Dying alone on foreign ground,
death grips his blessed hand
Never choosing time or place,
uncharted
—the Angels plan
An oak to fall on alien soil,
all seeds to heaven thrown
His words cast free to light the dark,
that ‘Good Night’
—now his own
(Villanova Pennsylvania: January, 2017)
Father
Once you had arms
that held me so tight
Once you had legs
that stood up for right
Once you had eyes
that could see in the dark
Once your strong hands
plotted courses to chart
Once we would walk
and the birds would proclaim
Once we would sing
and the heavens refrained
Once we thought time
was our servant and slave
Once, before war
we forgot and forgave
Now that you’re gone,
my memory’s gone dark
Now that you’re gone,
paths unwalked in the park
Now that you’re gone,
surname given and fast
Now that you’re gone
—my heart beats in the past
(Villanova Pennsylvania: January, 2020)
The Emperors Mask
It’s easy to hide behind words,
with the truth left abandoned and stark
It’s easy to hide behind words,
with your feelings sharp pointed and dark
It’s easy to hide behind words,
when the emperor buys you new clothes
It’s easy to hide behind words
—whose deception dishonors you so
(Villanova Pennsylvania: January, 2020)
Timeless Things
Locking up a feeling,
its key now mine to own
Flashing back a memory,
its reborn image shown
Wooing that one lover,
whose vow unbroken lasts
Time the evil mistress
—these timeless things contrast
(Newtown Square Pennsylvania: January, 2020)