Today

It is not

A blank piece of paper

Nor do I wish it to be

My past

Calls out my future

I have no need

For a clean slate

A new beginning

I do want

To see

To think

To be brave

Allowing truth

To guide

©Thomas Bergum 2017

Before The Clutter

The dawn is when

My thoughts are clear

Introspection

Or way out there

A voice within

Has things to say

Before the clutter

Of the day

©Thomas Bergum 2017

I Am A Farmer

I am a farmer

I cast seeds

Of thought

Scattered freely

By the winds of whim

They are fed

By sun

And moon

And sentences appear

Some rooted

In reality

Others

Mirthfully propagate

When harvested

Fresh morsels of delight

Or

Mushy tubers

Best kept out of sight

©Thomas Bergum 2017

Exile

I am in exile

Removed from activity

My walls

Hold solitude

And when

I accept

My place

And when

I breathe deeply

Settling into

This reality

I am able

To find my way home

© Thomas Bergum 2017

Halloween

I need a break

From the horrors of life

Give me a dark night

With wandering goblins

Ghouls passing by

Blood stained children

Mutilated multitudes

Pounding at my door

©Thomas Bergum 2017

Heaven In My Arms

The cosmos

Holds the all of things

The sights

That we have never seen

Massive mounds

Of spheres

And stars

Galaxies

Galore abound

We in perspective

Grains of sand

Our time on earth

Just a note

But wonders come

From great

And small

So when I hold

An infant

Sweet

My arms enfold

All galaxies

The cosmos

Comes so tenderly

Heaven in my arms

©Thomas Bergum 2017

Nighttime Dreams

Dreams are a swirl

Of heaven

And earth

Of hopes

And fears

Deep heart desires

And incidental sights

They rule our journey

Of the night

Sometimes they reappear

In the light

But shadowy

They must be

A message

We should heed

Or bedtime food

We should not eat

©Thomas Bergum 2017

On This Earthly Walk

If I smoked

I would have a cigarette in my mouth

Now

Shaking my head

And muttering

Bleak

Disillusioned

Jaded

Detached

And

Staring  

At

A

Great Abyss

Then

It

Passes

Like a vapor

I am thankful

I have hope

And believe

There is meaning

To be found

On this earthly walk

© Thomas Bergum

No Fry List

No Fry List

A few days ago

I went to the grocery store

Just to pick up items for a quick supper

As I was wheeling my menu to check out

A person who identified themselves as a dietitian

Gave me unsolicited feedback

Don’t eat the food you have in your cart

Leaving the store two FBI (Federal Bureau of Ingestion) agents

Questioned me

What was I going to do with the food in my cart

Meanwhile my ice cream melted

The T.V. dinner thawed

And gulls flew away with my Pop Tarts

The next day ATF (Appropriate Timely Food) Agents came with a search warrant

They left with six large garbage bags

My pantry and fridge were empty

Yesterday I received a notice

I am now on the No Fry List

© Thomas Bergum 2017

I Like Short Poems

Due to a personal condition

I can only write short poems

More than 20 lines

And I forget

What I was writing about

Sadly

I also am limited to reading

Short stories

And yes

Short poems

College text books

Were taxing

Lectures

Brought lethargy

Shorthand is better

Than long hand

It is a given that I always draw

The short straw

So I am the master of the unwanted task

And made my living as a short term sub

©Thomas Bergum 2017

Live In The Wonder

As I was holding my infant
Grand daughter

A truth entertained me

This is a wonderful

Horrible world

How can this world be both

I asked

It is large enough to hold everything

Was their reply

But I don’t want the world

To be such a place

Then live in the wonder

But what of the dark

And hideous side

“The light shines in the darkness

And the darkness has not overcome it” (Jn. 1:5 NIV)

Was their reply

© Thomas Bergum 2017

Upside Down Living

To find significance

One needs to know

One’s position

Insignificance

If you did not exist

The world would be just fine

Now that you accept

Such a truth

You can get on

With your life

And make a difference

© Thomas Bergum 2017

Don't Do This

I am watching

A national report

Regarding Hurricane Irma

Reporters out in pelting rain

Furious winds

They are telling people

Stay inside

It is too dangerous

With debris flying

Why are they out

When trees are falling

And 2X4’s have wings

My mother warned me

About people

Who say one thing and do

Another

“Stay away from them”

