Of time and Passing Relatives

Where did they go so soon?

Mother and father, aunts and grandparents,

Favorite great-uncle with all his stories,

even if we had to stay out of their yard.

That other uncle who taught their

poodle to say prayers on our redwood stool.

Those events that zipped by, but now are cherished

gems of nostalgia warming my heart.

Even though ever more of them are gone,

the memories tell me that I was part of

a large loving family with much shared joy.

The few remaining should know how special

those memories they made are in the present time,

with so much impersonal brutality coming at us.

Slogging into an ever-uncertain future,

more and more value resides in a

often-wonderful past enjoyed by us.

Even though childhood is peppered

with the urgency of getting to school,

sports practice, this or that or summer camp,

some specific moments of warmth

are irreplaceable, and so valuable.

Thanks to our relatives our lives seem

ever more special and blessed.

    - may you be so fortunate.

Rest in Peace, Marilyn

Stopped Dead Center

A cold day, my old day.

What should I do free day.

So many fragments of should,

ought to, could do, might do.

Rationalize rest, a day off, take a break,

watch some tube, meditate on things.

So I get up. walk around, pick at things.

As long as there is tonight's date to look forward to,

there seems little point in making the day difficult.

However, that 20^th century productivity nag will

not be silenced in my head, so I finally

go out to cash in some bottles and cans.

There, satisfied, damned gnawing conscience?

Even when I'm not at work, part of me is still

always at work. May be time for (another) nap.

- end

Feline Hardware

     Her eyes reflect ambient light, illuminating dark hallways. Her ears scan for noises, her green lamps flicker this way and that, her paws are sensitive instruments detecting vibrations and variations on the ground. Even her tail is an aero sensor, flicking around, perhaps feeling disturbances in the aether. She is not so much a “cat” as a collection of finely honed, evolved detectors that warn of attackers, or let her know where something good to eat may be located.

Perhaps all of that hardware and software is wasted in the house. The worst she must fear is my petting, grabbing hands. The most effort she expends getting a meal is following a familiar trail to the feeding dish, or maybe to a plant to chew on some more. Still, I am there to appreciate what a wonderful collection of evolution, learning and feline craft she represents. Aren't I the lucky one?

Her eyes are bright metaphors, enlightening the way.

Her ears sharp radars mapping her environment.

Her nose sniffs a reasonable way forward.

Her tail tickles the ether, and resonates with the cosmos.

Her paws can step on anyone's skin or feelings, and

sink claws in as deep as she feels necessary.

Cleopatra had no less power – perhaps the two are related.

-end

   

Story collection available on Kindle

Amazon Kindle e-book version of 29 stories is available for purchase or preview. 
Do check it out - and thanks if you did!

https://www.amazon.com/Twenty-Nine-Stories-Mike-Wilson-ebook/dp/B0714D14JD

-end

New year Haiku

It is a new year, and one of my resolutions is to have better control over my facial expressions. Time will tell. Meanwhile, here are some Haiku on that subject. Thanks for reading them.

I don't think I'm cool,

the grimace on my face says

“I'm trying, people.”

Who “thinks he is cool?”

cannot help what my face does;

it's just me coping.

Sorry if I offend;

Sixty does strange things at times.

Intentions are good.

Holiday Wishes

First snowfall of the year graces our lands,

Colorful lights twinkle and sparkle;

Cheery-eyed youngsters gather round television

Christmas specials, and root for Rudolph again.

They nibble cookies and gobble candy,

hunt around for package hiding places.

Soon it will be time to tear off wrappings,

and see what Santa has given them this year!

Holiday happiness left a permanent mark on

many of our psyches – peace, goodwill and happy thrills.

Even the most hardened will soften a bit when

confronted with tables of goodies and joyful music.

Another holiday time is here, and fills us with good cheer;

If only we could forget January, and winter's cruel sneer!

Seven Days of the Week

Monday humdrum unpleasantness,

first day back at the grind,

throw yourself into problem-solving,

Try to fix things, stretch your mind.

It will soon be over, just like Saturday.

Tuesday is “get into the groove” day,

Work with various contractors,

dig deep into tough problems.

The day moves fast, and then it ends.

Wednesday, hump day, hope glimmers.

You fend off hassles and conundrums,

even as you peer ahead and spy a

coming weekend on the horizon.

Thursday, hopefully an easy day,

Problems come up and are

knocked down impatiently,

"get out of my way, I have a weekend

to make it over to!"

Friday, hooray!

Workingman's weekly holiday,

cheerful optimism day,

even if it gets busy, studded with problems.

You whiz through them,

gritting teeth, “know it won't be long.”

The end of the day blossoms,

and you trot out of work,

Steps light and spirits high.

Hopefully the weekend will

equal your soaring anticipation.

Saturday, saturnalia day, cheerful

run errands and ponder night's play.

The afternoon drags if nothing is going on.

Visits to home improvement places,

grocery shopping, car repair, yard work.

Then perhaps a nap, and on to the night's

special activities, whatever these may entail....

Sunday, sleep in day two.

Recover from Saturday's excesses,

clean up the place, go to meeting,

beg for forgiveness, or not.

