The Poetry Of Ruddy Turnstone: May 2017

Tuesday, May 30, 2017

Solid Me

I have a long list

Of do’s and don’ts

But as time paraded

My list has been painted over

With broad strokes of love

This has been my salvation

And the soil for my growth

I am not a towering figure

But just a solid me

Sunday, May 28, 2017

Circular

I am a mystery to myself

Physically our bodies are truly a wonder

But I am talking about my emotions

I’m not an emotional rollercoaster

But I have ups and downs

I subscribe to the belief that we first think

Then we feel

So feelings don’t just happen

The mystery for me

Is how my feelings then affect my thinking

The very thought makes me dizzy

Saturday, May 27, 2017

Creative Love

The woods awake my senses

The wilderness feeds my wonder

As ancient truths are whispered

In the untouched forest

No cosmic message that dwarfs me

But the story of creative love

Wednesday, May 24, 2017

The Heart Of Life

Take time to observe

The commonplace

What we see everyday

Is not mundane

For it is the core

The very heart of life

To ignore

What we see as superficial

Steals away

The depth of our existence

Sunday, May 21, 2017

Carnage

Last night we had our first bear attack

Sadly there will be more

The attack occurred next to our house

We live at the edge of a northern conifer forest

The two victims were brought to our home

It is the triage site

Spring

Summer

And fall

One never gets used to

Mangled parts

Such trauma

Will never be common place

Happily the injuries we not life threatening

With a precautionary step

Such a mauling would never occur

Just take the bird feeders

Inside for the night

Golf

I enjoy golfing

Some people say they do

But watching them play

Looks painful

Disappointment

Frustration

Emotions boil over

Profanity and clubs may fly

My secret

Is to play golf

Like I live life

Do my best

Laugh about my poor shots

Marvel about my good ones

And enjoy the walk

Friday, May 19, 2017

Unconventional Wisdom

I sometimes wonder about

Conventional wisdom

Work hard and reach for the stars

Has never worked for me

I have found such advice

To bring discouragement and dissatisfaction

For me maybe

Aim low and be surprised

Is more my style

Diary

Words for only me to read

They need not make sense to others

For the audience is me

My words on paper

A mirror

The image present

May reflect the past

Or perhaps a future

Pleasant dreams or fears

The pages

A collection of the years

Thursday, May 18, 2017

Quandary

I often come across things that puzzle me

This is common place due to my brain power

You see I don’t always hit on all 3 cylinders

That’s right I’ve only got 3 cylinders of brain power

Before you start feeling sorry for me allow me to point out

Such a small brain has its advantages

No one wants to ride share on my ideas

I’ve never been challenged to a brain race

Simple engines usually have fewer problems

And I get good mpg’s so my grocery bills are lower

The down side is often being puzzled

For example I notice a bumper sticker the other day

SAY NO TO NEGATIVITY

My engine froze up

I simply was at a standstill

Luckily my wife is only a phone call away

She towed me home

Monday, May 15, 2017

I Rescue Worms

I’ve noticed in the past few years

A growing compassion for all creatures

It really started a good 10 years ago

That is when I started rescuing earthworms

Those hermaphroditic heroes of composting

Foolishly get stranded on asphalt surfaces

After it rains

When crossing

Roads

Parking lots

Playgrounds

Cement sidewalks

Well you get the picture

I pick up worms

And place them back into the grass

It does pain me

Whenever I discover

A worm’s dehydrated carcass

If only I had gotten there sooner

But I realize that

I can do only so much

I’m not God

I’m just the weird guy

Who you see

Doing something odd

In the parking lot

Seriously

Seriously I’m joking

Look at my face

Look at my eyes

I’m just joking

You may not know me

Well enough

But I am a master

Of Sincere

Joking

No malice intended

I just find joy

In being playful

If I’ve offended

It was not intended

I just enjoy life

On the lighter side

I can be stern

I can be serious

There is a time

For that

But I rather

Be playful

And find

The humor

In my life

Sunday, May 14, 2017

Life Sentence

May 14, 1977

I stood up to hear the verdict

A large crowd was in the gallery

Some teary eyed as it was announced

I am 40 years into a life sentence

At the age of 27 I did something

That has forever changed my life

Granted I was young and rather foolish

Not considering the consequences

It may be hard for you to understand

But it was for the best to be locked up

You see

The warden

Has stuck by me

Helping me figure out the system

Helping me to grow in hard times

Tragic times

And sharing

The many good times

40 years in

I am looking

Forward to many more

You see

The warden

Is my wife

Happy Anniversary Diane

Mindfulness

I have a mind of its own

It seems to wander at will

Taking me to places

That I’ve never been before

So for me life is an adventure

When I wake

I never know where I will end up

Thankfully my mind

Very seldom goes to dark places

It prefers

Sunshine

Beauty

And laughter

Thursday, May 11, 2017

Lens Of Love

If I measure

All that comes

