One More Cup of Coffee

The little Junco

Hearing a tap-tapping

in the roof garden

I creep to the

window to catch

the tapper in the act.

There he is! The

cheeky Junco

who thinks he owns

my garden!

When I'm working there

he sneaks up behind,

hopping at me

to send me away!

If I look

he stands defiant,

head back

imagined hands on hips!

If his look could kill

I'd be dead and there'd

be no garden!

~~~~~~~~~~~

Bosche

I've seen molesting

men in German

train stations

creeping casually

from left to right,

intersecting my

progress,

hand on my breast -

like lightning

my fingers clasp

the wrist -

Immovable -

implacable

I roar,

"Let's find a cop!"

Frightened eyes,

shrinking flesh,

entreaty

meet my force,

my fury becomes

disgust,

my lips curl,

I hiss,

"Go away, fool!

I am watching you,

touch no one else!"

I let go and

he slinks hastily

into the crowd.

I wonder

did my curse hold.

Does he still

look over his shoulder

and wonder

where I'm hiding.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Abuse and shame

The screaming harridan

hurling invective

is disgraceful -

yet her child

feels shame!

The hateful words

bouncing from

the walls,

shrink a child's

heart and psyche,

leaving survival,

but not life.

~~~~~~~~

Trees

I've never met

a tree I didn't like,

given time

I could hug every one,

whistle talk

to the birds

each one houses.

Most of all

I love the madrone,

manzanita,

cedar, birch,

both white and red.

I've swung from

the weeping willow

and climbed the oaks

to clear my head.

I've hidden in

rhododendron,

stolen from lilac,

sought comfort

from many and

been sheltered

by all I met.

~~~~~~~~~~~~