for Julie

My warrior ranges

without me;

moves herself onward,

before my messages arrive.

Dauntless, magnificent,

but the wounds of warriors

are never washed away

and, in time, magnify.

Dreaming, I hurry

to catch her on her way,

but often I am lagging

and her wild signs grow faint.

Still, there are the days

I come upon her;

briefly tend her wounds

and share a bit of pain.

When next she’s off again,

it will be so very long

before I can say once more

rest here, let me love you now.

Love to Babies

Nathan Night Rain,

you were an infant with

apple cheeks and patience.

Julie Anna,

you were a witch baby,

wise with foreknowledge.

And Brendan Isaac,

you were king baby

with windmill arms and bicycle legs,

wailing your loud strong music.

As Isaac brought joy

to Abraham and Sarah,

with a handful of weight,

with the heat of new beginning,

with the scent of everything to come,

so have you brought

gift after gift after gift

of Nate asleep on my heart,

warm weight waxing,

innocent of his fierce protector;

of Julie at midnight recalled,

fresh weight needing nothing

but that which was freely given;

of yourself,

urgent and new;

all of you, gift after gift after gift

to a father stirred and grateful

that the elements combined as you.

You are the one to light your new fire

I am not there

to make hurt feelings worse—

I am not there

to fix something broken—

I am not there

to say what should happen—

I am not there

to live in your place—

Instead, I have decided this day

to be on my way—

to wander the earth—

to witness what works—

to send that news back—

to watch for a sign—

to await word of you—

to hear on the wind you are well.

You are the heart song—

the driver, the striver,

the scent in the air,

the dreamer gone dreaming.

You are the one

to choose what will work—

to pick the right path—

to love when you wish—

to embrace whom you will—

to light your new fire.

for Julie