A milky film
has gathered its 
edges sticking to
the horizons rim
and everything farther 
than near farther 
than far away 
disappears even things
near do too
not in fog
but a haze
as though this 
mountain city can’t 
take a breath 
but just pants
the dry heat 
of late summer 
before fall applies 
its cold compress 
bringing everything down 

Piece by piece 
and little bits 
everything in time 
just have patience 
life frequently waits
for dreams too
one runs ahead
always the first 
while the other 
takes its time 
relishing and pausing 
just a while 
but once together 
happily agree now 
wasn’t that fun

Roots and anchors 
things that hold
glue and stitch 
things that bind
trust and truth
things that keep 
love and life 
things that find 

If we could 
meet just once 
detouring my life 
like some track
veering left or 
right taking me 
somewhere besides ahead 
I know I’d
find something else 
around those bends
that before then 
I’d never see
and yet after 
would be less
had I not 

I sit quietly 
letting thoughts go 
and dance in 
the delicate sprinklers
of inspired intimacy 
naked they leap
turn and fall 
sunlight catching little 
pebbles of water 
making them glow 
like floating fireflies 
amidst the deepening 
darkness of some 
far off summer