I turned the TV off

© Thomas Bergum 2017

  

Freedom

Freedom is found in the wind

Let it carry you where it may

When it is calm be patient

Do not fear when you are swept away

With people and places coming

You have never known before

Confusion can be common

When nothing is the same

You need not be light hearted

But filled with self delays

So gently you may find it

You scarcely realize

It’s taken you to places

It’s loosened where you were bound

I know not where it comes from

Nor where it will bring me to

But it fills my life with purpose

And has led me to You

©Thomas Bergum 2017

Faith and Science

Faith and Science

Two titans

Both have been around

Since mankind’s first question

They seemed to get along just fine

Until religion was threatened

I don’t see them as adversaries

To me they are wondering siblings

Exploring the world

Looking to the heavens

Wanting to know how things fit together

Questions fuel both of them

They are not rivals as many claim

Just wondering children

Wanting to understand their world

© Thomas Bergum 2017

This Is My World

This is my world

Four in the morning

A cat on my lap

Soaking in every tender stroke

The world rages; wars, floods, famines

I drink my coffee

And wait for my granddaughter to wake

My Facebook page would be dusty if it were real

No one has liked me in a month

I am a nothing to the world

But yesterday a two year old

Sat with me on a swing

The sun warm

A gentle breeze

Rabbits, squirrels and birds

Busy in the yard

This is my world

© Thomas Bergum 2017

   

