Hardtack Rat: chewing on life one bite at a time
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TCHKK!
I said the prayer for our first gathering The weekend we celebrated PawPaw’s life Months later, of course, through the pandemic Snagging a Coors from the fridge I pop the tab and sip the smooth golden As a memory hits me hard that Friday night Years ago, I sipped Coors with Rick, my Kroger coworker…
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Key Change
One year, 2014 I think I kept a Civil War style journal Short, to the point, no great description Capturing overall feels of a day and weather Today I think back to that style As I notice once again the change In weather from yesterday to this day Night and day, if you ask me…
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Our Squabble
Observing a girl opening her bag of chips To the beachfront residents, mostly winged I remember a poignant line from Jurassic Park: “They’re moving in herds; they do move in herds.” In this experience, I accordingly concoct the phrase: “They’re flocking over to her; they do flock to her.” Meanwhile, a seagull two yards away…
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That Moment Driving
When From Des Arc to Brinkley, Arkansas The podcast is drowned out by The steady and yet aggressive Pitter patter on the windshield And you can only drive At a speed around 40 And the crop dusting Airplane is parked And shock Sets in As a Lightning Bolt suddenly Jolts near your car You think…
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Family Quirks
What do I recall of my grandparent’s home? The combined smell of them and their living There. I was keenly aware of strong coffee aromas, Tasty baked goods too, and how well we seemed to all gel. What could be heard there? Shuffling of cards, two decks mostly, Ghostly tv screen static as they fell…
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Delight (Haiku)
The water movements And reflections of sunlight Create great delight
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Enneagram Work
We each reflect a mere shade of the divine Why should I shame one with a different shade than mine Mine, as if I possess what’s been entrusted to me A gift rusted from being overexposed to my ego Low and behold, there’s a newness, a purity, an innocence Waiting to be unearthed, baptized into…
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Lowly
When light suddenly dissipates And darkness overshadows you What is that sense you get within? That powerful feeling called dread Status update: a cloud overhead Then you relax as your keen senses Diligently continue their important work Driving my kids to school one morning I discovered animals, different sorts even Have theses senses too, although…
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Wake Up Calls
If I had to be woken up early I guess I’d rather it be by owls Their long Os are soothing to me This really happened one day Once when my wife woke at 3 am In order to teach her online class, yay The second sound was jarring, ah My wife’s alarm sound is…
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Full of Cheer
“There are moments that cry out to be fulfilled.” – Mary Oliver For Justin Holloway Mud-marked stencils of leaves on the concrete Remind me of recent rains that spanned days But let’s not genuflect on fall’s ugly beauty Instead, there’s a day most special to me Picture that first real day of the season When…
Hardtack Rat 