April is poetry month. www.3030poetry.com gives a daily prompt. I have committed to writing and posting a poem once a day for thirty days.

1
 4/1/2017
 "There is poetry as soon as we realize that we possess nothing." - (John Cage)
 2
 4/2/2017
 pure at heart
 3
 4/3/2017
 infinite termination
 4
 4/4/2017
 the illusion of time
 5
 4/5/2017
 "It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men." - (Frederick Douglas)
 6
 4/6/2017
 life without
 7
 4/7/2017
 polymorphic existence
 8
 4/8/2017
 "When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time." - (Maya Angelou)
 9
 4/9/2017
 reciprocal mobility
 10
 4/10/2017
 secret of patience
 11
 4/11/2017
 “How did it get so late so soon?” - (Dr. Seuss)
 12
 4/12/2017
 "There are years that ask questions and years that answer." - (Zora Neale Hurston)
 13
 4/13/2017
 singing in the rain
 14
 4/14/2017
 "Love makes your soul crawl out from its hiding place." - (Zora Neale Hurston)
 15
 4/15/2017
 heart like a garden
 16
 4/16/2017
 thinking and becoming
 17
 4/17/2017
 “A poem is not a pop-tart.” - (Martín Espada)
 18
 4/18/2017
 "If you understood everything I say, you'd be me!" - (Miles Davis)
 19
 4/19/2017
 three things that matter
 20
 4/20/2017
 "All water has a perfect memory and is forever trying to get back to where it was." - (Toni Morrison)
 21
 4/21/2017
 sudden trouble
 22
 4/22/2017
 cost of living
 23
 4/23/2017
 "Sunshine all the time makes a desert." - (Arab Proverb)
 24
 4/24/2017
 letting go
 25
 4/25/2017
 politics of trends
 26
 4/26/2017
 “Hope is never silent.” ― (Harvey Milk)
 27
 4/27/2017
 love and hate
 28
 4/28/2017
 agnostic hubris
 29
 4/29/2017
 fear and loathing
 30
 4/30/2017
 "A woman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle." - (Gloria Steinem)

The April Poems

1

When all the ideas are gone
 and the slate is wiped
  clean
   
   then will I hear you
    the rhythm
     the reason
      the rhyme

2
The Dance of Life


For the show to go on 

lean on a white wall 

sit on a cool hard floor 

fold arms, 

open arms round back, 

carriage straight 

In pairs,  or alone 

Watch 

Expect nothing 

Dancers cut through negative space 

summoned to move by violin's pure heart strings 

urgings 

Drink this in 

We need each other 

For the show to go on

3

  Agape
 
open heart 
broken not despairing 
having hope is faith undying 
you my sacred moment 
this our eternal ending 

4
 
Time.      A friend.               An enemy.         A gift.                A curse.      Is gone. Is yet to be.

                                         Is space between. 

Time.                             Is lost found squandered cherished                                          Magic.

  

5

Part 1. Child
sweet pea sown early spring in deep dank earth songbirds at dawn call “come play” well grounded head held high happiest in sun stretching, winding medley of scent strong willed sweet garden child 

Part 2. Adult 
the unforeseen storm of weighted snow arrives, as do the slugs and snails and marauding birds snapping the long stemmed sprigs of pleated and ruffled blossoms beyond the gardener’s care 

6
 
Einstein said (or maybe not) 
If the bee disappears From the surface of the earth 
Human kind, within four years Will stop 
Busy miracle on wings 
Helper to the crops 
To the cycle of plants 
Aerodynamically impossible 
Yet you do these things 
Consider the hive 
Many co existing 
In harmony as a unit 
Each one producing 
So the other may thrive 
Honey bee, bumblebee 
Busy miracle on wings 
restoring this ecosystem for one, for all 
Is my responsibility 

bee house 

7 
Before Contact

       she/he manifestly one uniquely two plant, rock, person
 
Two spirited one to co-exist
 
in duo form Creator’s blessing 
the sacred morph she/he/they 

refer to We are Part of a Tradition: 
A Guide on Two Spirited People for First Nation Communities Gilbert Deshamps 

8

It is what it is... Leopard's spots gut sense true colours the first red flag 
Creatures of habit unconscious behaviour patterns set the reveal 

It is what it is... 