Pride Comes Before The Fall

I was told by my son

D.C. people

On the street

Are not engaging

Our first visit

My first walk to the Metro

People smiled

Nodded

And greeted me

Yes there were some

Mumbles

Blank stares

And Turned heads

But

People were seeing me

I told myself

I am the exception

My simile is very engaging

Then a woman said to me

Your zipper is down

© Thomas Bergum 2017

If I Were A Brain Surgeon

If I Were A Brain Surgeon

Decisive

My bright blue eyes

Speak of kindness

Competence

Wisdom

I speak

In a soft sure voice

Explaining facts

With compassion

And care

It will be a demanding operation

But I’ve done it before

With great success

Trust these hands

To help your body

Have health again

I have all the makings

To be a great brain surgeon

If only I had the brain for it

© Thomas Bergum 2017

The Walk

The walk

From farm to outside world

Sun warm

Dust rising from my boots

This daily venture

With blue sky

Gentle breeze

Birds busy near the pond

And me

Slowly

Leaving the world of simple labor

To get a greeting

From my city home

I’ve not been back for 40 years

Yet that walk with sight and sound

Lies secure in my heart

Now I leave the city

To walk back

To those sweet

Simple

Days of labor

In the sun

And the faces from the past

All long gone

Greet me

And pour into my heart

The memories full of love

© Thomas Bergum 2017

Dogma

Dogma

Man’s best friend

A comfortable relationship

That is time consuming

Defending

Reworking

Purifying

One’s precious beliefs

Impeccably tailored

Allowing one

To pity those

Shabby souls

Who are lost

© Thomas Bergum 2017

An Unconventional Truth

Have you ever wondered

Been struck by a thought

Something that comes from an unfamiliar place

If it appears to be upside down thinking

Please don’t dismiss it quickly

It could be an unconventional truth

When they come

Allow it time to soak in

Germinate

No rush needed

Be a kid

Play with it

You need not be serious

Allow it to eat

Nap

And be nurtured

It will grow

Mature

If it is worthy

For you to act it out

© Thomas Bergum 2017

A Tribute

He walked with determination

Right arm moving with his swaying body

Connected but not aiding in the effort

Right leg stiff and mechanical

Inefficiently working

I assume a daily walker

Early riser like myself

His body disabled

Never to be the same

But such a spirit

Moving foreword

Greeting another day

© Thomas Bergum2017

Bemoan This Generation

The lazy youth

Secure in self seeking pleasures

It’s said they have no heart for work

Just selfish thoughts and lounging ways

All you scoffers do this one thing

Rise before the morning dawn

Drive to the Dunkin’ Donuts den

And enter for coffee hot

Observe the efficient efforts flow

As three young works weave and move

Providing elder generations droves

To coffee and assorted rolls

They, who not stepping from their car

Expect a service fast no flaw

Now tell me who the self seekers be

The youth but paid a nominal fee

Or the elders wrapped in a cushioned seat

Whisked off in comfort to a job

That pays more in one day

Then Dunkin’ Kids do in two weeks

© Thomas Bergum 2017

Where In The World Is It Going

Where in the world is it going

Some say to darker and darker places

As evil spreads enveloping more and more hearts

The dark deeds of humankind seep into the soil

Crops of hate and greed grow without restraint

The battle will not be won

The earth’s corruption and end shall come

Or shall that light which seems so weak

Pierce the darkest days to come

And gentle kindness acts of love

Defeat the reign secure and sure

I know that light

Its warmth

Its grace

It saved this soul

From darkest day

And so I say

The day will come

The earth renewed

And evil gone

© Thomas Bergum 2017

Waiting For Eloise

Of all the people in my life

You fill a place with wonder light

Due to the miles apart

Our meetings planned are far between

As days are counted until we meet

I think of our last retreat

The silly words I shared with you

Your smile and laughter in return

The games we played and stories told

Our snacks and walks while seeing earth

Through your young eyes with wondering light

©2017 Thomas Bergum

The Mourning Light

We are lowly

No success can cover

The truth about us

We are needy

No wealth can conceal

Our poverty

But in the mourning light

Our soul can find

Its place

In Thee

©Thomas Bergum 2017

Obituary

Mr. Poet died yesterday as a result of a flood

He had been suffering from writer’s block for several years

It appears in the middle of the night the block gave way

As he was immersed in a torrent of words

Unable to deal with the deluge Mr. Poet was overcome

Dying doing the thing he loved

He is survived by the many love poems to his wife

The humorous poems about his children

And the many sonnets about his sisters

©2017 Thomas Bergum  

Splendorous Failure

The splendorous failure

Opened my heart

To God’s grace

The darkest moment

Shed light

On the divine conspiracy

I was captured

By love

And set free

