Love Cultivated

Sound sweeps
Like scented dew drops
Of morning
Engulfing once for all
Like color raptures the dawn,
And finds me
Gentle breeze swept,
Swaying
In warm embraces,
Staying,
Remaining with one
Sanctified to me
Like new identity,
Much for the better!
Much for the worse!

Youthful enticements fade,
And favorite denim,
Knee holes,
Like worn souls,
Requiring mending,
for lack of tending
Like late to bed and early to rise,
Persuade tyranny
Like self guided missals.
Much for the better!
Much for the worse!

And in the late
shade-drawn-shadow-cast,
With eyes red,
The things said or left unsaid,
Echoing
Like drafty windows,
Exploit my better intentions
and push friendly strangers
Juxtaposed
In similar surroundings,
Much for the better!
Much for the worse!

With teeth locked
Rock grinding
Finding sweet sleep
Amongst needs deep
Like the fashioning of iron
In the FIRE
The Source of the sound,
the scent,
the color,
the dawn,
the sanctity,
the new identity,
CALLS,
Like with a
still small voice,
And says,
"I AM FOR THE BETTER"
so much for the worse!

And rest returns
Rendering love complete
Like vase
Just pulled from the kiln,
With sweltering heat
Like black on skin
With aid from life-giving SUN.
The mud,
The glaze,
The trial by fire,
Unite,
Like rain and stream,
Stream and river,
River and ocean,
And the Crafter
With gifted pleasure
States
And none will rebut,
"IT IS GOOD!"
Much for the BETTER!

So come to me,
Love of my youth,
Forgive my lack of resolve,
Remember my words
Fresh,
Like sweet spring,
And require of me what you will,
Like testing the gallant,
And rewarding trust!
And I will seek
You
With new eyes,
And fire-glazed
Heart!
MUCH FOR THE BETTER!

Friendship's Inquiry

Have you ever

Danced

In the rain

To the music in your head?

It is, perhaps,

A slower, wiser, dance,

Reminiscent of the weathered

Eyes,

Whose smile and wits within

Eluding.

You know you.

I do not.

It’s raining.

Let’s dance.

Have you ever

Sang

In the rain

An impromptu melody?

It is, perhaps,

A melancholy tune,

Reminiscent of the dreamers

Quirks,

Whose rule and object,

Not disclosing.

You know you.

I do not.

It’s raining.

Let’s dance

Dragons, Fables and The Spruce

This is my first summer as a teacher that I don't have to work a full time job. As a notorious slacker I decided it was my duty to figure out some things to do with Corbin, my 7 year old, before I wasted the summer eating pop-sickles and complaining that I don't have enough time to take care of the lawn. I'm not much for theme parks or carnivals, but I love to play catch, hike, fish, and shoot BB guns. While these are noble activities, we are landlocked, and generally surrounded by blacktop and cookie cutter modular homes. With gas prices rocketing out of the range of our zero balance budget, I decided we would do well to find a few things to do together at home. Among these things are reading Aesop's Fables, building a fort in the base of the huge blue spruce out front, and drawing mythical creatures.

Here is a picture of my first dragon. I have never been much for drawing but have always admired those who could. I got a gift certificate for Barns and Noble (thanks Schlects) and Corbin found a book on how to draw mythical creatures. I thought, "Why not?" We bought the book and have learned a valuable lesson this week. In order to do art, one must first learn the technique. Yep, it's that simple. The genius may come later, but first, the technique.

This dragon is nothing more than a recreation of what was in the book; nothing original really. I don't know how to draw one from my imagination yet. I can imagine plenty, but I don't yet have the skill to put it on paper. Perhaps a few hundred copies of other people's work will teach me though, and Corbin is having a blast.