Confused, and bewildered, or

I

You can walk around confused, and bewildered, or be like the youngster who spins down the driveway on his one speed, while the band plays on

How is it that the sunlight, just so, reveals the dust that has been gathering from the bike running down the driveway, while the band plays on

We find the cleaner, and cloths, to get rid of the dust, putting aside the writing which wasn't going as fast as the single speed wheels, while the band plays on

If there is a cure for an illness, why won't folks take it? If there is a treatment that helps an illness, it can be like a single speed cycle, while the band plays on

Is nonsense the lack of sense, or a component of sense, that you can build on, like Lego blocks, or shifting gears on a ten speed bike while the band plays on

Heard someone reveal it took them until they were in college to find out that there were poets that were indeed alive, and writing today, while the band plays on

  II

There are pairs of things, think about it, that'll give you pause, cause you to do a double take, check it out, where, why, while the band plays on

As we grow older each day, some wisdom may reveal itself to us, releasing us from instant satisfaction, bestowing us patience, while the band plays on

Writing works when you can read and follow what I am attempting to convey, head nods, uh huh, provides feedback, gears shift cleanly, while the band plays on

"Intuitions come first, strategic reasoning second", we need an emotional approach to bring others to a review of facts, while the band plays on

Addressing the elephant in the room is good, reason rides the beast, whether shifting gears, or kicking up dust, while the band plays on

The hard ribcage protects the pumping heart, sending oxygenated blood throughout, letting us clean, ride, or double take while the band plays on

So Sherlock, you know positioning is key for the line of sight in a quartet, the eyes do a lot of communication, keeping the rhythm, shifting the gears, while the band plays on

Quote comes from "The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion" by Haidt, Jonathan https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Righteous_Mind

What time is it?

  I
Katydids come out as darkness arrives, what time is it
Their da da da, back and forth, da da da, asks what time is it

The rain falls knowing nothing of the concern it causes

Because the runoff now requires payment, what time is it

A raindrop in Flint delivered as clean water costs more 

Than a raindrop delivered in most other places, what time is it

The grasses rise, reach for the sun, bend with the breeze

Until they're trimmed or not, do they ask what time is it

Late May frost caught blue hydrangeas buds, most failed

To bloom, now in August, we get a few, and ask what time is it

Tree branches reach up, and over, along the trail, making a canopy in search of the sun, so we ask what time is it

  II

There is a cycle to life, most things within it, and around us

A question we tend is miss is when, what time is it

There are best times of day for creative work and also

Respectfully, for required grunt work, what time is it

There are best times to start new patterns, new habits

New challenges, to succeed not fail, what time is it

There are best times to make big decisions, times to avoid

That dental visit, times to take a napaccino, what time is it

There are best times to start school for middle and high schoolers,

too bad 80% of districts don't do that, what time is it

Coming off the pandemic, with uncertainty, and tight budgets

Wouldn't it makes sense to adjust the start time, what time is it

Katydids, larks, and owls seem to know about cycles

They don't need technology to live, what time is it

Written in response while reading https://www.danpink.com/books/when/

Updated Labor Day weekend when I realized it was the sound of katydids, not tree frogs, that I was referring to.  https://youtu.be/TjM9tZE_bDg

"Once upon a time"

  I

Many written works start with "Once upon a time" and

Life changing events can be traced to once upon a time

The middle school substitute teacher approaches the entrance 

running the gauntlet of students eager-faced once upon a time

Greystone Social Club was the site of the 50's themed party

I got her phone number in good taste once upon a time

Apartment living had our landlord watching over her

while I was business trip placed once upon a time

The mindset matters, ask "Where were you when … " then

fill in the blanks, and find out post-haste once upon a time

As new homeowners in Linden, NJ we brought home  

Our two daughters as life was fast paced once upon a time

  II

The Clamshell Award was coined to recognize challenges opening containers after Tylenol was laced once upon a time

Corporate moves took us briefly to Illinois, then back to Jersey, before arriving to become Mass-based once upon a time

Traffic comes down the exit ramp, focused on vehicles from the left, pedestrians from the right were only misplaced once upon a time

Home search found a prime spot, and after the kids adjusted, 

determined to set our 10 year plan as events raced once upon a time

Her grandfather's garden and work in the canning process, 

turned her off fresh garden tomato paste once upon a time

Kudos to the Woosox for honoring the legacy of the Pawsox, 

without one, the other could not be placed, once upon a time

Forty-one years, some things forgotten, some things forgiven,  

This Sherlock frequently said "I love you," and embraced, once upon a time

For DS, for whom each day with is "once upon a time"

