Thank you to the 2019 Marin County Fair for awarding the following haiku Best in Class for Moonscapes Haiku:
Bovine in Orbit
Many moons ago
during lunar bovine flight
ate moon pies. No fork.
Summer is in the Air
The sun is out. It’s time to play.
Come out! Come out!
Summer’s here today!
The flowers and trees are in full bloom.
Vacation time means there’s more room
for endless hours of rest and relaxation,
or perhaps, a new hobby’s dedication.
From coast to coast the children play,
splashing in swimming pools all the day.
Frolicking down spiraling water slides,
their smiling faces impossible to hide.
Families flock frequently to county fairs,
dining on delicious fried delicacies there.
Brave souls bound aboard the carnival rides,
around and around, upside down they fly!
People lounge around for picnics in parks,
eating vast amounts of ice cream to start
fending off the summertime sweltering heat
with a traditional something so sweet.
Summertime is in the air,
and you can do whatever you dare!
The Spaces that Whisper Home
I gaze out my balcony at terra cotta tiles
underneath the watchful stance of Orion.
I reminisce with a smile,
for these are the same style
as my grandparents’ house
thousands of miles away in Germany.
By the waterfront I oft arrive to roam,
watching the ferries as they float home
down the river flowing out to the sea.
There, the seagulls cry out to remind me
of childhood days spent on Galveston beach.
Here it is as if these spaces that whisper home
were just within my reach.
Our people passionately parade
down her pavement during all seasons
whether to protest, rejoice, or remember.
They dance in dazzling costumes with puppetry,
creating visions that transport me
to the joyous season of Mardi Gras
in my early Louisiana years.
Out on swamps of Mare Island,
where her shores are kissed by the bay,
you might find me wandering some day
around the ruins of the Naval base
across rusted railroad tracks
whose train whistles
are now only the songs of ghosts
dancing down dusty dirt trail ways
that wind through prairie grass
as I did in my Oklahoma youth.
Down at the Townhouse jams the band,
joining together in harmony,
weaving community together with a song,
as the melodies of camaraderie
burst forth out onto the street,
sparking memories so sweet
when the crowd sings along
to folk and country songs
just like at my synagogue
in the shadow of Mt. Tam.
For between the roar of cheering crowds
who might by chance hear some verse
in these calm moments I have found
that this space rekindles my heart,
whispering tales of the days of yore,
feeling as familiar in my soul
as each place that has come before,
and I know that I am home.
Like her flocks of migrating birds,
Vallejo,
Vallejo,
long may she soar!
The artwork and poetry will be on display at the McCune during the summer. The exhibit features work by several different local poets and artists.
I wrote this poem for Why Poetry? the Joel Fallon Scholarship Fundraiser, and performed it on April 24, 2019 in Benicia, California.
Our Celestial Dance
Art is the sunshine
that nourishes our souls,
breathing wonder into the mundane.
Poetry is our home planet,
birthing a thousand moons
that orbit in a celestial dance,
and we are the stars,
lighting up the universe
one flicker at a time,
collectively burning
messages of hope and awe
into the darkness of midnight
to last for eternity
long after our own light fades.
I lead the gathering at the 2019 Vallejo Women’s March Summit “Women Building Vallejo” in a call and response invocation where those gathered said “We March!” each time it appears in the piece.
These are the 10 stanzas I decided to use out of what was a 36 stanza poem. I’ll put the rest in a future book. It was an honor and a pleasure to be among so many powerful women.
A Blessing for the Women Who Pray
With Their Feet
by D.L. Lang, Vallejo Poet Laureate
It has gotten so tough
that we mothers, sisters, daughters and wives,
have declared, “Enough!”
And so we rise to march against the lies,
for we are the women who pray with our feet.
We will cling to hope, and never see defeat!
Until all hatred vanishes from this world,
so that all women are treated with respect
no matter her class or age,
religion or orientation, national origin or race,
we march!
We women of every faith and every color
from every nation regardless of station
stand together, crying out against this hatred.
While some seek to roll back the clock,
we know there is a better world to be unlocked!
Until all men decide to join with us in solidarity
like those sweet souls who have joined us here today,
recognizing that every human being
deserves respect and full equality,
not only on paper, but in practice,
we march!
We will build our world on love and justice,
and ladies, now is the time,
for us all to vote, to work, and to pray
for the dawning of this new day!
Until all women are safe from violence,
so that a woman can exist in any space without fear,
we march!
May the loving energy we feel
as our voices ring out in unison
bring forth our highest self,
may it envelope all of our sisters and brothers
who have gathered here
and echo outwards towards
those who were unable to join us.
Until no woman goes to bed
feeling thirsty nor hungry,
nor remains homeless in this or any country,
and healthcare is a necessity guaranteed to all,
we march!
For all these reasons and so many more,
we gather here as sisters
like our brave foremothers did before us
envisioning a brighter future
that we will build for her!
May every step we have taken today
bring us one step closer to that day!
May this divine energy flowing among us
grant us the strength to move forward
without fear,
to keep working towards a better world
that we know will appear,
and until then,
we march!
***********
I wrote these and performed them at Voices of the Season at the McCune in the JFK Library, and Hanukkah & Hilarity, respectively.
Voices of the Season
We are but a handful of voices this season
among a sparkling chorus of many reasons
to add a little more light to the winter chill,
spreading peace and love to ease the world’s ills.
For all the many traditional reasons
we choose to come together this season
may all our days be joyous and our blessings grow,
no matter how cold these winter winds blow.
Hanukkiah Lighting
Across the world homes are aglow
as candles flicker in their windows.
They shine out onto the streets,
welcoming every passerby,
as we dine on doughnuts and other treats,
proudly declaring we’ve survived.
We gather in evening twilight
to kindle our sacred lights.
We spark these joyful moments
connecting us to ancient times.
In dark times we ignite our light
whilst raising up a future so bright.
We do so for our ancestors’ dreams
who fought to live Jewish and free.
The warmth of our holy community
brings us all together in unity.
May we all leave this place
with hearts aglow and a smiling face.
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