Life, the ambivalent gift
Built of moments, incidents, experiences,
Images in colour, lingering
In cameos, memories, scattered
Blending in feelings
Breezes stirring love, need, fear,
Joy sometimes
All made of precious little bits
Vulnerable to annihilation
From what is listed
Thereof sing
Into the dark
Absorbent void
Which is the future
And sweet life lived together
In the grip of Time
Twists into sadness;
Contemplates forever
What used to be.
. for public domain
I believed I could fathom her unseen depths
with my hands and fingers clutching books,
and my body hunched over much worn pages,
until with time passing
and being in her company less,
I fathomed her less,
The mystery of her being in this world,
mattered less and less,
until she, all in all, mattered less and less;
until I could no longer bear her absence.
I need the eggs more than the knowing,
ongoing Mystery more than a belly full,
Want and Need, more than satisfaction.
I need more the touch of her hand
than the understanding why.
I need more the joyful mystery
I need the touch of her hand.
(Pema the Pug)
There’s nothing like the tender caress
Of an intimate friend and lover.
It’s indescribable really
Simply because it is of the realm of feeling.
And yet in terms of lasting satisfaction
I’d have to say the caress of a dog is better.
Dogs lean in, and set beside
Melt into laps, or jump up unexpectedly
In unbridled enthusiasm.
And in their contact,
Maybe only seeking the warmth we radiate,
They radiate their own love and loyalty,
A warmth no thermometer can register.
Under our hand, their folds of furry skin
Gather and bunch
And settle into absolute acceptance.
Sensuous without sexual,
What they give and receive
With so little effort is simply
The satisfaction of companionship.
(4/29/26
The good things in life,
While all around us,
Too often go unnoticed,
Unappreciated simply
Because they are all around us.
Things like water and air,
Firm Earth and Sun’s light,
And not least, each other,
The companionship of fellows
Be they human or otherwise.
What really matters
Is the companionship
Sharing this life
For better or worse;
Always a blessing.
(11/20/25)
Unstoppable wags
A full-body affection
Welcoming you home
Fast boi clique founder
Speed beyond Sunday confines
Yearns for open fields
Grabs life by the ball
Persistent in the pursuit
Pride in possession
Curiosity
Cautious in discovery
Bold exclamation
I think I'm starting to realize something.
I'm on the wrong ship,
I guess i didn't think things through
when I came on this trip,
I thought that we had made a bond
love at first sight,
I went to her house, that same day,
was there all night,
When I left I whispered in her ear.
I love you. I felt her body tense
That's why I don't understand this
and why it don't make sense.,
I called her later on that day
She didn't answer her phone,
All that would go through my mind
Was if she was there alone.
That night, I couldn't get much sleep,
Too much was on my mind,
At one point through that lonely night
I caught myself crying,
That morning, I jumped in my car.
And went to her, place,
i knocked and when she opened the door
she slapped me in the face,
How dare you just to show up here
And sending me those texts,
I don't know what you thought about last night.
But to me it was just sex,
Sometimes I just need to release. It's called companionship.
I wanted a relationship I'm sorry
I was on the wrong ship
The solitude of nightfall
Is more bearable
Than companionship in the light
I’ve long since been gone but now I wish to return, if you’ll let me. I was down the thorny path, in the woodchipper, stuck in time, dancing into deed. It’s no match, a man with a curse vs a man with a heart. Its ten to zero, ones not even fighting. We’ve seen the underbelly of the storm cloud, flashing with scowling bolts of canary yellow. Cried onto the flat pale of the earth. So that the ponds and lakes filled like eyes trying to sting away tears. Mothers and fathers have seen tougher times. You’ve toughed out the times, but I've looked the other way. I still want to hold you until the mourning doves set the stage for the sun. We can watch a movie together and forget that it’s on. There will be peace. When it’s all said and done there won’t even be a hatchet.
I shall not love thee but in summertide,
Nor only in the blush of fragrant spring;
I shall not love thee but when sorrows hide:
To time and tempers all, my heart I bring.
Meet me at the River of Hope,
where everything is achievable
simply by trusting in powers above.
Meet me at the Entrance of Forgiveness,
where we can let go of our wrongdoings
and embrace the bright side of our companionship.
Meet me at the River of Memory,
where we can reminisce about moments shared
and see for ourselves that our life has been beautiful with us.
If we cannot meet at any of these rivers,
at least meet me at the midpoint where our paths cross.
(Lada and Pema, 2023)
Dog Heaven
It’s a mid August morning
The time of summer
It all starts to wind down
With the dog days finally behind us.
I sit on the couch
To simply stare out the window
At sprinklers doing their thing
Amid layers and layers of soothing green.
And immediately two of my four dogs join me
The biggest and smallest pushing in
As close as they can to give and get
In equal measure what is best called love.
And while I look outward
Into the yard for solace
I see that they are content within
Secure in a peace that only a dog can know.
(8/13/24)
In depths of solitude, I stand forlorn,
With shadow as my sole and steadfast friend.
By society shunned, from kinship torn,
I ponder on life's edge, its bitter end.
Upon the bridge, where thoughts of ending bloom,
My shadow's form beside me makes its stand.
This grim moment, midst the gathering gloom,
I gasp, “l'm not alone in this bleak land!”
For shadow's silent vigil, ever true,
Has walked with me through life's relentless strain.
In every trial, every triumph too,
He’s been my constant, through both loss and gain.
So, ‘neath moon’s light, and night’s cold embrace,
My shadow stands, my solace and my grace.
-Edward
For within you resides immeasurable worth!
You are not alone in this world.
You are not alone in the struggles of this life.
If you are having a difficult time, feeling overwhelmed and overburdened, there is help out there.
It is OK to share your struggles and talk to someone.
Call 988 for help
Text 988 for support
Visit: 988 Suicide and Crisis Hotline for support
The morning sun spills across the porch, casting a golden sheen on everything it touches. There, in a weathered rocking chair, sits a whiskered old man, his face a roadmap of countless smiles and sorrows. Beside him, a white labrador, whose fur almost glows in the light, listens intently. The man's raspy voice, a gentle melody fills the air, weaves tales of days gone by and adventures shared. Each note dances on the breeze, a private serenade for two souls bound by years of companionship.
in morning's embrace,
old tunes float on sunlit air—
shadows dance, tail wags
("Pema", 2022)
Buddies For Life
You and me
We love each other
Don’t we
Face to face
Cheek to cheek
Side by side
One big
One small
One short
One tall
Something about
A boy and his dog
Never grows old
(12/17/23)
Written: October 1st, 2023
____________________________________________________________
If you quest for a mate, I'll be yours if you abide
Friends and mates, a loop that will never glide.
In close propinquity to one another, we will reside.
With our motley efforts, we can swivel the tide.
Fused by the bonds of oneness, harmoniously we stride.
On this journey, zeal and passion will be our guide
An enthusiastic flame, that blazes deep and wide.
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