Today I turned seventy,
and the clocks all faintly chimed
My hour glass near empty
to mark the waning time
Weeks left on the calendar
the moments more than days
With laughter most important now
each memory through the haze
Today I turned seventy,
and my dog he seemed to know
He whispered to my grandchildren,
and their love began to flow
Bright sunshine through the window,
but night is sure to come
The joy and pain of who I’ve been
—to live on when I’m gone
(Villanova Pennsylvania: December, 2018)
Try To Be Smart
Stop trying to be clever,
and try to be smart
The coyote said
to the fox
The hunters are coming,
the bounty’s been offered
Their traps are all baited
and boxed
Stop trying to be clever,
and try to be smart
The coyote to the fox
said again
There’s a reason your fur
is always in season
And mine, never coated
—or skinned
(Villanova Pennsylvania: March, 2015)
‘For My Grandchildren’
Thank You Lord
Thank you for the poetry Lord,
thank you for the verse
Thank you for the words that play
and on my fields converse
Thank you for the feelings
letting others join in song
But thank you most for reaching down
—and guiding me along
(Villanova Pennsylvania: March, 2015)
From ‘The Book Of Prayers’