watching the animals for clues

the haunting
we have lived in this house for many yearsÂ
we have buried many animals here in the backyardÂ
we are fond of parakeetsÂ
but their lives aren't all that longÂ
and also a couple of them got sick early onÂ
some of the graves are theirs
and our catÂ
for years she hunted field miceÂ
in the park across the streetÂ
bringing their remains home to usÂ
trophiesÂ
she would parade around the corpseÂ
with her tail straight and erectÂ
and we would bury themÂ
while she watchedÂ
dozens of themÂ
a few times she caught a birdÂ
once it was a big crowÂ
all buried and then the cat died tooÂ
and joined her victims in our soilÂ
there's a big tortoise out there as wellÂ
somewhere among the restÂ
none of us remember where they all areÂ
there's too many of themÂ
spread out across far too many yearsÂ
but if you listen late at nightÂ
perhaps you will hear a little scurrying soundÂ
or the flapping of wingsÂ
we like to thinkÂ
well you can guess can't youÂ
it is the animal ghosts watching usÂ
haunting usÂ
-james lee jobeÂ
I want you to understand that your first duty is to humanity.
I want others to look at us and see that we care
not just about ourselves but about others.
-Madam C.J. Walker

Vincent van Gogh, The Reaper (after Millett), September, 1889
this lincoln log life
everyone says that my way of life
is the way of a simpleton
-lao tzu
this life
was built from lincoln logs
long ago
no one understands
time is a sister
was a brother
time is a mother
was a father
watching the animals for clues
watching the insects
looking for meaning
this incarnation
is built from building blocks
colored with crayons
like a child made it
getting older
balder
seeing ghosts
talking to the invisible
whispering
secrets
prayers
omens
recipes
hopes
promises
admissions
dreams
"what are you doing"
"don't know
don't care either
got some poems"
james lee jobe
We all have the seeds of basic goodness within us,
we just have to nourish them.Â
-Pema Chödrön

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JamesÂ