A Sevenling Tribute to Mary Oliver
we had 2 –
our Fitz and our Boo
4 of us in our household crew
then came the call: what to do?
5 hour road trip, we both knew!
and now we have a Schnoodle zoo
your name is Ollie, and we love you! ❤️

Patchwork Prose and Verse
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
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!