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.






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79. in a rut


in a rut....
i consider streaking my hair
purple








—my portrait of Pedy






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78. getting high

deep in the woods
getting high, and higher—
stone heads 







 

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77. dead and alive

dead of winter
mosses and ferns
are flourishing 







 

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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. 






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75. truth seeker

the warrior’s journey:
an uncharted path, sparked with
full-blooded life








 

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74. Christmas 2020

just three cool lines:
ho!
ho!
ho!








 

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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!







 

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73. seventeen poems


wrote seventeen poems
some sad, some happy—
christmas eve 







 

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72. where...what...who

just past the traffic light...
turn left....3 naked ladies
...and me









 

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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
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70. cat & mouse

no mouse to be had....
the cat hunts down a glitter ball 
and brings it to bed







 

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69. the heat is on!

eating chili
feeling less chilly....
the heater flips on!

eating chili 
beginning to sweat....
i keep on eating!











 

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68. “it”

zip it up
zip it down
it keeps on changing—
is it the weather?
....or is it me?







 

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67. morning light

morning light:
street lights shutting down
moonlight rising up







 

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66. 5 in the morning


5 am
getting ready for work—
glad it’s not me







 

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65. resistance

trying so hard
to stop the thoughts....more thoughts
keep coming up









 

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64. old poems

from time to time
reading over my old poems....
feeling young again

 

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63. daily poem

a poem a day
keeps the doctor away....
so does a cookie









 

 

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62. it’s okay

suddenly remember
this time of year I get depressed—
makes me feel better








 

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61. engaged

no one listening?
keep the conversation going
anyway








 

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60. time and space


moment by moment
shadows descending
in the rising light








 

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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





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58. bang-bang



bang-bang  bang-bang-bang...
on that big-big door—
little woodpecker








 

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57. winter moon


a winter moon
outside the window—
feeling the chill








 

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56. waiting....

willey & mikey
feeling the distance,
waiting things out

 

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55. tree and i


 

tree and i,
heart to heart
belly to belly



—who’s hugging who?
   me hugging tree or
   tree hugging me










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54. water is water

water is water
to be carried yet not to be caught—
the boatman







 

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53. miles to go

i’ve come this far
and, just now realizing,
there’s still miles to go....

 

(Dan’s photo)











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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


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51. time out!

taking a break
at the side of the road—
two bicycles

 

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50. on the beach

spinning the wheel:
which way to follow?
the wind blows....

 

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49. no problem!

sun shine 
or rain shine
no problem!




 

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48. things change

no use
longing for the way things were—
everything changes 








 

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47. blue crabs


curious:
peering into the crowd....them
looking back at me







 

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46. going south

weather vane
spinning round and round
points the way home








 

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45. yulan & dan Thanksgiving

“on and on....”

stopping between breaths 
the old frog
galumphs along
(by yulan)

***

“tribute to a frog”

profoundly alone
wounded eye and dragging leg
fearlessly onward 
(by dan)

(photo by dan)




 Visit Dan’s blog:  may-king-sense.blogspot.com



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44. nothing special

hot air blows in, candle blows out
outside that dog is barking—
just another morning 







 

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43. fat bee

fat bee
on the honey jar—
bonding

 

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42. processing


in the process
of processing
beating myself up....

 


—learning to forgive myself 
   for simply being human


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41. three birds

waiting at the light
three birds up in the trestle
splatter my windshield!

 

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40. Dawning

the sun rising
over frost covered trees
eyes aglow

 


—Dan witnessed this moment on his early morning hike....this is his photo....see his blog: may-king-sense.blogspot.com or click here on ”other sites enjoy”

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39. mahjong

the game of Life
is the game of the mind—
keep your mind open


—i was a big loser that night, lost every hand!  that’s a big L that i’m holding up in my hand....i just laughed and laughed. 



(Mahjong cultivates life skills. It’s a game of luck and strategy in playing the hand that Life deals you.  Winning or losing are only temporary ideas.  What matters is staying in the game.... how you end one hand will lead you into the next....and remembering that there’s always another hand to play if you’ll just keep your mind open.)
 

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