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Franz Kafka (1883 – 1924) was a Czech Bohemian novelist and short-story writer, widely regarded as one of the major figures of 20th-century literature. His work fuses elements of realism and the fantastic. His best known works include the short story "The Metamorphosis" and novels The Trial and The Castle.  Kafka's unfinished novels, including "The Man Who Disappeared" (also known as "Amerika" or "The Missing Person"), "The Castle," and "The Trial," were published posthumously. The term Kafkaesque has entered English to describe absurd situations, like those depicted in his writings.

Along the window,
against the pane,
frost is trying
to build again.

My heart beats,
just for thee.
You are my love,
like it should be.

NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day:

Where did all the stars go? What used to be considered a hole in the sky is now known to astronomers as a dark molecular cloud. Here, a high concentration of dust and molecular gas absorb practically all the visible light emitted from background stars. The eerily dark surroundings help make the interiors of molecular clouds some of the coldest and most isolated places in the universe. One of the most notable of these dark absorption nebulae is a cloud toward the constellation Ophiuchus known as Barnard 68, pictured here. That no stars are visible in the center indicates that Barnard 68 is relatively nearby, with measurements placing it about 500 light-years away and half a light-year across. It is not known exactly how molecular clouds like Barnard 68 form, but it is known that these clouds are themselves likely places for new stars to form. In fact, Barnard 68 itself has been found likely to collapse and form a new star system. It is possible to look right through the cloud in infrared light. Postcards from the Universe 2022: APOD Year in Review

This may come as a shock to you - unless you have known me for five minutes or longer - but I have zero Do-It-Yourselfer skills. NADA. Zilch. I blame it on my father, because, well, he passed away 43 years ago, so he’s not here to defend himself. Read more

Halfway where.
I need to be,
mind at rest,
thoughts roaming free.

Watching you work,
satisfies me.
You are joyful,
a sight to see.

To run again,
is my goal.
Start my walk,
begin the toil.

Years, long ago,
6 miles I'd run,
every day, it was
not work, just fun.

Increase the miles,
more to come.
Fifty miles, each week,
and we weren't done.

A good friend,
said to me,
"A marathon, next,
low entry fee.

To Vancouver BC,
in the middle of May.
26.2 miles to run,
on our way.

Up the road,
thru Stanley Park,
over the bridge,
still a lark.

Halfway through,
starting to ache.
How much stress,
can this body take?

Finish line,
now in sight,
pickup speed,
I'll sleep tonight.

26.2 miles, 4hrs, 2 mins,
First marathon, 55 years old.

Fog covering trees,
and on the ground,
diffusing streetlights,
muffling sound.

I have begun to
worry every day
about my wife.
Will she stay?

I want her,
to be with me.
She is fading,
is what I see.

She won't be
moving away.
My fear is,
she won't stay.

Hospice is
what I fear,
she'll no longer,
call me dear,

or profess
her love vow,
like she does,
today, Now.

NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day:

Comet-like plumes are blowing over the volcanic peaks of Mount Etna in this wintry mountain-and-skyscape from planet Earth. The stacked and blended combination of individual exposures recorded during the cold night of January 23, also capture naked-eye Comet ZTF just above Etna's snowy slopes. Of course increasing sunlight and the solar wind are responsible for the comet's greenish coma and broad dusty tail. This weekend Comet ZTF is dashing across northern skies between north star Polaris and the Big Dipper. From a dark site you can only just spot it as a fuzzy patch though. That's still an impressive achievement if you consider you are gazing at a visitor from the distant Oort cloud with your own eyes. But binoculars or a small telescope will make for an even more enjoyable view of this Comet ZTF in the coming days. Comet ZTF Gallery: Notable Submissions to APOD

Photo by Dario Giannobile

mossy rock
lying so still
wet with dew

Pain and suffering
is thy name.
Routine for you,
for us not a game.