Never a sigh
So many hats
Teacher by day
Wife, mother, daughter
Tutor to your own
The hurrying
The waiting
The washing up
The late-night rubs
So much taken for granted
In our hearts, every day
We celebrate you
Never a sigh
So many hats
Teacher by day
Wife, mother, daughter
Tutor to your own
The hurrying
The waiting
The washing up
The late-night rubs
So much taken for granted
In our hearts, every day
We celebrate you
He was only 4
He wasn’t very social
He rarely emoted
Begrudgingly, affectionate
Everything changed with Daisy
Just a pup, she equalled his mass
Instant BFF, willing body pillow
Their bond unbreakable
Losing Daisy broke him
Seeing the shell that remained
Further hollowed me
Every boy needs a dog
I realized too late
From Between the Bells, a haiku-a-day project
Copyright 2026 Brent Stewart
There was no warning
Just a sudden strange alarm
Relentlessly pulsing
I ran to the source
The panel flashed a code
I wasn’t prepared for
Instinctively, I shut it down
Thinking, it’s just a fluke—
A bug, a simple malfunction
It was too soon!
This couldn’t be real.
My pulse racing, I waited
As it roared back to life
Panel display normal
Lights, check.
Hum, check.
Phew!
The next morning, all was lost
Carnage unimaginable
I stacked the bodies in a wagon
The sweetly putrescent—
a visceral churn
Green mush
A river of clotted blood
The frozen peas, berry medley
Barely recognizable
When the medic arrived,
He simply shook his head
And said, that’ll be $75.
There was no warning
Just a sudden strange alarm
Relentlessly pulsing
I ran to the source
The panel flashed a code
I wasn’t prepared for
Instinctively, I shut it down
Thinking, it’s just a fluke—
A bug, a simple malfunction
It was too soon!
This couldn’t be real.
My pulse racing, I waited
As it roared back to life
Panel display normal
Lights, check.
Hum, check.
Phew!
The next morning, all was lost
Carnage unimaginable
I stacked the bodies in a wagon
The sweetly putrescent—
a visceral churn
Green mush
A river of clotted blood
The frozen peas, berry medley
Barely recognizable
When the medic arrived,
He simply shook his head
And said, that’ll be $75.
Content, her vantage
Not pausing to blink or yawn
She surveys the room
The intruder emerges
Stuffed toy squeaking its defeat
Cat’s eyes like lasers
Louder than the growl within
Coiled up, she hisses
Pup meets her glare with bright eyes
Tilting its head, “Wanna play”?
Content, her vantage
Not pausing to blink or yawn
She surveys the room
The intruder emerges
Stuffed toy squeaking its defeat
Cat’s eyes like lasers
Louder than the growl within
Coiled up, she hisses
Pup meets her glare with bright eyes
Tilting its head, “wanna play”?
Content, her vantage
Not pausing to blink or yawn
She surveys the room
The intruder emerges
Stuffed toy squeaking its defeat
Cat’s eyes like lasers
Louder than the growl within
Coiled up, she hisses
Pup meets her glare with bright eyes
Tilting its head, “wanna play”?
Crouch
Eyes trained
Coach yells, "Go!"
Hands out in front
Left, grab the sleeve
Right, reach—top collar locked
Yank, roll back, legs like steel tongs
Left arm pinned, hook and snare the neck
Roll left, hip out, triangle cinched tight
Constrict until tap, tap, tap seals the win
Crouch
Eyes trained
Coach yells, "Go!"
Hands out in front
Left, grab the sleeve
Right, reach—top collar locked
Yank, roll back, legs like steel tongs
Left arm pinned, hook and snare the neck
Roll left, hip out, triangle cinched tight
Constrict until tap, tap, tap seals the win
Crouch
Eyes trained
Coach yells, "Go!"
Hands out in front
Left, grab the sleeve
Right, reach—top collar locked
Yank, roll back, legs like steel tongs
Left arm pinned, hook and snare the neck
Roll left, hip out, triangle cinched tight
Constrict until tap, tap, tap seals the win
Unpredictable
So-called patterns disappeared
They call it “warming”
Snowy June deserts—what’s next?
Global weirding’s ugly head
Unpredictable
The seasons slipping their cues
They call it “warming”
Snowy June deserts—what’s next?
Global weirding’s ugly head
Unpredictable
The seasons slipping their cues
They call it “warming”
Snowy June deserts—what’s next?
Global weirding’s ugly head
Today is the day, they said
That our beloved Kira will arrive
We’ve waited what feels like forever
Shopping and building
To make the house ready—like we are
Fridge and pantry stocked
Counting the hours, then minutes
Rehearsing her name out loud
The moment comes
She’s a healthy girl, the doc assures us
Eighteen toes, healthy teeth and gums
Check here. Initial, sign here.
Today is the day, they said
That our beloved Kira will arrive
We’ve waited what feels like forever
Shopping and building
To make the house ready—like we are
Fridge and pantry stocked
Counting the hours, then minutes
Rehearsing her name out loud
The moment comes
She’s a healthy girl, the doc assures us
Eighteen toes, healthy teeth and gums
Check here. Initial, sign here.
Tiny ball of fluff
Innocent fangs that cut deep
Behind crazed red eyes
The glare then melts, begs,
Won’t you take me tonight?
I’m putting together an anthology of Stoicism-aligned verse, looking for more original content. If you or anyone you know writes or has written poems that are aligned with Stoicism teachings/virtues, and would like to submit, please get in touch. We are looking to publish the ebook in August, potentially followed by a print-on-demand book with Amazon.