THINGS THAT GO BUMP IN THE NIGHT

In my night after night
As I go down the streets by the woods nearby
I hear the telltale evidence
of the strangest of nocturnal creatures
The unknown that crawls
and climbs out there
Lurking in the shadows
just out of sight and
then suddenly going silent too
I can’t help but imagine
that they are watching me closely
as I conduct my typical human practices
when outside
I come up with a mental  list of
What they could witness
and no doubt are puzzled by it all:

Sighing deeply
Contemplating my existence
Barely remembering things
Coughing
Sneezing twice
Walking aimlessly
Cursing the rain then begging forgiveness
Talking to dog and pulling him here and there
hoping for a modicum of obedience
Humming a few bars
of an old favorite
Stretching out the kinks
Wondering about tomorrow
Watching my breath hang
in the autumn chill
A nice spark in my eyes
as a line of new poetry gets born
Looking around at ground and sky
Distracted by not knowing
which constellation is which
But so thankful they are there
and that life is going on still
From eons ago
when those suns and stars
came alive or perished
to these very days that have my head spinning
and heart heavy and full
These walks an effort to cope.
These witnesses in the dark
teeth and claws at ready
while hungry and curious
there are limits to their patience and they
are longing for me to disappear.

RENTON, WASHINGTON 11.1.17