no sweet surprise

the broken morning lies in wait
bleeding into impatient afternoon
with muted vigor
no innocent dawn did birth this day-
no sweet surprise its guiding hand
the whisper-like rustle of familiar trees
tickles the ears
but no more comfort do they provide than a photo
of some lost
and forgotten feeling

fog

a daydream’s worn-out welcome
cools and steeps in itself like undrunk tea
time turning bitter
the subtle, enveloping warmth of once

rising hopes fog the eyes and glasses
with fleeting, sentimental melodies
leaving no mark but the memory
of vision obscured

a quiet shiver

a quiet shiver
peaceful, even, brief

a gift from above
as the pale moon, wreathed in heaven’s own breath,
bathes the earth in sublime luminosity

her silver crown of ice
spills across october’s ink

each glimpse of light
is a dry and distant kiss:
for chilling skies
and tired eyes
and unladen arms, surrendering everything

bygone

dry brown leaves applaud nervously,
ever mindful of the wind’s capricious heart

it pounds in me and beats my wings

i fly within as days exhale,
blowing dust from holy, bygone dreams

a world without music

the worn refrains of waning days
and changing ways
spill ever onto life with inky wetness

each verse a curse,
drawn in breathless voice
on ashen tongue-
falling as dry, dusty leaves
beneath the pale, autumn moon

On the Other Hand…

A Golden Opportunity

Miami Hurricanes AD Kirby Hocutt announced tonight that the new football Head Coach is Al Golden.  I’m excited about the hire, personally.  Many Hurricane fans don’t feel like a man with a losing record as a Temple Head Coach is right for UM.  To be perfectly honest, I’m a bit bummed that we carted off Randy Shannon so soon.  I have tons of respect for the man and for what he stands for at The U.  Regardless, it’s time to accept that a change has occurred, and go with the flow to support the Hurricanes.

With regard to the hire, here’s my take: Al Golden and his 3-4 schemes brought the University of Virginia’s defense from bottom of the barrel (Top 100 out of 121!) to solid (Top 20) in three years as DC.  The year before Golden was hired as HC at Temple, its football team went 0-11.  His first year it went 1-11.  Second: 4-8.  Third: 5-7.  Fourth: 9-4.  Fifth: 8-4.  All out of a program that had won just over 1/5 of its games the 30 years prior to his coming to the school.  He’s a stellar recruiter and a guy who can make the best out of the recruits he does get.  He’s a motivator and a disciplinarian.  He’s young, talented, and loves the game of football.  He sounds like our kind of guy.

Al Golden isn’t a ‘home run’ hire.  But hey, neither was Howard Schnellenberger.  Or Jimmy Johnson.  Or Dennis Erickson.  Or Butch Davis.

Go ‘Canes.