Listening In

Today we heard the government is listening in
on our conversations, looking for patterns

to foil terrorist plots, but most of what we say
is inane, no consequences of any kind

even our politicians aren’t giving away national secrets
but flirting with high priced social climbers

or sending pictures of their private parts to strangers.

The real secrets are being exposed by a nineteen

year old private with a conscience while the IRS

practices their dance moves,

our leaders are guests on talk shows

learning about their staff’s shenanigans

on the evening news.

“Oopsy.”

Stolen Lotus Blossom

I was a teenager back then
had almost finished high school
when I attended the Lotus Blossom Festival
with a plan of bringing a flower home

by sneaking in with a hacksaw
casually walking past security
and when no one was looking, taking
the bloom along with its watery roots,

placing it in a plastic bag

hurrying home and planting it

in a pool prepared for its

arrival where it thrived.

Later I offered tubers for sale

as I built my own nursery business

becoming an expert in water flowers

never regretting the theft so many years ago.

Maybe I was guided by the hand of god

when I took that blossom because

last weekend the park contacted me

to replant the lotus in a refurbished home. 

The other plants had been killed off 

with disease and dirty water,

now my conscience is clear

and the plants are thriving

because of a theft I committed
several years before. 

(Story retold in first person
from article in newspaper.)

Did Asteroid Cause Tornadoes?

Tornadoes whirled through Oklahoma.

Were they caused by climate change,

or the sins of humankind, or perhaps by
the asteroid passing too close to earth?

Science and religion battle for interpretations
persuading believers to see a point of view
giving explanations for natural events.

The vanity of human beings
is to think, we have an effect
on events and natural phenomena. 

We perform sacrifices and rituals
passed through generations to offer blood sacrifices for our sin
or reduce our carbon footprint. We believe an action on our part,
will make a difference and change events for future generations. 

Therefore as part of my human condition
I will recycle waste and perform 
rituals in order to protect my family 
from an apocalyptic demolition. 

Five White Lion Cubs

She was pregnant, the last of her kind in captivity,
cared for by the Chinese Zoo keepers
quiet throughout the pregnancy then on the day
of an earthquake she gave birth to five cubs

all hungry but no milk, mother exhausted
from so many births. The zoo keepers
took turns feeding the cubs by hand.

Every day they grow stronger
to be turned over to a surrogate mother,
a nursing dog, who will feed them

‘till they are big enough to eat on their own.

Tornado Blew the Chasers Away

They made a career chasing storms

got close to the action
without getting hurt,
revealing the power of winds
twisting and turning at 200 mph.

They made their fame chasing storms
got on T.V. for over five years
letting others thrill in their chase
getting that adrenaline rush
dodging debris and not getting caught. 

They were rewarded for chasing storms
scientist and weathermen gathered data

to help predict patterns, pathways

and power of storms, to inform the public

to protect themselves and their property.

They were recognized as storm chasers
with a credibility wherever they spoke
collected videos of storms, all different sizes;
water spouts, tornadoes, hurricanes and dust devils
experts in a field not safe for amateurs

but last week even the storm chasers
ran out of luck, one too many times 
getting too close, their car was lifted 
off the highway tossed about
then slammed to the ground.

Their work will live after them
informing scientists for years
They all really loved this sport 
but last week their time ran out. 

May the Rest in Peace

Noisy Neighbors Move In Next Door

The kids were grown when we moved in

we worked so were never home
neighbors were almost retired
so we didn’t bother them and they didn't 

bother with us with excess noise. 
People moved in, others moved out, 
but life was quiet on our street except 
for the occasional late night party. 

Even the dogs seemed to know
we lived in a quiet zone and that’s
the way it went for twenty-three years
until last night new neighbors moved in

across the street and with them a tumble
of noise. Children screaming and adults
shouting to each other as they unpacked
staying up late until the U Haul truck

was cleared. They were up early
with kids squealing as they played,
a large family with several generations
looking like they moved in to stay.

Life in a Garden

Like unwrapping a gift
for a special occasion
layers of stems and colorful

petals emerge to highlight

the singular celebration
in gardens at springtime

I revel in all their color
with a variety of flowers

from bud to bloom.
Each one vying for attention;
roses, daisies and sunflowers

but the unfolding

of the star gazer lily
captures my eyes

and its aroma
takes my breath 
away.