I open the door, the light's pale
the morning air arrives
It rushes in causing me to inhale
as the sun clears the woods.

I take a few steps in onto the deck
and squirrels start to bark at me
I shrug my shoulders and my neck
in the shadow of the oak tree.

A young deer appears from somewhere
then stops and stares gingerly at me
then drops its head without a care.
then turns and walks almost carelessly.

He stands just a little straighter,
throws his once strong shoulders back.
He hears, "My Country Tis of Thee"
his handsome face, no longer slack.

Wounded in his defiant mind,
he was left blind upon the field.
All of him did not come home,
and his brave heart won't ever yield.

He spends silent days still fighting,
for his faceless God and country
His tired, worn wife still tends him,
she's praying, "Please come back to me."

Punching away shadows, shapes
Back were they came from, from the street
Lights smothering the Inky abyss and pockets
Above the silk black blanket
A sinister grin from a ghostly moon
that changed its shape
from a horn to a circular glow

Tree Hugger...

When I awoke, I felt so bad,
I went to hug my favorite tree.
I thought about the fears I had,
No one would fear, but me.

"Too bad", I thought I heard it say
The bark, it scratched my face
I hugged it all the tighter
As my mind began to race

I'm losing it, I really am
"Too bad", I heard it say
Are my ears deceiving me?
Have I gone all the way?