Arguments and resistance

The past two days I've taken my walk to the library a little later than I had intended. But I am hoping that within the time before all my kids are out of school, I may, with walks in the afternoon, build some resistance to the heat, so that I will continue when the temperatures reach the hundreds for several days.

Yesterday, my thoughts were on the connection between fear and hate, and so when I reached the library I scribbled a few things about it. The subject brought up memories of a bully in my childhood, one of the few people I ever truly wanted to die. Today, I looped the mental tape of an argument over the foolishness of either/or science vs. religion arguments. Pearls before swine, I kept thinking, but not all of them end this way.

for you, science is everything

all else is entertainment

you see no collars on your priests

or that your god

is still being chiseled

Anyway, I am grateful for these sunny days and the chance to read some poetry and work on some stories.

Brothers and Books

On the first leg of today's walk, I was alone with Cleo, who left me to my thoughts. And for some reason, I thought about my brothers. One is so different from me in looking at the world, but is one of my closest friends. One has distanced himself from me, and others. Another seems lost in a bottle. I'm left to conclude that I need to pray for them, not only because I want to see their welfare improve. I need to pray for them for the well-being of my heart and the growth of my soul. 
 
I was joined on the second leg by my wife. We took Thor, who seemed determined to pull my hand off. Otherwise the air was crisp and the time pleasant. My wife and I talked about books and the relationships of those who write them. I returned home thirsty and warm.

ay dog!
we haven't time
for every cat you see
or every post you want to mark
let's go!

Note: This post was written some time ago. I'm not sure why it never got published or if it should have been. But here it is anyway.

To the library

I have made a commitment in my mind to walk to the library two or three times a week (see how firm such things are for me already). This morning I took my first journey of the “Summer” (Spring still a technicality).

I started with an old headphone radio on my head, hoping that perhaps I could get more than the Tejano station I seemed limited to inside the house. Before I left the complex, I was sorry I added it to everything I carried. Maybe Royse City is a dead zone for music.

Better it is to enjoy the music of street anyway. Yet as I walked, some phrases from the new album by The Choir mingled with the tones of passing cars as I crossed under I-30. Though I’ve been walking a great deal more lately, I was already tired by the time I hit residential streets again.

Once inside, I tried to block out the sounds of conversations as I found a couple of books of poetry and sat to browse them, hoping for inspiration or at least an idea. Nothing came, but I did read some fine poems by William Everson.

wiping away sweat

the water fountain humming

lower than old hens