Hi Princess

Wind Log

2007-08-06T00:09:00Z

Wind Log

by Princess

Monday
The wind is steady today
So strong and true
It’s confident
About what to do.

Tuesday
Anger fills its breast
Its tail hits the ground
It begins to race in circles
Going around and around.

Wednesday
No wind rustles leaves
The dust stays still
The sun is hot
The empty wind doesn’t want to fill.

Thursday
It’s confusing, hard to understand
Recovery is extremely slow
There seems to be no will to live,
The wind will barely blow.

Friday
Now a light wind tickles trees
It leaps and twirls
Speeding by a merry-go-round
It slows for a few whirls.

Saturday
The air is so heavy
Depression is everything
The wind hums quietly
“How sad,” it seems to sing.

Sunday
Quickly now, run, dash, jump
No slow down, to fast
The wind is pulled by emotions
And soon confusion makes it hiss.

Monday
Strong gusts of wind push and pull
Carefree breezes laugh at a tree
Today is a great day
For the wind and me.

---------------------------------------------------------------------Copyright 2007 PSAI Publications. All rights reserved.

Miracle butterflies

2007-08-05T23:59:00Z

Miracle butterflies

by Princess

Deep in the forest
By the biggest tree
Under the smallest leaf
Is the miracle butterfly.

It’s wings glitter gold
As they push against the breeze
It’s blue body curls
Against its shiny wings.

When darkness closes in
The miracle butterfly will pause
Then shimmering and sliding
It will slip into the sky.

A second later it will appear
With wings of stardust
Lined up beside its body
Of black nighttime sky.

Then it will return
To it’s hidden home
That whispers a welcome
To the miracle butterfly.

Perhaps if left alone
This could have continued
But there is always something
That destroys what it will.

This careless creature
Takes what it wants
This giant, collasal monster
Cares about nothing but itself

Without feeling or thought,
This awful thing
Swats the miracle butterfly
Because it can’t stand anything.

Dying beside its home
The miracle butterfly
Fades into the brown dust
Disappearing into the earth

But wait, it calls to it’s kind
It tells of the careless creature
And warns all the others
To stay out of sight

Now no miracle butterfly
Can be seen in flight
For they all hide
In the forest in fright.

---------------------------------------------------------------------Copyright 2007 PSAI Publications. All rights reserved.

Drip Drop

2007-08-05T23:51:00Z

Drip Drop

by Princess

The blue the green brown
Water spigot blade of grass
Fly little black bug
The blue wall is not the sky
Drip listen to the water

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Copyright 2007 PSAI Publications. All rights reserved.

School Morning

2007-08-05T23:43:00Z

School Morning

by Princess

Awake, up, slowly,
Up, slowly, walking,
Slowly, walking, eating,
Walking, eating, faster,
Eating, faster, throwing,
Faster, throwing, grab,
Throwing, grab, bound,
Grab, bound, step,
Bound, step, sit,
Step, sit, rest,
Sit, rest, stand,
Rest, stand, rush,
Stand, rush, hurry,
Rush, hurry, calm
Hurry, calm, stop.

---------------------------------------------------------------------Copyright 2007 PSAI Publications. All rights reserved.

Fantasy Land

2007-08-05T23:35:00Z

Fantasy Land

by Princess

Aboard a ship
Over a whip
Across an ocean
Into a potion
Within a book
Above a hook
Between two dogs
Beneath some frogs
Beside a fox
By a box
Under a boar
And out a door

Through my home
It likes to roam
On my bed
Below my head

There it is
My very own
fantasy land.

--------------------------------------------------------------------Copyright 2007 PSAI Publications. All rights reserved.

Imagination

2007-08-05T23:28:00Z

Imagination

by Princess

What is imagination?
Is it just the mind?
Or could it really be more?

IMAGINATION
Is believing,
Thinking,
Dreaming,
Hoping,

It’s having allies and foes
It’s near and far
It comes at night,
and during the day.

It’s in you,
But you can’t touch it
You can only contain it.

It is a thing, but not a thing
Something to use,
but nothing to harm.

It’s a noun
A verb,
An adjective,
A pronoun.

It’s never nothing
But it isn’t always something.

Don’t lose it,
Keep it
Use it
Don’t ever forget

Your imagination.

---------------------------------------------------------------------Copyright 2007 PSAI Publications. All rights reserved.

A Spring Moving Day

2007-08-01T13:24:00Z

A Spring Moving Day

by Princess

The water drip-drops past the windows.
A moving truck follows our car as…
The water slides down the windows.
I read a good book as…
The water trickles down the windows.
Spring jackets are put on as…
The water races down the windows.
Flowers bloom as…
The water hurries down the windows.
Beautiful scents sneak inside as…
The water slithers down the windows.
Puddles form on the roads as…
The water splatters on the windows.
The cats rattle about in their carriers as…
The water falls on the windows.
Trees catch the water in their leaves as…
The water splashes on the windows.
We’re leaving our old home as…
The water drip-drops past the windows.

