winter solstice
desert skies ornamented
with a million stars

crystalline ice drops
sparkling on desert landscape
pink and red sunrise

moon
full moon
cold Moon
long night moon
perfect midnight blue
dazzling with stars

watering the plants
suddenly discovering
sparkling icicles
naked mulberry branches
glistening in the moonlight

Twelve days ago I had the opportunity to tour New Orleans. And although fifteen months have passed since the day the levees gave up, the city and its people are still struggling with the aftermath of the devastation, left that day. In a full morning filled with sights of pain and destruction, sadness and loneliness, I even had the chance to enter the home of a co-worker (I work for a large social service agency), and witness how the storm and the flood damaged their home and interrupted their lives. Downtown, you see one business open next to another one in shambles. The list of the deceased speaks of a large percentage, a very large percentage, of senior citizens dying that day. A tremendous American tragedy.

mardi gras masks
in every store window
shielding pain and tears

eastern vision
giant frosty moon
rising

overnight freeze
noon sunshine and perfect blue
autumn in the desert

helicopter
flying low
old church trembles

full hunter’s moon
moon of the falling leaves
gliding through blue night

safety orange shirts
workers repair parking lot
end of september

matthew and bella
playing with bubbles at dusk
autumn equinox

little cricket
hidden in my office
mourning summer

crops golden goddess
shining on earth’s bounty
full harvest moon

Happy Birthday Valencita

nursing at my breast
twenty-seven years ago
my sweet baby girl

big yellow buses
slowly moving down the street
back to school monday

cosmography
lessons learned so long ago
invalidated
planetary revamping
pluto did not fit the mold

secreted somewhere
trembling drops and petrichor
enchanted garden

chimes softly singing
foliage dancing in the wind
promises of fall

cool breeze caressing
solitary cricket sings
farewell to ebbing season

while he is away
i sit quietly and watch
sturgeon moon rising

sturgeon moon rising
coloring blue velvet night
pale gold and dreamy

pale gold and dreamy
full green corn moon watches me
while he is away

Quietly talking
While she cooks all sort of foods
Commenting their lives
My Robert and his mother
Spending Saturday night

waiting for autumn
my sweaters are restless
inside that drawer

water queue
maximizing resources
awaiting their turn

one perfect star
endless skies of satin blue
gold and peach lights west

brown orphan leaf
gently resting on grass
people rush past

After a long heat wave, like we had not seen in sixteen years living in the desert, a soft cool breeze started to blow this morning. Humidity gone, storm clouds gone, asphyxiating heat gone. Just sunny skies, cool air, and swaying leaves. Its Friday, I have high hopes for the weekend.

taking a sunbath
purring with her green eyes closed
princessa Din Din

firestorm raging
blazing summer sunrise
splendor from inferno

while feeding the dogs
he turns around...mesmerized
meets thunder moon

that old clock, tick, tock...
big hand can't move fast enough
friday afternoon

iridescent clouds
pink, soft blue whispers, precede
scorching orange

pista de baile
juntos grandes y chicos
palmas y tacos
cuatro generaciones
al calor de familia

on a strange dance floor
together from young to old
clapping and tapping
four loving generations
warm embrace surrounds, family

mariposita
vagando de flor en flor
gustando néctar

working all morning
listening to standards, while
awaiting weekend

laughter, hugs, kisses
its been almost thirty years
paternal cousins

flowers no longer,
small pears, peaches, apples
sunny backyard

gloomy wednesday
little raven
tries its wings

windshield wipers
back and forth, back and forth
petrichor

it looked like rain
i wore the black sweater
what a mistake

worm moon
greets me east
waning sun west

almond flowers
holding tight
storm winds

Driving to Work

Frost on rear window...
Sunshine all over windshield
Glimpses of new leaves

Is that...?

Singing a love song
While opening the windows
Is that a bird's nest?

Then

Life constant voyage
Decades, centuries, eons...
I still remember

This Morning

Powder pink sunrise
Soft breeze, barely there, sways leaves
Birds wake-up singing

From Natalie

Beyond the branches
The yellow moon stares at me
On Valentine's night

Five Twenty PM

Awaiting, red light.
Heavy, rush hour traffic...
Poor dog, must be lost.

Mid Winter

Twenty-eight degrees.
That navy blue wool jacket,
has seen better days.

Afternoon

Dogs barking outside,
Break Sunday’s easy cadence.
Someone is knocking

At Night

Cloudy veil drifting,
Gently through blue night, pale stars,
Bathing in moonlight.