80. 2020–thankful to be thankful

one door closes

another door opens....

grateful and prospering

—bleak though 2020 has been, there may be another way to look at things and keep things in perspective:

On Thanksgiving Day, The NYTimes online briefing featured “Gratitude in Six Words.”  This was a sampling of responses received from more than 10,000 people who submitted—in six words or less—something they were grateful for in 2020.  Here’s the article.
 https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/26/briefing/coronavirus-vaccine-trump-pardon-diego-maradona.html?searchResultPosition=1

—as for me, in 2020 all my ongoing work had been with people in at-risk environments; consequently, all my work and income ended....i turned my situation around by exploring new options for creating community and income opportunities.  now i work less and enjoy more, and am thankful to be thankful.

79. in a rut

in a rut....

i consider streaking my hair

purple

—my portrait of Pedy

78. getting high

deep in the woods

getting high, and higher—

stone heads 

 

77. dead and alive

dead of winter

mosses and ferns

are flourishing 

 

76. philosopher cat

all night wind and rain:

the cat trapped on the other side

of the window

the enlightened cat:

no right or wrong, no good or bad

expresses himself completely 

 —(photos of Tommy by Dan)

Sometimes it’s better to be silent and just wait; sometimes better to speak up in the moment. The enlightened cat trains himself to do both and knows wisely when to do which. 

75. truth seeker

the warrior’s journey:

an uncharted path, sparked with

full-blooded life

 

74. Christmas 2020

just three cool lines:

ho!

ho!

ho!

 

73. seventeen poems (full version)

Christmas Eve 

feeling

overwhelmed

Christmas Eve

why is everyone 

so far away?

Christmas Eve

baking another apple pie

alone

Christmas Eve

when will this all

be over?

Christmas Eve

why has all the snow

already melted?

Christmas Eve

another 14 miles 

to go

Christmas Eve

the house where i grew up

who’s living there now?

Christmas Eve

hearing my father singing

jing-ku-pah

Christmas Eve 

standing in front of the tree

holding sparklers

Christmas Eve

mom and pop and lee and me

all together again

Christmas Eve

enjoying the memories

that’s all

Christmas Eve

the lights on the tree twinkling

....twinkling

Christmas Eve

schnitzel and potato salad

and split pea soup

Christmas Eve

oohing and aahing

opening presents

Christmas Eve

wrote fifteen poems

some sad, some happy

Christmas Eve

wrote sixteen poems

by candle light

ho - ho - ho

and ho

that’s it!

 

73. seventeen poems

wrote seventeen poems

some sad, some happy—

christmas eve 

 

72. where...what...who

just past the traffic light...

turn left....3 naked ladies

...and me

 

71. no big deal

in a tight spot?

no big deal—

let it be, let it be

—just settle down, settle in to yourself, and listen to your inner instincts

 https://www.google.com/search?q=let+it+be+lyrics&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us&client=safari
 

70. cat & mouse

no mouse to be had....

the cat hunts down a glitter ball 

and brings it to bed

 

69. the heat is on!

eating chili

feeling less chilly....

the heater flips on!

eating chili 

beginning to sweat....

i keep on eating!

 

68. “it”

zip it up

zip it down

it keeps on changing—

is it the weather?

....or is it me?

 

67. morning light

morning light:

street lights shutting down

moonlight rising up

 

66. 5 in the morning

5 am

getting ready for work—

glad it’s not me

 

65. resistance

trying so hard

to stop the thoughts....more thoughts

keep coming up

 

64. old poems

from time to time

reading over my old poems....

feeling young again

 

63. daily poem

a poem a day

keeps the doctor away....

so does a cookie

 

 

62. it’s okay

suddenly remember

this time of year I get depressed—

makes me feel better

 

61. engaged

no one listening?

keep the conversation going

anyway

 

60. time and space

moment by moment

shadows descending

in the rising light

 

59. yulan & dan thursday

“just imagine....”

no hell, no heaven—

just darkness and daylight

trading places

(by yulan)

***

“vanity”

the moon admiring

its reflection in the stream

fish pause - they look too 🦊♥️

(by Dan)

 (photo by Dan)

visit dan’s blog at:

may-king-sense.blogspot.com

58. bang-bang

bang-bang  bang-bang-bang...

on that big-big door—

little woodpecker

 

57. winter moon

a winter moon

outside the window—

feeling the chill

 

56. waiting....

willey & mikey

feeling the distance,

waiting things out

 

55. tree and i

 

tree and i,

heart to heart

belly to belly

—who’s hugging who?

   me hugging tree or

   tree hugging me

54. water is water

water is water

to be carried yet not to be caught—

the boatman

 

53. miles to go

i’ve come this far

and, just now realizing,

there’s still miles to go....

 

(Dan’s photo)

52. willey’s motto

when the going gets tough

the tough take it slow....

relax....let it go

at the crossroads:

a critical state of affairs—

willey just yawns

51. time out!

taking a break

at the side of the road—

two bicycles

 

50. on the beach

spinning the wheel:

which way to follow?

the wind blows....