My ObsE.R.vation

I was sitting in the kitchen,
peering out the window glass,
when with my eye I suddenly spied,
a fox upon the grass.

He strolled up to the window,
then curiously stared within,
gazing his eyes upon me,
while conveying a smirky grin.

He looked at me in awe,
amazed at what he was seeing,
it must have been his first time ever,
to gawk at a human being.

His eyes were fixed wide open,
he dropped his jaw and chin,
as he studied me in wonderment,
thinking, "What a specimen!"

Then he took some mental notes,
and me, I made one too,
- that what this fox was enjoying here,
was a visit to the zoo.

©2024

He passes by a certain place each day,
on the side of the road along his way.
"A quite peculiar kind of place," he'd say...
"No windows, just a gilded door, -
and walls composed of brick and clay".

Sometimes, he'd see someone or two,
beyond the gilded door pass through,
then, he'd often wonder what lies within
its walls to which he'd never been.
He'd seen them enter, there is no doubt,
but he had never yet seen one come out.

Whatever becomes of those entering there?
To venture in he does not dare.
Perhaps once inside they're taken away,
never again to see the light of day.
But, then again… perhaps they find their paradise,
happiness and all things nice.
Contentment true, their sails unfurled,
with no thoughts of leaving
their new-found world. -

He passed by a certain place each day,
on the side of the road along his way.
And then one day he chose to dare,
to see just what was inside of there,
and passed beyond that gilded door,
returning henceforth nevermore...

Whether he was taken from the light of day,
or found his paradise and stayed,
the only way one can his fate explore,
is to pass beyond that gilded door..

Heard people in protest
having their say...

"Let's fight climate change, end it today!"

But how do we end it if ask I may?

They said, "This is how, and you can start right away; help us plant one thousand trees today."

Great idea, sounds okay,
to create a forest within a day.
So let's get to it without delay. -

                      ----

All done planting, looks great I'd say,
now climate change will perhaps go away.

                      ----

Woke up this morning feeling okay,
looked out the window to spy the weather today,
but everywhere I looked was smokey and grey.
I turned on the T.V. to see what they'd say,
and then I heard this to my dismay...

"Forest on fire and coming this way,
one million trees have all burned away!"

One million trees have all burned away?
What of the thousand planted yesterday???

I gazed out the window with one thing to say...
Sure looks like climate change is perhaps here to stay.

-2024

A few lovely roses, carnations, daisies too.
A special bouquet made with love that is true,
For my friend in the park, on the bench, feeling blue.
Although I never met you, and know your name not I do,
I can see that you're pensive, forlorn, alone too.
“Please excuse me dear Madam, it's so nice to meet you.
This beautiful posy I arranged just for you!"

In a time not that long ago
during days of yonder lore,
the ocean waves would spend their days
washing up pretty things ashore.

Seashells, starfish, precious coral...
were the treasures upon the beach,
searching here and there about
we would gather handfuls each.

The sand was white, pure, and clean
or sometimes pink, light grey,
depending on which beach on earth
you'd choose to make your way.

On many occasions throughout the summer
our family there would meet,
we'd jump and play and skip about
upon the sand beneath bare feet.

The ocean breeze was cool and fresh
yes, embracing it would be,
with a hint of salt and brininess
ahh, from stress we were set free.

The water there was clear and blue
and if I listened carefully,
"Come to me and be refreshed",
the sea would say to me.

       --------------------------

In a time that was more recent
perhaps last week or yesterday
I was at the beach and what I seen
is truly sad to say,

The ocean waves had spent the day
washing peculiar things ashore,
quite different than the pretty things
of the days of yonder lore.

A lonely shoe without its twin,
a broken bottle razor sharp,
a coffee cup in the state of decay
the carcass of a shark.

Plastic bottles everywhere
I couldn't see the sand,
plastic bags and candy wraps
a latex glove from someone's hand.

A plastic doll missing an arm
bottle caps and cans,
there was litter from sources locally
but much more from foreign lands.

I wore my shoes upon the sand
where I stepped, I was discreet,
lest I stepped on something sharp
and wounded both my feet.

The ocean breeze conveyed a malodor
with notes of petrol in the mix,
far from feeling ahh, refreshed
I started feeling rather sick.

The water was dark with a murky hue
and carried a thick grey foam,
dismayed and sad at what I had seen
I made my way back home.

       -------------------------

Will we yet again see such a time
a time I'm sure we all long for,
when the ocean waves again spend their days
washing pretty things ashore?

Will the treasures upon the beach again
be the things we like to seek?
Will the sand again be pure and clean
and safe for our bare feet?

Will the ocean breeze be cool and crisp
embracing our senses, quelling our stress?
Will the water again be blue and clear
enticing us to be refreshed?

Let's hope for such a time
and that it may not be so far away,
that all our sons and all our daughters
may have clean beaches on which to play.

Let's hope for such a time
when better days will be in store,
when pretty things upon the beach
will be the only things washed ashore.

©2024