These short ruminations on the prompt word “heard” are so lovely that I have to reblog them. Please go to Carol’s site to read them in their entirety.
Some days are diamonds,
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Monthly Archives: February 2017
Neighborhood Pot Luck
Neighborhood Pot Luck
The fellows speak of seasonal sport—
a topic wives cannot abort;
but they have topics of their own—
gossip with facts much overblown.
A bit of this, a bit of that
as the ladies chew the fat.
Any neighbors not invited
have their lives fully recited.
What ghastly illnesses are cured,
what wisps of conversations heard
over the fence or from another–
potential breakups or what new mother
driven too far by nightly crying,
bottle-warming, diaper drying?
Whose children can’t hit the mark?
Whose dog has that awful bark?
Who the widow had for dinner
now that she is so much thinner.
She’s looking great, they must confess.
Did you see the label on her new dress?
That new reverend, single still.
Is his girlfriend on the pill?
Or does she not need to be?
Does he just woo her reverently?
How do I know the tales they tell?
Their themes and topics told so well?
It’s because I never miss
those potlucks where they dish and diss.
It’s not their pot roast that I’m craving,
nor their nitpicking or raving.
It’s because when I missed a few,
I was the fat they chose to chew.
The prompt word today was “heard.”
Impatiens: Flower of the Day, Feb 7, 2017
Another little street flower, close-up!!! I think it is an impatiens, don’t you?
https://ceenphotography.com/2017/02/06/flower-of-the-day-february-7-2017-rhododendron/
Shooting Stars
Shooting Stars
We were both so young and nimble
on those nights the world would tremble
with a touch, much less a kiss.
You a farm boy, me a miss
unaccustomed to such things
that woke my heart and gave it wings.
Some part of me knew even then
it was just what might have been—
that though you made my body sing,
it was not an ever-after thing.
Still, oh those nights, remembered still,
parked somewhere on a prairie hill,
I knew for then I was your world,
enraptured and securely curled
In the nest of puppy love.
The very stars trembled above.
The prompt today was tremble.
Hydrangeas: Flower of the Day, Feb 6, 2017
Loving Lee
Loving Lee
She was not the easiest one
to be around, but she was fun.
Her wit was sharp, also her tongue.
And yet, I counted her among
those dearest if not nearest to me.
It was she who chose to woo me
with books she thought me ready for
filled with strange and heady lore
of living by my intuition
through which I came to my fruition.
My whole life was changing then,
Buscaglia and Jung and zen.
I’d moved west and changed my thinking,
took up pot and gave up drinking,
decided that my thoughts on men
needed revising. Only then
did life straighten out for me—
and part of it was meeting Lee.
She read my poems, studied my art.
I dodged her tongue and won her heart.
As she won mine; yet other friends
rejected her sincere amends,
’til I was one of two or three
who chose to let our friendship be.
Yes. It was, I must confess,
because I saw her less and less.
When I moved off to Mexico,
our intercourse was rare and slow.
The one last trip I took her on,
quickly, truth began to dawn.
Her memory span had grown so thin
that barely did a thought begin
before it came around again
to the place where we’d just been.
Sometimes our world leaves bit by bit
until we are well rid of it
Not so the friends who leave us slow.
We still aren’t ready to let them go.
My world was better for loving Lee,
but with these lines, I set her free.
The WordPress prompt today was lovingly. I chose a slightly different approach to the word.
Tenacatita Driftwood: Sunday Trees 273
Lots of coral washed ashore at coral beach, Tenacatita, Mexico, as well as this beautiful big tree. Lest you think it is a mere tumbleweed, I’ve included another photo to show its scale.
Posted for Becca’s Sunday Tree prompt.
Nosegays: Flower of the Day, Feb 5, 2017
These lovely little nosegays were gracing the commode in a new little restaurant across the street opened by three young people. The food is gourmet, the trip up the creaky wooden stairs a bit perilous and my friend complained that the red wine had been refrigerated, but these little potty posies in toilet paper vases were so charming that they were the photo I had to take.
https://ceenphotography.com/2017/02/04/flower-of-the-day-february-5-2017-daisy/
Handcrafted
Last week I showed my work at the La Manzanilla art walk. Since my pieces are all hand-crafted, I decided they would work well for today’s prompt of “craft.” I brought jewelry because Morrie took up the space the retablos would have occupied. The found art pieces are all composed of elements found on either La Manzanilla beach or La Ribera beach in Baja.
Click on first photo to enlarge them all and view as a gallery.
Picture brooch: “Creative Mind”
Porcelain clay earrings and brooches–what I was doing 29 years ago!
“Brother Bear” Picture brooch on back leather wall hanging.
Clay, silver, coral and trade bead necklace and earrings.
Wodabi Man
Brooches
“Dakota Prairie” brooch
Beach creches
Kozo paper and black bamboo on leather, earrings and brooches
Copper, brass and sterling earrings and brooches.
“End of the love affair” picture brooch on wall hanging.
Picture brooch, “End of the Love Affair.” Brooch detaches from wall piece to be worn.
2009-2022
Dilly bird
Found art sculptures
Picture brooch, self-portrait
The prompt word today was craft.
The Win
The Win
When you reach out for the prize,
please be sure you recognize
that chaos can adopt the guise
of a much-wished-for surprise.
Bad things can come in lovely trappings,
so when you remove the wrappings,
what you might find wrapped inside
is something they have had to hide
lest you know the ugly truth.
A close-lipped smile can hide the tooth
that bites the hand that votes for it.
How can we once again permit
such evil to come into power?
This time we cannot hide or cower.
Brave men and women must stir their bones—
leave their screens, forsake their phones,
to come back to reality.
See how much worse the world could be.
Environment an oozing shambles
while big business wrecks and gambles.
Brother turned against his brother,
all the world blaming the other.
Misogyny, racism and
a lack of respect for the land—
what will these concepts lead us to?
Democracy is now a zoo.
Polluted rivers, polluted skies,
will prove the truth some recognize.
In forgetting our forefathers’ goals,
we’ve let big business buy our souls.
Lately foolish, please now be wise.
Please, countrymen, open your eyes.
Your children sicken, your grandchild cries.
Please save his country before it dies.
It is time to recognize
these words do not hyperbolize.
Now is the time to change and wake up.
Our country’s factions need to make up!
The prompt today was recognize.
lifelessons - a blog by Judy Dykstra-Brown 