Monday, April 20, 2009

Barking Dogs in My White Space Today

I clicked on New Post and yet I don't have a clue what I'm going to put in this create box. Time and time again, I've found that if I make an honest statement regarding my aimless intentions, I find that something will come. If I step in, my words follow. They may not draw an audience but they'll line up and stand proudly if for no other reason than to be a part of today in blogging history.

Here they come. My thinking is presently being interrupted by the neighbor's two barking dogs. I could write a goodly amount about that state of affairs. I must admit that I don't appreciate their ceaseless yipping and yapping when I'm out for some fresh air on a pleasant spring, summer or fall day on our screen porch. Besides that, an open window can allow the prolonged outside ruckus to upset me even if I don't leave the house. My husband goes ballistic the second he hears a peep or, I should say, yip out of one of them. Why, we ask, can't they scamper outside, do their thing and then scamper back inside or keep their mouths shut if they choose to play in the back yard. What's the fun of piercing the air and wearing themselves out with agitated high pitched barking? The louder they bark, the louder my husband turns the volume up if he's watching TV on our screen porch. Our neighbors are great but their animals are driving a wedge between us. It's a shame.

See what I mean. If I poke my nose in here, the rest of me gets sucked in by the vacuum created by the gaping white space lurking here. I like being drawn in. I no sooner pull my arms and legs in after me and I realize the white space around me isn't mysterious or eager to pounce after all. Instead, it invites me to sit for a spell, relax, take my shoes off and breathe.

If I can breathe in and out, I can write. One word becomes two, three, four and more. The white space loses its loneliness as words take their seats.

Oh, yeah.

2 comments:

Gullible said...

Nicely done, Shaddy. Very nice writing. Keep it up. If I could remember the word for what you're doing (metaphor? is that it?) I'd compliment you on it. Like the toy box. Oh, well. Whatever it is, you do it well.

Anonymous said...

Shaddy, there's a poem I think you might enjoy. Google "Billy Collins, Another Reason Why I Don't Keep a Gun in the House."