Birthday

Eager arms
welcomed, held, cared
for us on our birth
day. Some no longer
can. In time, we
were given children, held
their possibilities, healed
their hurts, these children
who will hold us too.

Not every day
is birth day, special
doesn’t rise with the sun.
We won’t miss
this day. We will eat cake,
not because we have no bread –
we have eaten bread fresh
with love, warmth,
and when it was hard, dry.
Today’s confection
is our celebration.
Surrounded,
friends witness our being,
hold us special.

Vertigo

Rocks in ears,
they call it, sounds
like musician's dream but
only ringing
remains. What it's not
is good – heart, stroke,
just annoying, not life-
threatening. Cheap
buzz requiring no
roller coaster, pirouette
or LSD. Getting up
will do. Evidence
that earth truly
spins.