Autumn crackled and split into a thousand colorful shards of reds, browns, yellows, and every variation in between. The warm, rich smell of the wet forest and the fields getting ready for the longer, colder nights settled over the small New England community where I live and work as a carpenter. The hillside was just starting to color up. A few brown leaves crunched underfoot. It was a Friday afternoon, and I was packing...

A Payment for Future Kindness I hadn’t noticed Rachel’s limp until I saw the tracks leading through the snow past my house. One normal boot print, one drag mark. One normal, one drag “I wonder if she hurt her leg.” I thought as I kicked the snow from my boots and opened the heavy, solid wood door into my kitchen. My black and tan hound dog lifted her head, stood, stretched, did one circle, and lay back down in front of th...

In The Pines…. The heady, intoxicating smell of pine needles permeated everything. The old lodge was sided with wide plank pine and had the funky architecture of something built by a carpenter who was more interested in building a creative space than a functional one. The screen door slammed with a bang and Emily came dancing into the room. She was wearing her usual attire; A bikini top, a baggy pair of cut-off sweatpants...

Of the ocean There is a hidden pearl Buried deep inside A dark and lovely pair of lips And sometimes If I coax and probe and push and press And trace and lick and beg and butter and brag and try my every trick Sometimes Sometimes The lovely hidden dark and deep Will start to open and emerge And a lovely little pearl will alight Upon my wanting tongue Of the land “Oh, Look!” I stand and watch your bubbling joy At finding a...

The break of day The crack of dawn The merry dance begins With stretch and scratch all stubbled face The Miller trudges down the lane Past river stream and meadow green To open up his mill Back at home, the cock crows bold The sow takes charge her brood The green eyed matron the sweet Marie Wakes and sleepily eyes the morn Flame red curls round and round A lovely chaotic mess Betraying night of foggy wilds And dreamily sl...