Reflections

Reflections,
White clouds upon the water,
Like first stirrings of cream in coffee,
Hard memories fade as edges blur,
Converging billowing clouds in every dimension,
From every direction,
Falling and rising,
White upon soft white
And the feel of softest down,
A pinch of sun brightens everything,
Happiness peaks from behind clouds,
Bluest blue and brighter still,
It fills the corner of my heart,
Until sadness all but disappears,
Grief to despair,
Longing to want,
Acceptance to appreciation,
And life to love again,
Past a blur,
Life a blend,
Of every pure,
And glorious end,

Peter Lowell Paulson
March 31, 2011

Withered Want

I met a homeless man today by chance,
Who had a hapless life and circumstance,
The morning’s sun not risen all was dark,
A cold wind blew and atmosphere was stark,

A café near and those who were within,
Were rapt in thought as this day would begin,
And little mind to this poor soul outside,
Few moments shared in what he would confide.

He asked if he could share his soulful song,
I let him draw me in I saw no wrong,
What wariness I felt would fall away,
I heard this city’s angel voice today.

But darker angels held this soul as well,
The poorer side of life to him befell,
What meaning could I draw for us to meet,
This lonely man and I on city street.

I knew a couple dollars was the fare,
For song and story that the man would share,
But ghosts will hither haunt my inner mind,
Until there’s withered want for all mankind.

Peter Lowell Paulson

March 26, 2011

Twenty Steps to Heaven

Twenty steps to heaven,

From first floor to basement door,

Of my building,

Into the cement stairwell,

Which nobody ever uses,

They all go through the front door,

But I, in my secret catacomb,

Alone in my day,

I can see people walking to their cars,

But they don’t see me,

I enjoy a cigarette here,

Untethered, unfettered,

I hear rain high above on the canvas awning,

Peaceful,

A few snowflakes make it through a couple of tears,

Brown leaves fly in settling in the corners,

Of the cement steps,

In the summer I share my space,

With a couple of wasps building-

Their adobe huts on the warm brick wall,

And that’s all,

They must like it too,

Nobody ever comes here to bother us.

In five minutes I ascend to the real world,

Business, commerce, people,

But I’ll be back,

I’ll be back.


Peter Lowell Paulson

March 23, 2011

I Dislike Computer Hackers

I dislike computer hackers,
They are nothing more than slackers,
In my dream I saw them greeting,
One another at their meeting.

They were just as you’d expect them,
And they even had a system,
Meeting them was my intention,
At their annual convention,

Saw the registration table,
To sign in and get my label,
And to give my information,
Name, address, resident nation.

They just laughed for in their glory,
Knew my background every story,
Back to my birthday’s creation,
Up to present occupation.

So I came to the conclusion,
They were worse for their intrusion,
But I will shout from every steeple,
What I learned about these people.

They sit around in footed jammies,
Cry all day, “We want our mammies,”
They wet their pants and suck their thumbs,
Crawl on the floor; eat table crumbs.

Now you have the true rendition,
Of these nerds and their condition,
And all I need is a collection,
Of up-to-date hardware protection.

Peter Lowell Paulson

March 22, 2011

My Vizsla - Sonnet VII

Fleet of foot through frosty field he flies,
All slender, sleek and silky this fine hound,
And with his reddish coat he’s stately gowned,
Contrasts with somber grays the cloud filled skies,
The race is on toward his avian prize,
His nose in rapid movement near the ground,
The ears a constant sensor hears a sound,
As he besets to point the prey that shies,
Our daily walks along the river run,
Are not for pheasant, dove or coveyed quail,
What fonder way to find the morning’s start,
To see his joy with every dawning sun,
As we traverse together on this trail,
This friend and I have found a common heart.

Peter Lowell Paulson
March 21, 2011

Elijah's Baptism Day

Three infants born this year are all of Grandma’s pride and joy,
And Grandpa is all busting buttons for each one a boy,
We have an older Grandson, who has turned the age of five,
He is the leader of this crew and loves to watch them thrive.

And on this Sunday family will meet upon this date,
The youngest will be baptized to our God we’ll dedicate-
His life to further learning of the sweet and gentle ways,
Of Jesus Christ our Savior who will watch him all his days.

Each one the grandsons all were Christened; each a special time,
Their loving parents held their infants with a love sublime,
And in the church before their God they stated here and now,
That their young son would learn the faith and each professed this vow.

And afterward we’ll celebrate the son, husband and wife,
For on this day and forward they have entered a great life,
How rich the family in love and faith will always be,
True bound by love from Heaven and for all eternity.

Peter Lowell Paulson
March 18, 2011

My Micropachycephalogsaurus

Once I asked my grandson Horace,

What is your favorite dinosaurus,

He stated his familiar chorus,

It’s Micropachycephalosaurus,

My Micropachycephalosaurus,

No spine-backed thing like Stegosaurus,

Or razor-toothed Tyrannosaurus

That's Micropachycephalosaurus,

Yes, Micropachycephalosaurus,

He's not a bull or Latin Taurus,

He has no horn; he will not gore us,

And Micropachycephalosaurus,

He would not hide or ever store us,

Because he's kind and always for us,

Now Micropachycephalosaurus,

If he told jokes he’d always floor us,

And keep us laughing; never bore us,

Oh, Micropachycephalosaurus,

If we love him then he’ll adore us,

So one more time we’ll sing the chorus,

For Micropachycephalosaurus.


