October 9, 2015 - 0900

As one can probably guess I am an animal lover. Of most kinds, but the small furry ones hold a special place. I am soft like that, but in my line of work if you have to have a soft spot I think that it should be for children, the elderly, and animals. It will keep you humble and remind you that there is not just bad in the world.

The downside is that occasionally the bad will intrude on the good. Children are abused. The elderly are neglected. And animals are injured and killed. This is from a call that I was on a few weeks ago but only now found the words on the page.

Bandit

I got called to a dying animal tonight

Raccoon. Generally thought of as just a ring-tailed rat

Giant vermin stealing garbage

And creeping me out with their tiny hands

But this was a little one. A pup

Or cub or whatever a baby raccoon is called

Maybe a year old at the most

With it's tiny paws (hands?) flexing

With each labored breath

A small part of me died with it

I didn't want it to suffer

But there was nothing for me to do

In front of a school is no place to shoot an animal

But in front of a school is no place to die

I'll check on him periodically

And when he's gone we'll both rest easier

National Poetry Writing Month - April 21, 2014

If you haven't gathered from past posts, I like animals. Actually, I love animals. Mainly the furry ones, but generally I like them all. Almost 2 years ago we had to endure the saddest day of them all when our beautiful dog Pepper (aka Pepperoni) left our lives. It's still difficult to think about.

Because of my love of animals, seeing a little dead one on the street is kind of difficult for me. I know there are thousands of squirrels and skunks and whatever, but it doesn't mean that they weren't cute to look at or watch in the grass behind the house. It made me wonder this morning what would go through the mind of them as they're crossing the road. I'll try and not be too morbid or graphic, but these verses won't end well.

The Last Steps

The grass is nice on my paws; not rough like the bark

Of the trees where I usually stay

Over there, across the hard grass, I see new trees

Maybe there's acorns that I haven't buried there yet

I'd better have a look

This lighter hard grass isn't so bad. It's rough and I can grip it

That darker one is what looks scary

Those giant, loud animals rushing by make my heart pound

But I can still see those new trees

I can make it, I'm sure of it

*hop*  *hop*  *hophophop* I'm on the dark hard grass

Oh no! One of the giant loud animals!

*runrunrunrunrunrunrun*  Too close. They don't even look

It's like they can't see me out there crossing

To the new trees. Now I'll try again

*hop*  *hop*  *hophophop* 

*runrunrunrunrunrun* I've almost made it. I'm almost there

The new trees are closer. I can smell their leaves

I can see the new acorns there.

It makes me pause. I'm awed by the sight of them all

...

I never heard the loud giant animal

I was amazed by the new trees and acorns I could see

I looked and there it was, almost on top of me

And then, there it was

...

October 30, 2013 - 1230

Today would have been the 15th birthday of our wonderful, sweet doggie Pepper. We said good-bye to her last June and every day we think about her, talk about her in some way, look at something that reminds us of her. Her memory will live on with us forever and in that way, she gets to live on forever. Since it's her birthday we wanted to do something for her memory. I'm not good at coming up with ideas like this, and even more so when there is such strong emotion attached to it. But, as I was thinking of her and missing her on her special day today, I came up with these words for her. Happy Birthday Pepperoni. We love you. We miss you.

509 Days

It's been 509 days since we said good-bye to you

I've grown 509 new gray hairs in your memory

I've shed 509 tears at your loss

I've said I love you 509 times

509 thoughts of you have passed through my mind

And 509 more. And more. And more

509 pictures of other dogs who look like you

Not one of them is as wonderful. You're 509 times better than they

In those 509 days I've talked about you

To at least 509 people, or so it seems

Maybe I've just talked to myself 509 times about you

So that I can never forget you

Your face has appeared to me 509 times

Pictures, video, thoughts and dreams - 509 memories

Frozen in my mind for the last 509 days

And each time, 509 times, it's made me smile

I know that no other could take your place

509 others could walk through my life and not be you

I wouldn't try. It would be 509 times as hard to replace you

So I won't. It's 509 times as easy to not

Someone could give me 509 reasons to let go

That these 509 days were wasted thinking about you

They'd be wrong. I haven't wasted 509 days by remembering you

I've relived 13 years with you.

January 28, 2013 - 0900

This originally started out as what I call a "snippet". Just a little bit of verse or a few lines that I save and hope to fill out into something later. I ended up writing the whole thing in about 20 minutes.

