You and You Alone

I am part of you now
Like an arm or a leg.
I know for your love
I’ll never have to beg.

We are greater than friends,
Closer than lovers
No one will ever peek
Under our covers.

Our bonds are too deep,
Our love is too strong.
The sounds of a happy life
Carry us along.

You bring me such happiness
And shower me with grace.
Your purple-and-golden glow
Follows you everyplace.

I’d move heaven and Earth
If it meant I could see you smile.
For your velveteen kiss
I’d run a million miles

The world can never know
And others never understand
How you and I could have
A passion so grand.

I love you
You and you alone.
That love is stronger than
Anything I’ve ever known.

December 28, 2009

It was such a beautiful day today.

Nice and cool,
Just like early fall in Pennsylvania
Or Winnipeg when it sizzles.

Skies as blue as tropical waters
Dotted by only a couple quiet little clouds.

Breeze to make one’s hair
Stand on end.

Gorgeous enough,
You could spread wings
And fly.

So precious
It could make even the hardest heart
Cry.

It was such a beautiful day today.

I wish I could have seen it
Through the seafoam green walls
Of my office.

Morning Angels


Do you ever have those mornings
When you wake up
And all you feel
Is love?

I have.

I don’t see the bare back of my wife
Or the smiling, cherubic face
Of my child.

I see nothing
But the ceiling.

But the love…
Oh, God.
The love reaches to the heavens.

I feel my angels watching over me.
Their faces are the ones I have loved
My whole life.

Parents
Grandparents
Dear confidantes
And friends.

All are there for me
When I open my eyes
To tell me
They love me.

Their love gets me out of bed
And makes me smile.

I am buoyed by angelic love
If only for a while.

Song of the Angel

When the water seems too high

And thrashes all about

Call to me.

I’ll swim with you

And pluck you out.

When the bullets start to fly

And you’re forced to cower

Ask for me.

I’ll be your shield.

I’ll give you power.

If the noises are too loud

And the anger too great

Bring me close.

I’ll give you peace;

It’s never too late.

I am your angel.

Your cries for help

Are music to my ears.

Your smile and your joy

Are my reward.

Why wouldn’t I love you?

Why shouldn’t I care?

You’ve loved me enough;

You’ve always been there.

I am your angel.

I love you so.

Call to me always;

I’m here to make you glow.

Wherever I go,

My Angel walks

with me.

Wherever we go,

There is Heaven.

Wherever Heaven is,

there is where me

and my Angel

shall be.

Merimbe*

The only man in a Spanish nightclub

Who is younger than forty

Or so it would seem.

The boy all of a sudden feels

Like a minnow

Among great blue whales.

But Adela is here.

Aglow and angelic

And delighted I’m here with her friends.

They dance dances that I don’t know.

I wonder if I should go.

There’s no one else here that I know.

Then Adela asks me to dance.

I’ve known her much of my life.

Someone’s mother

Another person’s wife.

But she’s loved me like a son

Through thick and through thin

And with a silly grin

I take her hand.

Among the jostling bodies

Loud horns and steel drums

We move slow and gently

On the dance floor.

I catch sight of Adela’s face

Transported and swept away.

Every step, every beat

Takes her closer to heaven.

Dancing must be her prayer

Her great escape

I’m honored to share the moves with her

And hold this angel tight.

I’d follow Adela anywhere.

Especially if it means sharing

In her joy.

· to Bubbie, my Second Mother, with Love

Odds and Ends

--You know what you never hear? A construction worker on NPR. For that matter, a construction worker who sounds like he belongs on NPR.

--Do you know what the difference is between an old soul and an old fart? An old fart doesn't have time to grow old. A fart is gone in about thirty seconds. An old soul, however, is forever. Surround youself with old souls if you possibly can.

--The other night, I was dialing though cable channels and stumbled upon what used to be called Headline News. Now it's just called HLN, probably because CNN doesn't trust you to remember something called Headline News. Anyway, on Jane Velez-Mitchell's show, there were five guests, in five separate studios, possibly in five seperate cities. At first, I couldn't figure out why. Then I realized: There would be a riot if all these cats were in the same studio. CNN most assuredly takes a dim view of their hosts gouging their guests' eyes out.

--People have told me that I must not be a real American because I don't like pro football. These are probably the same people who think that Las Vegas is the capital of Nevada, two plus two is five, and Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone.

--I see that Dr. Mehmet Oz, one of Oprah's cronies, now has his own show that I'll never watch. But it is quite refreshing to see that Dr. Oz is probably going to wear something other than hospital scrubs. Hey, Doc: Change out of your damn scrubs if you know you're going on the air; otherwise, Aunt Mema is would like her new kidney fairly soon, as in today.

--The more Dr. Phil McGraw tells me I should "Get Real!", the more phony he sounds.

--Fedoras appear to be coming back in style. Pity I don't have a head that is conducive to wearing a baseball cap, never mind a fedora. Shame, too, because I used to love to model my grandfather's fedoras.