My way

Through self convenience

I will often be

Annoyed

Critical

And Put out

If the measure is

Through the lens of love

I will see opportunities

And be enriched in the giving of self

Mom

You left this earth

Too soon

Yet filled your children

With all

We needed to succeed

Not just with skills

But tender hearts

To give

To share

To love

Exposed

Vulnerable

A position all creatures share

Some lay exposed

Unaware of their position

A step away from disaster

I feel secure

Bound by defenses

Yet in reality

In a moment

I tool lay exposed

Full Of Self

There is plenty of arrogance in this world

Heaping praise upon one’s own plate

Relishing the sweet attention

Savoring the taste of the entourage

Gourmet clothing

Flaunting the desserts of success

The very thought turns my stomach

I prefer small portions of humble pie

Perennial

The winter nearly killed you

Bundled under layers

The cold still penetrated

Sucking the life

Right out of you

You look like a corpse

To me you are a miracle

For I know

Your color will come back

You will not only grow

You will blossom

Tuesday, May 9, 2017

A Cold Spring Morning

A cold spring morning

Does not show much promise

But if I wear a warm winter jacket

And a hat

And gaze at the bright blue sky

I can insulate

Such chilly thoughts

And enjoy

The feelings of new birth

A Listening Ear

I talk to my cat

More than I do to my wife

My cat seems to like it

I know my wife does

I really don’t have anything

Important to say

That makes no difference

To my cat

She just likes

Hearing my voice

My wife

Has long ago

Tired

Of my

Screwball thoughts

I’m like a silent movie

To her

Complaint Department

I never had many staff

At my work complaint department

Just two part time employees

Each worked ten minutes a week

So when I retired

There wasn’t a big fuss

When they were laid off

I think some people

Have rather large

Work complaint departments

When they retire

They keep all their staff

And find new work

For them

I am sure

You have met such people

Balm Of Gilead

An aroma

That transports

Me to my youth

Spring days

Playing in the woods

Carefree

Sunshine

Friends

Water

And saltine crackers

Monday, May 8, 2017

Our Log

My cat and I

Have a log in the woods we share

We spend time contemplating

Life persistent questions

We have different questions

Mine are about

Relationships

Purpose

And the Kingdom of God

Hers are about

Mice

And dogs

Late Afternoon

Late afternoon

The time of regret

Plans settling down for the night

Expectations dropping below the horizon

Things are cooling down

Soon I will lose my vision

And must greet those lost feelings

When doubts start creeping in

I am rescued by the stars

Friday, May 5, 2017

Left Handed

I’m left handed

And almost everything

In this world

Is backwards for me

That’s my reason

For being

An oddball

So please don’t

Give me

A left handed

Compliment

I’ve had my

Fill of them

The Lottery

I won the lottery once

In 1969

I don’t talk about it much

It may offend some

And disgust others

It was the draft lottery

I was spared going to Vietnam

Some may say I’m not a patriot

Others perhaps a coward

I would have gone

But I won

The choice to choose

Tell Me

If no man is an island

What is he

If you can answer that

Tell me what a woman is

The High Bid

My wife

Wants me to work

I have skills

The ability to

Remodel homes

So I said yes dear

I’ve bid on may jobs

But never had to work

My secret

Bid high

And enjoy retirement

No One Knows

No one knows

I am a genius

I hide it well

It’s best

That way

No need

To meet

High expectations

Bird Watching With A Cat

Bird watching with a cat

We both

Look

Listen

Scanning ground

Bush

And tree

We share

The same behavior

With different goals

Moving Day

I look around and think

How fast the time has gone

Since I put my roots into this ground

The memories are rich

Spanning decades in this place

It’s all I’ve ever known

This time

This place

The sights

The sounds

Since I put my roots into this ground

Now the time has come

I’ve said my goodbyes

We’ve packed the memories and the stories

Tenderly with tears

Recollecting all the years

Now my days are done

On this sphere

An earthly realm

Then to a place

I’ve not known before

And put my roots into that ground

Thursday, May 4, 2017

Aquatic Acquiescence

I have two speeds

Slow

And Slower

When I swim laps

I am surrounded

By Dolphins

Sharks

Porpoises

It’s ok

Most are young

I’m not even a fish

I liken myself to a barge

But yesterday

I was jostled

By a new wake

A woman

In her late 70’s

Skimming the water

Passes me

I have two speeds

Slower

And Slowest

Tuesday, May 2, 2017

Our Work

While others moved

A mound of dirt

With wheel barrels

He moved

A mountain

While sitting

In a chair

The power

Of prayer

Wondering

Why do we write of love

Again

And Again

Do we hope to get it right

This time

Or is it our attempt

To understand

Monday, May 1, 2017

Spring Came

Spring came today

Not sure how long she will stay

This time of year she comes and goes

As Winter pushes her away

He has overstayed his welcome

This frosty fellow of gloom

And Spring so sweet and tender

Does not demand the room

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