OLD CAT
`Japanese brush painting, artist unknown
His shoulder bones sharp,
he is a lion drinking
from a white clay bowl.
OLD CAT
`Japanese brush painting, artist unknown
His shoulder bones sharp,
he is a lion drinking
from a white clay bowl.
At the house of seven squirrels
old snow sits hard, cold,
robins sing brittle.
I sit sorrowing:
my people’s god is bitter.
And O, geese flying!
Some god rooted here,
poured his blood on broken ground–
new grass is growing.
Soft white cat, pink ears.
restless, purring on my lap.
Outside, sleet falls slow.
Drops of broken rain.
Walk with me on frozen tears:
ice pregnant with light.
I can’t undo deeds
I did, nor redo deeds done.
Grant me grace to grow.
Cardinal’s red flame
unnecessary beauty
the purpose of God
Red flags mark the oaks:
cardinals, clear red feathers
trim the shining snow.
What strange stirring
in the heart of chickadee
caused him to cry Spring?