The poetry game

  I

Some don't read poetry, they don't understand the poet game

So this is my chance, maybe I can explain the poet game

This forces me to begin; welcome to my front porch, relax

We can sit, and laugh, toast champagne to the poet game

An image or a object is where I'll start, what do I call it, name it

To conjure the same in your brain for the poet game

Green grass is a good one, what kind of green is it

My grass grows, as does yours, when it rains in the poet game

Celtic green, evergreen, lime green, thousands of shades yet

Shades don't matter when you're filling the grassy plain for the poet game 

However, to complete the knit pattern successfully, you

need yarn from the same batch of color skeins for the poet game

  

  II

So we're back to a specific shade of green grass 

Conjured in both our brains for the poet game

In agreement, we move along, another image adds to our

Thinking, another car joins the freight train in this poet game

We continue on the same track, adding images

Building them like a block chain in the poet game

The length of the poem depends on the train of thought

To be shared to avoid a migraine in the poet game

The line length and punctuation are chosen by the poet

Important to refrain from eyestrain in the poet game

It may be work but not impossible to follow along, find

ourselves comfortably riding the airplane in the poet game 

When successful, we're gliding along, admiring the greenery, 

Together above the tree-lined coast of Maine in the poet game

for Matt

sherzal: commonwealth

  I

She brought her carriage to the car parked next to me in the Walmart “pick up” row, turning she breaks into sobs, surprising me, waiting for my common good

“There aren’t enough of us in there, there are so many of them…” and more sobs, leaving me meditating, waiting for my common good

“He’ll come back and save us, she says with a gleam” 

 I then realize what she is stating, waiting for my common good

I am sorry to disagree, I don’t believe that will be the case.

If he does come back, there’ll be more hating, waiting for our common good

My package was delivered and loaded, I thanked the young man, closed my vehicle and began relocating, waiting with my common good

She is standing still, lost somewhere. I start my vehicle

But can't move until she does, it's frustrating, waiting for my common good

  II

She starts unloading her carriage, I get out to help

Frustration to action translating, liberating our common good

I helped, lifting her last bag from the cart, placing it next to the others, then reached for the cart indicating, relocating the common good

Bumper sticker aside, there was another way to take her comment  "he'll come back", restating, narrating the common good

The world is in turmoil, disaster screams in all the headlines

We can keep hydrating, deflating for the common good

I do maintain hope that together we can figure this out 

Many of us came here migrating, fixating on the common good

We can put aside the differences the media and social apps

Exaggerate to the nth degree, inflating, debating the common good

We can find within us the source, the love, that conquers all

And go about collating, creating for the common good

sherzal: Connecting the dots

  I

I grew up in Pawtucket but spend my time now

Creating Franklin info to help folk connect the dots

She struggled dealing with her brother's desire for what

he should have, it's no joke connecting the dots

Dot dot dot dash dash dash dot dot dot, maybe

You can lift the cloak to connect the dots

His dog groomer just canceled all the appointments, 

The dog needs help going broke to connect the dots

Ticket sales do matter, that's the key to fundraising 

Need to understand the money stroke to connect the dots

Slept on the screened porch when I came home from 

college in the shade of the oak to connect the dots

  II

Catching up to the horrible news out of Scituate

Made me choke as I connect the dots

A homeless, or rough sleeper, played a key role

In the novel where the bloke tried to connect the dots

Amidst dealing with the heat wave, need to deal with 

Canadian forest fire smoke to connect the dots

A new take on a old tale, likely to create conversation

As the changes prod and poke to connect the dots

Endless diet debate continues on the value of the

egg white versus yellow yolk to connect the dots

Emergency sirens would frequent my dreams

Before I woke to connect the dots

Sentence pattern resembles lyrics to a song

The words he spoke helped to connect the dots

Celebrating With Pride

Shooed the bug away, realizing too late

It's a ladybug, real life is exhausting 

White pickup truck, moving slow revved powerfully, 

Trying to create strife is exhausting

Joy from youthful bubble chasers challenging

The rainbow globes half-life is exhausting 

Black pickup follows the white, slowly, other direction

Still looking for wildlife is exhausting 

Many chats, introducing folks, connecting the dots 

All good work, improving our whole life is exhausting 

Painting Venus, in shaded tent, renders the gazebo

Prideful colored as still life is exhausting

Ladybug returns, must be telling you something Sherlock 

You know reporting on goodlife is exhausting

Reflections on the pride celebration in Franklin, captured while on the Town Common, editing completed later that day, 06/25/23

How much

  I

How much should you pay for something? 

