BrokenEchoes

  I drank the strange electric goop And dreamed of gliding through potato soup I woke with my eyelids glued shut And a willow tree growing from my gut I chopped it down and burned the wood Then washed my face as well as I could I went back to sleep, back to sleep This time not as sound or deep If I sleep this way until dawn All day long I will stretch and yawn I fear deep sleep will bring a nightmare But it won’t be restful if I don’t dare This is the dilemma that faces me To be drowsy all day or face that tree.  

  The world is waking up from the cold night of winter Redbuds and dogwoods bloom Bringing a streak of cooler days But reminding us of the coming summer Or warning us The hills grow greener each day Grass is growing, causing an intermittent buzz of mowers It harmonizes with the buzz of insects increasing activity They crawl and fly and drone incessantly Birds are singing more and more Snakes and spiders and small mammals awaken and wander Seed are being planted, watered, and cared for Gardens are being planned, prepared, and implemented Warm clothes have been packed away Spring is here and the days are growing longer I thought they were long enough  

Take a moment and look around See where we are Think back to where we started We have come so far We have done so much We have helped so many We have had wins and losses Good days and bad Days when I fell, and you helped me stand Days when we supported each other Navigating rocky terrain Days when we lost our way And drifted along together for a time I would not have made it this far If you were not with me I am thankful we are making this journey together

A chill frost crusts the morning grass And forms an impenetrable shell on my windshield I dread the cold and the wet and  the burning pain in my hands I could scrape the glass clean and have it done Or let the defroster work and have another cup of coffee I drink a second cup of the bitter brew  in the shadow of the foothills I drag the week’s trash down the treacherous drive To the curb, for pickup As the sun crests the mountain, It sets fire to the frozen particles  Clinging to the trash can A million dazzling glints on the black And I welcome the sparkling flame of morning.