9
 
For my elder

This agile moment Of 
give and take 
This soul freeing 
Celebration of kinship 

                Out beyond the field Of right and wrong doing 
                 There I will meet you -Rumi, 13th century 


10 
The Seat of Patience
 
l
e
a
r
n
 
to  out sit any 
                   o
a                  p
n                  p
d                  o
                   n
                   e
a                  n
l                  t
l                  s                          


11 
Afternoon Play with Great Grandmother
 
Painting watercolours 
Wet on wet 
my daughter and son 
And the Crone 
Sea salt for texture 
Splotches blood red 
Blue runs violet 
Dark as the winter sky 


12

 
for five or fifteen years 
the listening time... 
he stood still and    
learned the craft 
up and down the neck 
of his uncle's old acoustic 
theory Phrygian and Dorian scales 
over and over 
then trial and error 
experience bears witness 
for five or fifteen years 
the melody line pulls him forward 
'make some noise' it seems to say 
this is the speaking time 


13 
Spring in Alberta
 
Dancing in the snow 
Just dancing in the snow 
what a beautiful sight 
beside you tonight 
I'm happy as can be 
we're dancing oh so free 
dancing in the snow 
it's love you know! 



14
Eostoria
 
The flat boredom 
of nothingness 
between one  or another 
breaks open then the shift- 
the tingles of truth the 
melting away of 
shame and fear 
Love, a brilliant spotlight on the divine within- 
a thread tying me to you 
Watch, how Jesus, the man 
walks with feet bare on soul sacred ground 

15 

Let me wander among 
The dew kissed lilies 
And sweet baby’s breath 
til night fall upon thee
 
If thine be my true love 
Toss away the key 
How this garden grows! 
How this heart beats free!
 
If life be but a garden 
We labour side by side 
Planting gentle seed so 
My love, beatitudes abide 
   

16

“becoming,” 
as a way to 
empathic ability
promoting exploratory
conversation
Heightening consciousness
from thought
to thing
dissolving the obstacles-
to awareness,
shared meanings,
relationship

 
17  
Instant Poetry 

Instant poetry 
Like instant pudding 
Is delicious 
Less so than you would think 
But 
It will fill you up 
Instant poetry a pop tart 
The Making of small breads 
Of random prompts 
And more random 
Responses 
Crisp the words up 
In a shiny red toaster 
Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar 
Chew fast 
And while in motion 

18 

But I do understand everything you say 
Hearing in tongues 
I, the man whisperer 
I know what you will say before you do 
You laugh! 
It is so… the blazing fire lit 
when consciousness makes a wild sweep 
one to the other
changing every thing 

19 
Heal the Waters 

Mother Ocean 
You are thirsty 
Mother Ocean 
You are hungry 
Mother Ocean 
You are crying 
Mother Ocean 
You are dying 
Mother Ocean 
You are bleeding 
Mother Ocean 
You are receding 
Heal the waters 
Waters of the seven seas 
Heal the waters 
‘til all rivers run free 
Heal the waters 

Extra terrestrial gift from above 
Heal the waters 
Return to it our deepest love 

20
Trouble 

Do not borrow trouble 
By your worry today 
Stay in your happy bubble 
Keep your fears at bay 
The way in which you roll 
Your special way of being 
Can be your only goal 
Narrow focus or all seeing 
Choose your grief wise 
Be sad, but heavy heart no 
Sunlight more certain than demise 
Will erase the rutted brow 

