I once was walking, enjoying the view,
When I came across a weeping shrew.
“Little shrew, what’s wrong?” I stopped and asked.
He raised his weary eyes at last.
“I’m sick and tired of the fox and his games,
Of always being the one he blames.
I work so hard, I strive and strive,
Yet nothing seems to change my life.”
“Then why keep going? Just quit,” I sighed.
“Take no more—walk away with pride.”
“I have my young, their mouths to feed,
And every day brings something they need.
“The fox gives us food for the work that we do,
But keeps making trouble out of the blue.
I cannot leave, though I long to be free;
Too many at home depend upon me.”
“Don’t worry, little shrew,” I calmly replied,
“One day, you’ll leave all this behind.
No tyrant rules forever, you know;
Even the mightiest someday must go.
“The wrong he has done, the pain he gave,
Will follow him down to his lonely grave.
And when his shadow no longer remains,
You’ll walk as a free soul, released from your chains.”
The shrew wiped his tears and went on his way.
I watched till his small shape faded to gray.
We parted beneath the fading sun—
And I never saw him again, not once.
Wolves are said to work in packs
For apex they are
They plan and hack
Giving a group's scar
There exists wolves
Who work alone
Are called lone
And always hone
In the snow they meet a raven
Not a wolf but a new family
The presence later feels like heaven
Quite different but have a simile
They eat together
Never think to harm
They live separately
But together believe in calm
They are inseparable
They trust each other
The bond is not blood
But they thrive forever
They bond and hunt
And do it together
The forest fears them
And it passes to generations, dear
The thuggery & skulduggery we must disable
The fable that we are all from another stable
Reliant on corporate giant bland brand label
We should be able to sit at the same table
Could grow our food in our neighbourhood
No creeds just deeds sow seeds that feeds
Heeds our needs not greeds edible weeds
Chairs of reeds in a row stood around wood
Two hands & one mouth the triangle of life
Spans across lands fans of no fork or knife
North to south eat together beat the strife
Allayed & swayed by Proustian rushes rife
Severe all ties with pain lies of Cain and Abel
Come together guys round table whenever
Wherever forever there is nowt comparable
Parable of arable reigns never been a fable
A kraken with red wings
Arrived in town, claiming a talent to sing
Lions roared with delight
Wanting to see, such an entertaining frozen water sight
Tigers seemed all right
Knowing their King was in the spotlight
Showing gridiron might
“You may need a rod and reel
That is how a mariner would deal
With this monstrous catch
In the oceans the fisherman needs to fetch”
Watching the seahawks
Stalk
The fishes
With wishes
Accompanied by tartar sauce dishes
Lions got into their car
Left the motor city bar
Engine pistons spewing flames
Supersonic attitude instigating power playing games
Deep into the night air
A Friday night audience relaxed enjoying the affair
Preparing for a scare
That could turn Jay Blue
Challenging the Canadians ‘are you through?”
No matter which two
Find the winning score
Belting one out having the American championship floor
Listen to the wisdom of an old woman
You will find what experience sounds like
I have seen all and knowledge of all
I won’t always be around
While I am living, I will share my pointers
Grandson, I want your feet planted firmly on solid ground
Be the Adult I always told you were meant to be
Be independent and courageous
Depend on no but yourself guided by God’s assurance and influence
“Every battle there is victory at the end”
Step out and on
Every footstep is the journey gained in learning
When you fall pick yourself up
Anticipate life’s ups and downs
Finding yourself who you are
Know that you are never alone
No matter where nor how far
You are enriched in the harmony and rhythm from your very creation
Take it from Grandma from my own experience
Today’s uplift
Tomorrow’s praise ongoing
Always be ready holding steady
Grandma will always be waiting at every Airport, Bus Station and Train Station for your arrival to the pearly gates
I want to see you in where I am
Love, Grandma
A Fable
I was spending an afternoon with a billionaire
On our walk through town, we came to an art salon
on its wall, a painting I liked but could not afford
The billionaire offered to buy it for me, but reserved
The right to take the artwork back should I die
because he is an art collector,
The salon refuses to sell to the billionaire, who buys the salon
and everything in it, at a price no one can afford to
refuse; my rich friends hand me the painting
that I no longer want, because I liked the idea that
something costs more than I can afford
The wealthy man shrugs as he has made a good deal
This afternoon, later that day, he paid for a burger
and coke, and I don't mind him paying
America the place
Ice feels immigrants should be erased
Lady Liberty welcome
Constitution says stay
Washington wants to put the immigrants away
Immigrants have a right
It’s turned into a plight
Immigrant’s rights went from bright to dark
Leaving a disgrace mark
They want to live and pursue
What are they to do?
The constitution is the thing
Washington wants the departure sling
America spells opportunity
The taste of prosperity
Immigrants dream of reality
Their America’s tomorrow is a morrow
Immigrants are distinguished
Desires and goals
America in immigrant hate
No appreciate
As Races we should all associate
We all have values and contributions
Individual put in
New beginning
Chance to advance
Immigrants alike
Immigrants tell Ice go fly a kite
Hope in hearts
Needing no depart
America is the immigrant’s stride
They have what it takes to survive
Fable
Bloody Bond
Feeble pledge
Far sighting the bogus Lustre
Drenched in thoughts
Wrenching out words
With ideas in the trench
He was a wreck
Dredging in the mud
Wearing his other face
Facing his tomorrow
Fencing his fears
Benching all odds
In a world of doubt
A wise mouse lived alone in a narrow hole he had dug
in the soft soil in the backyard flank of a large house,
whose owner had a pet cat that seemed the master
of the house, for she moved around majestically
in the sprawling premises with an agile feline grace.
