Thursday, November 20, 2014

Cookies

I always say . . .
I will take these cookies 
And they will 
Last all week 

I will measure them out 
So many each day 
And have great willpower 
About it

I hesitate to mention 
how many times 
I have had this same plan . . .

I hesitate to admit 
That now, on the first day 
Of contemplation 
There are only 
     A few left 

And those will do 
For 
After dinner 

However I do not despair 
About this 
For in my great wisdom 
I know -
     That
I have 
     Lots more things 
Of so much greater importance 
     To despair 
Much more deeply 
     About 


Bored Already

At the retreat
The worldly mind wonders 
     Why I come here 
Mine and others too -

Well 
What do you do 
There ? 
Just to meditate and walk 
And watch 
Deer walk by 
And squirrels climb 
To the sky 

To hear the rain drops 
Fall
From the high trees 
As the squirrels 
Disturb 
The leaves 

And a family of deer walk by 
Mom and dad and two young 
Adolescents 

After a meditation 
Such things 
Seem to have
     deep meaning . . .

Back in town 
It is hard to 
Slow down 
Enough to hear 
The wind in the trees 
And 
The birds call 

The freeway roar 
Tends to wash away 
Whatever quiet 
The mind has 
     Aspired to 

But here
The loudest sound 
Is in my head 
Complaining of being bored 
Already 


Sunday, November 16, 2014

"Breezy"

Why oh why 
Did I stop by 
The thrift store 
Today 

No ordinary store -
In this one 
There are kitties 
To pet and talk to 
They have been rescued 
And can be 
Accepted into ones home 
Ones life 
Ones 
Heart . . .

They can devastate ones wallet 

What was I thinking ?
To hold the little grey kitten 
On my lap 
And pet her

Luckily I'm out of town 
For a week 
And by then
Who knows -
The little grey kittie 
May have found
a new home and be
Worming 
Her way in 
To someone else's 
Heart 

Maybe by then I will have 
Come to my senses -
Realizing I 
Can't afford the 
Vet bills and food
And scratching posts and toys 
And cat trees -

-It could go 
Right  over there 
By that window 
She will love it 
There -

Oh dear 
I fear 
I may lose 
This particular 
Battle

If they sent kitties to the front lines
The fighting would have to 
Stop 
While everyone 
Found a piece of string 
To dangle enticingly
Between various 
Paws
Of many colors
Why don't they realize 
There are better ways
To spend their time -
Besides
Battle 

There are cats to save 
To say nothing of 
Kids -
And all the rest of us -
And the world -
Yes -
Better ways 
To spend your time -
Different uniforms to 
Wear 

Ones 
like robes 
Of
Loving kindness

We need that 
In 
This 
World 
We need it now 
So 
Desperately 


Friday, November 14, 2014

Maelstrom

The gardener today 
Didn't show 
And I'm so grateful 

Last night's silly dreams 
And 
Wandering mind 
Now are free 
To catch up 
With me 

I have scheduled work 
And instead
I find rest -
I am able 
     To be thankful 
For such a time
Such a break 
Such a place within 
The maelstrom 
     Of life 

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Tango Tonight

They seek to instruct 
They say
     It must be 
     This way 
Only 

That's what I love
About this dance 
It doesn't care what
     They 
     Say

It 
Goes its own 
Way 

Twists and turns 
In complete rebellion to
Any sort of controlling
Thing 
Or idea of

They will try to 
     Tame it 
To
     Train it 
And it will 
Laugh and dance 
Away from 
Them

In this I take 
Heart 
In this I find 
Consolation 

A pure form of
Rebellion 
Except that it
Wants nothing 
From anyone 

It wants only
To be itself
And to include us
Within it 

Saturday, November 1, 2014

Rain 2

It rained 
And it rained
And it rained
Last night

Couldn't sleep -
Lay awake listening 
To the miraculous 
Sound
Of buckets and buckets
And buckets -
Coming down 

This morning 
     I walked around -
Marveling at mother natures 
Sprinkler power -
No need to set these timers 
Or haul the hose around 
- Now if she would just do this every week -
On cue 

But -

Probably not -

She 
Likes to 
Surprise us -

Sometimes 
Too much so -
Sometimes washing people 
Away -

But today 
All is glistening and 
Clean 
Fluffy white clouds blow over -
Chased by a friendly breeze

The hills will begin 
To green -
The mountain streams
Will pour willingly
Down 
Looking even more beautiful 
When contrasted with -
The long 
Hot 
Summer. 




Friday, October 31, 2014

Rain

Halloween party
And it rains 
We feel the first drops -
Unbelieving 

It's been so long 
Since water has fallen from 
The sky 
Reservoirs are 
Half down 

What will life be like 
With less water -
Already lawns 
Are left to brown -

Maybe life in south 
California 
Would become 
Not so much like 
Hollywood would 
     Have us
     Believe 
But more like
It actually is -

More like 
The Padres and 
     The Indians
Perceived -
More like 
Dust and 
Sky -
Hawks
And seagulls
Circling