Ten    I am ten I am always ten alone in the vastness of a dark movie theater not the first time but clarity of memory being left   “you stay here” others are there say nothing complicit while I sit alone like a dog “stay” see groupings families but not for me aware of […]

The Joy of Baking   cooking is a way of me getting out of me labor intensive with a delicious payoff checking the list of a trusted recipe assembling ingredients before we start   labor intensive with a delicious payoff brown sugar raisins and plenty of butter assembling ingredients just as we start remembering Grandma

Christmas Greeting   Standing on a podium in the middle of small-town America Next to the mayor as they count down the lighting of the tree Three, two. one and the lights ascend upward toward heaven Looking longingly into the face of an old friend her eyes sparkling   Next to the mayor as they

Hanukkah 2025 Each year I come to the candles on the menorah to bring light.  Each candle represents a different energy.  This tradition started many years ago my Rabbi, Ted Falcon was the Congregational Rabbi at Bet Alef.  He got the community together and we found energies for each of the eight candles.  Through the

Harmonic Chords   I started playing the dulcimer again tightening needed for we were both out of tune like wounded high school lovers at the prom looking for the one song to call our own   tightening needed for we were both out of tune we pass each other in punishing silence looking for the

Six Hundred Trucks   Six hundred trucks a day For a hundred days no more excuses no more bullshit just food driven right through the middle of the Gaza strip   Six hundred trucks a day For a hundred days let each country who’s people unanimously wants to stop the starvation donate ten trucks open

In Memory of Dorothy Zlatkes Vis   I’m here to say goodbye to my aunt which I didn’t get a chance to do in person. I am still sad, that is because Dorothy was a light.  I have never met anyone in my lifetime who everyone unanimously loved.  Wherever she went people were happy to

“I’ve packed my bags plenty of times.  I’ve played Houston in the Summer, and Buffalo in the winter. My friend tells me, “Where ever you go…there you are.”   Cleveland seems OK.  There are places I would rather be.   Two words paint a picture when I say them… “The Coast”. Look at the population.  Most of

Sandman’s Blues   a sweaty mess of insomnia falls into bed shaken inner child finds no peace there is no time limit in a haunted house old covers pulled tight until morning   shaken inner child finds no serenity trazadone and melatonin tonight’s alchemy old covers pulled tight until morning spirits push cruelty into high-def

  Back with a new poem this week.  Enjoy.   Service Warriors   people peaking at wait times crowding the front desk oval plates thump hard and vibrate on eye level metal ledge momentarily basking under heat lamps then scooped and balanced on large serving trays “PICK IT UP”   battalion of waiters march to