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Mr. Fox
At Mount Rainier
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Shedding the Shell
Emergence is a constant cycle of stepping out, going through, removing what can be left behind. Molting is the process of casting off the old to make room for the new. If the grasshopper, snake, spider, crab, or bird can shed it’s skin to grow, surely, we can too. Biologically, we all shed little by…
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Broke in Half
Few things in life stick forever, but when they happen, the mind is clear and alert enough to paint a deep unswerving memory, forming great synapse canals, canyons in the head, canyons livable and unlivable. Other times, common occurrence reveals our pleasantries, perhaps just our redundancy. Even when art is in the redundancy, and the…
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Seeing the Best or the Worst
Tendencies to see the worst in people is easy, but it is just as easy to see the best in someone. Most disagreements can be solved through good communication. There are always differences in values, and learning to show more respect for humanity, for an individual, is unending. In the process of accepting others, there…
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Great Faces
Through the discomfort of small clustering lines, fox brown eyes ignited under absent brows. An alien stare shot across the street. A leathery claw tooth smile wrapped itself around a loud, “AH AH!” I was more aware of her presence than her exsistence, except for a blue head wrap. I see it still, etching her…
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Lid
Turning over a rock is never quite the same when done inside a human heart, not as easy as to see the dirt, feel the dirt, or just move the rock. In the heart, vision is destiny, a place where all things manifest during witching hours, when a person is truly alone. What comes out…
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Kauai
My feet were always bare upon your surface. Here, I was born again in some magical way, just how warm light under dew remains a marvel. I tranformed. You transformed me. I stepped foot on your path, stretched my back against your sands. When the island sings, our voices are in the vibration of the…
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Making it Right
When someone complains about us, we often become hurt instead of thinking about how we have hurt others. We can take it personally, lash out, believe lies, get defensive before any understanding comes to the surface. Understanding builds relationships. If we want enriching, healthy relationships then we make smart efforts to resolve differences, but of…
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An Embarrassed White Person
I see my skin in pale pink, yellow hues.I see the same skin under white pointed hats,under the rhetoric of white, right religion.I see the same skin under the screams of people,innocent, beautiful people,being scorned, raped, beaten, hung.What right do I have to say these words,the color of my skin, my eyes, my hair, my…
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Magic of Belief
There was a time, many times then,and now still, no one can hear potentialbecause there is none, is there?Someone is told they are not, cannot, if no one believes in you, your words, dreams, interest, thoughts, there is a crossroads, a choice, to believe as before.The power of a person believing is the power of…
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Under the Palo Verde Tree
Under yellow blooms, falling from the green skinned Palo Verde tree, we stood close and quiet enough to feel connected to our surroundings. Harmonious low coos from nature’s song left a buzz on top of the hot Arizona sun. Beams of light cut through the umbrella of branches, painting dabbled light patterns across our bodies.…
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Helpless
I can’t see you, I can’t touch you, but you are here. I lay in the sun and warm my bones, the sun is you, you are here on the grass, my hands rest against the grass. We build, explore, grow- potential. You’re working, my mind is on you. What are you seeing, what are…
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Kayak- Monterey Bay
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Train
Box cargo, box train, four carts, twenty carts, fifty carts. Two-mile watch, carts pull the same distance apart. Five carts pass, three carts pass, running hard, two carts pass, one cart. Tempered and noiseless, just when the wheels stride, focused on that metal bar, it dips. I reach and pull up hard against the wind…
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Mount Tallac
Mount Tallac is a stoic hike. It sits like a middle child, balancing the terrain with strategy and lure. Dwelling at 9,890ft, Tallac hovers over the scattered, wild lakes of Desolation Wilderness in the Southwest area of Lake Tahoe. The start of the ten-mile hike is a welcoming, reliable, open space. Trees look down with…
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Corpus Christi, TX
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Percussion
Thoughts slowed, synchronizing to the alarming throb of my beating heart, a heart beating louder than the ringing in my ears. It rose to a steady pound. I’m the big bass drum in a symphony. I knew now they got me with the needle. If I could just keep them from sticking me, I could…
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Where’s the Battle?
