Author: LFSAlden

Woken from first sleep,
I could not tell the source of gentle light,
dawn or night-shiner,
Until, dog-enabled, I stood at the door and moon-sharp shadows
Quickened my heart.

Then I stepped outside and gasped.

The Hunter.

Right there.

Right here in my eye, his good dogs accompanying him as well,
Brighter than the moon;
Right here, answering my restlessness
With unwavering surety;
Right here in my heart.

Yes.

I am heading back outdoors now,
and if I do not return, inquire of the stars.

Brightest in my sky just now,
I stepped out to see if he were Jupiter
But, no, there glittered his Hunter above.

Enough mist blocks out the small stars
And throws my shining ones into relief:
Hunter, faithful Hounds, Twins, The Bull with glittering red eye and Mars caught on his horn.

Thank You.

Glittered clear in the sky, low in the southeast,
The dogs not yet caught up to him.

It was so sweet to see him after nights and nights of overcast.

But it meant I was up at two:something.
So, lovely, but I did not exactly savor it.

Had a very hurty leg last spring.
And she’s an old gal and a surgery was not recommended.

So we healed, low and slow,
and painful
and my heart broke.

Yesterday she knew to let me lift her up into the car and back down to earth as we drove to our neighbor’s to mow her lawn.

But daily things are fine. Creaky, but fine.
This morning, she full-speed chased a squirrel.

All is well.

have moved westward in their progress
and for now we have a long and genteel farewell.

They are still strong, of course, and opinionated,
and command a goodly portion of the sky.

Their word is given me:
I am to give their bard an instrument.
OK. I’m willing.
Let’s see how this pans out.

admits cool fog
permits black dogs
allows me to breathe freely, not sealed into a pod,
but part of Her, smell, hear, sink toes into wet grass,
Integral,
Integrated,
Saved.

I wakened in the middle of the night when the world was simply grey and black.
The good news is that I slept again, the less good news is that I did not sleep for long.
The world is now grey and green and goldenrod.

If this Summer Day were the Bridegroom,
I would wed in this very heartbeat.

I would wear Queen Anne’s Lace and tumble my love in the sweet meadow and feel
everything.

In fact, I think I shall.

Such a Good Girl!
I went on soft leash
and I saw doggy friends
and I got pieces of sandwich
and best of all I waded in the stream.

Love, Sgiobalta

They come to visit like long parted besties
Cousins to the reunion
To Granny’s birthday
long after she has become Great-Granny and Great-Great Granny and Ever-So-Great Granny
and has ceased to be embodied as a single woman
still they come,
cousins to the reunion,
her embodiment now.

Not where I thought I was going with this.
Hmm.
Time to listen to some stories.

I came out in the dark and in starlight to listen and to make the words go
and now the world is revealing itself to eyes
and there might be texture of grass or tree or stone
but most of all, slowly revealed, are two dark, alert guardians
watching with Mamaidh.

Freckles deepening,
Melon for dinner,
Obeying the nap.