they smile and laugh they seem not to notice

That outside it only gets colder

Waiting on the Shore (a poem)

Waiting on the Shore

Written October 1st, 2011

Icy September water

Sighs softly as it kisses the shore

Pitch black from the touch

Of a tense, starless night

The water swirls, rolling, undulating,

Lapping at my feet

A breeze rushes by

Lifting and tossing my hair

So it can touch my neck;

Soft, exposed, and vulnerable

Leaving a sinister whisper in my ears

A secret I can’t quite decipher

Little Brother (a poem, a dedication)

Little Brother

Written September 18th, 2011

Little brother

Chase me around the house

Jump and tackle

Trying to take me down

Push my homework

Out of your way

Scatter papers across the floor

Unplug my game

Right when I was about to win

Then stand there and look at me

With that lopsided grin

Fade Away (a poem)

Fade Away

Written September 24th, 2011

Summer fades away

Carried off by a sweeping breeze

That sparks a tingling on my skin

And stirs a strange sensation within

The world's bright menagerie of colors

Age and descend into shades of umber

The morning air nips and the forest falls silent

As though everything is easing into slumber

I stand here and watch it all

With a weary sigh

Crumble to ash and fall

I can see the time passing by