Tom Stock

Poet, Essayist, Photographer, Naturalist

Notes on the 46th Anniversary of Earth Day

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On April 22, 2016

In Short Essays

This is the only day of the year when some people think of Earth. The date was chosen in the first trimester of spring to celebrate rebirth both of Earth and hope. World Environment Day and Arbor Day are the only others. Ground Hog Day fits as well.
What fascinates me is how many “days” there on the annual calendar that celebrate human days. Here is the list:

Mothers day Fathers Day Memorial Day Labor Day Thanksgiving Christmas Valentines Veterans St. Patricks
Universal Childrens World AIDS Pearl Harbor Remembrance Human Rights Bodhi Religious Freedom New Years Freedom Martin Luther King Holocast April Fools International Womans Womans Equal Rights May Anzac Bike to Work Victoria Armed Forces St Jean Baptist World Refuge Canada Independence Bastille Indiginous Peoples United Nations All Saints Patriot World Suicide Prevention Grandparents International Day of Peace Constitution Citizenship World Teacher National Coming Out World Mental Health Election International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women Human Rights Bill of Rights National Wear Red Presidents Leap Read Across America World Autism Paraprofessional Appreciation World Health National Library Workers Workers Memorial National Teachers National Nurses Flag Parents World Population ( and probably others)

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William Floyd Estate – Hike Report

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On April 21, 2016

In Hike Reports

We found ourselves on a trail that parallels the Forge River. Dead low tide produced rivulets of fresh ground water that tricked toward the river. Mark spotted an osprey and a person on the opposite shore with binoculars looking toward the forest edge of the estate.. I heard that a bald eaglewas nesting from an Audubon Newsletter. I had seen an eagle at the Morton Wildlife Refuge a year ago. Sightings are rare. If eagles return to Long Island, as Opsreys have, this is encoruraging. We kept our eyes open.

We came to a trail that was blocked. The sign on the fence said: “Closed. Do not enter.” We knew immediately that the eagle nest was somewhere inside. We obeyed the signs and headed back toward the buildings.
Most of the trail to this point on walk was forested on both sides. However, we encountered changes in scenery as we entered open fields. The fields have been mowed in order to keep them from eventually succeeding back to forest. We enjoyed passing through these light-flooded meadows the variety was a welcome change from continuous tree canopy. Maintenance crews are mowing to keep these open to replicate the farmland 200 years ago. Occasional red cedar trees cast globe-shaped shade on the ground. I love cedar trees because they look like they’ve been sheared into neat pointed shapes.The texture of the bark and dark color of the foliage also attract me. Here on the estate, there are many cedars who for me, qualify as models. The scenes are charming. I felt like I had been taken back to the days when farmers worked with horse and plow.

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Monster Jam Rant

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On April 21, 2016

In Rants

Big-tired fat-ass trucks crushing other trucks …for fun! / kids with their dads \dads being dads / quality time with kids \ Out to get monster jam moments / These are not dump trucks/when airborn, they look like momentary clouds passing overhead \ These are not built to carry passengers \ These behemoths are big bouncing bumping extravagances wrecking ball hulks of muscle-bound bombastic monstrosities \ dinosaurs with internal combustion engines \ watching them become air born, to flip, to crush / it’s a rush, a thrill, an outright blow your mind experience \ oh baby dig this action / you might hear your kid say “ get me one daddy”

Indian Grass

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On April 20, 2016

In Medium Length Essays

When I checked the five pots, is spotted two tiny green shoots. I set the pots in a sunny southern corner of the house. I didn’t follow the instructions (“plant Indian grass seeds from May to June in temperatures around 50 degrees Fahrenheit.”). I put the seeds in October thinking that over the winter they would soften and sprout early. These two little shoots may have defied the natural life cycle of Indian Grass.

The seeds came from the Hempstead Plains, a 19 acre county preserve on the Nassau County Community College campus. I have the distinct honor of being the poet in residence. I spend time there looking for new ideas for poems.

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Pat-Med

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On April 19, 2016

In Poetry

Medford lives in the shadow
Of its southern neighboring village
Not to mention its’ name
As to further take away from
Its’ already second place status

Let’s change the name to MED-PAT
Give the hamlet its’ due
The blue-collar town
The recycling place
The fix your car place
Nothing wrong with that
Somebody has to do it
We’re the workplace for
Those city folk down there
Sitting in café’s all day

We’re the working class
And that is what we do.
And we proud of it
We got collision shops
Tire places, gas stations, pinstripes,
Engine repair, transmission, stereo
New sales, used sales
You got all that down there?
Your car has problems,
You come to us

‘All The Worlds Problems Can Be Solved In A Garden.”

