On the other side of the fence

A Thorn In The Paw by David Mason

Once, I was a young dog with a big thorn in its paw, slowly becomin that very thorn, not the howl but the thing howled at,importunate,printing in blood.

Others grew up with chrism,incense,law, but I was exiled from teh start to stare at lightning hurled from the sky into a lake that revealed only itself.

Others had pews and prayer-shawls,old fathers telling them when to kneel and waht tho say. I had only my eyes my tongue my nose my skin and feeble ears.

Dove of descent,fat worm of contention,bogeyman,Author-I can't get rid of you merely by hating the world when people behave at their too-human worst.

Birds hig up in their summer baldachin obey the messages of wind and leaves. Their airy hosannas can build a whole day out of worming and song.

Ive worked at the thorn,Ive stood by the shore of the marvelous,drop0jawed and jabbering. Nobody gave me a god so I perfect my idolatry of doubt.

-david mason

Peace