apportioning disasters

one has her house burn down
with all her puppets inside
another has cancer and becomes increasingly tired
a third lives with a mother demanding as time
more are jobless,homeless,seeking meat in a bare bones town
Season is chill December-remember the Light
when under bridges and in bushes ,someone dies each night
Every portrait painted in some boiling oil
Sing for the warmth of sun when all need some
when some have none of sight or wealth
bright beaming of who we are heals best
2
FAJITA PARTY
and the talk turns to hunting
even the dogs are stoned
as rolled up deer and pig and javelina
minced into anonymity,squeezed into rolled corn leaves
become a steaming pyramid of photographic pleasure
Tales told of deer kills from the age of tiny years
I listen deeply/hear my fajita trembling in fear
3
WORDJAZZ RESURRECTS
for Valerie Bridgeman Davis
whose diamond role with jazz and verse in Austin
brings our Zell and DaShade and Enrique to honor her
even when her birthday is January/she shares a Victory
Grill December Sunday with fresh words and a blessing
of presence that affirms every living poem in the room
One bright voice winning smiles over gloom!
4
FESTIVE SEASONS! Wassail! Solstice! Expressions-
somehow Anyah brings piano back into speech
Chris coaxes flute into talking tongues
Patrick brings out his huge didge
our world is song for one bright night
All darkness giving way to Light!