Morning Commute

Red and black embrace
The rush hour traveler
with Levin earrings

A State of Disrepair

Oh my Gawd! That long?!
Rhonda Eason. Tears ago
You bet I'm horny

Yes, I'm celibate
Not for a lack of trying
All outside my reach

A bitter-sweet fruit
It's the only thing that sucks
On such lonely nights

Station Advisory

Seven minutes ‘til
Next train enters the station
Time is standing still

Seven now eighteen
We are crowding the platform
With restless pacing

Thanks for your patience
Let Metro handle your stress
Hollow messages

M!m M!m Good

Egg salad tonight
With a sip of Chardonnay
Lacking in substance

What I really want?
Grilled cheese on buttered Wonder
And tomato soup

The New Bento Box

Sesame soba
With peanut butter and soy
Cilantro garnish

What protein to add?
Tofu or turkey? Vegs too --
broccoli, carrots

Next? Aloo Gobi
Cauliflower, potatoes
Tumeric, ginger

Kaniktshaq Moritlkatsio Atsuniartoq

Anijo

De-ice or shovel?
It doesn't matter which is first
It is here to stay

Isn't that crazy?

I remember names
Of those few who catch my ire
The others, their hearts

I know I know you
But where and how I forget
Yet, you touched my core

BGHC

(Black Girl’s Hair Channel)

I’m fascinated
In awe, mouth slack, eyes wide, fixed
At the things they do

No longer do I want
Golden, flaxen straighten locks
Me? Kinky! Curly!

Two strand twist crown me
A laurel wreath of honour
A new exemplar

I want lots of curls
Small, yet strong, to move with ease
Thin, to frame my face

But no chemicals!
And no products except oil
Olive and flax seed

Wonderful new world
Black women with their hair like mine
Except for the gray

Wait! I love my gray
But it’s oh so difficult
Straying every way

Right now I yield to
Snoods, headbands, combs and scrunchies
And lots of pomade

Upon the Inauguration of the 44th President of the United States

Pillsbury biscuits
Eight per can, one per serving
Good with grape jelly

Scrapple, scrambled eggs
Bananas with sliced melon
Complete the repast

A mimosa toast
New frontiers, new beginnings
Celebrate the day

Chilly Winter Nights

Reduce stock by half
To intensify flavors
Simmer three hours

Then check the progress
Falling off the bone? More time
Pour a glass of wine

Another 2 hours
Glasses fog, for a moment
Such comfort: steam, scents

Start the polenta
Prep the sprouts, pour another dram
Dinner within sight

Senses come alive
Eyes, ears, nose and tongue tingle
Anticipating

An exquisite meal
This must be what they call bliss
Or else umami

A Special Phan

I
One
Her youth fogs my sight
Stirring forgotten places
I'm moist, dewy, damp

Two
A door is opening
Revealing calla lilies
Needing attention

Three
Please end this madness
Stop mocking me with her youth
One score and seven




II
She has touched my heart
Charming to look at, with eyes
as soft as honey

The Evening Commute

He bumps into me
No words, no apologies
Hardly a beat missed

Wind: From SE at 17 mph

Summer's memory
Brings forth stinging flood of tears
No match for Ice Queen

I spurn her advances
Cold, aloof lover's embrace
There's not much warmth here

Identity and Protection

Agnostic's hijab
Wrapped tight against wintry kiss
Such customs comfort

Techno-Geek | DTV Conversion

For Rich

One
Calm, as pond water
I contemplate the problem
A red wire needed

Two
Now for the TV
She shouldn't watch it so much
Why no Channel 5?

Three
The antenna brings
Crisp, crystal clear pictures now
The box? Still no 5.

Four
It's been four hours
The Namaste cake calls me
Distractions beckon

Bad Nauheim*

One
Stays awake at night
Little things to torment her
Pondering, scheming

Two
FOI, Maddow
Grammar, male brothels, Prop 8
Will wrinkle her brow

Three
Oh what fun it is
To see her struggle to grasp
a new paradigm

Four
Cultural context
My ass! This -- white male privilege --
Today's world order

Five
He laughs, she struggles
to make sense of the changes
Worry away at

Six
What's a girl to do
Face the music, dance all night
Denounce his power




(*A world-famous resort, noted for its salt springs, which are used to treat heart and nerve diseases.)

Solstice Surprise

Alone in the grass
January foreigner
Round, orange, winter squash

JAG | On her birthday

One
Anger, hurt, sadness
Heartache bought about by love
Who will take first move?

Two
This must be payback
Nuns, escorting you to the nurse
Who better? Not me

Three
Your hurt, years later
Still wounded? Time for revenge
My hurt, here and now

Four
How do we repair?
Being sisters is not enough
How do I forgive?

The Ethiopian

One
Sweater. A book. Pop
Strewn amongst blue plastic bags
What happened to him?

Two
Gone like dusty snow
Will he return tomorrow?
Or, absorbed, no trace.

Three
Scattered here, a life
Remnants: the parts that remain
A ghost, haunting me

Four
A man bearing… what?
Bible remains. Faith gone too?
What else is missing?