We live in a quarrelsome world. Everyone wants to fight, to express their power, values, opinion. We are offensive to others, and no one wants to be responsible for the anger and dissolution. It seems easier to punch it out, yell it out, fight it out. It’s hard not to take up an attitude to…
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Donner Pass Tunnels
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Separate Life of Nature
Nature is a different world, from our cars, our houses, our ambitions. Noise. Vibration. On one side of me, I hear engines speeding down the highway. On the other side, there is a workshop- a wood shop. I hear the saws. In between these boundaries, is just enough space for the world to be wild.…
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The Chamber
I hid the chamber because it was dark, but it was not always that. It was never that until I dismantled my world and engaged in war. The chamber was once a green land, covered in ancient forests, mazed with rivers. After the war, the land stopped growing. Temperatures froze after toxic gasses left a…
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Cathedrals, Yosemite
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For a Few Short Years
country roads and Cadillacsseventies rock rebellioncorn fields stretching for miles like that oceanfar away in a dream these were the day hours, breathing hours before nightwhen passing moments felt younga time to let our hair downa time to live or die having fun to and from Chicago, dark highwaysIn a a 72’ gremlin back and…
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Laundry and Bathrooms
laundry cycles and fluorescent lights take me back sitting in the stall, listening to the air conditioning breeze through ceilings, a place to be alone out there, groups of small rooms and offices fake classrooms, and “fake news” even way back then in the hallways, staff kept to the schedule 7am wake, 8am…
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Swim the Waves- Hawaii
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A Short Break
He was in his boat going down the river. Soon, he stopped at a beachside. Getting out, he found a comfortable spot to sit, tucked his feet deep in the sand and leaned against a rock. Pulling a sandwich and drink from his bag, he enjoyed lunch while gazing over the water. He fell asleep,…
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My Other Half
He swept me away, held me in his arms, and we were us instead of me or him. He is a mighty river, drenching me with life. We share one breath. We choose each other. Anything he wants, it is his. He is always serving me, always first to check on my needs, always protecting…
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Tiffs and Blushes
The longest moments of my life are the ones waiting on him to be here with me after a tiff. I know he is waiting too. If we both keep waiting the cows will come home, or hell will freeze over, kind of like my heart feels now, but then I laugh. I know how…
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Heart Thump
my heart expands, reaching further, as if to chase you grasping for your tender presence, even though you have not gone from me you are resting under me, I listen to the steady thump, beating deep I see an ox in yellow light, plow a field. You, in all your strength, I shatter, me in…
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Absorbing
when you have a good view with deep loving sounds of piano notes trodding across the air in a modest spring kind of way, though January is winter, it feels like fall sadness acts like a collection bowl, and we steep, stew, bob, a pool dense enough to lay on without sinking, the horn on…
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Iron Giant
earth metal back homeas liquid, as energywith personality, with forcenature, she howlsand sits ever still frequencies vibe deepones that we can’t detectbut move us somehow,each foot in front of the other life is a very broad termhow about we sit and feel ithow about we live itnot like what we seebut inside, like the earth…
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Spin
Spin, cycle circle rotating unaltered direct course line fluidization in solid mass form over and over, round heavy pull, pulling down to center swivel sound and pivot too great to hear curved infinite arch constant no escape always moving faster faster expanding down crushing light speed, dark empty, nothing full dense strong- a dot beyond…
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Kings Ranch Wilderness, CA
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Today
may I go days on broth alone spiced with mushroom and veggies or just a can of beans over a burner and coffee for the day may I carry the sinking weight of my pack on my back please Noodles are good. Already? Now, it’s noodles. next it will be four cars, two houses, three…
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Spirit
such a tender love- spirit wind surrounding logic lifting a barge overhead or the world on a donkey’s back spirit makes life able the way of the firefly rat-race like, or Trojan horse all reason stretching for hard answers, easy answers none that answer sometimes it’s worth more to float in the breeze walk of…
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The Lost Art of Joy
Joy is as prominent as suffering. Accepting suffering with a joy is not impossible. If I were to say that joy suffers neglect on humanity’s part in comparison to the complaining of sufferings, this would still not accurately relate to joy, how could joy absorb any neglect, any cruelty itself? This is joy, and we…
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Connection
