It must be like Thomas Merton, I’m sure
when he outgrew the confines of community
and moved into the little hermitage
solitude his only room mate
And I in my makeshift shack
doing things spiritual
including
morning devotions
First some scripture
a few readings from the masters
silence and contemplation
and the fly
He buzzed incessantly
his flight pattern taking him
from this lamp shade to that
an interruption to any good retreat
It was the lemon pledge first
sprayed on his paper wings
so that he could only walk
like a drunk late at night
Unable to escape
he was squashed with the paper towel
and I, looking over my shoulder
hid the body in the trash
Satisfied, I resumed
the Mertonesque moment
wondering what he did
with uninvited visitors
(Tim Carson, August 2011)
vitalwholeness 