Middle of August

Coastal hiking trail bordered by colorful wildflowers with cliffs and ocean in the background during sunset

when I walkabout August

it brings me to a long evening

vibrant greens hit me different

so does swaying flowers of every colour

cut grass fills my nostrils

children’s laughter crowds my ears

as they ride on to adventure passing me by

I smell popcorn, hot dogs, and pizza

tinge of BBQ comes next

then, a big splash

everyone around me is wet

the ocean is still a taste on my lips

a dog barks in the distance

car horns sound behind me

moving my gait to a sidewalk

as a concert can be heard warming up

there is a ball ahead of me

should I kick it…should I throw it

before I can decide, the game’s over

the feel of sand is rough and kelp is gross to the touch

I can watch a bee forever

while my skin gets hot, red, and burnt

cotton candy tastes the best when carnival nights set

how many worms did we catch to go fishing

that night we all played red rover until 10:30

fire flankers dance an estival night sky

birds chirp me awake and sing me to sleep

I crave ice cream on a restaurant patio after a full belly

there’s wedding in the park, they look happy

when I walkabout August, I search for a bench

to look around summer and become a kid, a teen, a man

someone who holds hands with mother nature

and wishes for that long evening to last just a few more minutes

then, I’m up and on my way toward September

One More

Four people playing doubles tennis on outdoor court with sunset in background
a tennis court sunset
one more
you would call out
I was already expecting to hear it
every day the same time, we played
a father I met a summer ago
he was good
so good
he made me good too
I loved that about us
it's the only thing I can say we still have
that memory I just told you about
he pushed me
he made me run all over the place
he beat me
over
and over
and... over again
And, I loved every minute of it
I wish I could have
just...
one more

And, Beyond – Haiku

Two glowing cosmic figures embracing surrounded by stars and galaxies

flourishing true love 
from a glance to an embrace 
now, eternal souls 

Chance Love – Haiku

Crowded busy street with people walking, couple holding hands in foreground

walk on by strangers
together their hearts do long
happenstance may lead

All is Fair, In Love – Haiku

Young couple touching noses at carnival with ferris wheel and lights

a July night’s breeze
fills the lungs of two lovers
before words spoken

Crash Into Me – Haiku

Couple embracing and kissing in ocean water with waves splashing

serendipitous
do their lips crash together
first time like waves do

Ten Minute Stop, People…Ten Minutes.

People fueling vehicles at quick gas station at 8:40 PM
8:40, nineteen ninety... something
I'm in a random cozy hamlet in Newfoundland
on a busline from somewhere 
heading to somewhere else
 that made a stop five minutes ago
the people who got off are smoking
some are gone to pee, I'm sure
I had to at the last stop
travelling strangers grabbing chip bags
pop cans
various candy
unlucky scratch tickets
stale coffee and half decent donuts
the bus window is cold against my bored forehead
rocking back and forth waking me up
and cooling me down
from no AC and cabin farts
as if in a signalling moment the big bus hissed
did in my simple peripheral
spot a black cat on a white patio chair
watch for but a second
as a brown rusty sign hangs on for its life
swinging against a summer night breeze
there he is
like the one in every tiny town
the local who says hello to everybody
trys to shake hands
while nodding all the time with a grin
dressed in all demin
wearing a ball cap 
full of finger print oil stains
with a broken peak
I hear the name Kenny repeated
must be him
great smile he had
then
the booms and thuds of the luggage compartments
falling into place
then my seat suddenly shakes from a "hands pulling motion"
it annoys me a little 
new passengers settle in seats nowhere near me
bonus
I listen as the fares are quoted by the driver
I guess how far they are going by the price
like an are we there yet game
whispers dull to a silence
the lights go dim
no more marked trail to back or front with tiny lights
hiss and hiss of the brakes
the door is pulled shut
hiss and hiss
eyeballs stare in the rearview
they are on
we are off
8:50



A Love, Well Traveled – Haiku

old train in summer
travels with two hearts, a stow
destination love

Earth To Ash Episode Sixty One – Saying it Forward!

Welcome back, join me and my continuing conversation about my thoughts, feelings, and emotions to the world around me.

In this episode, I am out on the bike for an excursion by the bay. It’s a day off for me, a beautiful day, actually, which makes for a great opportunity to bring some works of “heart” to the poetry digital universe. Along the way, I take a few pictures, have a few birds drop by, and even a few whales breach and say hello. And, as always, I throw in a poem for good measure. Only, this time, I share some poetry from others as well, which is a new element to Earth to Ash.

Enjoy!!

Email: earth2ash@gmail.com

Lost Summer Where I… – Haiku

Child swinging on a tire swing attached to a tree in a green hilly landscape
over the hillside
past the big tree with the swing
to find old summers