For upside down living

Says lose one’s life

To find

Wonder

Beauty

Is just the beginning

©2017 Thomas Bergum

My Nudist Club

Never would I have imagined that after retirement

 I would be a member of a nudist club

Spending time with people

Who I have never seen clothed is odd

Let’s be clear here

 Lest my wife ground me

It is a men’s only club

Many are quite modest

 While others are completely comfortable

Lounging

 Loitering

 Parading

I have become skilled in averting my eyes

I’m one of the modest guys

I have found immodesty crosses

All ages

Cultures

Physiques  

There is no way to predict how a person will act                                                                                           

 While in the buff

Some with such dignified faces

 Are the most outlandish nudists

It is the price one pays

Sharing a locker room with others

©2017 Thomas Bergum

No Poem

No paper

Just letting the wind clear my mind

Taking in the world without intent

Listening to just hear

Allowing the beauty of nature to sink in

Let it marinate my flesh

Breathing in the wild aroma

While lying on a carpet of flowers

 That was yesterday

Today I must document my experience

A no poem

Poem

©2017 Thomas Bergum

Gears

I think I have a six speed

Poetry transmission

When I awake

I find out what gear

I’m in

Lark

Witty

Funny

Wonder

Love

Beauty

Soul

Oh I have a seven speed transmission

When I awake tomorrow

I may find my eight gear

©2017 Thomas Bergum

Solid Me

I have a long list

Of do’s and don’ts

But as time paraded

My list has been painted over

With broad strokes of love

This has been my salvation

And the soil for my growth

I am not a towering figure

But just a solid me

©2017 Thomas Bergum

Circular

Circular

I am a mystery to myself

Physically our bodies are truly a wonder

But I am talking about my emotions

I’m not an emotional rollercoaster

But I have ups and downs

I subscribe to the belief that we first think

Then we feel

So feelings don’t just happen

The mystery for me

Is how my feelings then affect my thinking

The very thought makes me dizzy

©2017 Thomas Bergum

Creative Love

Creative Love

The woods awake my senses

The wilderness feeds my wonder

As ancient truths are whispered

In the untouched forest

No cosmic message that dwarfs me

But the story of creative love

©2017 Thomas Bergum

The Heart Of Life

Take time to observe

The commonplace

What we see everyday

Is not mundane

For it is the core

The very heart of life

To ignore

What we see as superficial

Steals away

The depth of our existence

©2017 Thomas Bergum

Carnage

Last night we had our first bear attack

Sadly there will be more

The attack occurred next to our house

We live at the edge of a northern conifer forest

The two victims were brought to our home

It is the triage site

Spring

Summer

And fall

One never gets used to

Mangled parts

Such trauma

Will never be common place

Happily the injuries we not life threatening

With a precautionary step

Such a mauling  would never occur

Just take the bird feeders

Inside for the night

©2017 Thomas Bergum

Golf

I enjoy golfing

Some people say they do

But watching them play

Looks painful

Disappointment

Frustration

Emotions boil over

Profanity and clubs may fly

My secret

Is to play golf

Like I live life

Do my best

Laugh about my poor shots

Marvel about my good ones

And enjoy the walk

©2017 Thomas Bergum

Unconventional Wisdom

I sometimes wonder about

Conventional wisdom

Work hard and reach for the stars

Has never worked for me

I have found such advice

To bring discouragement and dissatisfaction

For me maybe

Aim low and be surprised

Is more my style

©2017 Thomas Bergum

Diary

Diary

Words for only me to read

They need not make sense to others

For the audience is me

My words on paper

A mirror

The image present

May reflect the past

Or perhaps a future

Pleasant dreams or fears

The pages

A collection of the years

©2016 Thomas Bergum

Quandary

Quandary

I often come across things that puzzle me

This is common place due to my brain power

You see I don’t always hit on all 3 cylinders

That’s right I’ve only got 3 cylinders of brain power

Before you start feeling sorry for me allow me to point out

Such a small brain has its advantages

No one wants to ride share on my ideas

I’ve never been challenged to a brain race

Simple engines usually have fewer problems

And I get good mpg’s so my grocery bills are lower

The down side is often being puzzled

For example I notice a bumper sticker the other day

SAY NO TO NEGATIVITY

My engine froze up

I simply was at a standstill

Luckily my wife is only a phone call away

She towed me home

©2017 Thomas Bergum

I Rescue Worms

I’ve noticed in the past few years

A growing compassion for all creatures

It really started a good 10 years ago

That is when I started rescuing earthworms

Those hermaphroditic heroes of composting

Foolishly get stranded on asphalt surfaces

After it rains

When crossing

Roads

Parking lots

Playgrounds

Cement sidewalks

Well you get the picture

