"How do you know which one to choose", my granddaughter Emily asked , as we pulled into the parking lot of the shelter. "It will be the first one that gets up to meet us" I said, with a bit of anxiety.
After registering at the desk, we began the walk down the aisle, looking at the occupants of those cages that lined both sides. All of a sudden, about 10 feet in front of us, a grey and black striped leg with a white foot, came protruding out from the front of a cage. The paw began "flexing", as if signaling, "Hey! Over here!"
As I held her, and Emily stroked her forehead, she emanated a very strong, exuberant, vibrating, purr; contented, unafraid, her head tucked into the crook of my arm. We had found my Guardian Angel!

I whispered to her as softly as I knew how:

"We are going home-
I will always keep you safe,
I will never harm you
You will always have shelter, food, and water-
I will keep you warm in the winter........
and cool in the summer.......
You will not 'want', for love."


As I whispered those words, her purr grew stronger, her paw flexing against my arm. For you see, I am convinced that God told her we were coming, and to give us a sign to let us know where she was. It was He, who chose her for us. Some of you may not agree with that, and that's okay. It's important that me and Emily believe it. Regardless of which room I'm in(except the bath), she is there, as she is now, asleep on the foot of the bed as I write. My home isn't empty.... anymore.

copyright: richard riddle-11-11-2015

bearing west earlier than last month
and the grey cast of long shadows
appearing earlier, the Royals having won
the World Series
I paid forward my rent,
until next March
I will much as
a big furry bear does,
( JOIN THE DETROIT TIGERS, who started it way back at the All_Star break)
just lie down
hibernate, until
Next baseball season

She counts her shells

her feet sand ribbed
her toes ricely white
her hair windy vagabond
her eyes low tide sea.

She gives me back my years.

Through tears
I count eternity.

The cold comes in,
ricochets like a
tennis ball
off every
corner, crevice
pore, stormy
gusts of wind
I breathe in,
skin is no
barrier I am
the elements
carrier, organs
coastal &
lungs tidal sea,
I am nature
& nature is me.

Do not wash my hair
dress me up
or close my eyes
I am what I am
a husk, a shell discarded
and turning up at my own funeral in a bow tie
all shampooed and combed hair
with my eyes shut as if napping through it all
would never be my idea of acceptable.

are you like me?
prone to try to write
away your miseries,
desire calm
behind the cause
the beginning find
perhaps
write upon a
thought profound,
that makes
me, or you
open up our eyes?
When we set out,
supposedly, to
sound out
loud shout a
feeling read it
finished
say My god!
Realize on
second read
we spoke
of me
or you?
Edited so much
but came
out true.

In schooldays my aim was terribly perfect
add to that an attitude unfair
a soft teacher was an easy found target
not one bald head was allowed to be spared.

The moment the poor man turned to blackboard
his baldness shined as a gaming site
the sleeping devil woke up and deep roared
dispatched were chalks on windborne flight.

Only a few did land on wrong place
but found mostly their rightful targets
and bore no qualm the thrower's face
when cheered by the fellow classmates.

As the victim turned with ire's full steam
nursing stings that came with good force
we in the gang were such an honest team
never revealed it came from what source.

It went on smooth till luck failed one day
has to end all games one once starts
a traitor midst us the secret gave away
memory of the thrashing badly hurts.

Forever basking in eternal light?
If heaven exists, may I find it.
Not in any hurry.
A slow meander ,
Down the stream of life as it flows.
To figure out my direction.
Most extreme pleasure may be found.
One day eh!
Can be sensed in the joints of aching bones.
Of standing upright garden gnomes.
Standing guard over pond life.
Water boatmen skit the film.
They're making a movie.
Winter's subject maybe skating on ice.
Don't see them much in winter time.
Summer's theirs and also mine.
The night is creeping in.
Darkness catching up.
It's cold.
I am too.
The weather is changing.
Been all over the news.
Life on Earth is almost hell.
Throwing coins into a wishing well.
They don't come true.
Just leave me broke.
Fried eggs on toast, too skint for yolk.
Hell yes, I'm cold and tired.
Still writing, trying to joke.
Livvi

Drunk in the morning watching
The tail feathers of a magpie not
Being twigs within the yellow
Womb of swaying autumn
Bushes.