Ripping
In the old days a man faced a six foot plank with a rip saw and he wanted two planks so he began. He marked the plank with a ruler and a pencil and he drew a line where he wanted to saw and he began. He began to saw all the way down that…
Smoking
It isn’t really about the nicotine or the tars and resins. It isn’t about the warnings. It’s really about the snap of the lighter when you shut it, the placement of the flame so close to your face, the first wraith of smoke ascending into the air like your life and the love you feel…
Cut the Power
They cut the power today to work on the lines. The computer went off. The lights went off. The refrigerator went off. The garage door wouldn’t open. I wanted to mow the yard. The door has a release. I opened it by hand. When it happens you learn a few things. You learn how important…
Learn To Row
I learned to row a long time ago, in a boat with my name on the bow, given to me by my grandfather who built it with his hands, the hands I inherited. The boat is gone, but I learned to row a long time ago. Slow and steady, all day long, all night…
Stetson
He’s gone now, my stupid dog with his stupid grin and the floppy ears tattooed for racing. He’s gone now with his elegant stance and his beautiful eyes and his fast, keen wisdom. He’s gone now and all the thousands of times I let him out in the middle of the night are…
Prayer For A Poisoner
May the dogs you have killed haunt you. May the coyotes and foxes and raccoons you have slain awaken and come together and speak the same language and find you. May they squeeze from their loins and guts the essence of what you left for them to find and may they feed it to you.…
Everything Is More Important Than Love
The floor needs sweeping. The dog needs food. Odds and ends need keeping. The garbage must go out. The job is only money. Money goes away. The world turns automatically and misery stays. The railroads would be dandy, but railroads don’t run. People do what they do of necessity or fun. Love is such a…
Broken Arms
If I held you in my arms which have seen so much work, would you know they had been broken? Would you miss the supple suave and strong enfolding for the rough vise they have become? If I held you in my arms and loved you, would you know my heart had been broken? Would…
Magnificat
Karl my beautiful cat was caught in a trap and they put him to sleep and they took off his leg and when he awoke he only had three, because he lay in the trap for days and they saw the leg was dead, but he lived, my beautiful cat named Karl. He wants to…
Friday 7:30am
There are times when it doesn’t. Times when it won’t. Times when never. Times it’s no. Times darkness not light, defeat and error win again. Then comes divine revelation. Perfect wisdom and resolve. Light dawns and hope triumphs. It’s time to take out the trash. ♥