Poetry

[shunyadragon]

Cat Tongue Rag

Damn! Cat hair’s a bear!
Cat hair! Cat hair! Cat hair!
Cat hair everywhere!
My coat, black suit and chair!

Rollers and brush.
Roller here, brush there.
Damp cloth or vacuum.
Vacuum clogged and still more hair.

Extreme measures brought to bear,
Cut-stitch, cut-stitch, and cut-stitch again.
Maybe ten or twenty to take the hair.
Snip stitch, snip, stitch, and snip, stitch again.

Damn! Cat hair’s a bear!
Clip- stitch, Clip-stitch, and clip-stitch again!
It will take a hundred to bring to bear.
Yep! One hundred cat tongues in a square.

Cat tongue rag removed the hair.
Off with all the cat hair.
Coat, black suit and chair.
Gag! Gag! Hair balls everywhere.

After d’tongues, go d’tails

Frank A Doonan
The Orange Dog Poet of Hillsborough

 

[shunyadragon]

Compathy

Compassion is the earth,
it is always beneath you regardless of flavor.
It receives all in death,
without judgment or favor.

Love is the moon,
a beautiful reflection in the lake.
Entwines the favored son,
but fades dancing away in the wake.

Compassion is the sun,
The sun gives warmth and life to all,
Even the dark shadows in the morn
Receive light in the eve whether short or tall.

Love is the moon
sometime a smile, sometimes not.
Dancing in the shadows
sometimes there, sometimes not.

Compassion fills the air.
to some a soft breeze.
Others a deadly roar and a prayer
Not one nor the other to please.

Love is the moon
Playing hide and seek.
Sometimes a wink
for those who vainly seek.

Compassion is the sea,
ascending to the heavens unseen,
Returning again to give life,
or a grave to some in the sea

Love is the rose,
beautiful to behold.
When no longer a rose,
the thorns take hold.

God is not a chess player
with the white pieces.
God is the sea . . .
and we are the fishes

Frank A Doonan

 

[shunyadragon]

Behold! A cup of Tea.

Behold! The Tea.
Verdant living Jade River
In fog shrouded fields of Tea.
Moss framed temple reflected.

Behold! The cup
Reflecting variegated rocky slopes,
Embracing the living waters of the soul
Sheltered in the temple from above.


Behold! Slowly sipping the Tea.
Verdant living Jade River.
To the shimmering Sea
To become a part of me.

go with the flow the river knows . . .

Frank A Doonan

Orange Dog Poet of Hillsborough

Frank A Doonan

 

[shunyadragon]

Allah or God, God or Allah.

Allāhu akbar, Allāhu akbar
God is greatest, God is greatest

Praised in all Abrahamic faiths,
Allah is God on the highest.
Lost in worn human epitaphs
Of arrogance and exclusive forgiveness.

Offer call to prayer from the sacred stone towers
Of Duke Chapel in naïve tolerance,
And flowery hopes of dialogue, and good well
Where righteous ancient causes bred violence.

Ash-hadu an-lā ilāha illā allāh
I bear witness, there is no other God but God.

Proclaimed before God called to Abraham
Ancient walls echo how many Gods are God.
Dark chasms in stone remain between
Call to pray to Allah, or prayer call to God

Call to prayer barred from majestic stone spires
In delusions of beyond ecumenism
Doomed to failure all will not agree
Set in stone human divisions and isms

Ash-hadu anna Mohamadan-Rasul ullāh
I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah

General Lee stands Guard, USA or CSA1
Sword drawn in defense.
This line will not be crossed,
Mohammad is not God of forgiveness

Frank Graham pronounces no tolerance
A gentle tug on the piano wire
Hallowed spires reaching for heaven fearing disobedience
Tightens the purse strings just enough.
.
For Allah is not the true God
Doctrine and dogma trumps
There will no call to prayer in the name of God
Denial enshrined in stone, lead and glass

. . . and the sign reads TOLERENCE ENDS.2

Frank A. Doonan


1. Statue General Lee on the right side of the main entrance of the Duke Chapel. Does the belt buckle read CSA or USA? It appears partially cut off.
2. Load limit signs found around the Durham area.