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 

"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 

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 

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 

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. 

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