La La Land

("And Dream Of Sheep", 2018, original encaustic) La La Land Somewhere out beyond these solid walls A wilderness howls While inside dogs lay sleeping Contented on hearth and couch. Here domestic bliss rules A world of kindness and soft play There the tough and wild ways still hold A world where dog occasionally does eat dog. These walls so hard won, Protecting the soft and kind, Hold back what we each fear While yearning to know more. But you can’t have it both ways Ways which parted so long ago, The wild, which will always be, And a la la land as sweet as we can dream. (12/31/23)