---------------------------------------------------------------------Copyright 2007 PSAI Publications. All rights reserved.

A Tree's Voice

2007-08-01T13:10:00Z

A Tree's Voice

by Princess

Happy Birthday tree
I last saw you
How long ago?
It’s been far
Too long.

My Birthday is next month
I’m sorry that your
Ringing has stopped
It was a truly
Exquisite sound

The bell used to ring
All on its own
But a hammer soon came
And hit the bell
And broke its cheerful sound.

---------------------------------------------------------------------Copyright 2007 PSAI Publications. All rights reserved.

Dragon

2007-07-31T15:06:00Z

Dragon

by Princess

As I approach the cave,
I’m afraid
I shiver
I quake.

As I look at the smoke,
I rethink
I double take
I go on.

As I walk inside,
I question
I jump
I cry.

As I turn to the right
I whisper
I wish
I ask why.

As I see the dragon
I scream
I run
I’m trapped!

As it grabs me
I yell
I howl
I beg.

As it’s about to eat me,
I awake
from that horrible dream.

--------------------------------------------------------------------Copyright 2007 PSAI Publications. All rights reserved.

Winter Moments

2007-07-31T14:57:00Z

Winter Moments

by Princess

Running, jumping
Over the ground
The frozen ground
The silent ground

Huffing, puffing
With the wind
The frozen wind
The silent wind

Cantering, prancing
Past the trees
The frozen trees
The silent trees

Galloping, trotting
Across the bridge
The frozen bridge
The silent bridge

Running, jumping
Huffing, puffing
Cantering, prancing
Galloping, trotting

Over the ground
With the wind
Past the trees
Across the bridge

Over, With, Past, Across
Everything
In this frozen silent land

---------------------------------------------------------------------Copyright 2007 PSAI Publications. All rights reserved.

What Happened?

2007-07-31T14:52:00Z

What Happened?

by Princess

The cookies?
      Gone!
The trash?
      Disrupted!
The clothes?
      Unfolded!
The paper?
      Ripped!
The tissues?
      Scattered!
The pets?
      Terrified!
The furniture?
      Scratched!
What Happened?
      Cats!

Here's a CHEER!

2007-07-31T14:48:00Z

Here's a CHEER!

by Princess

Give a hand
Round up the band
Sing along
To the song
Listen, hear it
Keep that spirit
Jump around
To the sound
Jingle jangle
One less tangle
Smell the pine
Everything’s fine
Christmastime is here

---------------------------------------------------------------------Copyright 2007 PSAI Publications. All rights reserved.

Slowing Time Down

2007-07-31T14:41:00Z

Slowing Time Down

by Princess

We’re sitting
       That’s all we’re doing
We’re sitting
       Outside, doves are cooing
We’re sitting
       The minutes tick by
We’re sitting
       Why, oh why
We’re sitting
       At this little table
We’re sitting
       Just because we’re able
We’re sitting
       In this gloomy din
We’re sitting
       Bored out of our skin
We’re sitting
       Caught in time,
We’re sitting
       Sitting,
       Sitting.

---------------------------------------------------------------------Copyright 2007 PSAI Publications. All rights reserved.

It's SPAM!

2007-07-31T14:38:00Z

It's SPAM!

by Princeess

SPAM in a
Can beside a
Fan next to a
Man holding a
Pan all in a
Van
Thanks to SPAM

---------------------------------------------------------------------Copyright 2007 PSAI Publications. All rights reserved.

December

2007-07-31T14:35:00Z

December

by Princess

                December
              Cold, snowy
      Freezing, celebrating, snowing
Christmas, Hanukkah, butterflies, flowers
        Playing, laughing, running
              Warm, sunny
                 June

-------------------------------------------------------------------Copyright 2007 PSAI Publications. All rights reserved.

Mystic Means

2007-07-31T14:26:00Z

Mystic Means

by Princess

Been and Gone
Test your fate
Put a penny on the plate
Pick it up
Don’t look down
Turn about and all around
Small black cats
Cry and squall
Waking up one and all
Mystic means
Bubbling green
In the cauldron, to be seen
Don’t jump left
Don’t slide right
Dance and scream throughout the night
Goblins ghouls
Ghosts and fools
All are wicked witches’ tools
Bet you can’t
Understand
Why I wrote this on my hand.

-------------------------------------------------------------------Copyright 2007 PSAI Publications. All rights reserved.

The Elements of a Soul

2007-07-31T14:12:00Z

The Elements of a Soul

by Princess

I’m an EARTH and SKY girl
I understand
The firm, dead-hard, cruel, and beautiful reality
But, I hold onto
The changeable, confusing, longing dreams I have.

