ending in words that only make sense in context

folks like beans here are, for me, favorites.

those that are honest and sneaky, honestly sneaky,

stealing glances yet giving away emotional alms almost daily.

true boned and solid folks, with big strong heads

and crafting hands,

diving through the trees of various cities to find words

for what should be, because that's the concern.

what should be, to benefit the all.

matt wrote me today to say that all men are brothers,

and that's true, though i'd like to take it a step further

and say the photograph above is a family portrait, with

beans, the bushes, boots, red, two.

here at home

I'm waiting for the feeling of being home,

here on the porch,

with my wagon of worthwhile possessions

animals offer their advice

Yesterday, after the rain, came the animals.

Fish and cardinals, wet raccoons

and ginger cats, toads, canaries, opossums,

brown bears, and black ones, newts,

skinks, turtles, ewes and lambs,

horses, voles, fox, bucks, balboas,

seals, skunks, miniature, standard sized poodles.

Everyone was wet, skirting off drops,

with expressions of absolutely apathy.

I, a handful of calendula, asked for advice.

'animals,' i asked, 'how should this be?'

i didn't even know myself if i was referring to

my life, my actions, this life, other's emotions,

the way to live daily, the way to pray, the

overarching atmosphere, or to what degree

i should recycle, floss, dust, or prostrate in gratitude.

The question put forward, the pavement steaming

from a few hours of rain after three weeks of heat,

I stood expectant of an answer and received a groundhog

who took the bouquet from my fist, rearranged the yellow,

the salmon, the orange, the brown, and replied

'it should be like this' and looking up from the circle of petals

found the panther and the parrot in agreement.