Eclipse

 It seems but a dream

The long night of your bleeding

And what of this wound

Was it a portend of doom

Or one of healing

In reedy swirls

 We do not waltz upon

ball room floors

but glide upon mists

in reedy swirls.

Ron’s God

 In search of water

Back in the day several years ago, my then photographer friend Ron Pinner, wanted to do a series with me, In Search of Water, with me in the kayak in various locations. This one was on the now paved over Railroad Street. I never saw all the photos for Ron got angry at me for making light of Oral Robert’s 100 foot Jesus and blocked me. He said God told him he was going to kill me if I didn’t quit. Why does Ron’s God say such things?

MC Mirror

MC's Mirror

johnclarestokes

Then looking in

They said

It was maddening

The seeing crooked

Measuring from

Foreign rulers

Metric distances

Fractions apart

Yet inches away

Marking twice

Trying to cut once

The frame never square

Bubble level left

Of center line

Shelves on the curve

Books falling randomly 

Ceilings sagging roundly

Over him.

I found it grand!

After MC Escher

I identify

I identify

johnclarestokes 

I identify as a clear

sunny day

Can’t you just see

Infinity in the 

Brilliant blue

Don’t you just love

You can count every

Leaf in fine detail

Yes

I identify as a

clear, clear sunny day

Why, isn’t that the

Correct way?

My exitstence

The paths of my least existence

Johnclarestokes 

Often fraught with least resistance 

Taking the least distance

Swayed by the least insistence 

To the least acquiescence

Florida Trail

Ocean Pond

One

 Once upon a time

When sometimes the way and I are one

When all surrounding joins in the journey

We momentarily pause in mid go

As even the river ceases her flow

The guardians

 The guardians of the angels

On Jordon’s stormy banks

 Jordon

Today has come

The birthday of our son

So thankful there is one

With adventures yet to run

Yes we love our 

Stormy bank Son!

Jordon Stokes

Big Shoals

Steichen

 Steichen

On my wall hang two Steichen’s

You say, o my, of the great Edward?

I say no

Of the late Karen

All colored in markers 

Within the lines

Worthless by all estimates 

Priceless by one 

Recipient

Who thought enough of him 

A spot of bother

 A spot of bother

Johnclarestokes 

I do not have the latest Lincoln, but I ain't gonna let that bother me. My tag is so expired, I lost it, but that’s no bother. My camellia's grow too far to pick above me, but that don't bother me. My bricks don't quite match, but it doesn't bother me. My roof only leaks when it rains, and thats not a bother. My yards all weeds, the mower was stolen, but why bother? You could have it as good as I do, but i ain't gonna bother you with that.

Just don’t want to be a bother.

John Sauls

 John J

Johnclarestokes 

John J Sauls migrated to Alachua County  from Orangeburg, South Carolina where he married Mary Jane Robinson. Born in 1825(1840  by other accounts),  John left his farm in Alachua County and enlisted in Brooksville, Hernando County as a  4th sergeant in Company C(Hernando Guards)(Wildcats) of the 3rd Florida Infanty on July 19, 1861. He was promoted to a full private in May 1862(reduced to ranks)  then furloughed to Hernando County and died of disease on Feb 3, 1863 in a Lake City hospital where he was buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. His wife Mary applied for a widows pension in 1903. His is one of the few marked headstones of many unknown  CSA markers.