Two Cardinals Press

Dandelion Sleeves: Poems of Nature and Ordinary Life

Selected Poems

See poetryvlog.com to hear the poet read from this book.

Chimera

Every crow is two:
itself,
and lower down the tree
its shadow.
With just a few
the tree seems full
a menace
and a scourge.
No garbage can is safe
no yard is clean
no driveway clear.
The craving ravens hover
people shudder
and the likes of
Alfred Hitchcock
smile to see
potential
in the wind.

Perennial

In winter, the shrubs are like Queen Anne's lace
with their dollops of translucent snow
teasing and pleasing me, whispering promise
of wildflowers eager to grow.
They sway in the March light, like dancers performing
an opening ritual for Spring
Yet in the night, too, you can see their heads bobbing
—a sentient moonflower I Ching
consorting, conferring, in conference divining
the yin-yang of scape, corm and wing.
I envy their calm as I inwardly search through
my own "book of changes" within
and question the nature of forces that manage
the prospects of women and men.

Only A Child

Only a child
would go into my garden
steal my prize blossoms
then present them to me
as a gift.

Moth

Poor Moth, to have found your way
into my house
buzz-fluttering your wings
to alert me.
You won't escape me
though your face be pressed
into that corner.
Yet how soft you look,
your velvet wings like fur;
my heart would make a pet of you
and not destroy.
Your life is done, no doubt
in any case—you'll merely mate
to lay some eggs and die.
But eggs make worms
and worms will eat my trees
and fluttering wings disturb my sleep.
And, anyway, I can't just leave you
sitting there.