I pick up worms

And place them back into the grass

It does pain me

Whenever I discover

A worm’s dehydrated carcass

If only I had gotten there sooner

But I realize that

I can do only so much

I’m not God

I’m just the weird guy

Who you see

Doing something odd

In the parking lot

©2017 Thomas Bergum

Seriously

Seriously I’m joking

Look at my face

Look at my eyes

I’m just joking

You may not know me

Well enough

But I am a master

Of Sincere

Joking

No malice intended

I just find joy

In being playful

If I’ve offended

It was not intended

I just enjoy life

On the lighter side

I can be stern

I can be serious

There is a time

For that

But I rather

Be playful

And find

The humor

In my life

©2017 Thomas Bergum

Life Sentence

May 14, 1977

I stood up to hear the verdict

A large crowd was in the gallery

Some teary eyed as it was announced

I am 40 years into a life sentence

At the age of 27 I did something

That has forever changed my life

Granted I was young and rather foolish

Not considering the consequences

It may be hard for you to understand

But it was for the best to be locked up

You see

The warden

Has stuck by me

Helping me figure out the system

Helping me to grow in hard times

Tragic times

And sharing

The many good times

40 years in

I am looking

Forward to many more

You see

The warden

Is my wife

Happy Anniversary Diane

©2017 Thomas Bergum

Mindfulness

I have a mind of its own

It seems to wander at will

Taking me to places

That I’ve never been before

So for me life is an adventure

When I wake

I never know where I will end up

Thankfully my mind

Very seldom goes to dark places

It prefers

Sunshine

Beauty

And laughter

© 2017 Thomas Bergum

Lens Of Love

If I measure

All that comes

My way

Through self convenience

I will often be

Annoyed

Critical

And Put out

If the measure is

Through the lens of love

I will see opportunities

And be enriched in the giving of self

©2017 Thomas Bergum

Mom

You left this earth

Too soon

Yet filled your children

With all

We needed to succeed

Not just with skills

But tender hearts

To give

To share

To love

© 2017 Thomas Bergum

Exposed

Vulnerable

A position all creatures share

Some lay exposed

Unaware of their position

A step away from disaster

I feel secure

Bound by defenses

Yet in reality

In a moment

I tool lay exposed

©2017 Thomas Bergum 

Full Of Self

There is plenty of arrogance in this world

Heaping praise upon one’s own plate

Relishing the sweet attention

Savoring the taste of the entourage

Gourmet clothing

Flaunting the desserts of success

The very thought turns my stomach

I prefer small portions of humble pie

©2017 Thomas Bergum

Perennial

Perennial

The winter nearly killed you

Bundled under layers

The cold still penetrated

Sucking the life

Right out of you

You look like a corpse

To me you are a miracle

For I know

Your color will come back

You will not only grow

You will blossom              

©2017 Thomas Bergum 

A Cold Spring Morning

A cold spring morning

Does not show much promise

But if I wear a warm winter jacket

And a hat

And gaze at the bright blue sky

I can insulate

Such chilly thoughts

And enjoy

The feelings of new birth

©2017 Thomas Bergum 

A Listening Ear

I talk to my cat

More than I do to my wife

My cat seems to like it

I know my wife does

I really don’t have anything

Important to say

That makes no difference

To my cat

She just likes

Hearing my voice

My wife

Has long ago

Tired

Of my

Screwball thoughts

I’m like a silent movie

To her

©2017 Thomas Bergum

Complaint Department

I never had many staff

At my work complaint department

Just two part time employees

Each worked ten minutes a week

So when I retired

There wasn’t a big fuss

When they were laid off

I think some people

Have rather large  

Work complaint departments

When they retire

They keep all their staff

And find new work

For them

I am sure

You have met such people

©2017 Thomas Bergum

Balm Of Gilead

An aroma

That transports

Me to my youth

Spring days

Playing in the woods

Carefree

Sunshine

Friends

Water

And saltine crackers

©2017 Thomas Bergum

Our Log

My cat and I

Have a log in the woods we share

We spend time contemplating

Life persistent questions

We have different questions

Mine are about

Relationships

Purpose

And the Kingdom of God

Hers are about

Mice        

And dogs

© 2017 Thomas Bergum

Late Afternoon

Late afternoon

The time of regret

Plans settling down for the night

Expectations dropping below the horizon

Things are cooling down

Soon I will lose my vision

And must greet those lost feelings

When doubts start creeping in

I am rescued by the stars

©2017 Thomas Bergum

Left Handed

I’m left handed

And almost everything

In this world

Is backwards for me

That’s my reason

For being

An oddball

So please don’t

Give me

A left handed

Compliment  

I’ve had my

Fill of them

©2017 Thomas Bergum 

The Lottery

I won the lottery once

In 1969

I don’t talk about it much

It may offend some

