DON MICHAEL, ZENO, THE ORANGE, AND ME

I’m reminded

     of the last scene

                in Godfather III

Michael Corleone

     holding an orange

                

Slouching
     in his chair

                and then       

                tumbling

                to the gravel.

I've felt that
drop in energy
that comes          

      a moment

                before the tumble.

Parsed

    by Zeno’s math

the orange

                drops from Michael’s hand

                                unpeeled

                                untasted

                                                and falls

for

                                                 eternity.

BIRTHDAY GRATITUDE & PRAYER

                (with a nod to the Merry Prankster)

That I ever was

                that

 kid.

That I am

                this

                                -old-

gently, brother…,

                -old-er-               

               

man.

That I have lived

                the life

between

step by blessed step

a hair’s breadth

from disaster.

Oh, my dears

Above ground –

                with everyone to thank

                                so thank you and

Let us proceed

Further –

Amen.