two playing peeling painted cats from the What-Not-Shoppe

I have greatly missed the daily dose of poetry I used to get from The Writers Almanac, and have searched for ways to replace it.  I liked the total randomness of it, as well as all the poets I was introduced to.  For you today, I have this bit from Pome by Mathew Ogle.  He sends a tiny poem to your inbox daily.  I am trying it on for size.  This one from Saturday definitely fit me.  

The First Rule
of Sinhalese
Architecture

Never build three doors
in a straight line

A devil might rush
through them
deep into your house,
into your life

Michael Ondaatje (1998)

If you are concerned about devils, and have three doors in a straight line, you can always adopt the strategy of surrounding your front door with giant rabbits holding special talismans, the St. Francis from your mom's garden, and two playing, peeling, concrete cats painted black from the "what not shoppe".  Something that would make a devil draw up and think twice before entering.  

 P.S.  If you want to get a tiny poem delivered to your inbox daily - go here to subscribe.

Comments

[jacki long]

Thanks Carol, I will try too.
I use another method of keeping away bad spirits.
I'll share if you're interested.

[Emie]

You can't go wrong with St Francis... my Mom's had one for as long as I can remember. I'm hoping one day to have one of my own... for now, the Blessed Mother will take her place by my front door.

[Sharon Walworth]

Carol: your sadness regarding the "demise" of Writer's Almanac has been echoed here. I just did some research online, and discovered that it is BACK. GK is doing it as a podcast and radio performance. You can follow on Facebook, or --as I just did---sign for an email which will include a daily poem and some of his beloved bits and pieces of history, plus a link to the radiocast. Just google his name and you'll find it. Thanks so much for your remarks: I feel as if some sense of order has returned to my routines. :)

[Vicki in Michigan]

I think we need more detail on that "in a line" thing. Do they mean "all next to each other"? Or do they mean one after the other, so one straight-line trajectory would take a person through all three?

So hard to follow directions when those directions are ambiguous............

But I'm sure it doesn't matter, when one is as well fortified with protective figures as you are.

:-) :-) :-)

[carol]

Jacki, I have no "real" concerns about bad spirits. But I loved the sentiment of the poem. Do share your method with all of us in the comments thought !

[carol]

Sharon, Thank you so MUCH for the heads up!

[Dana Burrell]

Thank you Sharon! The Writer’s Almanac was delivered to my email this morning and I immediately subscribed in my iTunes Podcast app. I love hearing poetry’s cadence!