A Poem for Andre before Dying

ANDRE
Nov. 14, 1997-Feb. 2, 2011

A kiss goodnight for my dying dalmatian dog Andre who dies...
And a poem to keep his memories alive.
May you truly go to your place in the sun.
If I never really gave you proper dog training,
and kept you wild at heart and spirit
In death I am indebted to your childlike behavior
and total loyalty
and so you will remain forever in my heart.

For the best-looking dog
in the whole neighborhood,
...those round brown eyes
and a coat of well-distributed spots of black on white
and my best guard against the stupid stray cats
not to mention the stupider turkey who used
to be in your place,
May you rest with memories of a happy adoptee.

I love you Andre!  Goodnight.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(I hope the writer doesn't mind)
FEBRUARY TOMATOES

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Until winter relaxes her long thin fingers

When will we taste again our favorite fruit?

Come, wrap your hunger around you.

Arm yourself with emptiness.

Magnify the quiet echos of sunlight that are left in your veins.

Push away the noise of your life - shhhhhh!

Uncover the seed that you planted - remember?

See it, still there, waiting softly, like a wish.

Shots in the desert;

Young girl, blackbirds, ten thousand fish,

Lifeless, they voice the same prayer,

Venerable emissaries, they tell us;

All is beautiful here - open your door and hold it wide;

Nothing, noone should be left outside tonight.

This Candlemas night, join me.

Hour eleven, the theater will open.

Eleven cents is the cost of entry;

A penny and a dime.

The theatre closes at one.

Revisit the old playground where we learned to die together`

Eleven years ago.