What, never?

                      I'll admit I begrudge Mother Nature,
                          she's so perfect in so many ways:
                each bright shining face, each petal  in place,
                        does she never have bad hair days?

Soon!

                                   Tell me it soon will be over, 
                             that I can stop playing this scene;
                    crawl back in the ground and not be around,
                              ' til the next bloody Halloween!

Party?

                           "You said they were giving a party,
                               are you sure it included us?"
           "well the sign on the wall said  Deer Friends, welcome all!,   
                              this hostess is generous!"

Attention!

                     I know you came to the store to shop,
                        and there's  plenty for you to see;
                         but if I'm looking at you like this,
                        then you should be looking at me!

Pelican portrait

                                           Mostly an artist will feature my wings,
                                   or portray my stodgy physique;
                              but of all of the rest, this one I like best, 
                                 cuz he values my great golden beak!

Color K.O.

                   How is it that color can knock out your eyes,

                           and set every nerve cell in thrall,

                    when what the art is, or was, or could be,

                             simply doesn't matter at all?

Offering

                         "Hey mama, look , he's going to eat,

                            he'll take it right out of my hand";

                 "well watch what you do, or he'll be eating you,

                       and mama don't think that's so grand!"

Cruel tools?

                            Is this a cell with torturing tools,
                                to arouse observer's alarm;
                          or is it a spot for the exercise lot,
                    to add some more strength to their arms?

Sea scene

                      No matter how often you look at the sea,
                          it will give you a different display;
                you'll see something new that will reach out to you,
                          and give a bright start to your day.

Bird's-eye view

                    Sometimes I look at the people down there,
                       with the troubles they have every day;
                   Why do they put up with all of that guff?
                            Why don't they just fly away?

Pipe's patter

                            I'm just a part of this watering pipe,
                                nobody looks twice at me;
                           but put us all by a colorful wall,
                           and we're not a bad sight to see.

Pachyderm's prance

                            I know I'm a god and I'm seen everywhere,
                               but I don't often get a chance
                      to get off my feet in response to a beat, -
                              just let myself go and dance!

Bamboo kid

                     I love hopping through bamboos like this. 

                              it makes me feel pretty grand;

                     I see so much more than I've seen before,

                         and I never know where I will land.

Eve? Believe!

                     My mother said I shouldn't pose this way,
                        but I said I'd be covered with leaves;
               well, there only were nine, but the boys didn't mind,
                          they said I looked just like Eve!

Parrot protest

                        I sat for an artist to sculpt me one day, 
                                      It was a tedious chore;
                          he said it would go in a gallery show,
                           but it ended in some chintzy store.

Quackers

                                     Don't sit there quacking the same old line,

                              this is the biggest lake I could find.

Shady lady

                                  I'm just a stodgy old building,
                               in a corner that's usually shady;
                but when the sun shines, I'm covered with lines,
                                   and I feel like a sassy lady.

Flower power

                          We know that the bird of paradise
                          can explode into colors ethereal;
               but what kind of power could turn such a flower
                          into something so deeply funereal?

Cloud passing

                      If I had to work in a building like this,

                      and a cloud could really pass through,

                  I think I would feel the chill and the thrill,

                         and feel all over fresh and new.

Preacher creature

                            I dream I'm a passionate preacher,

                             teaching folks how to be good;

                     but I have to confess I really can't bless,

                                 I'm only a piece of wood.

Branching out

                 Some bushes think their branches are sons,

                       and want them to reach for the sky;

                       I like my girls to let down their hair, -

                         daughters should always be shy.

Mine!

                     You're out in your boat on a heavenly day,

                                 inhaling a vista sublime;

                 then, turning, you look in your mirror and say,

                            "To think all that vista is mine!"

Competition

                         When all of these entrants are racing, 
                         what factor will most clinch the deal?
                          is it the scoop of the skull below? 
                       or  the skill of the hand at the wheel?

Which?

                         Is this the final forbidding gate
                     where no mortal's allowed to proceed;
                   or is it a cheer at release from the fear,
                    when a prisoner at last has been freed?

Looking

                      When you see something so simple,

                        what aspect imparts its appeal?

                is it the shadows, the textures, the shapes?

                      …or just how it makes you feel?

Dog Day

                   Come on,  come on, let's get out of this rut, -

                                  enough of philosophy!

                     Let's just chatter 'bout things that matter,

                                 let's just talk about ME!

Above all

                 If you get tired, looking round on the ground,
                             Look up at the vision above;
                And then say a prayer for the glory that's there,
                      And the wonder of new worlds below.


                 
               
            
  

Rough Waters (3)

                       Your boat has hit ground in the shallows,

                      showing sights that you'd not used to see;

                  then you realize, something's opened my eyes. -

                         maybe something is changing in me?

Rough Waters (2)

                      After a storm , when the turmoil is gone,
                the boat you were on  has been drawn close to shore; 
                   you may see a sight that will shine a new light,
                          on something you'd not seen before.

Rough Waters

                         Sometimes the water gets churned up,

                       You don't know how you'll get through;

              But you try to hang on 'til the worst gust is gone,

                          Remembering the promise of blue.    

Snake make-over (with apologies)

 
                                               If you see sunning bodies on decks sometimes,
                                                        And wonder if they should stay;
                                              They are natural parts of our national parks,
                                                        Do not try to chase them away!