March 31, 2012

Bay Watch

Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Bay Watch
 
By John R. Greenwood
On quiet day and sun-filled edge
morning gull waits patient and warm
bird ear listening close to trolling sounds 
that pass in blue distance 
in time too 
her turn will come
taken to flight 
and when ready 
she too will pass 
forth and back
fishing 
for something 
below
deep 
in ocean 
depth

March 14, 2012

"Battenkill Books"


Battenkill Books
by John Greenwood



Enter the doors to a world inside
Where words of wisdom and learning reside

Stories of courage maybe a tale of woe
A place to meet friends, like Jenna or Joe  

Children are welcome
Mom's are too
Dad need a gift? 
We can fix that for you

So head off to Cambridge 
Park the car on the street
The warmth in this place
Is honest and sweet 

Books by the front door
Books on a rack
Buy one book on Monday
By Sunday you're back

March 12, 2012

"Porch Peace"


Porch Peace
By John R.Greenwood

Each porch step up
A story to tell
Of lives and loves from
The world that surrounds

Friends stop by and whisper
Did you know? Did you hear?
Porch simple moments
Unchanged through the years

The neighbor's new Chevy
A lost wallet is found
An upcoming wedding
The old barn that burned down

Boys perched on railings
Swinging their feet
Dad hikes up his work pants
That droop in the heat

On the paint worn top step
Giggling girls squished together
As if joined at the hip
Like birds of a feather

Women in blue dresses
Red petunias in clay pots
Babies in playpens
Sleeping or not

Visions of porches
Today or yet to be
Provide a little haven
That's safe for you and me
I wrote this poem for "Porch Pieces" - Artist Bryony Graham's living sculpture.

J.R.G.9.11.10

March 11, 2012

When The Gutters Need Cleaning


"Smile, I did."
When The Gutters Need Cleaning
By John R. Greenwood

life can get away from you 
cluttered garages, car-less and sad
attic stuffiness overgrown with plastic totes and Christmas bulbs
time passes quickly when work is followed by work
a man challenged to thin a worn-torn pair of anything
drawers of junk
shelves of drawers 
life goes on 
sorted or not
When the gutter's need cleaning

          grab the camera…

* Author's Note: No these are not my gutters. I found these rolling hills of green while traveling the Green Mountain State. They made me smile -- then I thought of my to-do-list. The list is long. 

My online interview with Poets United and Sherry Blue Sky

March 03, 2012

"Hoop Dreams"


Hoop Dreams
by John Greenwood


Hours spent shooting
dreams and baskets 
years past have collected
the game clock ticks
one shot
one second left
the shot is up 
     it's
       ?