Osage spider

My weekend poems took shape on the train ride to Seattle and return, and while we soaked up the sunshine in outdoor cafes, I tried to keep up with the 30 poems in 30 days promise.

Poem 15

Safe

Weekend crowds,

Families with children,

Grandparents,

Lovers and friends

Greet the unexpected sunny afternoon

And find ice cream.

A father scoops his toddler into his arms

Where she lands softly

Safe in his embrace.

Remember how complete

And whole you felt

Tucked into your father’s arms

And no matter how scary the world

You gave in

Body and soul.

Utterly.

Poem 16

Iktomi

Black thing

Curled inside the

Tiny cup on the shower floor.

I dump out the water.

Poor thing

Lifeless

A relative

No doubt

From another time and place

Forgive me.

Poem 17

Some Kind of Cherokee

Once

Barb and I went to a sweat

In Georgia.

Women and men.

We wore long dark dresses

For propriety’s sake

And cooked like

Frankfurters

In the steam and heat

Of the backyard tent.

And the guide

Some Cherokee dude

Who talked and talked

And talked some more

Made me wonder

What kind of an Indian are you

Who yaks with no end?

Some kind of Cherokee I’ll bet.