And disgust others

It was the draft lottery

I was spared going to Vietnam

Some may say I’m not a patriot

Others perhaps a coward

I would have gone

But I won

The choice to choose

©2017 Thomas Bergum 

Tell Me

If no man is an island

What is he

If you can answer that

Tell me what a woman is

©2017 Thomas Bergum

The High Bid

My wife

Wants me to work

I have skills

The ability to

Remodel homes

So I said yes dear

I’ve bid on may jobs

But never had to work

My secret

Bid high

And enjoy retirement

© 2017 Thomas Bergum

No One Knows

No one knows

I am a genius

I hide it well

It’s best

That way

No need

To meet

High expectations

©2017 Thomas Bergum

Bird Watching With A Cat

Bird watching with a cat

We both

Look

Listen

Scanning ground

Bush

And tree

We share

The same behavior

With different goals

©2017 Thomas Bergum

Moving Day

 I look around and think

How fast the time has gone

Since I put my roots into this ground

The memories are rich

Spanning decades in this place

It’s all I’ve ever known

This time

This place

The sights

The sounds

Since I put my roots into this ground

Now the time has come

I’ve said my goodbyes

We’ve packed the memories and the stories

Tenderly with tears

Recollecting all the years

Now my days are done

On this sphere

An earthly realm  

Then to a place

 I’ve not known before

And put my roots into that ground

©2017 Thomas Bergum

Aquatic Acquiescence

I have two speeds

Slow

And Slower

When I swim laps

I am surrounded

By Dolphins

Sharks

Porpoises

It’s ok

Most are young

I’m not even a fish

I liken myself to a barge

But yesterday

I was jostled

By a new wake

A woman

In her late 70’s

Skimming the water

Passes me

I have two speeds

Slower

And Slowest

©2017 Thomas Bergum

Our Work

While others moved

A mound of dirt

With wheel barrels

He moved

A mountain

While sitting

In a chair

Oh

The power

Of prayer

©2017 Thomas Bergum           

Wondering

Why do we write of love

Again

And Again

Do we hope to get it right

This time

Or is it our attempt

To understand

© 2017 Thomas Bergum

Spring Came

Spring came today

 Not sure how long she will stay

This time of year she comes and goes

As Winter pushes her away

He has overstayed his welcome

This frosty fellow of gloom

And Spring so sweet and tender

Does not demand the room

©2017 Thomas Bergum 

This Day

Retirement can bring a dulling

Of one’s days

There is no urgency

To get things done

It is an illusion

That there is time

To spare

No need to rush

But cherish each day

And fill it

With purposeful

Living

©2017 Thomas Bergum

Little Red

I have been watching

A Red Squirrel

Chase two Grey Squirrels

How can such a small creature

Terrorize animals twice its size

I know people like that

©2017 Thomas Bergum 

Taking Care Of Business

I completed a home project today

It was on my to do list for five years

Two hours of casual work

It was not technical

Nor was it costly

I just didn’t want to do it

My neighbor will celebrate

I have a toilet again

©2017 Thomas Bergum 

The Work Of Life

If I could wave a wizardly wand

And angst and pain from past would flee

Your mind could rest think leisurely

If hurts and doubts layered in your heart

Could be magically sifted out

And you would have a heart of joy

Would this be best for you

Dare I declare that who you are

A mix of gem and scree

Is who you’re meant to be

And as you mine your personhood

The pick and shovel work be done

With guidance from The One Who Loves

Your health and grown

Not just excavation

Of foreign substance rid

But the work itself

Defines your being

©2017 Thomas Bergum

Be Present

Be present with your cat

One can get preoccupied

With electronic devices

Social media can rule our lives

Communicating with people who are not present

Stealing the moments with one’s cat

Neglecting

Ignoring

Inattentive

It is a trend now days

And the consequences are devastating

Cat distemper is up by 150%

©2017 Thomas Bergum  

Heading For Trouble

I’ve been thinking

That is when my life

Took a turn for the worse

There is a saying

If you don’t think too good

Don’t think too much

Well needless to say

I didn’t take that saying to heart

It looks like I will need

To just ride out my bad decision

I figure in about a year

Things will be a little better

©2017 Thomas Bergum

Donations Requested

The museum of failed relationships

Is found in Croatia

They are looking for donations

What are you going to donate

I am sending my music book

To honor my saxophone teacher

Who crushed my hopes

At the tender age of 65

©2017 Thomas Bergum

Two Trees

A tree diverges at its base

Two trees sharing the same roots

What will their stories be

One success

One failure

Or shall they both reach the heights

©2017 Thomas Bergum

Waiting

I am waiting

For someone

To tell me

I’m valuable

It might be

A long wait

Then when it happens

I’ll will question their sincerity  

©2017 Thomas Bergum

Day Break

The sun on my face

Is there anything better

Especially at day break

