Everyone _______________

Day 25 of the poem-a-day challenge – the prompt is to write a poem beginning Everyone __________.

Summer (The Green Hammock) Sir John Lavery

Everyone Needs a Hammock

Take the stress of the day and
lie down with it
in your hammock.

Swing softly with the breeze.
Watch the clouds, or stars,
the branches above,
or twittering birds
or playing children,
or read your book.

A tall glass of lemonade
in the summer.
Warm cider in the autumn.
A cozy quilt in the winter.
A Roger Tory Peterson book
in the spring.

And maybe a cuddle with
someone you love…
sure, the kids will all fit, too.

More hammocks,
less worry.
That’s what everyone needs.

The Hammock – 1844 Gustave Courbet

Complex

Prompt today was Complex – and GAAH, SO BUSY! That is why this is all there is. A little silly, but, well, a busy mind is a silly mind I suppose. ^_^

***

Complex

A hive of honeybees,
careful and sure,
pollinate flowers and
make honey pure.

A mound of termites,
with labor and grit,
build enormous palaces,
because they commit.

Wasps all freely work on
the nest they all build.
Building their nest,
their destiny fulfilled.

Ants are the masters of
underground lairs.
The burrow and delve and
all commonly share.

And all of these critters
are social and free
to live in their dwellings
just as you and as me.

So on this new earth day
in twenty-thirteen,
let’s all make a promise
to try and live “green.”

City of Sydney Live Green Library
http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/explore/libraries/collections/live-green-library

Hunter/Hunted

The 9th prompt for this poem-a-day challenge is to write a hunter/hunted poem(s).  Here we go!

Victim

He slowly creeps, stalking his prey,
waiting for the telltale signal,
a struggle, some sign that today
the ambush is successful.

When the alarm arrives, he is swift,
disabling his quarry rapidly,
tying it securely, and, with thrift,
preparing it for the larder.

When out of nowhere,
the broom straws sweep,
sweep
him away, him and his lair,
accompanied by
shrieks and cries
as the wolf spider
meets his demise.

****

(In fact, spiders are our friends. I am one of those people who lets them live and gently herds them outside if they become a problem. Well, except venomous spiders. To learn more, see: http://theglassspider.hubpages.com/hub/Strange-Facts-About-Spiders )

Forever

The prompt today was to write about forever. Coincidentally, I learned about the state of zazen today. The two ideas seemed a good match to me.  ^_^

Forever I

In a moment of zazen

I contemplate the universe.
From myself, seated and silent,
my soul soars upward,
my mind’s eye sees me,
in my house,
in my neighborhood
surrounded by others like me
and by other lives; flowers, trees
dogs, cats, birds.

And outward from there,
I hover over the desert,
and above that I soar,
mountains, plains,
further and further, until the landscape
melts
into a sea of green, brown, gold
white capped mountains
stormy seas,
the continents below me
and above, endless sky.

Wars battling below,
One side victorious,
destroying the others,
carrying them away.

And further I rise
until the marble of earth
lies below, the glimmering
moon along-side.
Sun, planets moons,
and beyond the solar system,
galaxies.

Who knows what lies without?

The universe awaits.

Forever II

In a moment of zazen

I contemplate the universe
from myself, seated and silent
my soul soars inward.

My mind’s eye sees me,
and inside me, the organs
and bones and muscles
that make me tick,
that give me life.

And then I explore the blood,
the fluids, lymphatic fluids
tears, sweat, spinal fluid,
the way they
interact, interrelate,
feed and nurture each other
and me.

Wars, battling inside me,
white blood cells
attacking invaders,
other cells carrying off
broken waste.

And deeper still,
my cells,
each with a purpose
and a plan, lent by DNA’s
double-helix
spiraling in and down,
mitochondria,
and the cells’ nucleus
atoms
smaller still,
nutrinos.

Who knows what lies within?

The universe awaits.

If I Were ____________

The prompt for Wednesday was to start a poem: If I were _____ and go from there. My offering is below.

Alone

If I were alone
I would laugh aloud
and fling my arms out
and dance down he hall.

If I were alone
I would sing silly songs
as loud as I wanted
and make up new lyrics
as I went.

