Gay poet Roger N. Taber on guiding readers, inspirational conversations and working in a library

THE ZEN OF SPRING CLEANING or

PICKING UP, DUSTING DOWN, STARTING OVER

Love, more than a word
to tide us over,
but a window on a world
running for cover

Left, a trail of broken ties
comprising loose ends
pointing to familiar places
and old friends

Time, but hands on a clock
we mistake for real,
blaming the vagaries of luck
on a turn of its wheel

Word and world in danger,
(bad dreams on cue);
a raging at impotent anger
ever clouding our view

Nature, an ever ready Here
and Now, expecting us
to go for it, serve it better
than lost opportunities

Humanity, in the business
of excusing, learning
history's worst mistakes,
for spring cleaning

Life, ever picking itself up,
dusting itself down,
recovering nature's cup
of fresh spring rain

Copyright R. N. Taber 2005; 2016

LOVE, OPEN ALL HOURS

The day you died,
I tossed my heart in your wake,
could but weep
for its loss, letting mine break…
Why you had gone,
no one thought to confide
as I watched you into the sunset
on a pale horse ride

Where had you gone?
I fiercely rejected all speculation
for believing
in a custom made hell or heaven;
the last words I heard you say
were on living this life to the full
as yours passed away like sunshine
come nightfall

I looked up, saw a cloud
steal your sweet smile just for me,
felt your kisses like rain
inspiring this poor body of mine
to live, even love again…
I watched the cloud move on
with thanks for its letting my heart
know where you had gone

Long after you died,
a new love is making vows I yearn
to return, return…
Born again, risen like the phoenix
from the same sweet smile
I’ll see in every passing cloud
where you’ll look to reassure me
it’s no betrayal

Copyright R. N. Taber 2013; 2015

A RAGE TO LIVE

While bigotry and hate thrive
among the world’s power brokers,
it’s to love, the finer rage to live

Find good people willing to give
their all to aid the survival of others
while bigotry and hate thrive

Though a terrorist ethic connive
to mock the world’s peace makers,
it’s to love, the finer rage to live

Open heart and mind ever contrive
to expose the worst attention seekers
while bigotry and hate thrive

All life-giving forces only survive
by taking on the mind-set of its takers;
it’s to love, the finer rage to live

If hope keeps Freedom’s name alive,
and does battles with all its code breakers
while bigotry and hate
it’s to love, the finer rage to live

Roger's Poems

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