In the end, the amount of that type of writing that accumulated was impressive. I wrote 54 poems, some of them only part or short, and four short stories.
In the next while I will go through the poems and short stories and make revisions. I plan to choose some of the poems and the short stories and compile them into a collection that I can share. Perhaps the wisdom I found will be of benefit to others as well.
In the meantime, I offer this poem. It is a poem about one of my family’s dogs, written in the middle of writing all the other poems. Much can be learned from the other creatures that we humans share this earth with. Perhaps this is one of the most important things we can do for ourselves as the outer world that we know changes so rapidly: look to the non-human creatures and learn from them. They know things our busy thinking brains don't show us.
Ringo
Our dog
A most precious soul
Sharing with us
This time and place
His eyes
Speak volumes
A knowing
Beyond words
Bigger than words
His demeanour
Softens
The hardest heart
Brings a smile
To the painfully
Self-conscious
Live
He tells us
Right now
Soak in the sun
When it shines
Smell every scent
On your path
Taste every morsel
You find
Look into the eyes
Of those who love you
Shake off the little things
When you can
As his joints fail
Muscles weaken
Cold and damp
Slow him down
He tells us
Live
Right now
In this moment
Be who you are
Be present
And love
Be love