Poems & Other Lies
Silence of The Lonesome
The silence of the lonesome is rent by wails and cackles A cabal of coyotes singing incantations in the dark hour of morning long before the rooster dares stir
Bonfire of the Vanities
As the country breathed a collective sigh of relief, we had a bonfire and set off some fireworks to celebrate Trump's ignominious departure and the Biden/Harris inauguration. Looking forward to a brighter future.
Cardamom Tea
Lying in the hot tub drinking cardamom tea and staring at the stars, in my head I have fixed my motorcycle. I’ve graded the front yard and reseeded it with red clover. I’ve rebuilt the raised beds and added a third. Between the gardens, I have carefully...
Damp
Damp The clouds have come right down to the ground, enveloping me It is not raining, but I can feel the water particles brushing against my skin with their cold, damp touch
November 9th
November 9th The stars shine in bright defiance of the waning half moon Behind me and to the west the lunatic yipping of coyotes echos A farm dog standing sentry barks and the pack falls silent Frost sparkles on the ground yesterday’s storm has blown...
Early November
Light breeze from the southeast sends golden leaves sailing by one at a time
Lit 101
I had a professor in my freshman literature course who was obsessed with Christian symbolism. Scarred by a Catholic education, he looked for it in everything, from Franz Kafka to used car advertisements. Raised in the Episcopal Church, I sympathized with his biases. ...
Chanterelles
The sun filters through the tall trees Like light through a loosely woven tapestry The woods are damp with recent rain Filled with the earthy, spicy smell Of fresh mushrooms emerging from the moss
The Vastness
Wide awake Staring into the vastness The firmament filled with flickering lights Clouds roll in from the west Extinguishing the stars Each in turn Like the candles on the alter At the close of service I am left Alone in the dark Waiting for the...
Denial
I like my job. It is work that needs doing and I enjoy doing it. I have worked through several public health crises; I was a lab tech and phlebotomist through more than one hepatitis outbreak. I was working when AIDS first began to blossom, before we really knew...
Still Living My Best Life
Amy has been gone for three weeks, gone south to California to take care of her mother who is recovering from hip surgery. Our niece, Tessa, remarked to her: "Uncle Vernon must be living his best life, up there unsupervised." "Vernon lives his best life every day, "...
Bob Verpa
A morelity play starring Amy Wheeler. Featuring morels by Andy Wade. https://vimeo.com/416343095
Impermanence
My morning walk takes me past landmarks no longer there: Coe Primary, where I attended first and second grade, now offices. Down the street, third and fourth grade gone. Only a park remains Last year, May Street School razed, replaced by a brick...
Troubled Sleep
I lie perfectly still, refusing to open my eyes, refusing to roll over struggling with my own thoughts desperate for just another thirty minutes of repose Outside a bird calls from high in a tree striving to make its song heard above the incessant noise of...
Systems Check
I walk out under a dark blue, faintly luminescent sky The moon, one day past full, shines down on the hot tub My morning routine has become an anti-viral struggle against the pandemic Systems check: Water clear, thin islands of bubbles, 103 degrees,...
