early morning walk
gravel crunches under foot
nature awakens
red-wing blackbird sings on post
whorl of corn plants reach for clouds

posting poetic prose
13 Jun 2026 2 Comments
in tanka, Uncategorized Tags: blackbird, clouds, corn, gravel, morning, walk
early morning walk
gravel crunches under foot
nature awakens
red-wing blackbird sings on post
whorl of corn plants reach for clouds

11 Jun 2026 Leave a comment
in ekphrastic, Uncategorized Tags: butterflies, children, dreams, moths, wings
An ekphrastic poem inspired by Tweetspeak’s Creativity Cafe…
children, dreams, and
butterflies quickly flutter by
(bye bye!)
uniquely created,
bold flashes of color
with bright eyes,
soft bodies,
and alert antennae
stretching, reaching
as they fly higher
(how high?)
warming wings in sunshine,
growing stronger in moment
yet delicately designed
emotionally fragile
perfectly asymmetrical
(if you look closely)
and we wonder…
will they become
butterflies drinking nectar
or moths seeking the light?

Five Butterflies by Odilon Redon, 1912
09 Jun 2026 30 Comments
in Uncategorized Tags: commas, cummings, period, punctuation, verse
please do not
puncture my poetry
with unwanted or
wanton punctuation
commas i suppose
are required for prose
but totally unnecessary
for terse purple verse
better to be clean
in your cummings
and goings than to
leave a blot or dot
and if you cannot
decide where to pause
feel free to break laws
but be warned that
the punctuation police
are determined to deter
any pregnant poets
who miss a period
Melissa hosts poetics at dVerse and prompts us to write sans punctuation
29 May 2026 16 Comments
“I write on these spindrift pages.” — Dylan Thomas
I… personally speaking, myself and not another; singularly and uniquely me
write… to scribble with pencil, flow from ink, or tap on keyboard; to make meaning from letters into words into phrases into poetry
on… immediately active location; ready position; prepared for task; alert
these… things here, not there; close at hand and possessed; opportune
spindrift… mist of music and lyrics like salty spray from crest of wave or wild dusting of snowdrift in gale
[easily confused with spendthrift… who gives away freely, shares extravagantly; both prodigal and profligate]
pages… leaves of a book, spaces on a screen, blanks waiting to be filled in with words and sent into the world!
Take a Dylan Thomas quote, make an acrostic, define your lines! Laura Bloomsbury hosts MTB at dVerse Poets.
04 May 2026 35 Comments
in Uncategorized Tags: bloom, child, fruit, growth, leaves, ripe, seed, sprout, weed
plant tiny seed
in garden womb
grow like a weed
till out of room
when time is ripe
birth little sprout
stem stretches tall
leaves wave about
water with LOVE
nurture strong roots
let sun chase gloom
wait for the fruits
watch child bloom!
_______
Quadrilles are blooming at dVerse Poets pub where Lillian hosts today. We have a new grandson…see previous post for photo 🙂
04 May 2026 10 Comments
woman takes what man gives,
nurtures and grows it: a child,
a home, a life…together!
_______
Introducing our 18th grandchild, Noah Silas, born on May Day!

22 Apr 2026 Leave a comment
in Uncategorized Tags: birds, sprinkler, worms
turn on lawn sprinkler
free showers for dirty birds
oh, the worms, the worms!
13 Apr 2026 16 Comments
“Prosery” linked to dVerse poets where Melissa hosts prompt to write 144 words and include the Emily Dickinson quote.
She finished the first draft of her book, a short memoir of sorts. It was precious to her, like a child, and she felt timid to let it out into the world. She asked a teacher friend to read it in its entirety, and requested her to please edit, hoping the process would be gentle. But waiting while her friend edited, was painful, almost like labor. She was, after all, birthing her “firstborn” !
Besides the angst of wondering whether her words were worthy, the new author wrestled with a big choice: to submit to a publishing company or to self-publish? Such a personal project seemed best shared with family, a legacy for the grandchildren. They would be the audience most interested, she reasoned. She would self-publish and give copies away. To concur with a brilliantly prolific poet: “publication is the auction of the mind.”
11 Apr 2026 Leave a comment

_____________
porcupine people
have soft warm underbelly
if loved beyond quills
______________
Inspired by “The Best of You” podcast, episode# 203
09 Apr 2026 Leave a comment

today (and everyday)
you are the master Potter;
i am wet malleable clay
form and fire me into
your image, as a vessel
both beautiful and useful
like porcelain pitcher
and wash basin, to cheer
and refresh weary travelers
to shine, elegantly off-white
(my basin be slightly crackled)
fill this pitcher with holy water
lovely and ready on wash-
stand, eager to humbly serve
dusty people where needed
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