Moonlit garden path with fireflies, flowers, and a cozy cottage
Uncategorized

Domestic Amusement

I find my entertainments close to home
as nothing could be more wildly hilarious
and downright curious
than my own complex teenagers
who sometimes speak
and do their math
about what adds up toward our shared
and independent
futures.

Then there are cacophonous birds
mourning doves and sparrows
blue jays and robins
yellow finches and ravens
greeting dawning light
as if some unprecedented miracle were unfolding
about which they will chatter and chirp amongst themselves
for many generations to come,
like climate marchers
just happy to be here
for this climaxing stellar event.

Then too I have neighbor watching and listening
which picks up more during afternoons,
after school buses drop off
wounded and yet still wondering kids,
with dogs and cats and even grandparents
to greet them,
while moms and dads slave away
at their own employer sponsored performances.

Meanwhile squirrels and chipmunks
scold and scamper
with playful engagement,
or playing at industry,
who could say
what undomesticated animals feel?

Worms burrow in the garden,
hopefully,
although I hate to interrupt them
solely for my frivolous fancies
regarding appropriate live entertainment.

They often respond, upon my thunderous devastation
of enlightening presence,
as if they were having some intimate dark night moment
that I have immodestly exposed to light.
I apologize,
recover,
and move on.

The bumble bees have posted flying sentries
around my front porch,
each flying in place all day long
tiny yellow and black helicopters
engaged in serious defensive intelligence gathering

Noting my scandalously erratic comings and goings,
importations and exportations,
exhortations,
and, even worse,
often sitting down on their porch’s swing,
rocking back and forth,
staring back
just as if I were not least bit intimidated
by threat of black and yellow drones.

Merely curious
about what’s so valuable inside
up under their roof
that they find me such a suspiciously alien threat.

But really,
for me,
these bumbling buzzing sentries are merely entertainment.

I especially love to watch
when they occasionally dive-bomb each other
for some inscrutable random whimsy.

Their placement may be a pageant
having nothing to do with my performance,
other than enjoyment
of their benign engagements
invested in this home we share.,
when we avoid claims
against immigrant infestments

While star gazing,
anticipating moon rise and fall,
wax and wane,
sailing behind diaphanous clouds
stretching my focus further out
this dark night’s soul

Pursuing at home dreams
as do these raucous insects
selling nocturnal sex and happiness
as if my backyard
on down toward river’s bed
were their red-light flowing district.

It amuses me,
hearing musicians’ combined intensity of purpose
to continue domestic entertainments
on through each warm month night

Until it’s time for those gospel choiring birds
to squawk and chirp
whistle and cheep
another at home climate marching dawn
of transformed peace.

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Uncategorized

Claiming Grace Out Proud

Giving thanks
for insight
outside normal space
grows more grace
than taking from fertile Earth
without gratitude
thoughtless everyday attitude.

We give thanks
gathered here today
for all God’s edibles
and ornaments
surpassing even sacred platitudes,
obscure beatitudes.

I give thanks
for this our timeless gathering
of family
proclaimed, not defamed
together more holy felt
than severed when apart.

Taking from Earth
without gratitude
heartless attitude
slow grows groaning grace,
our disturbing pace
before this silent pause

this sacred space
for giving thanks.

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Uncategorized

StepSister Princess

No! Cut this piece here!
No! Not there!
Why didn’t you cut it right?

says Princess StepSister’s
hyper-ventilated syndrome,
jonesing for her next pork chop.

I would have finished
but you bellowed me away
in your Ugly StepSister voice
demanding from open refrigerator door
that collard greens must stop evaporating
behind your eyes.

Ugly StepSister?
Did you just call me a StepSister?

I’m just saying
you think you’re a Whatever Princess
but you don’t act like one
because, as you know,
princesses are always kind
and say please and thank you
and not whatever,
and seldom if ever bark and bite
at the hands created to lovingly feed them
for the next several years;

while Ugly StepSisters
act like whatever bullies,
talk like ballistic assault weapons.

Which is why
Cinderellas are originally selected to dance
with Prince Charmings,
and thereby become kind Princesses,
rather than stuck in Ugly StepSister roles and rules,
harping at Prince Charming Dads
to cut their pork chops faster,
and better,
and now,
if not yesterday.

Oh…
Would you cut my pork please, in smaller pieces,
and not take your usual gimpy time, thank you?

Why of course my Princess,
I love to live your Prince Clumsy.

 

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