Common Threads

 

Topic: Coyote
Problem: its lone daylight presence thirty feet from the house
Feeling: …“oh 💩!”

There he was, much larger than I thought they were supposed to be, right there in broad daylight – ambling along the edge of our deep woods on an obvious coyote mission – probably to leave another one of his signature persimmon seed-laden calling cards in our driveway as if to say, “I am the big bad wolf, and I will eat you up!” – sniffing the exact spots where Boo, Fitz, and Ollie had marked their territory just 10 minutes earlier….forcing my hand in this divided house to say the forbidden words: “Go get the gun.”

 

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! ❤️

 

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!