Month: August 2021

 

I listened to Walk to the Paradise Garden and used those shadow images for ideas and The Isle of the Dead’s mood for tone through music. I selected four Billy Collins lines to write a quadruple Golden Shovel in this order: sunlight slathered over everything (A Sight); full of blue shadows (My Funeral); and bright white waves (The Emperor of Ice Cubes); behind the floral wallpaper (The Country). Since the lines are long, it may not format exactly to see the vertical alignment unless you turn your device sideways.

Grief

Sunlight casting full gloom and doom truths behind the scenes

slathered in contrast of a bright facade: the undeniable reality

over skies of blue, wispy white clouds, withered floral requiems toll

everything now empty shadows, grief waves expose the wallpaper smiles

 

Sofa Snoozers 

here in the 

  sleep-shuffled

     day-break of dawn

my sofa-snoozers and I

     snore-snuggle: 

one a hip-chock

     one a neck-roll

         warm love-magnets, we three

……and I wonder: 

    what lucky straw-draw

    crowned me a gold-sceptered

      Schnoodle-schmoozer? 

 

Come home! 

young Schnoodle seeks home

with two role model brothers~

we’re the perfect fit! 

 

The Well

The well runs dry, but

The Open Write begins this 

Weekend. Come thirsty! 

I’ve Moved On: an Acrostic

I looked around at the funeral

Very thoughtfully, with 

Eyes seeking answers: could I return?

Determined to find some good,

I glimpsed memories of our wedding,

Visions of Baptisms – Ansley, Aidan

Oh, such tender moments

Remembered, and heartfelt

Communions in that church where 

Every Sunday we worshipped,

Dinnered with family.

Then came that familiar feeling:

How do those we love betray us?

A funeral PowerPoint with seemingly

Ten thousand pictures – minus one.

Corners with fragmented family 

Huddled in their own shattered zones

Unraveling the legacy of all she loved,

Roles of women stripped by quick vote 

Chemo brain stranger accusing affair…

How could I feel solace here again?

 

Opposite Directions

an acrostic/Nonet 

Oh, how can you think they want you           back?

Please! They only called hoping to

Pick your brain for suggestions

On hiring some help – you

Seem to forget how

It affected

Those who left

Empty,

Done.

I

Refuse

Even a 

Casual glance

To a past that stripped

Interpretation of

Other possibilities

Neither discussed nor explained – just

Silenced and dismissed. I have moved on. 

 

Dog Chock Decima

knowing how to un-chock dog chocks 

to get out of bed in the night

takes some practice to get it right –

it’s trickier than most keyed locks!

wiggle your feet out of your socks 

to prep for hardwood floor traction 

throw back sheets; check for reaction

if you’re still stuck, raise one leg up 

and briefly feel satisfaction 

oops…revert! 

                  ……muscle contraction!

 

Camping with Aidan – an Acrostic 

A perfect camping weekend 

in FDR State Park with Aidan and the 

dogs – time spent together 

around the campfire, picnicking, 

Nutella-ing our toast, lunch, s’mores 

The smooth, glassy waters said 

yes! to a morning kayak paddle on 

lovely Lake Delanor as we 

eased our way into magical 

relaxation and enjoyment of nature 

Hammock napping between the trees: afternoon snooze before game time~ 

Rush Hour and Mancala (Aidan wins!) Redesigning a table into a bed

ice cream dreams leading the way to

Showering, camper style! 

 

Gravity

At Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park

–the largest state park in Georgia–

kayaking the lake, swaying

in hammocks suspended

between tall shade trees

feeling weightless

as we drift

through the

day 

 

Play Hard

It’s important to love what you do

because tomorrow may not come

retirement may not get here –

so many reasons to

play before sunset

in the twilight

while we still

have the 

time