after 11 November 1918

the guns fell silent/ 
songbirds made themselves heard /
and the dry November ground/ 
could not hold back/
green shoots. 

Oscar Hijuelos

a tenor sax
plays on
in an smoky
uptown ballroom
Oscar and the Mambo Kings

to the refugees who drowned within sight of hope

offshore at Lampedusa
the now calm sea
tries to hide
its
shame

Franklin Pierce, the 14th President

a hero of many
a bottle- they said
but who was the real
Franklin Pierce ?



in memory of Franklin Pierce of New Hampshire, the 14th President

born November 23, 1804
died October 8, 1869

Dawn

dawn tints
the sky
rosebud pink
we see from
our bedroom window

Autumn dawn

autumn dawn--

soft pink skies, brisk air

I reach for

the snooze button

(again)

panel 66 E/ Row 8 Vietnam Memorial

Searching
on the black granite wall

we touch his name
on panel 66 E /Row 8

and ask why?