Is there any other warmth that can compare

As its rays crest the horizon

Greeting all of nature

Time to sleep nocturnal world

Time to rise all creatures of this day

©2017 Thomas Bergum 

Entropy

We live with a thought

That love will always be

But in this world we’ve found

That’s contradictory

For if a place of beauty

Is left to simply be

A principle of nature

Will steal its energy

We say we fall in love

That sounds like gravity

But love will fall away

Due to entropy

If love is what you vow

To the beauty of your eye

You need to do much more

Than simply give a try

Work your heart each day

Rid self centered clods and weeds

Then tender kindness seeds release

To sprout in all your deeds

And as you toil for love

Pray they will do the same

Then love will always bloom

Again and again 

©2017 Thomas Bergum

Where Do The Word Go

Where do the words go

If I don’t put the pen to the paper

Will I find them again

Or shall they go to another

I am fearful when I have no paper

And words drop to my lap

I want to capture them

Not for fame

And certainly not for fortune

But because I can create

I must create

To make something

From a phrase

Weave it into a poem

And lay it down

As part of my life

©2017 Thomas Bergum

Entropy

We live with a thought

That love will always be

But in this world we’ve found

That’s contradictory

For if a place of beauty

Is left to simply be

A principle of nature

Will steal its energy

We say we fall in love

That sounds like gravity

But love will fall away

Due to entropy

If love is what you vow

To the beauty of your eye

You need to do much more

Than simply give a try

Work your heart each day

Rid self centered clods and weeds

Then tender kindness seeds release

To sprout in all your deeds

And as you toil for love

Pray they will do the same

Then love will always bloom

Again and again  

©2017 Thomas Bergum

I Miss You

I Miss You

I wasn’t married to my job

But I was engaged

I knew the time would come

When we would have to part

I didn’t realize how difficult it would be

I miss things I never thought I would

Your demands

Deadlines

Unreasonable expectations

Even your calls on the weekend

I loved you

But when I left

You found someone else

To take my place

© 2017 Thomas Bergum

Irritable Baloney Syndrome

Have you ever been around someone

Who confounds you

With their stories

Interpretations of events

And grand thoughts

About themselves

Just wanted to let you know

It is incurable

Morning Light

Before morning light

The earth seems to slumber

Veiled from my sight

No shadows or figures

Seen from my window

Just darkness

No light

And now this tomorrow

The earth’s never seen

Will break with the morning

As shapes and shadows

Are slowly revealed

While darkness departs

In this morning light

Waves

New waves break

On the shore

Each one changes the beach

 I have never been one

To sunbath

Or lounge in a chair

I’m more of a beachcomber

On the move

Walking

Listening

Looking for items of interest

Each wave brings in something

The little things bring variety

The big things demand attention

Some days the waves

Stirrup sediment

The past mixes with the present

It can be unsettling

But I know life

Is about solving

And resolving

Retirement doesn’t mean

The waters are always calm 

Let Go

I just got fired

From my volunteer job

It wasn’t a big surprise

I’ve been getting feedback

That I am over paid

I didn’t take it too hard

It’s not like I needed the job

Simple Man

I’m a simple man

No flash in my pan

Not missed

But remembered

Not invisible

Just transparent

People see through me

To the next item

On their to do list

I don’t really mind

No sadness for me

I like who I am

I get to be me

Vault Into Love

Could the Heart

Be a vault

Holding

Securing

The love

That comes our way

Some choose

To

Hold it

Hoard It

Hide it

Their doors rust

Very hard to open

Others choose

To

Release it

Spend it

Show it

Well oiled doors

Shift

When I was a kid

People talked about transmissions

Now people talk about transgenders

That is quite a shift

Some people see the shift

As our morals going downhill

Others see it as progress upward

Then some just double clutch

Identity is a journey we all partake

Support others with acceptance

Transmission comes from the heart

You're The Wax Beneath My Skis

 It was cold for me never moving

Never knowing a change in scenery
I was content to stay in one place

Not knowing a different life for me

Then you came and showed me what I could be

Did you know that I was a zero

The days before I met you

I never went very fast
I never went very far

You’re the wax beneath my skis

I’ve herringboned up hills slowly

While others pass with ease

At the top I’ve doubled over

Trying to suck air back in me

As the other skiers fade into the trees

Did you know that I was a zero

The days before I met you

I never went very fast
I never went very far

You’re the wax beneath my skis

Now I glide upon the snowscape

Moving with such ease

Finding joy in my travels

Seeing all that I can see

