If only

I have left

If only

I had said

If only

He had listened

If only

He had cared

If only ...

What is he doing? He's ignoring me. Talking to that other human. Its all bout me, not that stranger.

And that noise, the other humans are always so active, so noisy. Pesky things, really. They chase me around, call it practice. I got one of them really good the other day. Bit him hard. Well, he pulled my tail.

Yaaawwwwwnn. Fine. Deal with that stranger. But I expect extra fish tonight...

We may drift apart

And have no contact for years

But, friend, when again we meet

Now, after miles away

All the years, they melt away. ...

So, are we recording?

Good.

Okay, where to begin?

So, me and Ethel, yeah, we split up.

Totally her fault, that bitch.

Says I owe her money for the house.

How can I pay, I am in debt?

So, you see, officer.

That's why I did it.

She had it coming. ...

How can this be

I am agog

True enchantment

This cannot be real

How does my cat bend like that?

As if he has no spine?

One end is where the other should be

Paws in all cardinal directions

I poke his belly

Just to be sure

And everything springs into place

With a chirp and a purr....

No guests today

The fur seals are calm

The weather behaves

Radio silence

The smallest harbor seal

Bottles

And looks at me

(annoyed I don't have fish)

And my favorite seal

Looks into my eyes

This is my Zen

This is my solace. ...

Nothing special

Nothing grand

Just a little candy tin

With a smiling face

From St. Olaf...

Don't wait on Fate

She doesn't care

You have to make you own path

She make play games

Tease, trick, mislead

Or reward you briefly

But in the end

She won't care about the outcome

Just the methods

Blaze your own trails

Flip the bird to Fate

And go kick some ass. ...

Family isn’t always blood

Or shared last name

Or 40 years of history

Family is togetherness

Missing each other

As the months pass

Inside jokes

Shared passion

Shared grief

Belonging

To a group

A pack

A team

Is stronger

Is more true

When you

Find your path

And are welcomed in...

The days grow short

Bats emerge

Black cats strut

Pumpkins grin

Witches cackle

The veil between

World thins

Spiders welcomed

Cauldrons bubble

It is almost time...