A knotted and black feeling
Wrapping itself tight
Mind races from option to option
Dwindling returns breed more stress
Needing a bolt from the blue
An extending vista
To replace walls encroaching
And doors closing
Identity questioned
Value in doubt
Answers are better
Unanswered questions sting
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Monday, July 19, 2010
August
Powerboat backs from the quay impatiently
Low and sleek, loud and obnoxious
It's green and pink hull glistening
As it roars upstream madly
Exhaust blatting disturbs the humid stillness
Running from the moist oppressive air
Temporary comfort in the middle of misery
An escape from the worries of today
And the nameless fears of tommorow
Slashing the water, as the very air drips of it
Impossible to overcome the moist grip
August hangs upon us, like a dazed prizefighter
Unwilling to release us for fear of dishonor
Cool breezes blow only as a portent
Precursor of violent storms in the offing
The brisk kiss of September seems distant
Crisp air and mellow sunlight anticipated
As humidity gives way to cool gusts from the north
September seems far in the distance
As we are held in the stagnant pool of August
Low and sleek, loud and obnoxious
It's green and pink hull glistening
As it roars upstream madly
Exhaust blatting disturbs the humid stillness
Running from the moist oppressive air
Temporary comfort in the middle of misery
An escape from the worries of today
And the nameless fears of tommorow
Slashing the water, as the very air drips of it
Impossible to overcome the moist grip
August hangs upon us, like a dazed prizefighter
Unwilling to release us for fear of dishonor
Cool breezes blow only as a portent
Precursor of violent storms in the offing
The brisk kiss of September seems distant
Crisp air and mellow sunlight anticipated
As humidity gives way to cool gusts from the north
September seems far in the distance
As we are held in the stagnant pool of August
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Angie and Josh's wedding
My wishes for you…
Memories without sharp edges
Joy to offset heartache
A long and happy life
The essence of give and take
Time to reflect warmly
On the wonders you two share
A full and poignant life
As you become a perfect pair
Friends to share your happiness
To wring out all the zest
Always find the good in life
And lay down all the rest
A union made in heaven
All the joy that you deserve
As two combine to build one life
May you always feel the word
With love on your wedding day,
Uncle Jim
Monday, July 5, 2010
The Scrub Planet (I dreamed this last night)
He landed by accident on the Scrub. His navigation system must have been affected by the radiation. By the time he realized, it was too late to apply afterburner and break free of the powerful gravitational field. Luckily, the safety systems were intact and he glided to the surface light as a feather.
As he climbed out, he remembered the tales of humanoid life on the Scrub. They were said to be human-like with a faint blue and orange glow. Supposedly friendly, no one had actually returned from such a visit. The danger here was the left over radiation.
The land was dry and cracked and devoid of life. He was glad he had emptied the cockpit food dispenser of all non-perishables and stocked up heavily on water. It looked to be a long and lonely walk.
He marched toward a faint purple rise in the landscape for four "days". The fact that daylight came and went here every four hours would take a little getting used to. Loneliness began to overtake him, but he was not alone.
They scuttled back and forth, just out of his line of sight. Eight-legged creatures with long brown furry snouts. The legs were black and had long stiff hair, while the muzzle ended in a mouth full of large canine-like teeth. The most disquieting feature had to be the glowing, intelligent eyes.
As time passed, the creatures became bolder. They began cutting back and forth in front of his path. He was so terrified by their appearance that he didn't realize they were attempting to herd him away from the humanoid settlement on the rise. His response was to change direction to avoid them, completely unaware that they had him surrounded with their rearguard out of sight.
One morning, he awoke to see one of them sitting a mere five feet away. The creature didn't stir, it just sat there calmly observing him. This encounter did much to sooth his nerves, he had sensed the intelligence behind the eyes. Creatures that had intellect could be dealt with much easier than blindly instinctual animals.
As he sat up, he could feel the creature trying to mentally communicate with him. It was sending some sort of mewling wet heavy thoughts his way that he had no chance to decipher. The only thing he could sense is that it was terribly hungry. He reached in his pack and pulled out a small nutritional pack. The weird glowing eyes followed every move. As he unwrapped it the creature came closer and sniffed expectantly.
He slowly tossed the morsel toward the creature's feet. It jumped, briefly startled, and then lowered it's muzzle and ravenously fed. The creature looked up when it was finished and made a sound not unlike a cat meowing. He thought he could see gratitude in it's eyes.
The sound obviously meant something to the other creatures around him. He watched in rapt amazement as seven others gradually appeared and entered his little camp from all angles. They all sat down in a circle around him and patiently waited for him to feed them too. He was not afraid as the collie-spiders surrounded him,(that's what they looked like, after all) but he was overwhelmed by the host of alien voices now trying to make contact all at once.
He fed them all, feeling not like a man feeding a stray dog or cat, but more like a park visitor on Earth sneaking food to the bears. As they ate, he could sense a sort of mental hum of satisfaction. One by one, they curled up and went to sleep after eating, still in the rough circle around him.
