Monkey

This one stands on its own.

I used to think

If I found

The one right spot.

It would have me.

I would have it.

The world

Does not provide things

In ones.

To be sure

That is how we focus:

One thing at a time

Still

Everything comes

With tag-alongs

Hangers-on.

There is no such purity

Anywhere

Look behind anyone,

Look in front

Of anyone,

There is some version

Of a singing monkey

With a rakish purple hat,

Crashing cymbals.

Sure

We can pretend the monkey

Isn’t there

If we plug our ears

Cover our eyes

But then we’ll miss

The elephant

Leading the parade.

Focus

Sometimes I find it odd what gains, then loses, our attention.

The normally bland face

Of Uranus

Is now extremely stormy.

The camera on the comet

Has shut down

In the dark.

Eyes trained on the heavens

The melting ice cap,

Ebola

Have lost

Their audience.

Wars and rumors of wars

The man or woman

On the streets

The person in the pew

Beside us,

They join

The periphery.

We wait for the comet

To streak closer

To the sun.

We hope more light

Will start the data stream

Again.

Meanwhile Uranus

Is stormy.

No one knows why.

Focus

Part of the reason to try acupuncture was to get more of a handle on the blurry vision thing.  It is more than noting when I would feel safe to drive, and when not.  Some of the pieces are more obvious than others.  Heat and bright light bring it on.  Of course, like everything else, good sleep and hydration help.  And of course, less stress.  This morning, watching the birds along with the cat, I am focused and clear.  I am also grateful I never got the pot planted in front.  It makes the perfect dust bath.

On mornings like this,

Slightly cool,

I open

Every open-able door,

Listen to what speaks

At 10:03.

The cat slowly moves

To the door.

He listens to the sparrows

In the front,

Barely moves,

Slight twitch

To his tail.

It occurs to me

I can see

Perfectly well

At 10:05

As I watch the cat.

The sparrows take turns.

They use the planter

As a dust bath.

Now the cat notices.

He is focused

At 10:11

Ready to leap.

He can see

Perfectly well.

The sparrows bathe in dust

Only for him.