My friend Marie is a force of and for nature. She’s come by her fierce soul honestly, through the trauma of living with, not one but two, abusive husbands consecutively; and losing an adult son to hit and run. She’s seen her share of suffering and grief. Yet, she cares about others and about the earth, our home. It hurts her to see people trash it.
She encourages everyone who will listen to recycle. When I lived on the farm (where we burned our own garbage) Marie accepted all my empty milk jugs and other plastics to put in recyclables bin in town. Now I live close to town and bring in our recyclables myself, including cardboard and glass. That makes Marie proud.
Marie picks up trash while on our walks and checks garbage cans for plastic bottles within reach. Sometimes her little car is full of bags of materials to be recycled. It’s almost a part-time job for her, now in her seventies. She may be small but she has a big heart and faith. She believes we must take better care of God’s beautiful world.
earth’s creatures fragile plastic rings can suffocate choking on our trash
Written for Earth Day 2024, “Planet vs. Plastics” theme and linked to dVerse poets where Frank hosts haibuns.
i’d like to write a book so that people would understand good farmers truly care about the animals they raise and feed and breed, deliver young, nourish the herd.
it’s more than just business and bottom line but for the love of cows that farmers will work hard to keep them growing and alive thru snowstorms, heat, disease, and parasites.
explain how methane cycle benefits; how cow manure enhances health of soil. why farmers plant their fields with corn and hay to keep cattle content chewing their cud.
cows give us dairy products and real beef both protein sources good for humankind we treat our cattle with humane kindness and they in turn help us to feed the world.
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Sanaa hosts poetics at dVerse today featuring poems of Maggie Smith. I’ve written in monologue style with no end rhyme but rhythmic pattern of iambic pentameter.
my box was antique blue with a heart-shaped lock, tiny key and gold filigree- patterned lid, lifted fragilely on two hinges to reveal tray of velvety divided squares
my box held real jewelry, leftovers from my mother and grandmother which i imagined in woke-dreams they’d worn to royal teas and exotic travels overseas
my box was old, well-used; velvet rubbed bare in spots till hinges broke irreparably and i left childhood dreams behind, discarded with box but kept jeweled memories
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Patterned after Gillian Clarke’s poem, “My Box” and shared with Kim at dVerse poetsOLN.
Angling Agent: I can help you get your big break if you’re ready to deal.
Undiscovered Diva: Ok, yeah. I could use a break so just tell me what I need to do.
Agent: Your songs are too happy…you gotta write something darker, create an edgier voice, if you know what I mean.
Diva: But I think music should lift people up…that’s what it does for me.
Agent: That’s too predictable. You need to push the envelope with revealing costumes too.
Diva: I want to sell my music, not my body and soul!
Agent: Look, if you impress the right people, they’ll give you a million dollar record contract!
Diva: Do they even produce records any more? I just want to make my music.
Agent: What does it matter, that? The stars we see are already dead…and dead stars still burn.
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Prosery prompt with Dora at dVerse. Write 144 words and include this line from poet Amy Woolard: “What does it matter that the stars we see are already dead.“
Linking to dVerse Poets Pub where Kim hosts poetics on the theme of “buildings“.
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come, walk into red-brick city church of my childhood years impressive facade soars with cross atop central peak an ancient yet beloved building which features wide concrete steps to enter through two heavy-hinged doors
come, climb up more stairs to enter sanctuary even higher to three balconies hung below exposed-beam rafters steps creak predictably under weight of people with friendly faces and familiar voices edifice embraces a warm welcome for regulars and visitors alike with smiles, handshakes or hugs
come, sit down on long wooden bench which stood sturdy for years smoothed by past congregants sliding across row to make room one central aisle with two side-aisles all lead to table and raised stage in front where God’s open word remains focal point
come, look up at the light of the world large stained-glass Jesus who carries little lamb close as he walks above choir loft with staff in hand while sunlight filters in organ begins prelude, robed choir enters the minister stands and we all rise to worship
farewell, white lion; we hear spring’s love call, lone turtledove coos like sentinel in orchard; schoolgirl swings carefree from supple branch as she and tree both bud-burst into double smiles.
sun’s gaze reflects golden dawn on water and we breathe in heady floral of narcissus blooms; drink goblet of lemon beauty offered by daffodils, open beautiful eyes to every greening possibility!
Merril hosts dVerse poetics incorporating names of daffodil varieties (in italic) and a painting by Alfred Sisley (1881) entitled, “Orchard in Spring”.
She hadn’t visited for a whole week and felt a little guilty. She was his only daughter and had moved him to be closer to her. The staff at the memory care unit were attentive and Dad seemed well-adjusted to the move. He was eating better than before and sometimes when she came, they could have an actual conversation.
When she arrived that afternoon, he was sitting in a straight chair at the dining room table, perusing the local newspaper. “Hi Dad! How are you?!” she greeted, a bit too cheerily. He startled and stared at her with a troubled expression.
“What are you reading?” she queried in a softer voice.
“The obituaries…didn’t see my name yet,” he responded dryly.
She hid her smile and hesitantly asked, “Anybody we know?”
“I didn’t recognize all of the names swallowed up by the cold…”
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A 144-word prosery prompt by Bjorn at dVerse Poets, including a line by Swedish poet laureate, Tomas Tranströmer (the final line of my prosery).
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