2001:1 ( first issue- guest poet)
*
after she’s asleep
moving most of her dolls
away…
*
tears
from the cold-
Christmas lights
*
snow patches
throughout the woods
pine scent
*
as I approach
his work station
the mouse clicks
*
most of the rain
not falling
on me
*
in the empty room
father and son:
two quiet types
*
2003:1
*
valley fog:
out of it
geese in formation
*
bright autumn day
the bus driver yells at me
PAY ATTENTION!
*
our turn
to stand here-
falls overlook
*
a key in the pocket
the coat
no longer fits
*
warehouse district-
a late afternoon cloud
spreads
*
long grocery line
the modest excitement
of my thoughts
*
late night bus-
a light on
in the fare box
*
jogging
just past the church
I clean my glasses
*
late afternoon sun
noisy blackbirds swarm
the transformer
*
a few floors down
in another building
someone else looks out
*
my son sniffs
the football-
“is it really pigskin?”
*
the crowd presses
to look in-
zen garden
*
extended goodbye
their paved driveway
buckled by roots
–
– for Karen Montner-Silverman
*
full moon
a coffee can of pennies
holds the door open
*
mower won’t start
busy as a bee
a bee
*
Christmas eve
in her pajamas all day
the youngest one
*
from room to room
on the Clue Board
a tiny spider
*
as the spider goes
down the drain
a second thought
*
2003:2
*
spring wind-
the kid in the neighborhood
has a new whistle
*
March rain-
within the red wine
a nap in my chair
*
always takes his time
the custodian watches
the floor dry
*
abandoned lot-
chocolate milk carton
bleached white
*
alone
in the middle of a crowd
someone I knew
*
we know by the degree
he teases his sister-
all better now
*
the load tied down-
her painted toe nails
on the dashboard
*
just arrived-
their dog sniffs
our tires
*
class in the forest
they all look up
to the trees
*
reading into it
as much as I can
my life
*
improving
my handwriting
the high quality paper
*
in the middle
of some construction
a lilac blooms
*
railroad crossing
an old man
waves at the train
*
Discovery channel-
an older male vanquished
heads for the hills
*
straight out
of a dream
another day
*
steady rain
a pickle
in the parking lot
*
the dates
on the coins
I give up…
*
zoo safari trail…
ant caravans travel
the railing
*
2004:1
*
standing here just watching
the spring sun sparkle
on the water
and what is it they say about
living life to the fullest
*
cell phones
they find each other
in the mall
*
between bites
from the apples
his stare….
*
the finished letter
in the envelope…
taken out again
*
Veteran’s Day
the normal route
past the cemetery
*
picture window
in all that white
a cardinal
*
flea market-
a Rubik’s cube
already solved
*
where I sit
on my usual bench
remains of a nut
*
a little tree-
not enough shade
to sit in
*
lingering in bed
the ceiling
has no answers
*
framed photo-
the three of us
close back then
*
under my breath
“oh boy”
sitting down for lunch
*
an old oak
on a hairpin turn
dark scarlet
*
autumn colors-
how assertive
she becomes
*
I choose one-
a roomful of chairs
without people
*
snowfall
my daughter asks where
we are going…
*
soft spoken-
on her windowsill
more snow
*
first snow gone-
this steady need
to practice
*
alone with the cat
the look between us
held awhile…
*
potluck luncheon-
a yellow jacket cleans
its antennae
*
2004:2
*
long conversation…
through different windows
the sky
*
having brushed off
several small ants
an extra large one…
*
loud storm
I think of
our roofer
*
spring sun
good enough
right where I am
*
mid day
my son’s bear hug
still with me
*
for lunch
looking for an empty room
room after room
*
our daughter tells us:
let the listing goldfish
live as long as it can
*
taking me back…
water laps gently
at the shore
*
old farm house-
the pitch of the
patterned linoleum
*
our child
who will not go to sleep-
sheep on her pajamas
*
my wife removes
the parakeet’s mirror
for awhile…
*
left and right
he follows the way
of his kicked stone
*
without any music
I catch myself
tapping in time
*
spring in the air
so many false starts
in my heart
*
to start the day
her slipper sounds
too fast
*
on hold…
branches in the window
wave wildly
*
empty classroom
windows open
to summer
*
2005:1
*
sweet corn on the cob
thinking of my old
typewriter
*
gray morning-
a workman with a fancy watch
mixes mortar
*
one short chapter-
I move the lawn chair
to reclaim some sun
*
just oatmeal
the waitress says
“enjoy”
*
before I pick up the nickel
a rain drop
on Jefferson’s head
*
her tossed jacket
another place
for the cat
*
my arm snagged-
a good look at
the wild rose
*
fall colors
in the lake-
