seeing him, thinking of him

A Second Poem

11/10 A natural death?

this is the hardest hour as the evening descends like a coat, 

to not go out to call my hound home,

to stay with my soup

to leave him out where he has wanted to go

to die.

I carried him home once this morning

not able to stand his frozen stance

hesitating on his quivering hind legs

not circling down

not coming home. 

He slept hard, but

this afternoon he stood at the door

and i let him out.

he bent to the river path.

(He was born on the river, son of a plot hound and who knows dad,

elegant mutt, sitting with legs crossed in front, a

Cary Grant, and the best ever with kids.)

I’m leaving the outside light on,

I hate to think coyotes might roam,

please no,

It’s cold tonight, will hyperthermia speed him away?

I always imagine my self following this road

when I’m old, stiff, unable to eat,

taking off ever so slow, but full of intent and a pull from another domain,

curling into the leaf litter,

and tucking down close.

I’ll probably fail to stay

hobbling home, until I can’t manage the stairs

as Mojo has these past two days. But today he was

Ready.

Today I’m letting him go.

Mourning dog, Leonard Cohen and election

Mojo

I defecate on three raisin size ticks sunk in the bowl 

I try not to hate

but I hate ticks, these

who clung to the skin over bones

of my dying hound.

I gently rub along his ribs, not too hard

his hips, his gentle dignified nose

which still turns his head

on our slow slow walks, I

pick up each ear and scan

for a parasite, I freeze

on a thought of Mojo

out in the evening, gone too far,

curling down in a round of grass

and I cry.

But he’s not dead yet, I coaxed

a bit of food into his mouth this morning; 

perhaps yesterday was not the last time 

he will stand in the river

sniffing the wafting scents from the other bank.

Last night I woke to hear Mojo stir from his bed

get up like a new born colt, all legs

throwing his head as a weight, all motion down to intent,

I thought to gather a blanket around my shoulders,

go lie with my dog. But I haven’t yet.

Maybe tomorrow.

mh north 11/6/2016

time of pumpkin, skeletons

I plan to bring the lonely pumpkin from the blue house steps down to my front porch, add a candle. Far too spooky to venture down my 4/10 of a mile road, i presume on Halloween; I have never had a trick or treater at my door! 
But there is spooky news. Trump prompting cohorts to show up at polls "to watch." And scary that there are so many people who will vote for the orange man who has been endorsed by the KKK. Now this is a dangerously frightening pumpkin.
I have a rationalization dance i make in my mind: don't give power to that which is evil by fretting about the subject. Stop and imagine a good outcome. Transform the pumpkin into a deflated hot air balloon. Meanwhile address the complaints of his minions - jobs and audience. I do know how hard it is to just be hanging on with a salary that barely pays the bills, single parent and two kids. But i don't grasp the hate spewing from Trump or motivating some of his followers. 
On another note, a beautiful day!

the sycamore has leaves

the tulip popular does not

the oaks are holding on

the black walnut is bare

pine needles and cones cover path

i shed; i horde

the sight of the burning bush

Gone to the dogs

Woke up at 3:30 this morning to fix breakfast for the departing family. By 7 AM I was home again with dogs and cat and hole in heart. Or seemingly so. I know I am lucky to have son and family within walking/shouting distance for 7 months of the year. But I get spoiled and need time to wean off the energy of 8 and 4 year olds. Text from DR, they have arrived!
Walked with dogs up to Blue house to glean jalapeño peppers from their garden as fearing frost tomorrow. Picked about 4 pounds and fortunately Alma is up for canning them (pickled with olive oil, carrots and garlic). Now waiting to crash into bad around 9. 
Good news from Houston, my daughter-in-law has cast a nasty woman vote for Hillary - I forecast, Hillary taking TEXAS!!!!

dark by 7

Chickens are on the roost by 6:15; I've been letting them wander the yard in the late afternoon which they seem to delight in. Would hope that they enjoy ticks along with other bugs. Last night big harvest moon, I woke early to see before the sun brightened the sky. Heavy fog transformed the landscape, all as if a painting, and the big moon hanging with a soft rainbow aura. My cell phone took a magical photograph!

Distraction, insidious distraction

I would like to say that I have not been 6 or more times a day checking my phone for the latest news on the antics of Trump, but obviously I have little to show for how I have spent the last couple of months - AND October is 1/2 over! Yikes, I can only hope to rack this time up to experience, fuel for art, increase in work with Hillary's campaign and coalition for justice. More walks, more meditation, more qigong - all in an effort to find balance in the Trump fouled air. Lately I have been turning off the news and playing music. Rejoice at the recent Noble Prize for literature given to Bob Dylan - playing Dylan for hours. There is yet the good in the midst of the maelstrom. Which prompts me to think of Haiti after hurricane Matthew - where is the good there? Can the world respond with real long term help this time, empowering aid?
It was inspiring to attend a workshop on Schussler's 12 tissue remedies - I will seek to increase my use of them. I had not thought of Nat-Phos for acidity balance, and possibly a remedy to think of when someone is trying to wean off a proton pump inhibiter. I am excited to have Mag-Phos to consider for sciatica; indeed, a wonderful remedy for muscle cramps (works for glucose metabolism in muscles). I have been a proponent of the use of Ferrum Phos at the sign of a cold (this mineral delivers oxygen to cells and strengthens the immune system). I wish I had thought to give my dog, Calc-Fluor for his teeth; this mineral helps to re-mineralize teeth and to strengthen bones - excellent for osteoporosis. Especially in the winter when we have less fresh vegetables from the garden it is  a good idea to add Bioplasma to your diet (this is a combination of all 12 salts). 
I have filled my green house in preparation for frost - but we have escaped the killer so far and this week temperatures are forecast to rise into the 80's!!!