colors dark

blue and red,

and even some gray,

dark and forlorn,

as if remembering a lost love.

Douglas Polk

vacuum

toys and balls,

the vacuum,

bullies,

snatching up the littler toys,

blackmail used,

the toys and balls,

forced outside.

Douglas Polk

mesas

mesas in the morning,

a sight to behold,

watching over the plains,

and the cattle,

searching for buffalo.

Douglas Polk

Insanity

insanity reigns,

reality not real,

a servant to the masters,

the elites across the world.

Douglas Polk

edge of town

on the edge of town,

a gate into the country,

wild land,

where no roads exist,

I long the freedom,

beyond the fence,

but uncertain of what I would find.

Douglas Polk

ghost dance

ghost dance,

watch them dance,

spirits,

\moving with the rhythm of the drums.

Douglas Polk

winter

quiet the tractor,

on this cold winter day,

no hay to cut,

or cattle to feed,

Spring along ways away.

Douglas Polk

on pink

plants or animals,

I can not tell,

crawling or growing on the page,

beautiful in either case.

Douglas Polk

the ritual

right or wrong,

we may never know,

originality evolves into sameness,

the ritual.

Douglas Polk

forgiveness

forgiveness asked,

on bent knee,

understanding,

the view different,

on bent knees.

Douglas Polk

Images

images in the mirror,

three sides of me,

ugly,

selfish,

and scared.

Douglas Polk

a grove of trees

a grove of trees by the pond's edge,

crows in the trees,

a convention,

loud and argumentative,

breaking the peacefully quiet,

of the northern plains.

Douglas Polk

the park

man-made waterways flow through the park,

almost too perfect,

the way the water flows,

a sacred place,

where Heaven glimpsed.

Snake

always the villain,

the snake, now in white,

a knight,

or a hero,

banishing the dark night.

Douglas Polk

rocks along the river

rocks high above the river,

coursing through hills of sand,

beautiful,

an oasis in a desert of grass and sand.

Douglas Polk

The Platte in Autumn

\

the Platte in Autumn,

quiet and forlorn,

gone are the cranes of Spring,

the harsh winter approaches,

animals hurry to ready themselves for winter,

along the Platte in Autumn.

Douglas Polk

Cranes on the River Platte

cranes erupt into the air from the river Platte,

hundreds or thousands,

a din of sound and movement,

awakening the sleepy river valley,

in rural Nebraska.

Douglas Polk

Milky Sky

a milky sky,

but no real clouds in sight,

only the makings of clouds,

scattered across the horizon.

Douglas Polk

sunflowers

sunflowers reflecting the bright summer time sun,

short lived,

but full of life and color,

a metaphor for life.

Douglas Polk

Magical

magical beings dance upon the page,

playing tag, and other childhood games,

the summer sun lasting forever,

on the bright and colorful page.

Douglas Polk

Pond Reflections

reflections in the water,

so real,

in a dreamy sort of way,

letting us see ourselves and our world,

in an underside down sort of way.

Douglas Polk

A lighthouse

a lighthouse in the park,

once majestic,

now overgrown by the trees,

still lovely,

in all seasons,

a beacon of beauty.

Douglas Polk

a background of red

flowers or berries,

on a background of red,

is it red soil,

or bricks beneath the flowers,

an old path overgrown.

the answer unknown,

unless certain paths tread.

Douglas Polk

flowers

flowers in a field,

looking as if they were arranged,

in a bowl,

beautiful and natural,

appealing to the eye.

Douglas Polk

Flat Top

South of Oshkosh,

with snow and rain,

flat top,

a mesa,

or canyon,

of Oregon Trail fame.

Douglas Polk

The Bridge

Once a bridge spanned the river,

in this very place,

and very time,

now gone,

only existing in the mind,

and in time,

long ago.

Douglas Polk

Trees by the River

Trees by the river,

on the way to our home place,

no longer home,

but always home in the soul.

Douglas Polk

Patches

Patches of colors,

reminding of circus days,

and cotton candy,

messy but good.

Douglas Polk

My World

My world seen on a medical monitor,

a seizure recorded and published,

full of plot twist and turns,

keeping us on the edge of our seats.