one thought after another
*
pawn shop
guitars and guns
lined up
*
bike ride
as fast as I go
the moon on the water
*
crows jabber
at daybreak-
if that were all
*
cross country skiing…
twenty-two falls
her big brother’s count
*
snow falling
I read myself
to sleep
*
meditation…
i remember I left
the lights on
*
my wife asks
if she should feel sorry for me
“I’ve got it covered”
*
her voice-
flake by flake collects
on a twig
*
big test day
she scrambles an extra egg
for his breakfast
*
outside
in the dark
I let my imagination go
*
dying light
at the corner of the shed
chickens peck away
*
2005:2
*
hunting four leaf clovers
students discuss
their childhoods
*
in the car singing
until I’m passed
and seen…
*
my mistakes-
no matter how many
coats of paint
*
spring air-
bumping into someone
I thought was dead
*
spring rain-
the cat in the window
washes its face
*
spring sun-
making a list
of what makes me happy
*
illuminated clouds-
a store for sale
way out here
*
brilliant spring
the ambulance passes
quietly
*
Valentine’s Day-
I forget to get
the garbage out
*
last sandwich
from the loaf
the two ends
*
relatives set to visit
so many cobwebs
to remove
*
resting in the shade
an elderly man sits
on a gravestone
*
the river
full of ice
broken free…
*
happiness…
a child I don’t know
waving at me
*
exam week
she lies face up
in the rain
*
a dime on the walk
a stranger
beats me to it
*
our two loudest
on vacation
in the same week
*
spring twilight
a young couple play badminton
without a net
*
sun pops out
a construction worker
breaks into song
*
2006:1
*
day’s end
rinsing the fish
in tap water
*
so many years
to remember…
I sit up straight
*
she turns down
my favorite music…
plays recorder for me
*
daybreak-
the spider centered
in its web
*
in my room
just thinking…
do not disturb
*
doubting myself…
but he looked too good
to need a quarter
*
night train-
part of myself reflected
in thought
*
looking busy
as my wife
pulls in
*
on the windowsill
her first tooth
without the tooth fairy
*
in a hollow
at the base of the trunk
a seedling
*
quiet part…
out loud a little one asks
“when will it end?”
*
first game
doing her best
to avoid the ball
*
a crow
circling like a hawk
but it is a crow
*
in the dumpster
potted plants
take the rain
*
2006:2
*
stand of tall trees-
not sure what
I’m turning into
*
dinner time-
each night
a fallen hero
*
Father Leo
two seats down the pew
doing a puzzle
*
winter wind
the voice of one tree
after another
*
walking alone…
a submerged log
comes to light
*
lined
with plump rain drops
the clothesline
*
sitting alone…
her second time through
the newspaper
*
the mourning dove
lowers itself
to take off…
*
blue sky-
nothing constructive
to offer
*
moments into
my music
the vacuum cleaner
*
dandelions-
I give someone
easy directions
*
behind the wheel-
yet another of his
personalities
*
last day of school-
she tells me there was nothing
more to learn
*
in the garden
right by St. Francis
the woodchuck hole
*
so many books
I can’t find
one
*
quickly
after the artery scan
a Danish
*
the day lilies-
some have crossed
the road
*
afternoon sun
a chef naps
at one of the tables
*
Sunday morning-
a brook sparkles
out of the hills
*
2007:1
*
strip mall-
the shimmer of leaves
on a new tree
*
muffler shop
a man managing
his cough
*
in our doorway
a man reads to me
a bible passage
*
beginning late…
the under attended
concert
*
morning sun
just a plain paper bag
with frost
*
evening star-
the horizon
of my childhood
*
walking the tracks
my thoughts
go nowhere
*
near zero-
just rabbits
and crows
*
the cashier
holds another large bill
up to the light
*
water
from the flower vase
returned to the garden
*
unmarked grave-
a chicken
named Sunflower
*
mixed blessing
my best critic
at home
*
warm winter day-
our dog squints
for a scent
*
old friends talk-
each holding
car keys
*
geese
in the deep bowl of sky
salmon clouds
*
breakdown lane
plastered
with political stickers
*
my wife catches me
picking from our trash
again
*
overwintering
in the hay wagon
scarecrow
*
dining room
next to my wife’s chair
her dog at attention
*
2007:2
*
construction site-
folks gathered around
the newborn
*
those were the days…
she’d meet me halfway
from work
*
flurries…
a truck piled high
with hay
*
too faint
for my son to see
a little used trail
*
light rain…
a sense of trust
along the way
*
trying to figure
how to spend it…
a little free time
*
priceless-
a poor night’s sleep
in the tent
*
sun comes out…
the walk home
with my shadow
*
full of dirt
a dump truck waits
for her to cross
*
summer-
seeing more
