Compact in the sun

It has been years since I have lived with a dog.  Still... I remember dogs asleep in the sun, sprawled to catch every ray.  The cat, at least my cat, does not sprawl.  Instead he sits... content, compact, a meditation in himself.

The cat

Compact in the sun

Eyes slit

Paws curled under

The picture of peace

In the one patch

Of living room sun

A meditation

In himself.

This is unlike

Sprawled

Dog meditation.

The cat

Compact in the sun

Shows a different

Sort of peace,

Intensely one

With himself.

Lazarus

I have often felt that Lazarus was used a bit like a shill.  I know this is not the most faithful response to Jesus bringing Lazarus back to life.  Still... I see all the illustrations of a bound Lazarus coming out of the tomb, the strips of cloth hanging off of him, and I am irritated that John's Jesus deliberately waited until Lazarus was good and dead before appearing on the scene.  I do wonder how many folk were convinced by this that Jesus was who he said he was.  

Lazarus lay four days

In the tomb. Waited to prove

Jesus’ point.

Forcing forsythia

We had some moments of spring this week.  The grass is already greener, the snow gone.  There is still snow to the north and east of us.  My poet friend lives in Connecticut.  She resorts to bringing the forsythia indoors.

A distant poet friend,

She lives

Where snow continues,

Clips forsythia today

To force its blooms

Bright gold

Indoors.

She stands out

In the snow,

Cuts branches,

Reminds herself

Somewhere it is spring.

Somewhere

Like here

It is almost spring.

Rhythm on the side

Last night

I was invited on stage

To play

With the Rolling Stones.

I provided extra rhythm

Off to the side.

The Stones were all

My age

But men

Of course.

Somehow I knew them all

In my dreams.

Awake now,

I have no idea.

I’ve never been good

With the names

Of supposed

Famous people.

Last night

I could name them all

And offered rhythm

On the side.

Trying on possibilities

Spring rain... finally.  April showers... hooray!  My daughter's prom dress came in yesterday.  It is lovely and requires someone to help zip it up the back.  Today I try on more possibilities.

I try on possibilities

Like my daughter

Tries on dresses

For the prom,

Asks me to help

Zip it

Up the back.

These things

Absolutely require

Assistance.

I try on possibilities

Ask others

To take pictures

From the front

From the back

From the side

Look at pictures of others

In the same possibility

In the same dress

Figure out

Whether this one

Suits me

Or not.

Questions

It is tough to pinpoint why I feel so much better.  Except I do.  I am on day 5 of an increased dose of an antidepressant... but then... there are the crocuses... and lunch yesterday with a friend... and the sun.

Is it the sun?

Is it my daughter

Claiming a college?

Is it the purple crocuses I saw

Yesterday?

Is it lunch with a friend and

Chicken curry soup?

Is it driving again?

Is it the right dosage

Of medication?

What are the independent,

The dependent

Variables?

I never did understand

Statistics

Only got an A

At community college

Because the teacher was thrilled

With me.

So be it.

So be it.

Here I am

It is finally

Sort of

Spring.

Is this the right dose?

Is it the sun?

Is it my daughter?

Is it ducks across the way?

Independent

Dependent

Interdependent

Here I am

Such as it all

May be.

Crocuses

Almost missed them.

Teeny tiny purple crocuses

Hide

Almost out of sight

But still

Not quite.

They require a detour

From the usual path

Into the building,

Whisper their purple presence

From six feet away

(Here we are)

(Here we are)