(This is for the Slice of Life challenge, hosted by Two Writing Teachers. We write on Tuesdays about the small moments in the larger perspective and then all through March — every single day  …  You write, too.)

The stage seems crowded –
the saxophonist elbow to elbow
with the flutist, standing right above
the strings – a cello and two violins –
as the drummer smiles and shines,
keeping time with the bass,
and the guitarist/conductor
criss-crossing the air with hands
commanding the band,
listening for the vocalist, in a red dress
mirroring the energy of audience,
to sing us all into New York City:
an ‘Upper West Side Love Story’
told of the street of the beat of jazz

(Watching Freddy Bryant in concert at the Bombyx Center)

Peace (listening),
Kevin

(This is for the Slice of Life challenge, hosted by Two Writing Teachers. We write on Tuesdays about the small moments in the larger perspective and then all through March — every single day  …  You write, too.)

Another night
of brackets, broken;
no one else hears
these curses, spoken

Peace (happens),
Kevin

(This is for the Slice of Life challenge, hosted by Two Writing Teachers. We write on Tuesdays about the small moments in the larger perspective and then all through March — every single day  …  You write, too.)

March morning,
soaked in rain;
reminders, again,
of Winter’s descent
and Spring’s steady gain;
the wet sloshes
emerging buds
of flowers finding
root, in soil:
a change, ordained

Peace (in raincoats and umbrellas),
Kevin

(This is for the Slice of Life challenge, hosted by Two Writing Teachers. We write on Tuesdays about the small moments in the larger perspective and then all through March — every single day  …  You write, too.)

Another broken string,
singing the guitar
in pain, and here
I am, fretting the sound
on knotted neck,
playing the role of Luthier,
once again

Peace (sounding it out),
Kevin

(This is for the Slice of Life challenge, hosted by Two Writing Teachers. We write on Tuesdays about the small moments in the larger perspective and then all through March — every single day  …  You write, too.)

On the way up
to take in the sky,
my eyes notice
the Great Blue Heron,
a floating apparition
shadowed by cloud
on its way towards water

Peace (in the noticing),
Kevin

(This is for the Slice of Life challenge, hosted by Two Writing Teachers. We write on Tuesdays about the small moments in the larger perspective and then all through March — every single day  …  You write, too.)

Who made this night
so long, a song sung
from midnight ’til
dawn?

Peace (and sleep),
Kevin

(This is for the Slice of Life challenge, hosted by Two Writing Teachers. We write on Tuesdays about the small moments in the larger perspective and then all through March — every single day  …  You write, too.)

In fog as thick
as thoughts –
we ought to
slow the car down,
so we do,
then heavy rain arrives:
it’s like traveling
through soup

Peace (safely home),
Kevin

(This is for the Slice of Life challenge, hosted by Two Writing Teachers. We write on Tuesdays about the small moments in the larger perspective and then all through March — every single day  …  You write, too.)

It crawled across the keyboard
after crawling off the dog –
a sure sign of Spring
to make us sick: a tick.

Peace (creepy crawling).
Kevin

(This is for the Slice of Life challenge, hosted by Two Writing Teachers. We write on Tuesdays about the small moments in the larger perspective and then all through March — every single day  …  You write, too.)

My eyes follow the line
of wine vines, a skeleton
crew of knotted fingers
on an elevated farm road,
future grapes not yet
flowered for the season;
this cold still lingers

Peace (on the ride home),
Kevin