Impressionist

The impressionist
Experienced
One moment
At a time
Like this one.
Saw it.
Painted it.
Wrote it.
The sun lit the flower.
The bird flew.
The wind changed
The leaves.
The snow covered
The thistle
One moment
And then
It was gone.

Purple topknot

My thistle
Wears a purple topknot
She is not
Native here
She hides
Under
Her thorns
Next
To the purple
Coneflowers
One bed over.
Maybe
She will succeed
In thorny
Subterfuge.
Somehow
I doubt it.

The parrot

The last living speaker
Of a tribal language
In South America
Is a parrot.
I wonder
Her vocabulary.
I wonder
If she's
Lonely
I wonder if she flew
To the next village
To have more people
To talk with.
Or even
To repeat back
Repeat back
Repeat back
Repeat back
What they say
To her
What they say
To him
 

You can't make me

The virus does not
Make enemies
Does not consider anyone
A friend.
The virus
Is the virus
No matter what.
Some believe
They are immune,
No masks
No handwashing
No distancing
You can't make me
They say
Like children

Front pew

While I understand why
We don't worship
In church
I think of my particular spot
In the front pew
My orange walker
Waiting
To return

Magnet

He fishes with a magnet
Who knows what
Is on the bottom
Of the lake?
His landlord
Wants to know
What the pile of metal
Is for.
The rusted bike
Is his prize.
Will he paint it?
Will he dress it?
Will he name it?

Best compliment

 It's important to write such things down before they get lost.

Best compliment I received
Two weeks ago,
Took me two weeks
To write down.
Now I don't remember
Who graced me
With the words
It may very well
Be my beloved.
Your poetry
He said
Reminds me
Of O. Henry stories.
They often
Have a twist
On the end.