Coyotes

It was the deepest part of the night

Just before it becomes morning

As the dog and I walked

In our dark neighborhood

From my right I heard

A coyote bay

A sharp, long, lonely sound

A lost friend. A sad cry

We walked on; it didn't seem close

But who could tell

Echoes and trees have a way

Of distorting a sounds direction

Then from the left

Another coyote calls

Answering a friends call

Friends finding friends in the blackness

At first, I smiled

Nature at it's most natural

Two scavenger-predators

Out for a meal and a chat

But the baying kept on

My dog, oblivious to the potential danger

Kept at the business of her business

Nose to the ground, ears missing her kin

I understood what was happening

At least, I felt like I did

We were being watched

We were being followed

Turning us back towards the house

The call and respond followed

Down the sidewalk and to the driveway

Never getting closer, always following

I let out my breath as we went inside

They couldn't get in our house

My grip relaxed on the butt of my pistol

My dog begged for her treat

June 26, 2012 - 0445

It's taken just over two weeks since I could read what I've written here and not break down and cry my guts out. On 06-09-2012, we had to say good bye to the best dog I will ever know. There isn't much more to say than that.

Good-Bye, My Friend

It’s not fair that you won’t live as long as me
When there are so many things we’ve yet to see
It makes me so sad, knowing you have to go
But the both of us are smart enough to know

That your once bright eyes are now so dim
So much so that you’ve lost your vim
And the legs that carried you strong and fast
Are shaky and weak, your muscle long past

We no longer run, and jump and play
I watch you now as you sleep all day
You’re tired I know, it’s been a good life
Never gone hungry, never felt strife

I’ll miss you my girl, now no longer in pain
You don’t have to worry about cold or the rain
Rest easy now Pepper, but I still don’t know why
Our friends have to leave us, our dogs have to die

April 3, 2012 - 0500

This one is about our dog, Fiona. Fiona is a fawn colored greyhound that we rescued from a nearby dog track. She's 5 years old, and still plays with the carefree abandon of a puppy. She occasionally growls and barks, while throwing her toys in the air. She will follow me or my wife around the house, always wondering what we are up to and if there is a possible treat in the making. She's goofy and rambunctious and we love her dearly.

Puppy Love

I love you because you're crazy

I love you because you're calm

I love you because you comfort me

When I wake up scared from a storm

I love you when you snuggle next to me

I love you when you lay quietly by yourself

I love you when you're head is on my lap

And your tongue leaves its mark on my pants

I love you when you're ears are standing up

I love you when your tail wags in circles

I love you when you smile with your doggie teeth

Looking mean to those who don't know any better

I love your furry little head

I love your fuzzy little feet

I love to scratch your little tum

And feel the fur under my fingertips

There's nothing like your small, warm head

Resting gently on my knee

Reminding me that all is fine

No matter what the world has done

December 22, 2011 - 0340

On my drive home I saw a huge buck in a forest preserve. He was standing in the fog and mist and I was inspired. I actually said to myself "I wish I could paint or draw that scene." Instead I wrote these words.

What I Saw This Morning 12-21-11

My drive home is usually bland

On autopilot I wind the roads

Never a standout moment

Rarely a story to tell

This morning it was was foggy; misty

A hazy, dangerous way to be

Making my trip to my dogs

And the warmth of my bed

This morning, as I shivered

Despite my heater heating my car

A sight rose from the fog

Appearing through the mist

Its red-tan hair shone with the dew

Its ears flickered as it listened

For approaching coyotes

Or for approaching people

The large rack of antlers

14 points of bone and glory

A hunters dream

A predators nightmare

I quickly scanned my right

Changed lanes and slowed

This glorious animal needed

A closer look, a more detailed glance

The steam puffed from its nose

As it scanned the horizon

The roadway where I drove by

The least of its concern

I wanted to paint this beast

To draw the magnificence that was

The power, the strength, the beauty

Of the protector of the herd

I slowed as traffic slowed

I stopped as traffic stopped

But the image remained

Burned into my mind

As I drove away from the light

I wondered, if I had seen him

At another time, another place

Could I have been as moved

December 5, 2011 - 0300

I was driving on the nearby Army base when I heard a variety of sounds. I stopped my car and turned off the radio and the heater so that I could get a better handle on what was going on around me.

Nature Being Natural

In the dark

In the cold

All around I can hear

Nature being natural

I can hear

The wings of an owl

The feathers rustling on

The icy night wind

I can hear

A coyote howling

At the brightly shining

Cloud covered moon

I can hear

Deer in the shadows

Hooves walking well worn paths

In the unmown grass

I am surrounded by structure

Buildings and streets and civilization

But when I stop and pay attention

I can hear nature being natural