(The attention whore)

The attention whore
demands your intentness but
does not give you his.

(First day of autumn:)

First day of autumn:
Reading on the porch with a
roast in the Crock-Pot.

(somehow overnight)

somehow overnight

an acquaintance

became a friend

 

(morning tea after)

morning tea after
the morning rain
drop after drop

(Even beautiful)

Even beautiful
people look ugly when they
are seized with a sneeze.

(A splash of water)

A splash of water
does not a clean hand make, dear
lady of the john.

(You haven’t been kissed properly)

 

You haven't been kissed properly

until you've been kissed by a dog

that just ate peanut butter.

(cat dusty)

 

cat dusty

from her romp

in the windowsill

(Neighborly birds)

Neighborly birds
congregating atop the
Neighborhood Market sign

(Live well and love well.)

Live well and love well.
For today is all we have,
so far as we can tell.

(minutes from the beach)

minutes from the beach

home of my alma mater

my coming of age

Seasonal Criminals

There's something about
summertime sandals --

they're too much

to handle

when it comes to

the stench that

sweaty feet and

leather create.

My nostrils don't

celebrate or salivate about

the smell that emanates

from the partnership

that perpetrates

heinous crimes
against olfactory.

(The duck swimming in)

The duck swimming in
the empty pool doesn't know
the pool's not for him.

(the cardinal)

the cardinal
sounding off
like the Fourth of July

with gratitude to Rebecca Davenport for a spectacular ending

(summertime snow)

summertime snow
cottonwood seeds
float, flit and blow

(Golden:)

Golden:
A grandmother's love,
like the arms of the sun

(Perfect summer brunch)

Perfect summer brunch:
Crisp cucumber slices and ranch dip
with rustic tortilla chips and pimento cheese

(walking by myself today)

walking by myself today
remembering all the walks
we took together

(startled by two birds)

startled by two birds
that jetted out of a newspaper box
just before I walked by

Schooled by a Sock

Don't Judge a Look 'til You Hover

I was just schooled by a
black sweat sock
lying in the middle of the road.
I was 100 percent certain it was a
tied-up doggie doo bag
until I was right up on it.