In My Next Life, I Will Be a Wolf

source: Huffington Post

In my next life

I will be a wolf.

I will run like the wind,

if there are still

forests to run through.

I will feed my young,

if there is still prey to be found,

and will keep them safe,

if protected spaces

still exist.

In my next life, I pray

I am not running through

an apocalyptic landscape,

paws burning,

cubs crying in distress,

falling behind.

In this life, 

a member of the species

that destroyed the earth,

the most dangerous 

and unthinking species alive,

in my next life,

for my penance,

I will be a wolf,

running through

a burning, apocalyptic

landscape,
paws and heart on fire.

As always, I think of the animals, who do not have the resources we humans do, who are suffering the results of climate change, in floods, storms and wildfires. Mother Earth is crying as loudly as she can, yet we are not mobilizing fast enough to assist her in her distress.

Book of Words

Serendipity?

that we came together

when we did?

It is a testament

to my belief

in the universal plan,

that I know

rapture such as that

had little to do

with man.

Hmmmm.............these words jumped out for Mama Zen's prompt, at Real Toads, to choose three words and write a poem in 66 words or less. I used 32. The words are highlighted.

WILD PACIFIC TRAIL II

The other day was a sunny September day,

unseasonably hot for the West Coast.

I headed to Ucluelet,

to explore the Wild Pacific Trail.

This time, I took the path to the left,

overlooking the Broken Group Islands,

popular small islands for campers, kayakers 

boaters.

The winter winds contorted

this trees roots and branches

into interesting curves.

My zoom works well.

It was a wonderful day, blue-skies, clouds, trees and ocean.

Sebastian and the Fishes

 When young Sebastian was visiting me recently, we  made a visit to the aquarium in Ucluelet. This facility is a wonderful place to visit. The good thing is that, at the end of the summer, the creatures are all released back into the wild. But through the summer, kids and adults get to enjoy them close up.

Children are allowed to gently cup some of the creatures in their hands, then put them gently back.

I was fascinated with the jellyfish, so mysterious and beautiful. I have seen them in a small bay, years ago, an incredible sight to  see the entire surface of the bay a-swim with jellies.

 The Ucluelet harbour, peaceful in summer sun.

MEMORIES OF JOY

Pup ~ March, 1997 to January 15, 2011

"There is no pain so great 

as memory of joy in present grief."

Aeschylus

Because men had abused my trust,

you came to me this lifetime

in a wolf-dog’s body,

but your eyes spoke to me

with human sensibility,

and you could read my mind.

Fate brought us together,

solitary wolf-woman and small wolf puppy,

lost on the mountainside.

I rescued you;

you rescued me.

Our bond went deep,

as wolf-bonds do.

We shared the wild.

I never knew how large

a presence

your absence would be,

or that it would continue

to the end of my life.

In the spirit world,

I know that you are conscious

how I grieve.

I can see the sadness in your eyes,

those eyes that never left me

in this life.

But you always went ahead of me

on the trail.

Now I am following

your padding footsteps,

listening for your call.

When next we meet,

there will be joy:

I can see you,

tail up, ears cocked,

with that old, wild gleam

in your eyes.

I have known those eyes before

for, lifetime after lifetime,

you have found me.

We made a whole, we two,

an unlikely but perfect partnership,

salted by sea-spray and forest trails,

peppered with loud barks and cackles…

Oh, we were wild!

And I never knew how deep

a grief could be

till you were no longer
walking, here,

with me.

for Sumana's prompt at Midweek Motif: Memories, in which the above quote was given. I miss my boy.

Always, A New Moon Rising

photo by Jon Merk

I am well water, salted with tears.

I am the chill in a September morn,

through an open door.

I am Memory

of other chilly autumn mornings,

come full circle,

as the many seasons pass.

I am evening closing in early.

I am bathing in

the reflection of the moon,

rising silver and serene 

in the evening sky.

I am a new blade of grass 

pushing up through the earth,

and I am the bent and brittle 

straw-like, yellow stalk

at the end of life's road.

I am river-breath and ocean-fog

and an old weary, wondering spirit, 

rising.

Looking through my eyes

is the one who is 

doing the looking,

the one who watches, still and quiet,

as I cavort about like a bumbling fool.

She knows. I know that She knows:

fire and rain, joy and pain,

and always a new moon, 

rising.

A poem from 2014, to be shared with the Tuesday Platform at Real Toads .

Wild Woman Goes Out

helpful sign found on google

Wild Woman ventures out at night.

It's getting kind of scary.

Is the world really ready

for an out-at-night Sherry?

She teeters on hilly edges,

others clutching at her cape,

to keep her from falling over

as she stands with mouth agape.

"Look at all the pretty stars!"

as she slides down the cliff,

pretends she meant to go that way,

it's really fun. As if.

There's a sign on the balcony

but she's too blind to see.

The folks below just catch Wild Woman

finally flying free.

A Ms. Magoo kinda heart,

in a  world benign and funny,

Wild Woman cannot see the grey.

She keeps her blue skies sunny. 

Now she's out in the orchard

dancing - skip skip skip -

there's many a sorry stumble twixt

the high-step and the flip.

Follow fools into the meadow.

Let's all hoot at the owl,

dance with the chickens,

both fair-weather and fowl.

Smiling grimly 'top the steering wheel

and blinded by the light:

"Officer, I'm not impaired,

I just can't see at night."

Wild Woman rarely drives at night,

because she knows she's blind.

Thank God the policeman

was Canadian, and kind.

Each little touch of pixie dust

gets followed by an "ouch!"

I think it's safer keeping

Wild Woman on the couch.

A smile from 2014, shared with the Poetry Pantry at Poets United. It's true, last time I drove at night, a policeman followed me home to ensure I wasn't impaired. As I had a back seat full of bottles for the bottle depot, and my eyes were red from an eye infection, he may well have been suspicious. Thankfully, I managed to speak somewhat coherently and avoided a ticket. LOL.