Death Makes a Ripple

          "What was that?

He's gone.

          Oh no!

Oh yes.

          I didn't know...

Couldn't you tell?

          Well, now that you mention it...

The signs were all there.

          Yes, I see them now...

Now it's too late.

          but I was busy...

Busy with what?

          rowing as fast as I could!

Aren't we all?"

and they rock gently 

in silent reflection

remembering

in sunsets and clouds

until life's waters

lie still again.

in memory of g.w.c.

Ken Owen   Van Niddy Press   July 2014

What The Wind Is Saying

Some days 

I keep the window open 

just slightly 

to give a voice to the wind

and I listen 

to the howling messages

like

      "I just came in from Hawaii---Paradise!"

or

    "Do something, anything!"

perhaps it's 

           "The people next door hate your barking dog!"

or maybe even

             "There are great atrocities out here 

               that you can't fix from your room!"

Some days

I keep the window open 

just slightly 

so I can hear what the wind has to say

but most days

all I can make out is

"What's done is done, 

come on, let's go."

Ken Owen   Van Niddy Press   July 2014

It Goes Without Saying

Ken Owen   Van Niddy Pres   July 2014

Good-Bye to Dreams

I woke myself up
kissing the dream of you
good-bye

your face in my hands
I kissed tenderly
upon those gentle lips

I woke alone
watching the image
of love drift away

an unreachable cloud
erasing itself from memory
with every blink.


Ken Owen  Van Niddy Press  July 2014

Oh Unrequited Lover

Visions new the eyes do seek
life's beauty undiscovered
to burden ease and heart to please
oh unrequited lover.

Hobbled mind and spirit torn
seek love not from another
thy gifts within let healing begin
oh unrequited lover.

As thou has loved at greatest height
in depth so shall ye suffer
with tears of pain the saddest rain
oh unrequited lover.

And as these clouds shall one day pass
tis then you shall discover
the world is love in all your view
oh unrequited lover.


inspired by the poems of Hafiz, Suffi poet, 1320-1389


Ken Owen.  Van Niddy Press.  July 2014

A Kiss at the Bottom of the Sea

He had seen visions

from the waters edge

of a beautiful siren

on distant rocks

He knew of the legend

how mermaids would swim up

to grab hold of your heart

and render you powerless

and bring you down

to the bottom of the sea

and once they kissed you

your air became water

under the blue sky ocean

where fish swim like stars

and you could never go back

to the life you knew.

To this he said simply

"then remember me fondly"

as he turned to listen

at the waters edge

to the song of love

from the beautiful mermaid

and when she reached for his heart

he gave it freely

and they drifted together

on waves of loves embrace

then with the kiss

of new beginnings

he looked up from the bottom of the sea

as ocean became his sky

and fish swam by like stars

and he knew he was where he should be.


for Danielle and Eric
June 14, 2014

Ken Owen    Van Niddy Press      June 2014

Drought in the Heartland

I hope this letter

finds you.

Since you left

long days have become

mostly quiet 
and very still.

Though I still tend barren fields 

that lie parched and waiting,

I expect no harvest

anytime soon.

On days when

great rolling storms

appear without warning

and block out the sun,

I draw the shades
and hide inside

from the howling wind

that rattles the windows.

Hope sees no reason

to visit here anymore,

but I continue to work the soil

and check the sky for clues.

It is hard to imagine you 

experiencing a drought of smiles

in these days of love's thirst,

but they say times are tough all over.

I hope things are better

where you are.

Write when you can.

Inspired by the Ken Burns film "The Dust Bowl"

Ken Owen   Van Niddy Press   June 2014