
Tomorrow, smile at a perfect stranger and mean it.
The only dreams that matter are the ones you have when you’re awake.

Tomorrow, smile at a perfect stranger and mean it.
The only dreams that matter are the ones you have when you’re awake.
Dreaming of fresh dough
To grocery store for yeast—
Bread shall rise again

Eighty-two years young
Earning high school diploma—
Ageless dreams blossom

Golden harvest waits
Farmer’s efforts rewarded—
Blessed field of dreams


Another day dawning
Life’s open highway
Relax, enjoy the ride
Searching hidden byways
Each byway, something new
Life’s treasured adventures
Unwind, take each one in
Tasting newfound ventures
Every venture smiles
Life’s tempo never slows
Marvel, each sweet blessing
Smelling one tender rose
Single rose shares fragrance
Life’s memories accrue
Smile, waiting in the wings
Finding tomorrow’s clue
Tomorrow’s whistle sounds
Life’s train steaming ahead
Relax, enjoy the ride
Dreaming, asleep in bed

Appreciate
Day’s treasures
Each precious minute
Fleeting moments pass by
Photographs

Freedom’s
Challenging task
Brick by brick
Renewing democracy’s fragile road
Courage

Legendary
Life journey
Childhood’s early dreams
Maturing into life’s amazing
Accomplishments

This series of poems (written in the German-inspired style of Elfchen or Elevenie) shares a total of eleven words in each poem, with a sequence by line of one, two, three, four, and one words.

Seasoned with many years
This ancient man delights
Very little he fears
Life tastes humble highlights
Living alone these days
Outliving many friends
Memories still ablaze
Through color-filled zoom lens
Nearly century old
Blessed career long gone
Bride’s love never grows cold
Still waking up at dawn
Sits at kitchen table
Daily Bible reading
Praying through God’s cable
Lord’s “Bread of Life” feeding
Walking at nearby park
Bench invites him to sit
Lifetime’s blossoming spark
Dreaming shall never quit
Parked at life’s interchange
Lifetime’s poetry writes
Witnessing time’s changes
Faith and love holding tight


Life’s game passing by
Parked on lonely bench
Watching each inning
From this dugout’s trench
Endless time marching
Week following week
Absent from big plays
Life looking more bleak
Dreaming great moments
Where are they hiding?
Just needing one chance
Few hopes backsliding
Opportunity!
Finally knocking
Time to really shine
Eagerness rocking
Now just swing away
Life’s batter’s box calls
Confidence beaming
Stepping in, “Play ball!”
In the film, “The Natural,” starring Robert Redford, Roy Hobbs finally gets his big chance to step into the batter’s box. Here is the scene from the film. Indeed, life and baseball find ways to complement each other.

I have no sense of time, and I’m a dreamer.
The reality is, we can change. We can change ourselves. We can change our minds. We can change our hearts. And therefore the universe changes.

Darkness hides
Morning’s reception
Silence riddles chilly air
Mellow breeze
Wind chimes serenade
Peace soothing this resting soul
Candle glows
Dancing shadows play
Frolicking, flickering flame
Hot coffee
Early, steady mate
Comforting, every drop
Good ol’ friend
Morning hums with fun
Feeling the caffeine-fueled boost
Dawn’s twilight
Distant horizon
Breaking through hardheaded clouds
Music plays
Tunes stir memories
Jukebox sings with sunrise joy
Life’s pages
Another chapter
Feeling all cozy and warm
Dreams invite
Delightful journey
Buzzing, unmistaken joy
Snooze button
Calling, “Please hit me”
Let’s start all over . . . again!


Whatever your dream is, every extra penny you have needs to be going to that.
There’s so much negative imagery of black fatherhood. I’ve got tons of friends that are doing the right thing by their kids, and doing the right thing as a father–and how come that’s not newsworthy.

Early morning walk, going back in time
Autumn’s breath creates thoughts, filling with rhyme
Trekking along canal’s ancient pathway
Thoughts caress past moments, plenty to say
Gentle breeze, sending leaves twirling on down
Mind arrives at different time and town
Dreaming . . .
More simple times, without high tech living
Days invite, delightful and forgiving
Riding bareback along this old canal
Looking for trees to climb with school-age pals
Fishing one final time, nearby pond waits
When icy winter comes, change to ice skates
Creepy, storm-filled nights, reading classic prose
Edgar Allen Poe’s words, scary shadows
Looking for literature’s lighter themes
Whitman, Hawthorne, Melville adding to dreams
Quiet evenings filled with family time
Gathered around for radio’s primetime
Crisp, fall afternoon, gridiron titans clash
College football rivals looking to smash
Romance blossoms, courtship takes center stage
Life filling with sweetness, each turning page
Back to reality . . .
Journey runs into closed gate at Rager Road
Turning around, grateful for time borrowed
Looking forward to walking here real soon
Fondest memories, let them sing a tune