Lazy afternoon relaxing,

perhaps yard work and errands.

Sunday night TV viewing,

perhaps a late social encounter.

Then eat a snack and get to bed.

Monday is coming, rearing its ugly head.

And you just know it will not be pleasant.

But we have been here before, and

survived it (just last week.)

Here we go again!

Cryptic currents

Bitcoin, bitcoin, buy little bits of Bitcoin.

Made a real hit coin, rose 1000's of percent.

Ethereum pumps the ether, raises hopes high,

litecoin and many others promise to be the

next “gold coin” in a very short time.

Forget value, forget P/E ratios, even

profits promised in the upcoming quarter.

Billions of dollars chases digital vapors,

hopes of making more propel prices ever higher.

Let's all chase nothing and see how rich we get.

Tulips, stock or housing bubbles?

How soon we forget!

Regrets of past disasters pushed out of our minds,

we throw precious cash reserves into money hives.

Will we ever see return or get our funds back?

Euphoria trumps caution and it's “full speed ahead.”

The wise are buying gold and burying it in jars,

stashing bills and silver in safety deposit boxes.

If they could they would hide money on Mars,

as the latest craze proceeds to fleece the flocks.

Caution seems best in these turbulent times.

Be careful out there, everyone.

-end

Political assault on the senses

Politicos are great at saying what people want to hear.

Support lower taxes? They'll find a way to throw you a bone.

Support soaking the rich? They'll agree with that, too.

They claim that up is down, and left is right,

green is red, and purple is just like white.

War is needed, and so is peace,

greed is good, but charity is nice.

Good roads and interstates are necessary,

hospitals and malls and subdivisions too;

Downtown development is a priority,

yet suburbs need improved, for me and you.

Partisanship threatens our capitalistic democracy,

the wheels of government seem locked down tight;

backroom discussions take place in the meritocracy,

Last-minute solutions are presented well past midnight.

The underneath processes seem quite confusing,

until one considers that most of these guys

attended the same ivy league institutions.

Perhaps a few pep talks from the old and wise

arrived via phone calls, while performing their ablutions...

Bills get passed, then signed, and life goes on.

People never really change; only the technology

of governing control  is different through the centuries.

-end

Enjoy the Feast

As we prepare to cook the turkey,

ham, roast, or raccoon if that's your thing,

time to give thanks for all of our bounty.

Plenty of edibles are around in our era.

Today we message from anywhere to anywhere,

receive last-minute menu picks at the grocery store,

or just have the whole big meal delivered via

selections we made on our smartphone.

Then we sit and eat and muse on days gone by,

family get-togethers, dueling casseroles from

hardworking aunts, admonished by amused uncles.

Carsful of family going over to the relatives,

everyone chatting and greeting and snacking,

playing games in the basement – childhood dramas,

young adult revelations, new couples vibrancy all mix.

Playing pool, ping pong, or perhaps cards later on,

back then the only electronic distraction was the

corner television, tuned to Christmas programming.

“Which Scrooge is in this years' A Christmas Carol?”

someone asks. “Who cares? So-and-so was the Best scrooge,”

is the refrain, insert your favorite actor here.

Holidays are reunions and trips down memory lane,

a refresher and reminder of just why we go through

life's constant grinds. Hope to show the family something new?

Hope to show off? Hope to reconcile past affronts?

Motivations are many, but suffice it to say,

there is no place like home for celebrating the holidays.

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Don't forget hot e-book deals for Black Friday!

Check these out, at least:

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/413457

https://www.amazon.com/Twenty-Nine-Stories-Mike-Wilson-ebook/dp/B0714D14JD

Thanks, and Happy Thanksgiving Everyone.

Sabbath Stroll (fleeing guilt gremlins)

That cut-off tree stump didn't care that

I interrupted Laura during Humanist Meetup,

the tree limb arching over the trail didn't

accuse me of slighting someone at work.

Sunshine continued to illuminate the leafy path,

throwing shadow reeds at my feet,

the breeze gently freshened the air

for my breaths, the river still glinted

reflecting multicolored hues to enjoy,

no matter what faux pas I committed

yesterday, last week or last month.

The forgiving ground yielded before my

steady footsteps, the trail unwound north,

then westerly, before turning back.

A discovery of piles of bricks, surrounded

by modern castoffs, was an interesting highlight,

taking thoughts off my blunders and errors.

The forest forgave me,

and then absorbed me

in all its subtle November

beauties, and I exited refreshed,

renewed, if a bit tired. Now,

what a perfect time for a

Sunday afternoon nap --

Next week is a clean slate.

- end

Two led the way

They knew they were different,

in a time when such things were scorned.

Fate and chance brought them together,

One even performed surgery on the other.

The female rowing champion became a male rowing champion.

The male race-car driver became a female race-car driver.

They became pioneers in physical and mental domains:

One took his life in 1962,

the other lived all the way to 2011.

Two brave and remarkable people cleared a path

for all of the transsexual and intersex who followed.

At the height of the Cold War these stories were

front-page news, perhaps taking fearful minds off

looming Armageddon.