you are always with me, you, the reader you, the invisible person, the imaginary person, that is there I am with you, as I am there even though you can’t see me I send you words of love and comfort because when I think of you I know love, when I think of your struggle,…
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Now
sometimes I have my head in the future- a lot learning to balance now, now, and now for example; what I am writing now is it for the now, or for the future or how they are one in the same passing encounters of reflection is it for me, or others, or both Duality- Both…
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The Basket
“She should have grabbed a basket, like all of us,” a woman said. Halfway through the store, the lady’s arms were already full, dropping the crackers, dropping the butter, oh, there goes the taters. She picked one up, dropped another, but restacked her arms, and hurried on. “It’s okay, sometimes we all go without a…
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The Boat Rolls Back
the boat rolls back the ores row back taking one more thing away each stride in reverse he pulls nothing has been said every breath a forsaken word a protest to the loud silent pain there is no one to hear he shouts all he sees is her she is not there he cannot touch…
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Tugboat Parking Lot
He was a broad shouldered, raven haired man almost kid looking, thick, dark eyebrows, and carrying a duffel bag over his shoulder. He was one of the new guys to the towing company running tugboats up and down the Mississippi tying barges together. Shifts run fifteen days on the boat, and five days off. It…
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Morning Geese
From the old, wood framed window, across from my bed, I saw a flock of white bellied geese fly by in their arrow formation in the sky. It was so early in the morning, the alarm clock still had over an hour’s worth of minutes to tick through, but their demonstrative calls woke me so…
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A Toad who Sang
In a large forest, there was a ancient pond home to hundreds of toads. For over five hundred years, the Keaton family governed the pond. The Keaton family were known for their intelligence, bravery, and athletic skills. They followed practical rules, which kept toads safe from predators. There was one toad named Nicolas, a Keaton…
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Difference
Often enough, I walk without letting my feet sink into the ground, without watching the breeze over green blades, or hear insect chatter, or breathe in the earth, the damp and the dry. Through the trees, far in the distance, there’s a place that looks closer than it is, closer to how I think and…
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What Comes and Goes
“I know that I can get all this gear into the trunk, and then we will have room for the dogs in the back,” she suggested.“It won’t fit I already tried,” he argued.“Just let me try, I know I can do it,” She pleaded.“Fine, but when you’re done wasting our time let me know. I’ll…
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The Sea
A great bathtub of a vessel pushes us onward. Maybe lost, neither here or there, but here we are. On top of a sky as deep as mountains and where dark and light contrast themselves more clearly. The wood and the wave bend sound, rocking I sway. It is a pure form of living, in…
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End Political Civil War, or Not
There is a civil political war over American values and policies. Issues about climate change, immigration, human rights, gun control, taxes, health care, and education have all been areas where compromise and collaboration get thrown out the window. Where does this leave the American people? Nowhere, in-between, without leadership. It’s disconcerting that our country can’t…
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The Grass is Greener
It hurts my heart when I see common attitudes of being jealous, dissatisfied, discontent, when people anxiously try to keep up with the Joneses, not like a sport, but a job. Most people want to be as good as the next, accepted, held in good opinion, but where does it get us to not to…
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Snow Mountain
Shelter, warmth, cradled by blanket. Aware of Shasta so present and awake. Moonlight bright, reaching spotlight full snow abounding space, mounds of white planets stacked under my feet. Black horizon burning stars surging blue. Glittered ice crisp crystals, silver glass, powdered dust layered in sheets of ivory fabric laced with fiber optics, carpet starched snowflakes…
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Capitalism with Socialist Values
Capitalism with some socialist values is collaborative and smart. America is not in danger of losing our keen sense for individual rights. It is in danger of continually being one of the most ill equipped nations concerning health care, education, and renewable energy. Everyone is responsible to contribute, everyone is expected to pay taxes, then…
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Little Red Wagon
We were four towheaded kids piling into a little red wagon on our way to the supermarket. My little brother and I squeezed between my sister, the oldest, and in the front with each leg kicked over the edge, and my older brother who was on the back rim pretending to be a caboose. Mom…
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Climate Change
Cliffs blanketed in clover and overgrown grasses, blackberry vines mound under the tall cypress canopy. Burgundy striped ice plant weave between wildflowers. At the rocky rim, winds cut away timeless sedimentary layers resembling sky blue and violet. The sky is lined in white scattered clouds, how grateful, how lucky, how safe standing between such a…
