i remove myself 

more assuredly from our culture

it is a matter of giving up

and taking up

giving up threads that connect

the social contact

the newspaper

the daily news online

caring

taking up long walks

close examination of the creek or 

my cat's irises

i read only seriously serious

or humorous books

i speak rarely

eat little

sleep little

sit and stare a lot

i cease reaching conclusions

if there are conclusions to be reached i don't care

i am enthralled

with what my senses are up to

what i see and hear

touch and taste and the others  

there are more than we thought

the richness of what's in front of me

there for taking

has stunned me

i can think of no reason to know what's beyond my metaphorical front gate 

i think i am in paradise

yet i feel the tug of beyond

and resist 

mightily