The Middlewesterner

LINES FOR APRIL 22

The grey lay
of the sky -

glumness like
a blanket

on the day -
enfolds what's

left of hope.

LINES FOR APRIL 21

Again

the sun
comes up

again.

LINES FOR APRIL 18

An eyeless sky.
This morning storm.

LINES FOR APRIL 17

A chase of squirrels
at one turn.

The dead raccoon
at the next.

Such light
between.

LINES FOR APRIL 16

Every day
is not

every day.
This day

is this.

LINES FOR APRIL 15

Solace and
sadness. Some

in this pocket,
some in that.

LINES FOR APRIL 14

Sometimes see-
ing comes from

breaking. Some-
times not. Wis-

dom knows the
difference.

LINES FOR APRIL 11

Wind and
wisdom.

One is
nothing.

The other
neither.

LINES FOR APRIL 10

The empty clang
of everything -

I want for nothing.

LINES FOR APRIL 9

Wind, old friend,
winter's last breath.

Hello. Good-bye.

LINES FOR APRIL 8

The heart
of God

beats
slow -

the thump
of it

dark,
low.

LINES FOR APRIL 7

The night
against
tomorrow,

the light
against
silence,

sorrow.

A MORNING EARLY IN APRIL

One wishes he could walk out and keep on
Walking. The snow is weeping and makes its
Small wetnesses on sidewalk and street. Yes,
The brisk air is thick with morning's long light.

Because the ground is frozen still, the trees
Have not leafed out, have not yet even set
Buds. All winter we wait for things to break
Free, as I do now, standing here mid-stride.

There, somewhere to the south of us, lies hope,
A thin greenness spreading this direction
Like an army taking such hard-fought ground,
This land that we curse and that we cherish.

One wishes he could walk out, yet with each
Step, too, he would have to count his blessings.

LINES FOR APRIL 4

The silence -
immense,

larger than,
and utterly.

LINES FOR APRIL 3

If no
one sees

it, is
it?

LINES FOR APRIL 2

The day -
what is,

not what
I say.

LINES FOR APRIL 1

Cold scratch
of sky -

wind blows
the world

awry.

LINES FOR MARCH 31

Fresh as sin,
this bracing

morning.

LINES FOR MARCH 28

Light on a patch of carpet.
Cat on the thatch of light.

We all want comfort.

LINES FOR MARCH 27

Like wind,
endurance

fills in.

LINES FOR MARCH 26

Sheets of ice
in low fields

like    shadows   of    clouds

LINES FOR MARCH 25

The day has its way
and we have the choice

to keep on choosing.

LINES FOR MARCH 24

All day
water

wishing
to be

water.
The wind

is wind.

LINES FOR MARCH 21

So winter
is down

like the old
cow she is

and spring
is gamboling

in.

LINES FOR MARCH 20

Morning light.
Fresh sky.

O, to see
with new eyes.

LINES FOR MARCH 19

Light and
darkness.

Sorrow-
weighted wind.

Emptiness
again.

LINES FOR MARCH 18

New day.
A gauze
of hope

in the east,
the light
behind.

LINES FOR MARCH 17

Manure on snow.
A crow on it.

Come now, crow, you're
better than that.

LINES FOR MARCH 14

The wall.
The door.

Which side
holds less?

Which side
more?

LINES FOR MARCH 13

We stand between
here and there, then

and now. We stand
in sorrow, pain,

in joy and hope.
We stand, waiting.

I lean towards spring.

LINES FOR MARCH 12

Swell and
push and
promise -

Is spring
coming?

LINES FOR MARCH 11

How long,
O Lord,

how long
will winter

carry on?

LINES FOR MARCH 10

Snow and
cold crow -

here now and
eternal.

LINES FOR MARCH 7

Different
& same -

everything,
nothing.

LINES FOR MARCH 6

Dream
of green,

stirring.

Can we
say more?

Can we
still say

yes?

LINES FOR MARCH 5

Listen -
silence
this morning

sings.

LINES FOR MARCH 4

Turn and
turn back.

A grey day.

The sun
climbs.
The light

recedes.

LINES FOR MARCH 3

Beyond
the frozen pond,

the train.

Here, the shaken
ground.

LINES FOR FEBRUARY 29

Light and
shadow

and between

the line
that defines

the edge
of things.

LINES FOR FEBRUARY 28

Air
like crisp
apple,

a bite
taken out.

LINES FOR FEBRUARY 27

We can be
no

more than the
world.

LINES FOR FEBRUARY 26

Snow?
No!

No
Snow!

LINES FOR FEBRUARY 25

Hang-down clouds.
Day gone grey.
Wind to blow

hope away.

LINES FOR FEBRUARY 22

When we
understand

this lay
of light

we will,
none of us,

fear
the night.

LINES FOR FEBRUARY 21

The more snow that piles up
alongside the road,

the more snow that piles up
on the road.

The more snow that piles up
on the road,

the more snow that piles up
alongside the road.

LINES FOR FEBRUARY 20

Promised
warmth - its

liquid
lick.

LINES FOR FEBRUARY 19

This stone,
this time

& wisdom.

LINES FOR FEBRUARY 18

Won't
or
can't -

wish,
need?

LINES FOR FEBRUARY 15

In cold sky,
sharp edge
of sun -

day bursts
open.

LINES FOR FEBRUARY 14

Dance of snow
across the road -

tomorrow
goes where it will.