How do you know you are getting the best price?

You can walk into most stores, find an item on the shelf

And line up at the register to pay the regular price

Before entering the store, or during the transaction,

you can sign up to get the insider, or member price

Your email address can give you announcements on weekly 

Items that you are now worthy of a promotional, or sale price

Your purchase history can get you an announcement with items

you could purchase for a manufacturer's price

For some items, they may notify you of a promotion for a specific period

of time for an anniversary, or holiday price

 II

Some stores will promote items if they have been scratched or

dented for a discounted, or red tag sale price

An item at the neighborhood convenience store is likely sold for more

than the same item at the chain grocery store normal price

The chain grocery store sells an item for more than the big box warehouse

store where you need to buy in bulk to obtain the lower unit price

You may walk a red carpet to get to the garage sale, blockbuster sale,

or bargain basement price

The Founder's sale implies generosity but it may not be much

more than the annual, or clearance sale price

What if you make the trek to get there for the early bird special

and find out it is not much different than the weekly price?

So Sherlock, how much should you pay for something? 

How do you know your 2 cent research will get you the best price?

The Poet Game

 I

Dogwood blossoms lay against the green, almost a snowy layer,

The white blossom with green center telling the world here I am

Watch and wait I’ll be ripe after you play the poet game

Check the battery’s charge before placing them in the electric 

Mower to cut the grass, left angle this time, part of the healthy

Lawn cutting rotation memorialized in the poet game

Meal prep, a kitchen dance, counter to stove, fridge to counter

Another bowl, utensil to stir, bring to the stove, add in thyme

Just in time to season the meal and eat before the poet game

Some call it the rain tax but it is real money, forced by the EPA

For cleaning up the Charles River, took a while to work through

The process, and now it’s here all part of the poet game

Vendor schedule not determined, they're trying to fit us in between, I

Understand, while the work is not critical, it would be good to know

Other than a last minute text, here I am, a verse for the poet game

You may recognize his voice, it is distinct, a folksy blues beat with lyrics

Easy to follow, guitar picking, flows along in the rhythm, didn’t 

see him live but its like I had always known of the poet game

 II

Is there hope that someday folks will realize how interconnected 

we all are, or will the clouds of smoke from forest fires far away

Continue to muddle the recognition of this mess in the poet game

Connecting the dots can be a kids pastime, easy structured exercise, 

With pencil or crayon, to gradually reveal something not apparent 

Before them assuming the weather cooperates to play the poet game

Squirrels are problem solvers, they want food, bird feeders are

A prime source for their appetite, baffles will prevent them climbing

Up the feeder pole but not from jumping from a tree in the poet game

Connecting the dots can get challenging technically, do the plug ends

Enable a safe mating, are they protected from the elements, and those

Nefarious forces who want to mess with the poet game

Some folks fear talking in public, others sitting to write, yet most will

Have a cup of coffee and share the news with their neighbor or friend

Writing and talking can be a little more public in the poet game

Connecting buyers and sellers is the role of a market place, oddly

Some of the more secure markets are for illegal transactions

So what can we learn from that for the poet game

Pause, take a deep breath, it is who we are of the moment, and

Who we are with that matters, let’s recognize the gift at hand,

Forget the shiny elusive thing slipping away from the poet game

Credit for the inspiration goes to Greg Brown whose song "Poet Game" sent me down this train of thought -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4J4jdu5Pi00

Traipsing lightfooted

The news that Gordon had passed on stopped me

His songs, melodies, and lyrics rushed forward

In a room where ya do what you don't confess

I saw him in concert once. In Boston, it was surreal

Having listened to his albums, he played exactly the same way

The minstrel of the dawn is here

That was his thing, he worked hard to create it, we bought it,

he wanted us to get what we paid for

On the summer side of life

His ballads or story songs told many memorable tales

Reaching for his saddlebag, 

he takes a battered book into his hand

When the gales of November came early

If you could read my mind love

What a tale my thoughts could tell

Rows of lights in a circle of steel

It's time for a summertime dream

In a race among the ruins

Ribbon of darkness over me

And the big steel rail

Gonna carry me home to the one I love

And by the way, did she mention my name

If she didn't, I did. And will I remember you fondly

When the green dark forest is to silent to be real

In fond memory of Gordon Lightfoot, his music, his voice