the grackles are back!
their cackles they stack
with hackles raised on
their backles so black;
no more dirty bird-fights
in hood should we lack!
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common incivility
01 Apr 2024 11 Comments
in Uncategorized Tags: bird-fights, grackles, hackles, incivility
stairway to heaven
27 Mar 2024 23 Comments
in shape poem Tags: balcony, church, stained-glass, stairs, worship
Linking to dVerse Poets Pub where Kim hosts poetics on the theme of “buildings“.
______________
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
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rock collector
18 Mar 2024 2 Comments
in scripture Tags: Jesus, masonry, Passion, rock, stone, tomb
swaddled baby lay in stone manger
boy grows skills as carpenter mason
learns plumb, rule, chisel from father
is tempted to turn stones into bread
but will not live on devil’s hard tack
rabbi whets hunger of discipled hearts
prompts petra’s rock solid profession
weeps on palm littered road into city
children and stones cry out his praises
but hard hearted crowds yell “crucify!”
he stumbles with cross on same pavers
as suffering hones his mission’s passion
earth quakes, rocks split, he yields spirit
wrapped body lay in stone cold tomb
he leaves grave clothes folded on slab
now actively quarries with measured cuts
to raise new temple built of living stones
love calls in spring
12 Mar 2024 25 Comments
in ekphrastic Tags: daffodils, narcissus, orchard, spring, turtledove
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”.
terminal
11 Mar 2024 25 Comments
in prosery Tags: dementia, father, obituary, terminal
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…”
_________________
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).
young and green
06 Mar 2024 10 Comments
we each begin as young and green
like tender shoot and sapling lean
we’re curious and want to learn
what life’s about, to take our turn
to find the light, to make a friend,
to run away… come back again.
as we discover who we are
we wonder if we’ll reach that star?
this world broadcasts fearful voices
which lead us into foolish choices
thank God, in love, he reaches down
to rescue hearts and lost are found
as children listen to wisdom’s way
they grow up strong, learn to obey
and, best of all, know how to pray.
___________
Dora hosts dVerse with “young and green” prompt…I was going to write my own young and green memories but it turned into a homily for my grandchildren.
slumber party
04 Mar 2024 28 Comments
in quadrille, rhyming verse Tags: poetry, shakespeare, sleep, slumber, tea
slumber party hosted by famous bard?
i’ll sleep not a wink while genius sleeps hard
thoughts of sonnets and great theatrical works
poetic lore over snores, s’mores, and smirks;
in my warm flannels with hot cup of tea
i’ll dream of writing brilliant poetry!
_______________
Punam hosts our quadrille prompt (44 words) with slumber party theme 🙂
beware the teddy bear
02 Mar 2024 17 Comments
“Hope is not a resting place but a starting point – a cactus, not a cushion.” -H.Jackson Brown Jr.
camping adjacent to saguaro national park
gave access to the park trails so we followed
path past park bench to fork and rock painted
with words: far west trail. another fork and a sign
painted with a loop and you are here. “let’s follow
the loop,” i said, not knowing how far it led away
before leading us back again.
desert introductions are intriguing as we met
various species of cacti: prickly pear and purple
prickly pear, majestic saguaro (some pointing the way
with crooked arms and others on their way out, dry ribs
exposed), ocotillo, and barrels in bloom. “i’m tired,” he
said and pretended to sit on a barrel. unaware, we were
ankle ambushed by a teddy bear cholla, ow!
maybe desert is hostile environment after all with
water and daylight running low, we fear we’re only
ones still out on trails…how cold does it get at night?
did we miss a fork or is it up ahead? met a guy walking
his dogs and he reassures us, “it’s 300 yards ahead to the
fork.” we find hope and the park bench at sunset, footsore
after 7.9 miles round trip from home on wheels.
fort phantom hill
13 Feb 2024 28 Comments
in narrative, rhyming verse Tags: chimney, fort, history, soldiers, Texas
Our welcome may be silent but offered sincere
as you enter this quiet space, what do you hear?
Yes, the wind whispers or whips, depends on season,
’round lone chimneys…do you wonder the reason?
Several brick chimneys and two buildings of stone;
commissary and powder house, stand here alone.
We were young soldiers when we marched to this spot
and our work to build fort in west Texas proved hot.
A frontier fort to deal with new settlers’ problem
but after three years, fort burned and abandoned.
Civil war called us, and native peoples moved on…
leaving cannon and wagon, we’re long dead and gone.
____________
For Dora Hak’s “written in stone” prompt at dVerse Poets Pub.
heartland
07 Feb 2024 7 Comments
in haiku
sun sets on cornfield
murderous row of black crows
never satisfied
january day
13 Jan 2024 6 Comments
in list poem Tags: blizzard, january, pheasant, tea, winter
single gunshot pierces cold air
male pheasant flashes rusty breast
pick random crumbs off floor
remember how to spell vacuum
sugar cookie sleigh ride’s last tea bag
weak flavored cup tastes lukewarm
blizzard stops work, traffic, schools
livestock stamp, huddle, steam
gather groceries, essentials, clothing
hope to travel to warmer climes
mundane asymmetry of cabin fever
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A list/catalogue poem of 11 lines, while sipping Celestial Season’s.
a poem in my pocket 
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