HOW MANY

I feel like we have just begun,
To count up all the costs
And how many times
We'll have to say,
"I'm sorry for your loss,"

Caren E. Salas

STRANGE

Lately I've been feeling strange

As though I should say good-bye

Like I should tell my story

Before it's too late to try.

And I should show as much love

As my heart has strength to give,

And I should spend each moment

Remembering moments lived.

I see so much that's ending

Like innocence, love and peace

Yet things like fear and hatred

Continue to be released.

Lately I've been feeling strange,

Like I'm running out of time;

Things to see, people to meet,

Mountains I want to climb.

Things are coming to an end

Don't know how, or even when

Just a feeling that I have

That I won't be back again.

It's eating me up inside

Gnawing at me day and night,

And nobody will miss me

When I'm gone and out of sight.

Caren E. Salas

NATURE'S GIFT

Gazing out the dirty window
Recent rain streaking down
Making stripes of semi-clean view
I saw a rainbow in the distance
I couldn't take my eyes off it:
This band of color in a gray,
Post storm sky, shouting out,
Announcing better days ahead.
Glancing around me, I realized
No one else had noticed.
Focusing on their own lives
And troubles, they had missed it.
Nature had loaned us this gift,
For a brief moment in time,
As the bus just rumbled on.


Caren E. Salas