ADVENT

the sky is hopeless and blank
inspiring less than depressing
and yet

a light burns
to warm faces
and even as hope goes down
the horizon begins to warm
and the color returns to her cheeks

KINDLING

you scratched my surface
like the paper napkin on the table
shredded with with your dark ink:

I love you madly, Cari

but not enough

DRIVING ON HIGHWAY 495

the sky scraped my soul
as my eye raked across
the textured swath of cloud--
bruised for bruising
and hurting like my hopes--
as the aching hills
and dying leaves
became brittle and weightless

the pages of what i wished was my future
were blown away farther and faster
than i could drive


only the sun sought to
brown me and make me a part of them

THINGS THAT ARE TRUE

some things sound true
but are too good

other convenient truths demand nothing of us
have nothing to lose
are not fearsome
dangerous

Do hard things. Love. Trust. Believe.
Wait. Be quiet. Be still. Submit. Surrender.
Die. Pick up your cross. Love your neighbor.
Love your enemy. Love me.