When I'm not content
In my skin,
I identify with
My animal kin.
I think outside
The box,
Can be as sly
As the fox,
Sturdy as the ox.
I'll be resilient
As a rat,
Or purr and prowl
As a cat.
I'll be small
As flies on walls,
Avoiding webs,
Hearing all.
Be as stubborn
As a mule,
Laugh like hyenas,
Look like the fool;
When I lack
Self-confidence,
My wise old hoots
Can make more sense.
Once she goaded
Me to fight;
But I stood my groud,
Like a deer in lights.
At times I'm gentle
As a lamb,
Or slippery as an eel;
And if I find you need hope,
I'll be tethered like a goat.
If I don't get my fair share,
I'll not be your Pooh bear.
When I'm pleased to share my share,
I'll give my all, den and lair.
Should you find
Your world callous,
I'll share the milk
Of human kindness.
I'll spread my wings,
See me soar,
And claw my way
Back to humanity.

This planet orbits a yellow sun like ours.
It is in the Optimum Zone to support life.
Sure enough it has a wide variety of flora and fauna.
Highly intelligent life has evolved in its seas and oceans.
Its continents, however, are dominated by a species of primates.

Over the past 300 of the planet’s years they have developed
Some fairly high technology.
But they remain carnivores
Who regularly commit genocide.
They cut down swathes of natural forest
To grow chemically protected
Genetically modified nutrition-sources.
And they mine their planet empty
Of its mineral riches.
The planet’s ecosystem is being rapidly destroyed
By them.

Socially and psychologically they remain primitive.
Yet they possess the means to blow their world
To pieces.

With heavy heart I have to advise
We sign this planet
“No Entry”
For the foreseeable future.
“Forbidden” indeed.
A planet we call MW Orion 8478-3
That its natives call
That ever so common name:
“Earth”.

Paul Butters

You're the star to my ocean,
You're the diamond to my sky,
You baby are my sweet lullaby.

Madame Blaine isn't happy.

Every night his apparitions appear
and they're getting darer by the day
(sorry, by the night).

Her fault she didn't tell him to go
the first few days on the southern window
rather she felt bad as he stood out there
thought it better to offer him chair.

His hesitation stoked her kindness
not much she would lose if sat face to face
recapitulating life they were together
barring the first few spent talking the weather.

Once in the room he gave her his ears
(or so it seemed)
as she talked of loneliness with hint of tears
blinking and nodding an occasional sigh
but not once offering a courtesy of reply.

He would sit unobtrusive in the gentlest manner
till his proposal last night dropped the sky on her
(sorry, the ceiling)
the first words he spoke shattered her peace

May I Diane, offer you a kiss?

She fumbled to decide an aye or a nay
silence was all her voice could say
the apparition rose to grab the moment
reading in her muteness a loud consent.

Since then she is wondering if she can boast
of having been kissed by one now a ghost
or hide within her as an indelible shame
an indulgence that could earn her bad name.