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.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
