the dog that walked 2000 miles

You've read the stories.

A family moves and leaves the dog by mistake,

and goodness gracious, that dog somehow walks

two thousands miles and finds them in Oregon.

A man see a seagull that walks funny instead of flying,

and picks up the bird to find that, binding the bird's wing,

are the Army dog tags and chain he lost five years before.

A man and a woman fall in love quickly, not knowing

they are twins that were given up for adoption, the truth

revealed when they died on the same day decades later.

What goes around, comes around; you've heard that.

Life is often a big circle, taking you back to where you began,

or bringing back what was lost, given up on, forgotten.

That dog just picked a direction and walked. Something

drew that bird to the dog tags, and the man and woman

already loved each other and they just didn't know it.

The stage where you perform is larger than you may know.

Roll the dice, take a chance, bet it all, bet every last dime.

Not every time, my friend, but once in a while just do it.

-

  Davis, California - Growing Roots

Where I live the earth is rather flat,

and my flat town is barely five miles across in any direction.

I like to bicycle to where I need to go.

after the first few months I got somewhat bored

with riding down the same streets again and again,

but after over twenty years I love doing this.

Every block I roll down is like visiting an old friend.

There’s fresh paint on that house. It’s lovely.

and look, the afternoon sunlight on the sycamore tree

glows like polished gold offered to heaven.

Hello there, old dog. How are you doing today?

-

   The Escape

It's late. Far past an empty midnight. I am alone and the room is cold. There is an annoying, persistent tapping and scraping on the red brick wall. One brick seems to become loose, then it is pulled away, and look! I see an eye looking through at me. And then, "I say, old man, we're having an escape! Would you care to join in?" "No," I answer, "And put the brick back before you go. I've owned this house a long time. A little respect, please."

-

                                        James Lee Jobe 

            I'm afraid, based on my own experience, that fascism will come to America in the name of national security. 

Jim Garrison

            I believe the poem is a sacramental act, pure devotion to whatever may be revealed only through the music of intuition. The dance of the intellect, the dance of wild imagination, illuminates what cannot otherwise be known. 

Sam Hamill

            We can aspire for a release from pain, but we bring kindness and compassion to whatever is happening. We accept what’s there, without contention.

Sebene Selassie

The Lose Your Mother Suite VI. “across the surface of my studied speech,” a poem by Remica Bingham-Risher

A small group of my poems 

(recorded during the pandemic).

            Please consider making a donation through the BUY ME A COFFEE button below. It's done safely online, and just takes a moment. Thanks! 

James