If I were alone
I would run outside in my bare feet
and play in the grass
and make daisy chains with
the clover.

If I were alone
I would watch the sun cross
the blue sky, or watch
the clouds scamper by
or watch the moon rise.

But I’m not alone.

And if you see my eyes
twinkle
every now and then
maybe now you
know
why.

Milk – November PaD, day 30

Last day of the monthly poetry challenge, and all I can say is “whew.” But it’s a proud moment to know I’ve done it once more, even though at times my time was tight and my spirits flagged.

The last prompt of the month was to write something about Milk. I wrote a milky Haiku. ^_^

White fluff aloft in
Azure summer sky
Sun-warmed milky floss

Autumn in the Desert + Haiku

It is a beautiful day today – the weather is finally turning here in Arizona, and I am delighted to drive to work with the windows down and the AC off. It is only 74 F (24C) and though it will probably be in the 90s (33C) this afternoon, I can’t help but enjoy the temperatures under 100.

I look out the window of my office and can see the trees on the golf course, occasional golf carts drive by, and there is a pair of birds, doves, that perch on one of the trees. I hope those branches never fall down because they give me a perfect view into the lives of those doves.

The person that was mad at me earlier this week has decided to let it go and we are friends again. This is another big reason to feel good.

I hope you all have a lovely day too. ^_^

Blazing blue the sky
Embracing the yellow sun
How green the grass glows

Haibun

A Haibun is a poetic form that includes a bit of prose followed by a Haiku to resolve it. I wanted to try it, but the first story that came to mind is not precisely ethereal or lovely or prosical. I went with it anyway. Maybe I can try again later once I have more lovely poetic thoughts.

(FYI – Brumating is what snakes and other reptiles do when they are cold. They are not hibernating, only mammals do that. And when snakes are cold, they curl into as small a space as possible. Other snakes will huddle together with them and preserve as much heat as possible, forming a snake-ball. They don’t rattle, let alone move, just hold together until it is warmer, then loosen and go their separate ways. )

Rattle on a Western Rattlesnake

Two teenagers walking the New Mexico desert on a lark—nature is glorious when one is young—and they discover a ball of bromating rattlesnakes. The teens don’t realize that brumating and hibernating aren’t the same thing—the snakes are not asleep, they are merely torpid from the cold. One puts the ball in his car to take to school for a science project.

Warming rattlesnakes
awaken soon, are full of life
boy abandons car

Triolet – Memory

Today the prompt was to write a memory poem. I wrote two, and because the form seemed to fit somehow, I wrote two triolets.

***

William Merritt Chase, Woman in White

Who Are You Again?

I just can’t remember your name.
I know you, I think I do, don’t I?
Your face is familiar, that’s plain,
But I can’t remember your name.
My memory’s just not the same
I suppose even I can’t deny.
I just can’t remember your name.
I know you, I think I do, don’t I?

***

Grandma’s Place

Wild roses growing on the gate
scenting the air with floral spice
on their half broken down estate
Wild roses growing on the gate
Go to bed early and sleep late
Nothing sweeter or half so nice
Wild roses growing on the gate
scenting the air with floral spice

Rosa acicularis

Snowflake, Arizona

We’ve come to Snowflake Arizona for a retreat planned by my law firm. Almost everyone from work is here and it is strange to see everyone so relaxed and in casual dress. The drive here was gorgeous. Coming up over the Mogollon Rim felt like we were driving into the sky, so bright was the day and so blue was the sky.

Overlooking the Rim

The bed and breakfast we are staying at is called the Heritage Inn, and it seems that Heritage is what Snowflake is all about. We’re here for the Pioneer Day celebration, and it has been interesting, to say the least. Last night’s dinner was at Sank Flake’s Party Barn, a shrine to Western kitsch if there ever was one; if you can think of any type of western souvenir, you would find it in the barn, I’ve put a few photos below to show you what I mean. ^_^

Sank’s “Pet” Steer

 

Another view of a steer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Guest room with coyote furs

 

Antler Chandelier

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today we’ll be attending a parade, going on a plane ride over the Meteor Crater and the Painted Desert, and perhaps going to a craft fair. ^_^ Must be off—parade is going to start soon! Expect horse pictures later!