When Summer Dies In The Mountains

When summer dies in the mountains

It dies fast

Like a flame in the snow or

The desertion of birds and leaves

All in a morning

Gene G. McLaughlin 2013

When I Hear Karen Carpenter

When I hear Karen Carpenter

I think of corned beef hash

AMC Pacers

Lines for gas

Johnny Carson

Laminate floors

My mom’s voice

Gene G. McLaughlin 2013

1981

A yellow ribbon

Tied to

An orange Volkswagen van

A shirt

That says

Don’t tread on me Iran

For me

That’s how the eighties began

Gene G. McLaughlin 2013

I Believe You Can

I believe you can

Despite all of it

I believe you might

With much upon you

I believe the now

Shines bright in your eyes

Ignite

Gene G. McLaughlin 2013

Every Post is a Person

Every post

Is a person

Every tweet

Is typed by hand

Before you turn toxic

Think of the pixels

Not as of digital

But as of human

Gene G. McLaughlin 2013

Reclamation

After you died

In my dreams

I only saw you

Diminished and fading

At the end

Now I see you

Young

Tan

Standing

In the sun

Smiling

Gene G. McLaughlin 2013

Darkness Is Not Blindness

Darkness is not blindness

Adjustment is slow

Things around you

Take shape

Patience the only tool

Until the world has form again