of her
*
flower garden
where she buries
the goldfish
*
pleasant forecast-
my wife announces
her plan
*
so many things
I need to do
alone
*
wasting not
a moment
spring peepers
*
urologist’s office-
a framed photograph
of the falls
*
the place emptied…
a spring breeze
blows through
*
in the dark
seeing my flashlight batteries
dying
*
a week before he died-
new glasses
for distance
*
just in case-
weighing myself again
after the shower
*
late day sun-
at the edge of the party
everyone aglow
*
2008:1
*
rundown docks-
minnows schooling
around the trawler
minnows schooling
around the trawler
*
cruise control…
unable to decide what
to think about
unable to decide what
to think about
*
mixed in
with the instructions
her perfume
with the instructions
her perfume
*
restlessness
in the night…
not even a senryu
in the night…
not even a senryu
*
busy bar
another case of
mistaken identity
another case of
mistaken identity
*
full moon
he tells me
his side of the story
he tells me
his side of the story
*
through dinner
our dog waits…
then eats his own
our dog waits…
then eats his own
*
winter sky-
an empty nest
left behind
an empty nest
left behind
*
ninety years
each of her cocker spaniels
named “Honey”
each of her cocker spaniels
named “Honey”
*
rivals:
my wife has named our computer
Charlotte
my wife has named our computer
Charlotte
*
my children
don’t want to stop
historical marker
don’t want to stop
historical marker
*
turning back
in the harsh wind
a crow cawing
a crow cawing
*
my wife tells me
I’m going to make it-
common cold
I’m going to make it-
common cold
*
the hills…
each house nestled
in the dark
each house nestled
in the dark
*
the kitten kneads
at empty space
bottle feeding
at empty space
bottle feeding
*
drive-thru bank
sun on the oil slicks
in each bay
sun on the oil slicks
in each bay
*
in the kiddie pool
a couple of ducks
go at it
a couple of ducks
go at it
*
first night away-
we discuss
our pets
we discuss
our pets
*
2008:2
*
well worn
the lowest branch
at school
the lowest branch
at school
*
misplaced again
the address
for my gypsy niece
*
Gettysburg-
a different motel
this time
this time
*
my daughter growing…
closer and closer
to the mirror
closer and closer
to the mirror
*
offset from its stain
a rusted washer
on the boat’s deck
a rusted washer
on the boat’s deck
*
retirement home-
seagulls lined up
on the jetty
*
to upgrade
his iPhone
the young beggar
*
baby rabbit
not scared
enough…
*
for the day
the cat favors
a paper bag
*
thunder and lightning…
my wife gets up
to lock the door
*
behind the shed
grass growing
from a hay bale
*
biking slowly
through a shower
of cherry petals…
*
the sudoku
I’m stuck on
light and easy
*
spring morning…
so many birds
telling it!
*
my wife not well-
we follow through
the cemetery visit
*
cold wind-
a stranger looks at me
like a friend
*
before the auction-
my wife trying to catch
a chicken
*
forsythia-
in the yard again
moving stones
*
spring twilight-
to think she once played
Tinkerbell
*
mascara-
staring off
at the clouds
*
2009:1
*
of age
my son donates
to a candidate
*
by myself
at the end of the bed
a chocolate
*
looking up
as far as we got
the moon
*
just a shiver
of not being here
– the stars
*
getting the newspaper…
just enough snow
just enough snow
for footprints
*
county fair-
the parachutist lands
elsewhere
*
school taxes
cider and donuts
at the bank
*
almost everything
iced over-
chickadees
*
Physical Therapy…
the cat tilts its head
side to side
*
walking home…
some of the snowfall
rides on me
*
a couple
holding hands
testing the ice
*
trying to get my glove off shaking hands
*
twilight-
how casually the deer
cross the road
*
the universe
of my thoughts
contracting
*
daybreak-
the boats
at rest
*
every
one
in
line
for
basket
ball
tickets
so
tall
*
three trees
so close together
in the moonlight
*
in the same sentence
my wife mentions my role
and the wallpaper
*
goldenrods-
the bee’s
appendages
*
with his cane
waving to everyone
who passes…
*
2009:2
*
abandoned car-
the place for campfires
and many moons
*
driving real slow
the old pickup
shaky too…
*
roaring wind-
my little thoughts
for tomorrow
*
blushes of green
I follow her
into the woods
*
long lunch
getting to the heart
of the paperback
*
lamb’s ear
softening
the quarry
*
spring sun stirring in the pond
*
motel overnight-
once again I see
my whole self
*
mid-summer
he moves everything out
of the garage
*
another day
a few birds fly
across the sunset
*
snow melt
a bottle in the remnants
of a paper bag
*
moment of silence-
bubbles surface
on his beer
*