My youngest sister is an EARTH and WATER girl
She feeds
On life, truth, fantasy, and growth
She flows,
Bubbles, giggles, ripples, screams, roars, or slowly wanders where she will.

My younger sister, who’s in the middle, is an EARTH and FIRE girl
She loves to
Soak, wiggle, and grow into other’s hearts, but she is often hurt
She rebels,
And grows, absorbing attention, reaching for the sky, which she can’t touch, shunning the water which she still loves.

All three of us contain
A little of the EARTH which nurtures us and calms us
A little of the SKY which promises hope and gives us dreams
A little of the WATER which drives us ahead and helps us find our paths in life
A little of the FIRE which encourages our emotions and softens our hearts.

One girl may have more of one and less of another.
Each person has a different amount of each and our scales
May rise or sink as we grow
But under our skin and past the physics of science
There are our souls that feed on EARTH, SKY, WATER, and FIRE.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Copyright 2007 PSAI Publications. All rights reserved.

A Fourth of Me

2007-03-09T12:35:00Z

Hi Princess,

This is a poem, especially for you.

A Fourth of Me
By Grandpa

Everything my Grandpa was, before he passed away,
Was half of all my Mother was, though she is gone today.
And of the half I got from Mom, it's very clear to see,
The half she got from Grandpa, had become a fourth of me.

Everything I've ever been and all I'll ever be,
Is half of all your Daddy is, for he is half of me.
And everything your Daddy is, it's very clear to see,
Is half of all that you've become, so you're a fourth of me.

Everything you've ever been, you'll pass along some day.
Your child will be a half of you, 'cause that is nature's way.
I hope you tell her, when she's grown enough that she can see,
How you have shared the part of you that holds a fourth of me.

A fourth of me, a fourth of me, you're keeping in your heart,
And looking in your eyes I see, you got my favorite part.
Now, in you, a fourth of me will live beyond my years,
So when I'm gone, my darling girl, you'll have no need of tears.

Love you,
Grandpa
-------------------------
Copyright 2007 PSAI Publications. All rights reserved.

Bonsai's first chess game

2007-01-26T01:35:00Z

Hi Princess,

I have been following the on line chess game between you and Bonsai very closely. That chess book he ordered doesn't seem to have been much help to him, but then this is his first game. I noticed that you took several of his key pieces early in the game. Let's see, by the 10th move, you had taken a Pawn, a Bishop, and a Knight! You were well into the middle game by the 16th move, when you took his Queen -- Ouch! Two moves later, you had his other Knight. He did manage to grab a Knight and Bishop from you in the 16th and 17th move, but you lead him in Material value by 21 to 6. You are now moving into a very interesting end game.

In your last comment, you wondered how Bonsai was able to purchase a chess book on line, using my credit card! I must admit, that had me baffled, as well. I finally figured it out. I'll reveal all in Part 2 of my story, which you will find below. If you want a clue, say the part title over and over ten times fast.

Bonsai's Tale - K-9 Chess
Part 2: Dog's not mousing

So there he sat on the White side of the board, his first move already made. I actually considered moving a Pawn just to see what Bonsai would do. Did he really understand the game from having read a few pages of his chess book? Wait a minute! What am I saying? This dog has me believing he can actually read! He orders a book on line. He pays for it with my credit card. He sets up my chess board on the floor with the pieces in their proper places. He makes a proper opening move, d2-d4 (White Queen's Pawn forward two spaces). Why wouldn't I think he can read?!?

The next day I set about figuring out how Bonsai accomplished all those apparent miracles. The first problem was to discover how he could have used the computer to order a book. Assuming he were able to study my every move from his frequently occupied vantage point on my lap, how did he manage the mechanics of using the keyboard and mouse?

The keyboard would be a challenge. Being a Toy Poodle, his feet are small compared to the average dog, but it's winter and we keep his paws shaggy to insulate the pads from snow and ice. I placed his paw over the keyboard. As small as it looked, it still spanned three keys in any direction. So touch typing was not an option.

The mouse was an even greater challenge. He could probably move it around, but how would he left-click or right-click? I tried putting his paw on the mouse. He pulled it away quickly. At first, I thought it was his distain for unstable surfaces beneath his feet, but second thought suggested a desire to disassociate himself with any computer interface device, which might tend to incriminate him.

It was the next evening that his scheme began to unravel. It was late. I was using my Mac PowerBook on the dining room table. The ceiling fixture was casting a glare on my screen, so I turned it off and turned on a table lamp sitting on a small corner cabinet. The illumination skimmed across the notebook at just the right angle to reveal shiny trails across the touch pad, a rectangular area on which you can move your finger to control the mouse pointer, if you don't want to, or can't, use the mouse. There were also shiny blotches on the click pads.

