there lives a ground squirrel named jack

who once caught his paw in the track,

but jack had the brains

to duck down for the trains–

which explains all those lines on his back

–photo by me

“The Woods Have Eyes”

We took Freya out to the woods surrounding our new place, thinking that she’d really enjoy it; the only outings she’d had before this were on a dirt road between two farmer’s fields. In fact, I was worried she’d like it too much and run off or climb a tree. Aaron set her down on a log, and with all the trees rustling overhead in the wind, she just froze in place. It was just too overwhelming for her, so we took her home. Next time, we’ll look for a more open setting.

we thought that our cat would embrace

our new home in a more wooded place,

but the rustling-leaf sky

was too much stimuli–

we could tell by the look on her face.

–Photo by Aaron

the lighthouse man known as ol’ ben

is highly esteemed among men,

and it’s easy to see

why the people agree

that he’s more than a fair-weather friend.

–photo by me

when great sheets of ice are conveyed

to the shore with the wind as an aid,

they shatter like glass

and the shards soon amass–

and that’s how ice mountains are made

–photo by me