Peter Lowell Paulson

March 15, 2011

Mountain Moments

Your shimmering, glimmering lights shine,
On mountain top we watch in wonder,
Holding hands we see your city far above,
And far away from the care of it all,
Only the candle light illumines our world,
But it’s enough,
Tonight you are mine, and I am yours,
Seizing, savoring,
Moments turn into minutes,
Can I hold you one small hour?
Is that to much to ask?
Your city pulls,
Calling us back,
Down from the mountain top,
Away from this world we both love,
Sit with me, watch with me, wait with me,
I want you,
Hold me for just two more minutes,
Before we go,
I promise we’ll come back,
To this very spot,
And it will be ours again,
I promise you.

Peter Lowell Paulson
March 13, 2011

Blue Lights, Black Nights

Blue lights,

Black nights,

Road long,

Old song,

Miles away,

All okay,

Shadows deep,

People sleep,

Drums beat,

Warm heat,

Coffee black,

Keeping track,

All alone,

Basses drone,

Thoughts adrift,

On they sift,

Moving on,

Morning dawn,

Onward roam,

Search for home.


Peter Lowell Paulson

March 12, 2011

We Fell in Love - Sonnet VI

Where does love come from so I must say
To you the words my heart wishes to send,
I want you for a lover not a friend,
Be loving and then civil when we lay-
Together as our bodies start to blend,
And afterwards our gazes will now tend,
To view each other in this different way,
A horror fleets through the mind this just a jaunt,
And all the childhood virtue parents warn,
But yearning for desire from stars above,
These feelings in the heart begin to haunt,
The sun plays on your smiling face this morn,
A smile returned; we kiss, We fell in love.

Peter Lowell Paulson
March 11, 2011

Pharmacopeia

I have a pill that thins my blood,
Or in my veins it’s much like mud,
Another keeps it much less sweet,
So I can keep my sight and feet,
And still one more so pressure’s low,
The heart within my chest won’t blow,
A script so I don’t huff and puff,
So far the dosage strong enough,
Another tablet keeps me calm,
Now spouse’s tirades seem like balm,
A capsule helps the waste to flow,
I double that when it’s too slow,
A curious med I take in course,
It keeps me whizzing like a horse,
Elective pill it’s color blue,
Makes bedroom rapture just like new,
When we should meet I have this look,
A walking pharmaceutical book.

Peter Lowell Paulson
March 9, 2011

The Beach II

White whorl of petals whirling in the sunlight,

Yellow center like the sun,

Grasses blowing, blurring my vision

As I stare at the horizon,


Blue ocean and blue sky,

As far as the eye can see,

White clouds billow and change,

Forms and faces appear and disappear,


Warm sand and soft cool breezes,

Toes touching textures

Of watery pebbles sand and shell,

And endless waves, endless waves.



Peter Lowell Paulson

March 8, 2011

Shadow World

Young boy,
Beautiful child,
Innocent smile,
Quiet playing in the water by the lakeside,
That image of you is etched in my memory,
You still have that innocence,
You still have that smile,
Great sense of humor,
You love people,
But you are lost,
Living in your shadow world,
As if it is a world of light,
Everyone has a shadow world to some degree,
No shame in that, nor should there be,
God made you,
You are good, so good,
But you also have a world of light inside you,
Live in that world,
Help others to live in that world,
You could,
Open up your light world,
Let that light shine,
You have so much light to share,
Beautiful child,
Shine your light and the shadow world will creep away,
To where it belongs,
Overshadowed, lessened, and diminished.
Bring back the light world inside of you,
It will make you happy,
Like the birthday candles when you were three,
Past, present and future,
Those three you never blow out,
Young man,
Middle aged man,
Old man,
Innocent smile,
Find true self,
And live.

Peter Lowell Paulson

March 7, 2011

The Waterfall

Tumbling, tumbling waterfall into the pool below,
Rumbling, rumbling, froth and foam the water splashing so,
From high above red granite walls hold firm the mountain core,
Green emerald flora frame the scene from base to heaven soar.

Long ago the rains that fell in forests yet unseen,
Fall through the branches to the ground and all the rocks between,
A thousand tributes now converge to rivers on its way,
No force of nature could withhold this beauteous sight at bay.

And to the waterfall it moves a thundering clamorous roar,
And fills the granite gorge it over flows can take no more,
The crystal current clamors on toward final sacrifice,
Spills o’er the top descending now to visual paradise.

And now the sun above has reached below to add its rays,
To wrap it with a rainbow all its colors now ablaze,
The pool below with calm collects the wonder of it all.
The tumbling, rumbling, froth and foam from nature’s waterfall.

Peter Lowell Paulson

March 3, 2011

The Beach

Red passioned dawn,

Vibrant light explodes,

Above the mists of morning,

Bronze beauty on blond beach,

A soft moment with you,

A kind memory to keep,

Wishing does not make it last longer,

So we enjoy it,

Savory it,

And smile.


Peter Lowell Paulson
March 2, 2011