Poems & Other Lies

Poems & Other Lies

Cardamom Tea

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...

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Damp

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

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November 9th

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...

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Lit 101

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. ...

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Chanterelles

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

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The Vastness

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...

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Denial

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...

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Still Living My Best Life

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, "...

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Bob Verpa

Bob Verpa

A morelity play starring Amy Wheeler. Featuring morels by Andy Wade. https://vimeo.com/416343095  

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