she chose me

Tags

animals, death, dog, emotion, eternal, friend, nature, pet, unconditional love, youth

 

 

when i was a boy,

Spot,

a black and white Cocker Spaniel

chose me.

she looked like the dog

in our grade one readers

“Run, Spot, run!”

 

she was a stray

wandering around our neighborhood

looking for a home.

there were other kids she could have chosen

but, she chose me.

our family adopted her.

it changed my life —

i  had a friend.

 

in winter

she refused to go outdoors

in freezing temperatures.

she peed and pooped on our basement floor

with a shovel, my dad would pick up after her

once a week he would spray the floor

with the garden hose

 

Spot left us

like Peter Pan

when we stopped believing in her

 

when i walk through the woods

i imagine her, beyond the next bend,

chasing butterflies,

or being chased by rabbits —

she’s with me

always.

 

Squirrels in Winter

Tags

animals, Buddhism, Christianity, compassion, empathy, homeless, kindness, nature, psychology, Sociology, unconditional love

 

Occasionally,
Antonio
joins me for coffee.
He tells me
the most wondrous stories.
Sometimes,
I think he makes them up
for my benefit.
In any case
I am honored.

 

 

Have you ever worried
about squirrels in winter?
I see them climb over snowdrifts
with their bare paws —
they have no winter boots.

I see them stop
to tuck their tiny front paws
into their armpits
for warmth —
they have no mitts.

When it rains
I see them huddle
under trees,
they still get soaked —
they have no raincoats.

They have no pants,
no dresses, no hats,
no warm winter coats,
no shelter or fires
to warm their bodies.

Even the homeless men
whose beds are the sidewalk
have sleeping bags
to keep them warm.
Squirrels have nothing.

Still they remain cheery,
hopping about
gathering nuts,
Who knew
it was such a hard life
for squirrels in winter?

 
 

 

Buy my book for $0.99 — proceeds feed the homeless:
Gotta Find a Home; Conversations with Street People
http://buff.ly/1wyjiKS

 

Name(required)

Email(required)

Website

Comment(required)

Submit

game

Tags

animals, emotion, empowerment, fear, freedom, life, mankind, personal, philosophy

.

“If a monk was physically attacked, the Buddha allowed him to strike back in self-defense, but never with the intention to kill.”

by

Thanissaro Bhikkhu

http://buff.ly/1G8Y6DW

.

Dennis and his shiny motorcycle

.

when i was younger
i considered life a game.
i’d try anything once
for the experience.
there was nothing
i wouldn’t do
on a dare

that wasn’t a period
of great decisions.
they seemed
like good ideas
at the time —
seldom,
they were

now i’m concerned
with what i can accomplish
in the finite time ahead.
i don’t expect to die
in the near future
but the end
will come

each day i become
more of an activist
for the rights of all humans
and animals.
that’s a bit scary —
new territory for me.
i feel vulnerable
to attack

when i was younger
i said, and still say,
‘if your back’s against the wall
fight your best fight,
take your lumps —
the rest’ll take care
of itself’

there’s blood on the wall, blood on the floor,
some of it’s mine, but he spilled more.
got what I came for, took a lot of pain for.
watching my back, i leave by the side door.

.

Through Shaded Eyes

Tags

animals, compassion, emotion, empathy, eternal, forever, free, homeless, kindness, loving kindness, nature

.

.

A breathless beauty,
enchanting and fanciful,
where castles of ice abound —
if we didn’t know just where to look
they never would be found.

A wonderland of mystery
in a public park downtown.
The squirrels know what life’s about —
through Antonio’s sleeping bag
they tunnel in and out.

They scamper
over drifts of snow,
no boots upon their feet.
When he awakes, he’ll feed them
the little he has to eat.

Through shaded eyes
he views, the world passing by.
With gentleness and thoughts of kings
he tells me of his precious dreams.
A shopping cart
holds all his worldly things.

.

There Are No Horses Anymore

Tags

animals, compassion, despair, desperation, destiny, dreams, emotion, empathy, eternal, fantasy, fear, forever, free, imagination, lifetimes, longing, loving kindness, mystery, personal, philosophy, spiritual, unconditional love, universe

It’s like you’ve been reading Dostoevsky
and your mind is heavy,
so you go for a walk.
You haven’t eaten,
but instead of soup,
you order two glasses of beer.
You know how Rodion felt,
because you’re him.
You walk into the street
and a dark horse is being beaten,
but, that can’t be,
because there are no horses anymore —

that was only a dream;
only in the book.
You think you’re going mad,
but, it’s alright,
you don’t have to worry.
Someone has just closed the cover —
you’re tucked away, safe inside.
Everything is alright.

Panama

Tags

animals, birds, compassion, destiny, dreams, emotion, empathy, empowerment, eternal, fantasy, flowers, forever, free, imagination, kiss, lifetimes, loving kindness, mystery, nature, personal, Pirate, romance, travel, vacation

I sit on a bamboo and rattan bar stool
at the Monkey Bar overlooking the Chagres River.
I drink a glass of seven-year old Ron Abuelo rum,
sweet nectar that tastes like creme brulee
and slides down my throat like warm, spiced honey.

A breeze blows through the open bar
and with it the scent of Bougainvilleas,
Hotlips, Amaryllis and Holy Ghost Orchids.
Swaying and giving shade are Wild Cashew
and Geiger Trees, Banana and Coconut Palms.

I peruse a crocodile idly floating by.
A log with a purpose. In the distance
I can hear the squawks of Parakeets,
Toucans and the distinctive chirps
of the aptly named Yellow-rumped Warblers.

I am transported back to 1941.
I almost expect to see Humphrey Bogart
and Mary Astor plotting to save the Canal locks
from being torpedoed by Sydney Greenstreet
in John Huston’s Across the Pacific.

Next day we board Captain Jim’s pirate ship.
I share with my wife a Pirate’s Kiss,
while on deck swords clash, the combatants chase
each other around masts and rigging
’til the inevitable death scene … “Aargh!”

.

Footnotes

A Pirate’s Kiss
is rum being poured by the pirate into the mouth
of one person who shares it with his or her partner by means of a kiss.

.

La Jolla Palms

Tags

animals, birds, California, condors, fishing boats, ocean, palm trees, seals, travel, vacation

La Jolla palms pierce the sky.
Ocean breeze is blowing free.
Seals sojourn in the surf.
Surfers frolic in the sea.

Traffic rolls on Silverado
while I sit and sip and gander
(witbier: orange blossom honey,
orange zest with coriander).

Eternal chorus of the waves
rolling, crashing on the shore.
Children running in the sand.
Across the sea — forevermore.

Condors flying from the north,
as I did on another flight.
Fishing boats are heading home.
Couvier Street prepares for night.

 

 

 

Cabin

Tags

animals, birds, compassion, destiny, dreams, emotion, empathy, empowerment, eternal, fantasy, flowers, folk tales, imagination, insects, kindness, lifetimes, love, loving kindness, mystery, nature, personal, philosophy, reptiles, romance, spirits, spiritual, unconditional love, world

I came to write again
at Birch Island, Sand Lake,
lounging in a canvas chair
on the deck of my newly built cabin —
my refuge from insanity.

I came by boat,
coolers stocked with bottled water,
cans of chili, bread and peanut butter,
Greek yogurt, propane for the stove
and books of poetry.

I’m equipped
with new pen in hand, blank journal
I look out over the lake, through the forest
to be inspired by spirits from the past
and woodland nymphs.

I may not write
a meaningful phrase or thought.
I may just sit and watch the trees,
birds, animals, reptiles
and insects.