Skylands April 30, 2022

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oh deer

The sign says no running or jogging

But the deer can't read and don't care

Acting as if the path was made for them

Stepping aside for me reluctantly

The sign says no picking or digging up plants

But the deer disregard the rules for people

Eating whatever vegetation they fancy

Leaving aside the ones they don't like

The deer share a common aversion

With those who detest the invasives

But the deer distaste has the opposite effect

Making the unwanted plants proliferate

The sign says it's a nature preserve

Meant to be kept as habitat for native species

And the deer qualify on that account

But their numbers devour too many valued plants

Looking into their curious but wary eyes

Making a connection with another sentient being

Certainly I would not wish to harm them

Because who are we to find fault in numbers

We who are so much more numerous

We who occupy their original habitat

We who exterminated their predators

Other than people that is

I wish the sign could be revised

Pick only invasive plants and remove them

Leaving alone all the native plants

Helping maintain the nature preserve

Celery Farm April 27, 2022

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missed call

We have a regular weekly call my friend and I

Just chatting about whatever comes up

Just happy for our lives to continue along for now

Making the most of our remaining days

But this week I could not reach him

Because his phone is out of service range

While he's away on an extended trip

Leaving me here missing his voice

Being unreachable is not yet permanent

And I am surely not ready for that finality

But it's never far from our thoughts he and I

Sharing the same serious diagnosis and surgery

Both found to have prostate cancer some years ago

But his disease got into his bones and mine did not

So his progression looms over our conversations

Kept in check for seven years and counting

I listen when he says he holds out hope for a cure 

Something his doctor tells him is still possible

And from my fortunate position I set aside his chances

Supportive that he's not resigned to the inevitable

Our phone call is a necessary lifeline I need

Something I asked for that he does for me

To reassure me that we have more time left together

Though today I hear nothing but the silence waiting

Garret Mountain Reservation April 26, 2022

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