22 
Indexation 

Dear Boss, 
Let us discourse on 
The cost of living 
Please and thanks! 
This year… 
How much will you be giving? 
Will there be allowance? 
As every single thing 
From food to shelter 
Has risen in cost 
My dear and generous boss! 
There is one exception 
I note the recognition 
For the value of my work 
Has been unheeded? 
While striving to achieve 
A place of honour for our org 
I cannot help but think 
Freedom 55 has passed 
And 85 seems likely! 
An indexation 
A little financial adjustment 
Will go a long way 
And most certainly lead 
To a sunnier me 
I like to know I am needed! 
Signed, 
old, cheap and loyal labour 

23 
All Light   

The sun arose 
But never left 
Day did not give way 
to dusk 
The nighttime theft   

All is joy 
Endless bright 
light seductive, 
this secret wish 

No shadow, no night   
All heat, all yang 
Perpetual sound 
High running emotion 
The even playing ground   
Storms cease 
The well water goes 
Troubles (thankfully!) disappear 
but nothing grows 

24 
Let Go, Hold On   

I see you in your bright yellow kitchen 
Painting daisies on the wall 
I see you with the one you love 
Dancing up a storm in the hall   

Oh girl, you’ve got it all… Oh girl, let things fall Away… Let go, hold on Let go, hold on You’ve got it all      

Phoenix rises from the ashes 
All your troubles turn to gems 
Pick yourself up, dust off your shoes 
Get ready, to begin again
   
Oh girl, you’ve got it all… Oh girl, let things fall Away… Let go, hold on Let go, hold on You’ve got it all   

I see you in your bright yellow kitchen
 Painting daisies on the wall 
I see you making more than just a living 
Giving back more than would befall   

Oh girl, you’ve got it all… Oh girl, let things fall Away… Let go, hold on Let go, hold on You’ve got it all 

25 
Trending Then, Trending Now- Mercantilism   

They catch on and stick like glue
trends are selling brand and shiny new
the pompadour, the big beehive
the beaver pelt the racy jive   
the thigh high boots the hairless chest 
the natty-sharp zoot suits   
The must have, the want not 
the buy now, pay late 
the formidable casino slot   
all the good life money can buy 
tube baby, prototype wife   
Sipping on designer honey while tending flaccid sheep 
someone is 
making money 

26 
Hope Is
  
hope is 
a single flicker 
that cracks into 
a  prairie fire fury 
under a high summer sun 

27  
Two Graves
   
Love your maker 
Love yourself 
Love your friends 
Love your foes 
Hate no one 
Hate no thing   
Hate no one 
Hate no thing 
For if you do 
You dig two graves 
And love will be no more 


28 

What are the odds of encountering not one- not two, but three men- 
this triplet person hubris trait of extreme and foolish pride in the same week?   
All go before the greater good and pronounce with grand assurance I think and so I am 
(they stare all theism down) the "other" matters not   
Look at me- I... I... I 
for God is dead or perhaps asleep unknown and unknowable so follow me as 
"You have no proof" the empiricists do declare   
disaster prone with preachers like these pumped up, puffed up and soft selling hope only to impart: stop your trying you will never get out alive 

29 
Fear and Loathing in Edmonton 

Zak and Brand and Lisa and Jon 
piled into the farm half ton 
ambling north on highway 21 
searching only for some fun   

Saturday morning 1979 
in a concrete parkade 
no sooner out of the truck four cops, 
four guns pulled   

Zak and Brand and Lisa and Jon 
Piled into the farm half ton 
Ambling north on highway 21 
Searching only for some fun   

They hauled them in 
Handcuffed and all 
After a search of the truck 
At the mall   

Zak and Brand and Lisa and Jon 
Piled into the farm half ton 
Ambling north on highway 21 
Searching only for some fun   

Arrested for possession 
At 11 am on a Saturday 
A bobby pin, a bottle cap 
Fear and loathing in Edmonton       

*phrase credited to Hunter S Thompson 


30 
A Woman Needs   

A woman needs
a mother's love 
the garden seeds 
a child dove 
the grandfather guide 
the grandmother's voice 
her sense of pride 
her own free choice