Homage to Jim Harrison The grackle with its blue head dunks violently his beak in the bird bath while chickadees and starlings battle the squirrels for sustenance. Cars power by here in the city and squirrels rush the street for lack of places to run. On the porch with my one-eyed dog, I run my weathered hand on his head and search fruitlessly for the Zen moment like Jim Harrison's dogs betray their owner's point of view. I keep his grizzled nose pointed at the source and breathe in his wisdom.
About the Author: Rusty Barnes lives with his family and a horde of cats in Revere MA. His work appears widely, and his most recent chapbook is DEAR SO & SO.
Image Credit: John James Audubon “Purple Grackle” Public domain image courtesy of Artvee
As It Ought To Be 