Ollie our orange Maine coon cat
looks through the french door
sees the dog
sprawled on the rug
goes back to stalking
birds and lizards
in the garden

Save for the two old dogs
our scruffy poodles
sleeping soundly
no-one's home
but me

The stillness of the house
contrasts with what I'm seeing
out the window
maple and acacia branches
swaying madly
leaves aflutter
trembling wildly in the breeze

Cat Stevens sang it years ago
baby it's a wild wild world
and maybe even more so
now than then

But as if in defiance of
the world's windy commotion
its mad hurly-burly
this day brings
an unexpected hour
of inner calm
of peace unearned
and undeserved
but welcomed
treasured all the more
for that

I credit Carroll
thoughtful wife
who found this house
our canine kids
our Ollie cat
and goes on finding
me in all the places
where I'm most alive