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Morning Moments
Light tinkers, crawls over lichen-painted oak and dangling moss. Up and higher it climbs, striding over darkness with a big transparent foot. Dawn’s white cuff forms around the softening moon changing night to broken shadows. Like a ladder, imprints of glowing squares topple over the treetop, the leaf top. Dew is a smoke screen under…
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Polar Bear
Polar Bear, a distant mirage in stars and clouds, strong noble protector in those magic hours of bedtime stories, books, documentaries, legends. Slow lull of winter gazing, snow pouncing cubs, little tummies. I look down at the pink nose on a ballerina bear I just bought for my niece on her first Christmas. I touch…
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Now and Then
Glimpses Gentle currents of fall breeze curl over a patch of prairie land. Around the sun clouds drift casting golden mirages on browning ground. Long lost tales under crispy leaves tan, turning red before winter drawing near. Just like coves of blankets like a dome over my bed evermore dimming quiet and about silent, hibernating…
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Winter Dare
A little thump my foot landeath there, upon crackling foliage November bare Done the days of reckless care simpler treasures near, quiet listening ear Cleaner air and a softer stare by the creek bed and the hill Mountain dare do I go, I go up there Ask not for days in spring and tall tales…
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Revolutionizing the American Dream
I have always seen the American Dream as a type of money machine. We work to pay for family, houses and cars, or vacations, and yet think less on our daily quality of life. When younger, I had a hard time looking up to society, even today this struggle is present. I wonder at our…
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Censoring on the Rise
It is no wonder that efforts to censor public dialogue is on the rise considering the mass amounts of police brutality, racial profiling, unlawful justice, immigration cruelty, slanderous remarks made by leaders of our country, and so much more. The public has been crying out enough is enough. People will not live under social stigmas.…
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Bridegroom
upon a silk and wilting marriage pillow maidens tearful lamenting wanes not lest efforts stay simple minded compared to loves mantle, here casts my lot. on the deck of loves golden sailing ship with a face as blush pink petal in the light if only to kiss quivering fair lip easing dusty sorrows for present…
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Living an Aesthetic Lifestyle
People are continually in a state of creating. Thought instigates actions, action is the perpetual mode of the human being. Creating can be anything from the mere change in the atmosphere to a newly materialized invention. Creating is constant. We create neural pathways when we think. We create artistic design when we paint, imagine industry,…
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Voice
Pressures presently pressing on mind maximized with empty shell like ruins. I don’t like this, so sue me, and you just might. If I go digging, my hair is orange, my lips are red, my body size twelve. Isn’t a size six today a twelve in the seventies, and I’m glad of it, so sue…
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In Love Fighting
Fever raging strikes inside bursting out through our eyes He ignores- we’re enemies on a bloodied grass ground looking down but not seeing, shield and sword and tongue and fist Un-wielding, dark vicious bites and growls alike He blames me, me me, and me He broke the kitchen chair. I charge him like a she…
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Education Overhaul
Why have we not had an education overhaul in this nation! We are far behind the times and suffering. Anyone can look up the statistics, we’re at the bottom. With teachers not being paid enough, lack of resources, kids overwhelmed with schoolwork, but learning less, with student debt and absurd interest rates suffocating the young,…
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Standing Rock
Standing Rock is yet another example of privileged corporations making their disregard for others known. After all these years of American culture stealing, invading, hurting Native Peoples, First Nations, Native Americans, still today it is tolerated no matter the protests. Why were other plans not implemented for the pipeline, no matter the cost? For generations,…
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Gun Violence
Collaborative efforts surrounding gun control are mandatory in the consideration of rights to bear arms. We must try and do something about the desperate need to protect the public from public shootings. To cling to laws that only protect private life and not public life, and after so many public casualties is highly controversial. We…
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The Living Creature
Once there was a creature, born from the infinite. Once there was a creature, born from the living and the dead. It came to being one starry night, in a field made of gold. Cosmic light broke barren ground raw blue splendor formed, it then shouted and it roared. It had no idea what to…
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The Green Meadow
There, a green meadow, just beyond the wooded shade open grass, long blades, belly barren from winter one slow pausing step, watching, listening careful not to trust clear day too much sunlight over my nose moist, lifting eyes of beaded brown stare upon spring patches, watering mouth, luring, stepping, step bowing my head, I eat …
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Kate Lunsford 