Hallelujah Breakdown

Copyright 2008

I tell you what, my friend
today was a whale of a day
for old men and old dogs
sun was bright
spattering the ground with brilliance
dappling the forest with shivering light

And here I am at a keyboard
pecking away
trying to tell you
don’t sit there in four walls
get out to where the clouds race
across the sky
and the cardinals sing
and streak red across your vision

Where the ground hog shuffles and digs
and the fox trots
and the crow flops across the sky
awkward as a teenager

and the breeze ripples your shirt
and your lifeblood pounds in your ears

frail human
time is short
live each moment
breathe the precious air
caress the bark of an oak tree
and pray that we remain
for another season.

Cherry Blossoms and Scarecrows

Many thanks to Linda Austin, co-author of Cherry Blossoms in Twilight: Memories of a Japanese Girl for mentioning the essay below about Robert E. Lee and also recommending a visit to this humble blog. She did so on her fine blog at http://moonbridgeblog.blogspot.com/ which is entitled "Cherry Blossom Memories." As an aside, my favorite ornamental tree is the Yoshino Cherry. Nothing is prettier in Springtime. Thank you, Linda.