This is a real kicker for me

Did you know that I was a zero

The days before I met you

I never went very fast
I never went very far

You’re the wax beneath my skis

Ergo Ego

A low complement diet is not enough

Nor just taking care in snacking on healthy nods and winks

Drastic measures are now required

It is time to invest in die vesting 

No need to pull the plug

Just deflate

What's His Name

He did so little

 With even less

A testimonial

To his determination

Almost invisible

Yet his presence was needed

Offering a seemly insignificant gift

At just the right time

There Is Nothing Wrong

There is nothing wrong with being old

Just make sure you smell Ok

Broken

I see a landscape broken

Furrows of soil lay open

Waiting for a season

Warm Sun, seeds and rain

This land looks so peaceful

Yet violence has occurred

The sod broken

Steel Discs and Tractor

Breaking up pastoral land

All was fine before the plan

Will it reap what is desired

Or will that  season never come

And sunny hopes darken

Eroding once pastoral land

In The Depths

A rumbling

A dissonance

Not superficial

It is deep within

Like geological plates

Converging

I am so small

How can such a force

Come from within me

A Mark

Must I leave a mark today

To qualify my breath

Must I touch outside of me

To show I did invest

Must my thoughts have action too

Or is the thought enough

Submission

Submission is a discipline

It is by many considered a demeaning word, which speaks of forced servitude and humiliation

Too bad submission has gotten a bad spin, but I understand how personal experience has done it in

Sometimes I think it is best to scrap a word, when the damage seems irreparable

Submission it is time for you to……well submit to public opinion and fade into oblivion

Now that there is a vacuum, how shall it be filled

A new word would be nice and fun

Abeculate v  1. to yield due to compelling evidence. 2. to obey or follow due to a heartfelt commitment. 3.  to freely embrace a pathway of service and love

The challenge is when and to whom to abeculate 

Lost

Lost in a thought

Surrounded by a forest of the mundane

Scary and exhilarating

Shall I retrace my footsteps

 Or shall I continue

I was uncertain where the thought would lead me

There were no familiar landmarks

But the landscape was alluring

If I explored and traveled on

Will I ever find home again  

My Legs Are Old

I had an opportunity to run in a 5K race for free

With plenty of time to get ready, I felt although I had not run for 5 years it would not be difficult

I “ran” for 1 mile

It was no fun

I realized it would take work and dedication to prepare for the race

Just because something is free, doesn’t mean it is worth doing

For me in this case, free was too expensive 

Three Lessons

Learn To Be Alone

Away from the fray of life

Walled from song and voice

For in the silence of one’s self

Is found a voice that only speaks

When nothing else exists

Learn To Listen

You know your words

Your thoughts

Your dreams

Why repeat them too

Everyone you see

Listen to the other’s voice

Seems to be a better choice

Learn To Love

Love is an action

Not a feeling

So you can love

Those not appealing

Looks for ways

To help others succeed

In word

And Thought

And deed

Facial

Facial

The girls don’t like me

For I’m quite unsightly

I’ve tidied and toiled

Perfumed me and oiled

I’ve learned sweet expressions

And avoid deep confessions

But nothing will free me

For when they do see me

My head and it’s features

Remind them of creatures 

White Bread

 I for the most part live in a white bread world

A quiet neighborhood

No drug busts

Popping guns at night

And certainly no rebels, abductions or military coups

I live a simple life that is not driven by possessions or politics

I am learning how to love and give

Opening my life to others who are different than me

Trying to broaden my circular path

But for the most part it is a white bread world

If you read these words

Tell me how I can touch your world

Be a neighbor in some way

Share our humanity

And break bread together

Me

Assessment is subjective

I think I am nice

You think differently

As time progresses

I see your point

Retired

Retired

I am retired

Really retired does not describe what I am now

I do prefer saying I am retreading

Taking the old casing of my life and putting on a new cover

It is a process

Not to be rushed, but I want to keep moving enough to keep from getting a spare tire  

Global Warming Starts In Your Heart

How do you see the world

               Dark with power and greed driving humankind

               Whims and waves of love, hate and indifference

               Hollow and to be filled with seeking your own satisfaction

               A cosmic machine with mysterious gears turning as designed by veiled forces of destiny

How do you see the world

What of our heart and soul

Is there something in us that speaks of what can be

Is there a light and a fire that offers a path, a way to more

Warming the globe one heart at a time