Casting Shadows

 —Poetry by James Lee Jobe, Davis, CA
—Public Domain Photos Courtesy of James Lee Jobe

 

A hungry man begs in front of a grocery store;
A hard and sad irony under a golden sun
That graces a lovely blue sky.

 

 

Clouds, newborn above the Sacramento Valley,
Cast shadows on the farmlands below.
This valley under my feet and the sky overhead
Are both so tremendous, so wonderful.
And look at me in this perfect moment,
I am just a man. Life,
Please accept my thanks.

___________________

A breeze danced on my face
This morning at sunrise.
Isn’t that what heaven is?
From the pines I could hear a lark sing
And I think she agreed with me.
I wanted to tell you,
But you were still sleeping,
So soundly, like a child.

 

 

 

 

The most basic of human needs,
          that next breath of air.
          Breath is life.
Today the Sacramento Valley is covered with smoke
from California’s many wildfires,
          like a hat covers a head,
          like a blanket covers a baby.
          A fog made of poison.
May you be safe.
May you have the wonderful blessing
         of your next breath.

 

 

 

 

 

In time we all must go,
But shall we leave our shadows behind?
If it could be so, then one day, far from now,
Let your shadow meet my shadow,
Both stretched out long from the afternoon sun,
And we’ll be together again, as we are now.
Shadowy hand in shadowy hand,
Our dark lips touching gently together.
         
                —for Alexandra Lee-Jobe

__________________

Today’s LittleNip:

forest fires nearby
smoke and ash everywhere
silence in the gray sky

—James Lee Jobe

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Thank you, James Lee Jobe, for these beautiful poems this morning! Don’t forget Fridays, 7:30pm: Video poetry readings by Davis Poet Laureate James Lee Jobe at james-lee-jobe.blogspot.com or youtube.com/jamesleejobe.

Tonight at 7pm, the newly-launched Sacramento Poetry Salon presents An Evening of Virtual Poetry (Benefitting the Creation District) on Facebook: www.facebook.com/events/676968649677758/.

__________________

—Medusa

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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 “Let your shadow meet my shadow”