Verses from today's Washington Post. ** An alien comet from another star is soaring through our solar system. *** She invited a stranger to Thanksgiving by accident. This was their fourth holiday together.. **** Trump makes surprise visit to U.S. troops in Afghanistan, says he has reopened peace talks.

@sarahkaplan48

O interstellar visitor, while we are tracking you

might it be that you as well will take us in your view?

Perhaps you will observe our wars and follies and decide

to keep the heck away from us and in the cosmos hide.

************************

@KnowlesHannah

Feed a stranger, gain a friend;

this should be a bigger trend.

If the world made holiday

from suspicion's cankered sway,

and together had a meal --

don't you think we'd better feel?

Even just a plate of beans

might provoke some peaceful scenes.

"I'm having sardines from a can --

come and join me, my good man!"

***************************

@missy_ryan  @PhilipRucker

Presidents will visit troops

when their rating at home droops.

Serving turkey to a squad

camouflages actions odd.

Shaking hands with brave Marines

always pleases Philistines.

But it won't work this time around

if Mr. Trump will not pipe down.

Happier Outcomes.

D. Todd Christofferson

"The Lord’s commandments are our guide to better choices and happier outcomes. How we ought to rejoice and thank Him for showing us this more excellent way."

D. Todd Christofferson

When I was a young man I found sin was overpriced,

and mercifully I was led into the Church of Christ.

Since then my choices to obey have always led to joy;

outcomes have been happy and this old world don't annoy.

I still am apt to stumble and my weaknesses are legion,

but I know that I'm headed for the Lord's own festive region!

Photo Essay: Early Haiku. Vol. 4

White on white

fades to nothing --

fades to everything.

Tethered outside the glamour --

but then,

aren't we all?

They have trained her

to jump up and beg

for her dinner.

When business is slack

he crushes ice

and sucks on a piece.

You can't make a circus

without

breaking the ground.

Smiles

become monstrous

inside the big top.

New Mexico --

I was looking

for a barbershop.

Photo Essay: Early Haiku. Vol. 3

What's in back

matters more

than what's in front.

The crowd --

determined

to have pleasure.

Driving by this sign --

the engine light is on

and the brakes are soft.

I spent years

near the elephants --

this is the only picture I took.

How blue is a circus sky?

You'd have to ask

the grass.

Photo Essay: Early Haiku. Vol. 2

Grinning rascal --

Have you got one honest reason

for that smile?

A pink shirt on a woman

with brown skin --

rose petals on honey.

Everyone deserves someone

to pull the curtain back

for them.

A circus tent

and a circus girl --

a fleeting sweet ache.

Roustabouts stab the ground --

What are they having

for lunch?

Clustered at a flea market --

ceramic angels

leave a hollow blessing.

Photo Essay: Early Haiku. Vol. 1.

The blue door --

a red wheelbarrow stands on its head.

Expecting applause?

The cold empty bleachers

prophesy

the death of my circus

A pink tub full of rocks --

A shadow woman --

The story of my love life.

When you look for a pattern --

there is no pattern.

Only time. 

Why are there 

no

START signs?

A parking lot

on Thanksgiving Day --

Distant and stale.

In the world

but not defined by it --

snow on pines.

Fallen squirrel's nest --

a brown world

unmourned.

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving.

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
Psalm 100:4

A welcoming gate

A court alive with green praise

A sweet blessed name

Verses from stories in today's New York Times. ** Trump Signs Hong Kong Democracy Legislation That Has Angered China. ** 5 Things to Avoid on Black Friday. ** Activists Build a Grass-Roots Alliance Against Amazon.

@ESCochrane

China sits at Hong Kong's door,

wanting to do more than roar.

But new sanctions will give pause,

manicuring down their claws.

There are times when we attune

ourselves to laws that are a boon.

***********************

@elissasanci

Black Friday buys turn out to be

lessons in futility.

Those bargains that seemed outta sight,

 taken home turn into blight.

Superfluous and overstocked

(with basement stairs completely blocked),

we now take up that ancient plaint:

"Where was all our darn restraint?"

Next year will be better, nu?

We'll melt our plastic into roux!

************************

@DavidStreitfeld

Amazon, untrammeled, lay

all across the USA;

penetrating crannied nook,

master of our pocketbook.

Grassroots then began to stir;

were they righteous, or a slur?

Either way, their little pricks

gave to Amazon some licks.

David and Goliath seem

caught up in a timeless dream.

Verses from the Washington Post. ** House Oversight Committee sues William Barr, Wilbur Ross for documents in census probe. ** A 17-year-old posted to TikTok about China’s detention camps. She was locked out of her account. ** Americans like Green New Deal’s goals, but they reject paying trillions to reach them.

@TaraBahrampour  @D_Hawk

Eeny, meeny, miney, moe --

The Census is all set to go.

If you holler, you will pay

and be deported right away.

**********************

@drewharwell  @TonyRomm

TikTok's run by the Chinese,

and if they you do not please

your account is shut right quick

with a single Beijing click.

So if you still want to shine,

you'd better tow the party line.

*************************

@dino_grandoni  @sfcpoll

A New Deal that's green is atrocious,

cuz what it will cost is ferocious.

American folk

don't need such a yoke

(unless voters turn way precocious.)

More than we are

When we covenant all we are, we can become more than we are.

Gerrit W. Gong.

There is more to you and me 

than we ever thought to be.

By the covenants we keep

we reap blessings that are deep.

There's no limit to our reach

when we practice what we preach.

So the world is left behind

when with God we are aligned.