Attachments weigh me down

Variety of sufferings

Entanglements hold fast

Something needed

To fill the nothing

It is the absence of nothing

That needs bare bones

Breathing is free

Heart beats

At least these two

Not to worry

The rest is nothing

Something is waiting

Beware

Until the next nothing

Comes along

Tom Stock is a Long Island-based naturalist, retired science teacher, poet, and photographer known for his deep connection to the local environment, especially the Pine Barrens and Nissequogue River, blending nature observations with poetry in books like Hidden Agenda and Buffet, documenting his explorations through essays, poems, and art. He calls himself a “poet of place,” sharing his sensory experiences of the outdoors and advocating for environmental appreciation.