an hour
from his bath
our dog has rolled again
*
nearly empty theater…
how close
they sit
*
July 4th
at the stockyards
just a few sows
*
spring planting
petals scattered over
turned earth
*
the current
up under the bridge
into the ice jam
*
almost done-
my wife starts whistling
to herself
*
suddenly
a fruit fly
interested in me
*
in the tent
talking ourselves
to sleep
*
her apron on
leaving one house
for another
*
new day
bringing water
to my face
*
2010:1
*
fog
over the valley
shape of the inlet
*
so many things
I can’t tell my wife
her barking dog
I can’t tell my wife
her barking dog
*
so much unclear-
snow melting
from a locked bike
*
cold night
semiconscious tug-of-war
semiconscious tug-of-war
with my wife
*
the dog in me
a warm breeze rustles
through the corn rows
*
startling me
startled
pheasant
*
kicking around town ever since Vietnam
*
before or after birth
our relationship
our relationship
with the stars
*
within the grain
of the table
a dragon
*
passing me by
in the stillness
a snowmobile
*
the easy chair-
out of sight
of my family
*
quiet out-
while resting I find
my pulse
*
wings open wide
as they enter
the river
*
home
another sunset
over the hill
*
heat wave
no time
to go back
*
how slowly
he drives
across her lawn
*
summer night-
walking into
her perfume
*
harvest moon-
more clothes designated
for pajamas
*
the house gone
I take the steps to see
I take the steps to see
the foundation…
*
autumn wind-
the squirrel’s high wire act
over traffic
*
another Thanksgiving
the fold-out turkey
the fold-out turkey
at her desk
*
2010:2
*
sitting in the sun
not even trying
to figure anything out
*
my beer:
claiming it’s best
in 1893
*
the big snake
on the road ahead
a branch
*
all the time
ending and beginning
the universe
*
May day-
a dandelion in a pot
at the nursery
*
kids
in a tree
I once climbed
*
on the street
a person really happy
about something
*
he stands there
a sheet
over his seedlings
*
opening my mouth
to say hello
a bug flies in
*
midnight-
the cat steps on
just one piano key
*
after the rain
a snail pulling away
from itself
*
snow melt
a fly lands
on me
*
fireflies
the cat at the door
doesn’t want to come in
*
under the fence
into the chicken yard
a caterpillar
*
redwing blackbirds
snow in patches
between headstones
*
I carry it around
then place it back
a candy bar
*
whale watch-
those waiting to board watch
those getting off
*
twilight
with my wife
hydrangea blossoms
*
winter wreckage-
no card from her
this year
*
hot night-
looking to the heavens
with a Popsicle
*
outside the meeting
back and forth
the sprinkler
*
2011:1
*
coming in
under the greenhouse door
a strand of ivy
*
feeling down-
a quick visit to my parents
in the cemetery
*
yesterday’s coffee-
fruit flies hanging out
by the mirror
*
Happy Holidays-
I fasten
my seat-belt
*
more or less
trees frame where
the farmhouse was
*
staff meeting-
I identify
with the last donut
*
as if to show me
the wind pulls up
a swirl of snow
*
the way
the waterfall flows
into being frozen
*
one generation
pushing another
in a swing
*
empty nest-
he gets a single fish
in a bowl
*
autumn silence-
clippers rusted shut
in the garden
*
after the river boat… the river
*
the lumber yard
surrounded
by forest
*
another day
without any sheep
our sheep dog
*
a measure
of the night’s cold
our cat’s affection
*
old photo…
the detective
in me
*
hints of a headache-
leaves blowing around
the tree
*
our quiet-
flowing over and under
the ice
*
Mother’s Day-
a mix of sun
wind and rain
*
from the ball game
the camera zooms
to the moon
*
cold hands-
the moon
half full
*
gates
to the cemetery
in shambles
*
summer night-
walking into
her perfume
*
2011:2
*
between poems
the wind
the wind
in the microphone
*
another day
I don’t look
I don’t look
in the mirror
*
dawn-
turning off
the night light
*
takes off
in the wind
his hand blown kiss
*
on the surface
riding downstream
some of the twilight
*
here I am
in the same place again
trillium
*
the opening
just right
Orion’s belt
*
scattered
with feathers
red berries
*
old snow
I keep my quiet
around her
*
attic cleanup…
placing some stones
back outside
*
rainy night-
climbing Everest
in the easy chair
*
more snow-
a man on the bus
with a braille laptop
*
a Happy Camper pulls up next to us
*
at the dentist
renovation work
next door
*
thunder and lightning-
one of the dogs becomes
part of me
*
near zero night
my breath
comes and goes
*
on his way
to the interview
picking lint
*
late autumn-
leaves in a pile
cling together
*
second foul shot…
just the sound
of pompoms
*
tom clausen 