June Kaplan

frozen rose garden guarded
snowdrift ice crawl
stick to wall God’s gift
white as snow nowhere to go
light dim gust wind air blow quick

the battled burden bear the brunt
every grunt trudge frozen blunt
twigs encased roots immersed
over girth of earth
saddened solid

winter flurry
footprints embedded steadily
smooth earth tone stones
entrap the heavy discovery verily

harness the energy-
beside enmity
a heartfelt empathy
the care you give to me

shining moon
in wind wake majesty
east end reality
spiritual miracle
moment mastery
mirror mystery
reflect sparkle
glisten
sunrise risen.

chase the grays purple mauve
erase the day sky her vibrant eyes
closed roses glow
in reds and pinks to know
cover earth mother head to toe

ink spills ephemeral
of bluest dark heart thrill
still aspects a silver moon
tune out dissidence
feel warm

night call dawn
enlighten Fall a Winter’s Spring
transparent Summer awake from Winter slumber

your orbit
a wonderful thing
rekindle an alliance
fill a vase with violet

the course is proof sweet riot
aloof the gentle force behind the quiet
the world through eyes of a wild child
denying her diet

sacrifice artifice for a smile
many miles carry
starry heavens help me

offer me your tears never ending
solace in your cheer remain

a goodnight sleep will mend
an aching hurt
and sooth our youthful pain.

ever sense the happy healthy one
work the hope into her rule of thumb
march to a different sort of sweet
that knows her spirit when time to retreat

see the sentiment of a gentle woman
feel the warmth misses for decades
harsh dark hearts dissolve in her love light

you are elegant humble light bright
as the moon gently hugs at the night
marooned in a mood isn’t right
left adept adapt the craft you create
for those who appreciate the greatness of your heart
tears fall for you to miss you yet to long
fear not your ship will moor until the dawn
gentle as a wave comeback to shore.

worn leaves through cold billowing wind
in the act of sleet and snow
sun stream rays of vertigo, plummet harsh the steel of cars unlike bark to tree or fruit to vine in blinding shine
the mind pine turn to wine and old lang zine no currency nor immediacy bring her back to me how shall i weep today with shallow breath
that throw the time away
the black the blue
the gray conceit
to cross on red to feel defeat and never again our eyes meet
despair an only friend/to feel without
repair
and when life isn’t fair
your friends around you rally
love to the ones who’ve lost the war
those wounded in reality.

i overstep
a flaw in my character
my illness
my depth of nonsense
in a cruel impassionate world
so insecure is our
leadership
a rousing roasted stew
makes us feel blue
a catch 22
insecurity
sink from the surface
of the sea
like a skipping stone
finds its depth
like a part of me
to play a role
captive of lonely
in night alone
forbidden planet
where people
come and go
boisterous quiet
screaming serenity
looking for empathy
shocking a smock
of memory
fade to black.