Religious folk may have thought the end was here indeed,

now that humans retained the ability to change their gender.

As we delve deeper into genetic tinkering it is hard to imagine

what may be on the horizon soon.

But Roberta and Michael led the way –

Legions of transitioning folk are surely glad of this today.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roberta_Cowell

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Dillon

read on.    

Republished an older title

It has a new cover and a new price.  Check it out here:

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/97284

Thanks for taking a look!

9th Street North

The sharp businesswoman trots along the sidewalk,

glancing often at her phone, precious link to civilization.

A short, scruffy black man ambles in the opposite direction.

They approach, seemingly headed for a collision;

Improbably, the woman flicks a glance his way,

even as he gives her a more leisurely look.

Then she executes a perfect semicircle around him,

looking rapidly back at her phone.

Just another minor distraction,

leaf on the sidewalk, branch in the way,

paper litter drifting along,

homeless detritus a momentary

detour in one oh-so-very important life.

 - end

Now on Amazon Too!

My collection of short stories,  "29" is up on amazon, for sale in paperback or Kindle editions.

https://www.amazon.com/Twenty-Nine-Stories-Mike-Wilson-ebook/dp/B0714D14JD

Thanks for taking a look-see.

- end

Memory rising

Hovering over the brushfire,
I add sticks and twigs.
The yard detritus piles shrink in turn  -- hooray.

The sound and smell of burning fires up memory.
Crackling reminiscent of past leaf fires in past yards;
Crumpling up newspapers to light our minor blaze,
the crinkle and crackle of logs warming our
living room during a festive holiday.
My father supervises as I get to do the honors....

Bonfires at summer camp roar impossibly high,
as lore both modern and ancient are weaved
into some tale, enrapturing all of us 13-year-olds.

The homecoming fire at High School,
guarded by two of us sleeping within,
set off the next night during celebrations.
Never had I seen a conflagration that mighty.

The beach fires on a large sandbar,
just downhill from a local retreat.
Some of us sipping brews, enjoying music,
making love and watching others do the same.
One of the very best fire memories one can have.

Memories rise up with the smoke,
are scented and enjoyed,
then vanish,
to be replaced by others.

One can only hope
that you and I
make more wonderful memories tonight,
to reminisce by at some other bonfire,
many years from now.

- end

Contemplative Particles

In the beginning there was Hydrogen and Helium.

Then, a scattering of heavier elements appeared.

A spinning and accretion over millions of centuries,

bright glimmers and redder streaks painted space-time's

blank canvas, getting ever more crowded with particles.

Stars, then planets, then primitive lifeforms

arose through the vast reach of eons.

Crouching creatures struggled and competed,

slowly ascended life's ladder of capability.

Flashes of sentience and comprehension

assembled into purpose and organization.

One day the primitive gleaner of subsistence

on some African plain looked up at the

magnificent cosmic artwork comprising the

Milky Way, and gasped in awe at Pleiades’s eye.

Stardust finally arrived at a place to appreciate itself.

Latest revision of 29 now available

A Revision of the short story collection  "29" is now available on Createspace.  Grammatical and punctuation errors have been fixed, and a cleaner table of contents is in place.  Thanks for taking a look! 

https://www.createspace.com/7171487

Have a great weekend!

Getting used to those darned seasonal changes

     We are approaching another winter, and the loss of sunlight every day impacts our morale as well as our eyesight. So it was perhaps helpful for me to contemplate what it would be like if our daylight savings time really changed. Like say, if we were able to live on the surface of Titan, Saturn's largest moon. Or perhaps orbiting Jupiter. Or further out, say on the surface of Neptune if it were possible to live there.

     With a year lasting 40 Earth years, we would need a lot of adjustments! Would it get pitch black all day and night, then go to total brightness in the summer, like it does now on the Earth's poles? Probably so. Talk about needing to get over seasonal affective disorder.

     But if we had offspring, and they had offspring on said planets, they would easily adapt, having been brought up in the altered state of daylight. Their lives would be comprised of fewer, longer years and they would adjust. Unless they developed longer life-spans, then perhaps they would reach an average age like we do now, here on Earth, of around 20. But their 20 would be comparable to our 180 or somesuch.

     On the other hand, a year on the planet Mercury, or a comparable planet orbiting another star, would be much shorter. There would probably be little need for a daylight savings time. Or, perhaps, more need, since the daylight shifts would be so rapid and dramatic. But again, any offspring would adjust to the changes, and then think that Earth's seasonal daylight changes are the strange ones.

     So while we have some adjusting to do to get used to the winter months, just think of how difficult the task would be for any future settlers of some distant planet. Unless, of course, they resided permanently on some massive orbiting habitat where the seasons and weather are artificially controlled.

     They would have it good, presumably, until something went wrong.

Planets and their seasons (courtesy of NASA) :

PLANET	LENGTH OF SEASON
Venus	55-58 days
Earth	90-93 days
Mars	7 months
Jupiter	3 years
Saturn	About 7 years
Uranus	About 20 years
Neptune	More than 40 years

Good luck dealing with the coming snowfall, everyone.

-end