the pallbearers,
so gracious
in their strength
they volunteer
to cover me
in a shroud of love
and protection
to carry me
by rail
lifting my spirits
above the ground
to the clouds
moving me forward
into the next
domain
where there is a singular
hum
and a white light
that shines brightly
in the peaceful universe
of adventurous souls.
©️mft
A different version of this poem on Pencliff
Bessie the Cow’s son, Billy
moved out of the meadow
on Wednesday.
No longer a calf
he grew tired
of the hassle
from an overprotective
mother.
She kept harping
on where’s the best grass
and staying upright
and not being tipped over.
Now Billy grazes in peace
on a hill of his choosing
where he’s free
to make Moo-Moo and Whoopee
with a hefty and fertile
young Jersey,
a grass-fed bovine
named Daisy.
©️mft
I made a screeching U-turn and headed into the parking lot of the pet store. I browsed the cat section for a few minutes. They all looked so cute, especially a sleek Russian Blue with silky gray fur. He looked at me with his green eyes, making an instant connection.
Excerpt from Yoji (click Yoji) by Mark Tulin on Friday Flash Fiction (longer stories).
The holy man scares me
He teeters on the edge
of light and darkness
of right and wrong
of truth and falsehood
There’s a fine line
between good and evil
from pious to the diabolical
and he crosses that line
back and forth
Dr Jekyll to Mr Hyde.
©️mft
I fall asleep to the automobile tires spinning on asphalt, the screeching birds overhead, the peddling boys on bicycles churning their spindly legs, and the traffic lights changing from green to yellow to red.
Excerpt from Old Sneaker on a Broom Handle by Mark Tulin appearing in Friday Flash Fiction.
Sometimes when I rode Silver, my dad used to sing “I’m an Old Cowhand” and make believe he was John Wayne just to get my goat. He would call me a “pilgrim” and act like he was a tougher cowboy than me. Once I got mad at him for mocking Tonto and me, and I shot him a couple times with a six-shooter.
Excerpt from The Lone Ranger Rides Again at Friday Flash Fiction.
