Winter Warble

The lonely warble of a bird,
Breaks the grip if the frigid cold
Sends a shock wave, sound wave
Bright and cheerful into the morning
Incongruous with a subzero dawn.

Mountain Mud

Mountain mud on my tires
Remind me too much of home.
Just back again, settled in
When old red mud
Seems to whisper to me...
"Go home, go home"

Forgotten Road.

Rain doves coo softly as they march up and down
The old clay road that leads back the holler
Their path is sometimes altered as they weave
In and out of the hateful tufts of grass that grows
Unhindered now in the middle of the road.
Their heads bob up and down again
As they harvest seeds from the grass
Cars no longer travel the road often.
Seldom, really. The road is un-needed
Un-heeded, unkempt and overgrown.
Occasionally traveled by family come
To lay flowers on moss covered stones
And monuments to pioneer mountain men
Dutiful mountain mamas, near forgotten
Weeds grown over them,
Like the old dusty road.

Breakin' Beans

Worn hands reach mechanically
Into a beat up tin pan
Grabbing a handful of green beans
Taking one after another
Between skilled fingers
To string, break, drop
Into a waiting pan.
String, break, drop
String, break, drop
As the old woman sits
Quietly working as she swings
In her porch swing,
Listening to the National Barn Dance
On her big ol' Philco radio.

Newspapered Walls

I am lonesome for the warmth
Of a coal grate burning, crackling
Glowing red and gently illuminating
Newspapers used as wallpaper
In an ancient mountain cabin.

Twisted Path

Having climbed to the ridge of the mountain
Have you ever stopped, looked back
Wondered for a moment at how very high
You have gone, how far down the valley is?
Did you, in looking back not recognize
The path that was taken, the twists and curves?

Skippin' Stones

Little boy standin' by the creekbank
Skippin' stones, skippin' stones
He's a prepubescent think tank
Skippin' stones, skippin' stones
Feels the whole world on his shoulders
Skippin' stones, skippin' stones
Solvin' problems, movin' boulders
Skippin' stones, skippin' stones
You can see him thinkin', mind whirlin'
Skippin' stones, skippin' stones
Brows creased as stones go twirlin'
Skippin' stones, skippin' stones
Sudden like, he makes a decision
Skippin' stones, skippin' stones
His life just had a revision
Stone drops, he turns.

Old Sweater

The smell of his sweater
Still lingers though he is gone
As I hold it to my face
And breathe in deeply
The scent brings memories
Of childhood, of feeling safe
As my little hand held his.

Lost Christmas

The lights continued to flash, blue, green, red, yellow
Day after day, night after night they flashed endlessly
Reflecting merrily upon silver, gold, red and green ornaments.
Catching the flash, mirrored on silver bright tinsel hanging late
On a tree ever so long, overdue, under-noticed, laden below
With unopened presents, dusty presents, dusty tree
Angel on top lonely and sad with just a whisper of cobweb
Hanging from her wings, dragging down her halo.
No one to hear the bells on Christmas Day, on Christmas Day
No child to come play, to squeal with delight
No little one to tear merrily into multicolored wraps
To find treasures, Santa secrets or parent packages.
Drunken fool on Christmas Eve, runs a light, he walks unscratched.
Now Daddy gone, For months Mama lay fighting...
little girl lost.

Winter Charm

Can it be, is it possible
That Winter has slipped in
Unannounced with whispers
Of snow drifting, dancing, daring
Me to come and play?

I laugh, of course, laugh softly
As I breathe crystal rivers
Onto my windowpane.
For there is little snow outside
Just a tease, a threat, a charm.

Morning Glory

This day is a small thing
Fragile and morning delicate
Orange, wrapped carefully
In china cup blue.
full of promises, hopes, dreams.
Morning glory, slowly unfolding.

Heart of the Mountain

Heart of the mountain
Soul of the hills
Ripped from the deepest places
Sacred, precious... valuable.
The Company doesn't care
About the heart or soul.
Heart of the Mountain
Only the black coal
Bought and sold.
Hauled away in truckloads
Hauled away with no care
Hauling precious souls
Draggin' the dead behind
Long trains to the north.

Heart of the mountains
Hauled away in carloads
Draggin' the dead behind
Burned in the smelters
Furnaces, engines, converters
To give light, steel, transportation
To those who mock
The mountains.

Weep, Weep, heart of the Mountains.