After a wonderfully restorative autumn weekend with no in-laws and my dogs and cat and extra time given to extra, unplanned rambles in the fields and woods, I write:
IF YOU LIE DOWN WITH
CLEAN DOGS
YOU WILL GET UP TONGUE-BATHED
FOR THE PARTY
READY TO CELEBRATE
YOUR BAPTISM
INTO THE FAITH SHARED
BETWEEN DOG-LOVER
AND HUMAN-LOVER
THAT MAMMALIAN HEARTS
ARE WARMED BY TOUCH AND LIGHT
WHERE A NEW FIRE IN THE
JOINED SOULS GIVES JUST ENOUGH
GLOW TO SHOW
THE WAY TO COMFORT.
I also pondered:
LAST OF THE SUN GLOWING
BACK OF THE TALL ORANGEY TREE
CLAIMING THE HIGH SPOT BACKING
INTO THE WATER IN THE LOWSPOT
LOOKING SOMEHOW BRIGHTER
FOR BEING UNEXPECTED WHERE WE LINGER.
On yet another self-indulging stroll:
SUNSETTING AUTUMN FLOCKS
SHUTTLING HOME ON
AIR HIGHER AND HIGHER
WAVING FAR ABOVE
THE EVER-COOLING DOWNDRAFT
SWEEPS THAT MIGHT
FIX THEM UPON A HIGH-MINDED BRANCH
BUT NOT THE WOOD OF HOME.
I was nudged by these outings to ruminate on those not so blessed as I to just GO OUT, WALK, DROP THE WHITE HAIRS LIKE CRUMBS. Here are some musings:
WE NEVER KNOW WHO IS LONELY UNTIL WE SEEK THEM OUT.
LIVING RIGHTEOUSLY WILL PINCH THOSE WHO SEEK THE DARK, CAUSING THEM TO SHRIEK IN THE MARKETPLACES AGAINST YOU!
YOU WHO ARE ABUSED MUST BECOME THE HEALER POURING THE OIL ON STORMY WATERS OF THE ANGER BOILING OUT OF THE VENTS AND GUTTERS, DRAINING FROM THE ROOFTOPS, UPON ALL WHO MUST ENTER THE MARKETPLACES.
WHY CANNOT THE TALL BACKLIT ORANGE LEAVES, BEING LAST TO HOLD THE SUN’S KISS, FLUTTER JUST A LITTLE MORE, A LITTLE LOWER TO CARESS MY BROW’S CRINKLE AND DEPOSIT THOSE DESIRED GOLDEN NUGGETS OF FORBEARANCE AT THE NIGHTFALL ENTRY TO MY OWN DOORWAY? THEN WOULD BE LAID DOWN A GILDING CARPET OVER THE REJOININGS OF THE CRACKS IN THE HEARTSTRINGS TO KNIT A BINDING OVER THE HASTY WORDS AND HALTING STEPS AT NIGHTPAIRING?
WAKING UP TODAY WITH DOGS AND COFFEE, A SCHOOLBUS GOING BY TOO FAST, RUMBLING THE STOMACHS, FINALLY TILTING TO THE VERTICAL THOUGHTS SENT UP AND AWAY FROM THE ANCIENT SELFSTUDY RUMBLING THE SOUL AND OUTWARDS TOWARDS LIFE ITSELF FOR THE HEARTSTRINGS: A SMALL CONNECTIONS TO A BIRD OR NEIGHBOR!
Truly, I am very grateful to have dogs and leaves on which to shed unwanted hairs from my thinking!
granbee 