Ego

Midlife, church life

Booted to the curb

No one higher came to see me 

After wounding, hit a nerve 

Only some few from the trenches

Gave an ear to bitter fruit

Meetings opened up the fester

Nothing drained but hope

Two years is enough in limbo 

Moving on with plans renewed

Wish they could have said “I’m sorry” 

Would have made it easier 

Than always “working on myself” 

Chest Pain

Ice pick through the chest while working

Trouble breathing, sweating heavy  

The nitro takes the pain away

Tonight, waiting for a needle 

In the wrist to get some answers.  

Camp Squirrel

Rodent in the tree 

Chewing on a nut

Taunting my black dog

From its perch up high

Being the Older Man

It’s nothing I asked for

Simply persisted in my space

And kept conversations going

“What’s new with you?”

And other simple, but sincere questions.

Small streams that sometimes open up 

Gravity fed tributaries 

To rivers of emotional life

For a listening ear that loves to chat