What were these shiny trails, I wondered? On closer examination I noticed there were also shiny blotches on the keyboard, but only on four keys: C, E, H, and S.

"Chess!" I exclaimed out loud. "Of course, it only takes those four keys to search on CHESS". Without looking up, Bonsai slipped quietly off the edge of his floor cushion. His gray back rounded and his tail tucked between his legs, he pretended to be a giant dust bunny floating across the floor and under the grand piano.

"Those shiny trails and blotches are DOG SNOT! Aren't they?" I called after him, but Bonsai didn't answer. Bonsai has a long narrow muzzle, terminating in a small black WET nose exactly the size of a computer key. He was touch typing, alright, and moving the pointer with his nose. He had seen me use the touch pad many times, with my finger of course.

With that mystery solved, the next loomed larger. How would he be able to enter all the information required to complete a purchase on http://www.barnesandnoble.com ? In addition, how would he get my credit card out of my wallet? I was stumped again.

This evening, I logged on to Barnes and Noble to order a second copy of a book I own on writing dialogue: "Shut Up!" He Explained: A Writer's Guide to the Uses and Misuses of Dialogue by William Noble, Published 1991 by Eriksson, Paul S. Publisher ISBN: 0839777787 ISBN-13: 9780839777786 It's the best book I have ever read on the fine art of writing dialogue. Unfortunately, it is out of print. Fortunately, an authorized used bookseller for B&N has a copy in stock. I clicked the Add button to place it in my Cart, then clicked the various Continue buttons, which took me to the Review page on which there is a Place My Order button.

Well, what do you know? I had forgotten that I was signed up for express check out. There was my credit card number, the expiration date, my shipping address, everything needed to place my order. After typing in the title of the book I wanted and clicking Search, I had completed the entire transaction without touching the keyboard.

If I were to leave the room at that moment, Bonsai could jump up in the chair, use his nose to move the pointer over and click the Edit Your Order button, clear the cart, type C H E S S in the key word box, click Search, select a book from the list, then click his way to the Place My Order button, thereby purchasing his book, using only his little wet nose. I must have left a similar cart open the day he ordered his chess book.

Mystery solved -- Bonsai has a nose for literature.

You invited a dog to play on-line Chess?

2007-01-04T23:03:00Z

Hi Princess,

Your Christmas visit was delightful, but much too short. I miss having you around already. You asked what's going on around here -- well, things are getting back to normal (what ever that is) now that the holidays are over. Darwin is talking my ear off, as usual. Mannique is complaining that she has nothing to wear that goes with the fresh-water pearl earrings I gave her for Christmas. And Bonsai? Well he's very excited about being challenged to his FIRST on-line Chess game. Now that's a story in itself...

Bonsai's Tale - K-9 Chess
Part 1: Bonsai Buys a Book

I have known for a long while that Bonsai is smarter than the average Toy Poodle. Unlike any dog of my acquaintance, Bonsai takes an interest in the physical nature of his environment. I have watched him place his rubber ball on the second story landing, then carefully nudge it forward by fractions of an inch until at last it rolls over the edge. By carefully studying the effect of gravity on his thus liberated ball, he has perfected the timing required to lunge forward and snatch it an instant before landing on the step below.

On our walks, when all the other dogs have their noses to the ground sniffing every bush, every blade of grass, I have seen Bonsai searching the sky for the location of honking Canada Geese. He would watch them approach, then turn his head to follow them as they gracefully disappeared over the tree tops. I often wonder if he actually imagines what it might be like to fly.

As bright as his little K-9 brain is, I never expected Bonsai to develop an interest in Chess. All of those hours that he lay on my lap while I worked on my computer, I assumed he was sleeping. It appears that instead, he had one eye open studying my key strokes, memorizing my log-in sequences, watching me purchase books, chat with friends, and play on-line Chess. It never occurred to me that he might actually want to play Chess himself, let alone have the ability.

My first clue was finding a chewed open UPS box on the kitchen floor, upon arriving home after work. His dog walker had obviously brought it in when she made her lunch time visit. Packing material was scattered all around and the box was empty, except for a shipping memo containing one line item:

Qty: 1 Book title: "Don't Bite the Bishop - Chess for Dogs" Price: $5.95 Paid by: CreditCard

Paid by CreditCard! My CreditCard? I didn't order this book, so WHO DID?!?

I found Bonsai in the family room, my chess set pulled off the coffee table onto the floor, and the new book opened to:

Chapter 1 - Chess Pieces Are Not Biscuits

All of the pieces were properly arranged on the board. Bonsai had already made the first move from the White side. He looked up as I entered the room, cocked his head to one side, lowered his gaze to the board and looked back up at me. By his expression alone he said, "It's your move, Dad."