May
23

143rd Place Northeast

Sitting alone in this cavernous room
in the desert wastes far from home
when lonliness creeps up from within
and the war rages on

I remember a place
where life seemed easier
seemed simpler
a long, long time ago

playing in the trails along Quil Ceda
the creek was a new dimension
where brave soldiers fought and adventurers forged new trails

We walked to school, just under a mile
to and from, dead of winter
when snow fell from the sky
and halloween was something to enjoy

where independence was celebrated
on the street, and in the sky
where friends were always nearby,
and bikes could fly.

That was 143rd Place Northeast
a thousand miles from here
decades in the past
a place long changed, a place long forgotten.

May
23

Inside

Outside, bounce bounce
happy shiny people
dancing in the crowd
smiling, smiling, always smiling

Outside, strong, steel and iron
fearless, brave
confident
outspoken

Inside, a different story
homesick for a land
stressed and strained
depressed just the same

afraid, sad
lonely
afraid of what may
afraid of not knowing

lonely
always alone
even in a crowd
of millions, alone

friends, none
acquaintences abound
all around
except now

inside, on the inside.

May
05

Compass

I woke before dawn yesterday morning
and sat there looking, breathlessly
your motionless figure outlined and shadowed
by oil lamp light

I sat there and watched you breathing
so perfectly in the early morning light
your skin as soft as velvet
glowing a pale white

And you capture me
and fill my memory
like all the stars in the heavens
my compass in the night

I traced your face by finger
I saw your grace
like a ghost I sat and lingered
by oil lamp light

One day you took my hand
and smiled so bright
you were all a glow
dressed in white

And now the days grow darker
and the air is cold
but my eyes are like a camera
taking in your glow

And you capture me
and fill my memory
like all the stars in the heavens
my compass in the night

Once I was a Stranger
working with the Forest rangers
Just outside Cashmere
In the cascade heights

And you capture me
and fill my memory
like all the stars in the heavens
my compass in the night

May
05

Chelan County Moonlight

The rising sun of anger
the setting moon of life
that’s the way I felt
when you walked into my life

I was a lonely stranger
looking down a wishing well
breathing softly a prayer whisper
in the glowing fire light

Then the clouds they parted
and the sky grew wide
and I saw all of the stars
in Chelan County moonlight

I’ve walked this lonely trail
I’ve crossed the alpine pass
who knew I would find you
beneath ponderosa pine

Then the clouts they parted
and the sky grew wide
and I saw all of the stars
in Chelan County moonlight

You know there’s something special
About that Columbia River
From Wenatchee to dams
 that turn the dark into light

The clouds they have parted
and the sky grew wide
and I saw all of the stars
in Chelan County moonlight

You know there’s something special
about that Columbia River
from Wenatchee to the dams
that turn the dark into light

When the clouds have parted
and the sky grows wide
you can see all the stars
in Chelan County moonlight.

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