Once as the mouse was sniffing the ground for food
the sprightly cat chased him, but failed to catch,
for the alert mouse ran like lightning into the hole.
From that day the cat sat all the while by the hole,
waiting for the mouse to come out in search of food.
The hungry mouse faced a problem of life and death,
choice of death from hunger or being a prey to the cat
became a huge predicament, but he chose the latter,
for there was a chance that the cat wouldn’t be in sight,
and outside the hole he could find fast food to survive.
After his stomach was full his brain started to work,
flashing a novel idea across his confounded mind.
He crawled cautiously, dug a few more holes wide apart,
the confused cat didn’t know where the mouse was,
who was happy for inventing a bright piece of thought.
Moral : A little thought can solve almost all problems.
Alone and Separated
Far from a Child’s touch
Divided in much
A bus with square wheels and not round
A Passenger train with no steam engine pull
A flying Eel
A rewrite Reel
All the above are Misfit toys
Needing the joy from every Girl and Boy
They are stuck on an island in the middle of nowhere
It’s up to Santa to bring the care
The Misfit Toys have nowhere to go
A change needs to be a flow
Misfit Toys cry out to the world they deserve a home
A place where a Child and Misfits can roam
Misfit toys must be seen from a different angle
It’s up to the child
Being enjoyment while
Misfit Toys for Christmas and any season
Imagine, a Misfit Toy hand held by a loving child
That is the true meaning of giving.
Among tales told long ago were those
of finding hidden buried treasures,
of growing seeds in diverse soils,
of building homes on sand or rock,
of sorting worthy sheep from wicked goats,
of inviting multitudes to a banquet,
of celebrating a prodigal returning home,
of saving a life by a scorned Samaritan.
Jesus loved earthly stories
with heavenly implications.
His parables were spiritual seeds
sown in hearers’ hearts and minds,
analogies thrown alongside
puzzling narrative plots,
poignant truths with shocking twists
and unexpected outcomes.
Deceptively simple, sly stories
with multiple potential meanings,
his parables perplexed expectations,
and upended usual understandings.
Even his bewildered disciples
pleaded for private interpretations.
During careful contemplation,
parables interrogate our lives.
Providing few easy answers,
parables compel us to ponder.
(First published in Earth & Altar, 14 Nov. 2024. See also my poems “God Around the Corner” and “Consider the Dreaming Birds.”)
A fable
I flew high, but it was hot, my wings were tired
when spotting a well sat on the rim of the well
saw my reflection; yes, I was beautiful, but
noticed a dark shadow behind me
pushing me into the well and looking up
Evil had gone
clawed myself to the top, the Evil sat by the fireside
my talons scratched its eyes out
Evil ran outside, cooling his dead eyes in falling
I'm a silky bird with golden feathers
The evil scream bore man's suffering
Wisdom lost there was a land that had golden sand
lemon trees and jubilant grapes
A Muslim land?
Among them lived a minority known for wisdom
prosperity and respect, with riches, came power
Europe was full of new ideas and a call from the minority
that had grown rich until calamity blocked progress
The call from this minority was a new demand for the right to
go back to the land of golden sand and lemon tree to turn
it into their land and to get revenge for the past indignity
So it comes to pass, for now, but since the minority had lost
the wisdom of the story is endless
those who have spent years on ship decks
know how to keep the balance
Before there were humans on earth below,
There were angels above in the skies.
There were mountains and trees and woods and streams,
And moths and butterflies.
But one day the angels in glory aloft
Were upset and began to cry.
It rained, but the butterflies simply scoffed
At the angels above in the sky.
The moths were more compassionate,
And knew something had to be done
To end the angels' crying fit,
And so began, one by one
To rise to the sky above the rain,
And shed their colors bright.
The angels observed, and it eased their pain,
And the colors shone morning til night.
The crying then stopped and the angels were glad
As they watched what had happened below,
For the moths, with a beautiful, selfless act
Had made the world's first rainbow.
That is the reason the moths are grey,
While the butterflies still have their hues.
The moths gave up most of their color that day,
But the butterflies refused.
Day into night
No permissions just decisions
The desire to write
The need to be heard
Opportunities to explore
The tomorrow into the ever after
The heart leading the way
Destiny granted
Who a Poet is
A Poet meant to be
Poets always understands
Embracing instinct
Wonders of any journey
Stories through discover
Over and over writing more
No time limits
Write until satisfied
True Poet
Totally inspired
Endless Poet writes
If duckling, piglets and puppy
Live, eat and slept together
No fussing, growling or barking
Why can't humans get along with each other.
We are all God's jam, an Earthling humans
Why can't we live in friendship, unmindful
Of color of skin, religion, nationality, please...
Have peace, love, kindness to everyone.
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