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On April 19, 2016

In Medium Length Essays

When attention is given to earth’s soil, all else falls away. With focus away from media-based news, the gardener’s problems become immediate and doable. As March marches on, thoughts turn to seed packets. What to plant, when to plant, how to plant are the the main problems. Who can think about terrorism, murder, movie starlets, business, sports etc. Yes, the weather report maybe, but the weather isn’t a problem to solve. The weather is the weather. “After soil is free of frost” is says on my packet of spinach seeds.

I’ve sifted some compost to dress the beds, raked them smooth. Just looking at a bed ready for seed solves the worlds’ problems. I stake out the spinach rows with marking line and sticks. Thoughts of mature spinach leaves all in a row is akin to peace time all over the world.

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Archeology of A Telephone Booth

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On April 19, 2016

In Poetry

Hinge yourself into a Bell Telephone booth
Screech the folding door shut
Reach for change

Lay coins on stainless steel shelf
A metal to metal silvery sound
Check the coin return

Pick up receiver and insert coins
Hear them jingle
Then drop into the box

Read taxi ads, graffiti messages, smell urine
Check out the directory with pages ripped out
Phone numbers scratched on plexiglass

The dial tone
Listen to the zip zip zip of the rotary dial
Glance at the person outside
Waiting to make their call

Busy tones and the hang up click
Coins drop into the coin return
Index finger scoop

Hear the siren of a passing police car
Corner of Walnut and Main
Anywhere, USA

You Can See Nature In A Single Pine Cone

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On April 18, 2016

In Medium Length Essays

You can’t be driving if you want to try this. Yes, if the pine cone was located inside a car, you could. But if so, there will be distractions. The radio, passing scenery, interruptions from passengers, sounds in and outside the car. Some benefit will result. What is it? What can be sensed while driving safely… colors, shapes, touch, light, dark, similarities, differences, patterns, textures. Even sounds when a flap is pressed and released can be heard.

The pine cone is a metaphor for small. There is no horizon or broad vista for a pine cone. You hold it and look at it. Grand nature such as mountains, expanses of water, meadows, and forests are important. And, close up contact is too. Moving life always attracts attention. A pine cone doesn’t move. Yet it can. Take a pine cone with closed flaps, put it in a zip lock bag and place it on the dashboard of a car in sunlight. Heat will cause the flaps to open. Then put some water in the bag and close it. The flaps will slowly close. The is science behind this. The flaps have spring-like tissue inside that respond to heat and humidity. Pitch Pine cones have flaps that are held in place by sticky pitch that vaporized when the heat of a fire surrounds them. The seeds twirl down falling on the ash of freshly burned litter. Using a propane torch, you can heat the cone and watch the flaps pop open.

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Town of Babylon Overlook Beach Report – 4/13/16

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On April 14, 2016

In Short Essays

I intended visiting the Overlook to memorize two poems as part of my own celebration of national poetry month. Mary Oliver’s’ poem: “How I Go To the Woods” and Wendell Berries’ The Peace of Wild Things”.
The Overlook allows us to view Fire Island Inlet, Democrat Point on Fire Island, and the ocean.

I changed my mind right away after parking. I grabbed my camera and decided to explore a dump area. Not knowing what to expect, I wandered with my eye. I stood at the base of a white cell phone tower looking for something interesting. I followed a driveway into a pit and come upon a bunch of tombstones in a scrambled pile. It looked like these tombstones were about be buried. The names were chiseled out but the decorations, dates, epitaphs were still discernible. One marble stone was a 22 year man who was in the Navy. I hopped around on granite and marble wondering why they ended up here. Suddenly I spotted a small lizard scampering along a low, concrete wall. My guess is an Italian Wall Lizard. I attended a lecture sponsored by the Long island Natural Conference at Brookhaven National Laboratory. A professor from Hofstra University has studied them for a decade. They are invaders from Italy taking up residence in Garden City. This is the first time I’ve seen one. This is a perfect habitat for them. It probably migrated here. It basks in bright sunshine during the day the cover of the gravestones at night.

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East Creek

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On April 13, 2016

In Poetry, Sampawams Creek

On Sampawams Creek, work boats
Known as garveys,
A type of boat with flat decks fore and aft,
Built for clam diggers to stand and work
With long tongs to grab the bay bottom
To hoist and spill the contents
Hard shell clams that clunk the deck
As open tongs release quahogs.
Washed, sorted, baged,
This is real work, hard work, good work
As long as the clams are there

Work Creek, Sampawams Creek now,.
There are only a few clam boats left,
Now mostly fiberglass pleasure boats

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