Four hours later a new dawn arose. He awoke to the same strange humming in his mind. Languidly he began to stretch for the new day, but he couldn't seem to move. The humming seemed to be getting louder and louder. As he struggled to open his eyes, he realized he was paralyzed. The creatures were around him, feeding. Their bite had done its job and immobilized him. It did not however, mask the pain. He looked downward and could see them opening his chest and tearing out huge strips of flesh. His last gibbering thought before the mercy of death was that the creatures were still loudly humming in gratitude.
As he climbed out, he remembered the tales of humanoid life on the Scrub. They were said to be human-like with a faint blue and orange glow. Supposedly friendly, no one had actually returned from such a visit. The danger here was the left over radiation.
The land was dry and cracked and devoid of life. He was glad he had emptied the cockpit food dispenser of all non-perishables and stocked up heavily on water. It looked to be a long and lonely walk.
He marched toward a faint purple rise in the landscape for four "days". The fact that daylight came and went here every four hours would take a little getting used to. Loneliness began to overtake him, but he was not alone.
They scuttled back and forth, just out of his line of sight. Eight-legged creatures with long brown furry snouts. The legs were black and had long stiff hair, while the muzzle ended in a mouth full of large canine-like teeth. The most disquieting feature had to be the glowing, intelligent eyes.
As time passed, the creatures became bolder. They began cutting back and forth in front of his path. He was so terrified by their appearance that he didn't realize they were attempting to herd him away from the humanoid settlement on the rise. His response was to change direction to avoid them, completely unaware that they had him surrounded with their rearguard out of sight.
One morning, he awoke to see one of them sitting a mere five feet away. The creature didn't stir, it just sat there calmly observing him. This encounter did much to sooth his nerves, he had sensed the intelligence behind the eyes. Creatures that had intellect could be dealt with much easier than blindly instinctual animals.
As he sat up, he could feel the creature trying to mentally communicate with him. It was sending some sort of mewling wet heavy thoughts his way that he had no chance to decipher. The only thing he could sense is that it was terribly hungry. He reached in his pack and pulled out a small nutritional pack. The weird glowing eyes followed every move. As he unwrapped it the creature came closer and sniffed expectantly.
He slowly tossed the morsel toward the creature's feet. It jumped, briefly startled, and then lowered it's muzzle and ravenously fed. The creature looked up when it was finished and made a sound not unlike a cat meowing. He thought he could see gratitude in it's eyes.
The sound obviously meant something to the other creatures around him. He watched in rapt amazement as seven others gradually appeared and entered his little camp from all angles. They all sat down in a circle around him and patiently waited for him to feed them too. He was not afraid as the collie-spiders surrounded him,(that's what they looked like, after all) but he was overwhelmed by the host of alien voices now trying to make contact all at once.
He fed them all, feeling not like a man feeding a stray dog or cat, but more like a park visitor on Earth sneaking food to the bears. As they ate, he could sense a sort of mental hum of satisfaction. One by one, they curled up and went to sleep after eating, still in the rough circle around him.
Four hours later a new dawn arose. He awoke to the same strange humming in his mind. Languidly he began to stretch for the new day, but he couldn't seem to move. The humming seemed to be getting louder and louder. As he struggled to open his eyes, he realized he was paralyzed. The creatures were around him, feeding. Their bite had done its job and immobilized him. It did not however, mask the pain. He looked downward and could see them opening his chest and tearing out huge strips of flesh. His last gibbering thought before the mercy of death was that the creatures were still loudly humming in gratitude.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Freedom
The 4th of July, Independence Day. Some screech loudly about their personal freedoms and their right to do everything from marry a member of the same sex to owning and discharging a firearm. Usually those yelling the most are probably the ones who should be restricted in some way from their desires.
My experiences have taught me that many people who loudly demand their rights are often the first to attempt to limit the rights of others. Such hypocrisy is galling, and seems to be pretty much par for the course. Is total freedom not the ultimate aim? Some would call that anarchy.
I have seen many shirts and bumper stickers declaring that freedom is not free. Well of course it isn't. Everything in life has a cost in one way or another. I put forth the proposition that most of us really don't even WANT total freedom. We would be terrified.
Our nature is to follow and be comforted by order and structure. We would feel like we were in free fall from an airplane without rules and regulations. If I can drive 100 mph down a city street, so can you, and if we meet in an intersection, we will both learn about the freedoms afforded us in the afterlife.
Enjoy the freedoms of our great nation on the 4th...but watch what you wish for. It could be far more than you bargained for or are ready to accept.
My experiences have taught me that many people who loudly demand their rights are often the first to attempt to limit the rights of others. Such hypocrisy is galling, and seems to be pretty much par for the course. Is total freedom not the ultimate aim? Some would call that anarchy.
I have seen many shirts and bumper stickers declaring that freedom is not free. Well of course it isn't. Everything in life has a cost in one way or another. I put forth the proposition that most of us really don't even WANT total freedom. We would be terrified.
Our nature is to follow and be comforted by order and structure. We would feel like we were in free fall from an airplane without rules and regulations. If I can drive 100 mph down a city street, so can you, and if we meet in an intersection, we will both learn about the freedoms afforded us in the afterlife.
Enjoy the freedoms of our great nation on the 4th...but watch what you wish for. It could be far more than you bargained for or are ready to accept.
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