Off-Spring?
even the groundhogs
couldn’t agree on the plan
on the day you died
Off-Spring?
The Two-Scoop High-Dive Foot-First Feat
This poem is dedicated to every kid who ever found the courage to take a leap
and anyone who ever helped it happen
The Two-Scoop High-Dive Foot-First Feat
from the high dive
of the Sea Island Beach Club
the cool blue pool
was the earth from space
we tiptoed to the end
shivered,
chickened-out
crept back again
careful to stay
in the middle
down the ladder
we lowered
our trembling limbs
to recover
slunk across
to the ice cream stand
averting our cowardly eyes
from the lowered shades
of the sunbathers
mocking our courage
but then-
then
then the tall black ice cream man
in his white paper hat
and white stringed apron
who in the mid-1970s
could spot defeat
of every kind
took one look
and knew
just what to do
he perked up:
tilted his gaze
eyebrows raised
mouth ablaze
with a smile
flashed his big white teeth
with a gold crown
and asked
“Two Scoops??”
of course
he already knew
the answer
but we shyly smiled
and nodded, whispered
“yes sir, chocolate, please”
and he bent into
the freezer
with his metal scoop
rolled up two spheres
of a world we
could
dive into
devouring it
one lick at a time
as we sat
on the vinyl-strapped
pool chairs
in the cool shade
to stay
ahead of the
melting drips
trickling down the cone
to the last soggy-crisp
bite of the cream-laden
cake bottom
then
sticky-fingered
off we ran
whistle-warned
by the lifeguard
“Walk!”
he scolded
and the shades lowered
again
denting our courage
again
Mom’s head raised
from her sunbathing
at the whistle
somehow knowing
her shades, too, lowered
eyes adjusting
peering out
spotting our
chocolate-rimmed mouths
garnering us
30 minutes of no swimming
for our stomachs to settle
so we dipped our feet
in the baby pool
for forever
and waited
and waited
and waited
until finally
her yellow and white
gingham sunhat shifted
and she released us
and with the sure-footed steps
of an Olympian
we marched boldly
back to that ladder
climbed with confidence
and strode to the end
of that board
peeked over the edge
shuddered again
from outer space
at the tiny speck of world below
crept back
to the ladder
d
o
w
n
and
stopped
closed our eyes
turned around
took a deep breath
clenched our fists
stepped forward
one step at a time
then
fueled by a double dose of empowerment
opened our eyes
looked straight ahead
and sprinted off the edge
performing the greatest
Two-Scoop High-Dive Foot-First Feat
ever
in the history of the world
and we knew it
because
from
behind the ice cream stand
we saw
two
black thumbs up
Your Story
Your Story
your story
the who
your life
the you
the smiles
the fears
the laughter
the tears
the truths
the dares
the risks
the prayers
the won’ts
the wills
the valleys
the hills
the family
the friends
the losses
the wins
the adventures
the chases
the travels
the places
the heartaches
the phases
the joys
the praises
the daybreaks
the sunsets
the victories
the regrets
the plans
the dreams
the truths
the seems
the joys
the sorrows
the yesterdays
the tomorrows
the hurdles
the grit
the drive
the quit
the tables
the meals
the hugs
the feels
the sermons
the talks
the rides
the walks
the hobbies
the fashions
the pets
the passions
the hopes
the wonders
the worries
the blunders
the questions
the choices
the answers
the voices
the moments
the chances
the music
the dances
the living
the memories
the reading
the journeys
your story
the who
your life
the you
An MLKJ Quote Pantoum
A Peaceful MLKJ Pantoum on a Promising and Prophetically Palindromic Inauguration Day
The time is always ripe to do right.
Whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.
Only in the darkness can you see the stars.
Hate is too great a burden to bear.
Whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.
Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
Hate is too great a burden to bear.
Live together as brothers or perish together as fools.
Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
Never lose infinite hope.
Live together as brothers or perish together as fools.
We cannot walk alone.
Never lose infinite hope.
Only in the darkness can you see the stars.
We cannot walk alone.
The time is always ripe to do right.
Majestic Oak
Majestic Oak
majestic oak
once a tiny acorn
on Union Street
in Brunswick, Georgia
now a fortress
draped in Spanish moss
sprigs of resurrection fern
proving
dormancy is temporary
you gather your people
under your arms
keep their secrets
shade the sun
as they
talk
walk
picnic
live
love
breathe
ONE Word : Voraciously
Today’s prompt comes from Stacey Joy, who shared Nikki Giovanni’s style of using ONE word in two parts of speech to follow a format unique to Giovanni. I chose the word Voracious.
Voraciously
voraciously
you binge watch
two seasons
of Virgin River
voracious
you come to the end of season two
and need answers now.
not in November 2021 – NOW!
voraciously
you seek answers –
is there a book?
yes, there is a book.
THANK GOD, there is a book!
voracious
you do your husband a favor
and do his
Christmas shopping
ordering all 21 books
in the series
for him to wrap
and put under the tree
from him to you
voraciously
he wraps them individually
in newsprint
a letter on each present
spelling
A VIRGIN RIVER CHRISTMAS
arranged beautifully
voracious
you love and hate
his creative gift wrapping
now you have to
peek to find the right
one to borrow
from under the tree
and secretly mark
the next few in order
voraciously
voraciously
voraciously
you read-iscover
the gift of reading
….even though by book 10
you still don’t know
who pulled that damn trigger….
Silent Signals
Silent Signals
I give the signal-
two pats of my hip
the covers rustle
two still-sleepy bedheads
black Schnauzer
white Schnoodle
emerge
eight feet
hit the wood floor
in two thunks
collars clinking
toenails ticking the grain
through the dark
to the front door
leashes click
locked tight
a blast of cold air licks
my ankles
bare between my
high-water Cuddle Duds
and worn-out scuffs
I pull my hooded flannel up tight
give two quick huffs
watch my breath float
brace for the pull of the leads
as the boys’ nose-to-ground adventure begins
to find the choice spot
at 5:14 a.m.
nestled deep in the woods
a beam of flashlight
shines glowing eyes
stalking
lurking
watching
height-from-ground
guesses
deer? owl? fox? raccoon?
coyote? (the reason the leashes lock)
icy crunch of earth underfoot
pinhole winks of stars overhead
I wave to my mama up there
she is more amused
by these knuckleheads
than by me
as they stand
like two motorcycles
parked side by side
on kickstands
thawing the frozen ground
before
scratching off
in an overdone show
of who marked better
I give the signal-
two pats of my hip
back inside
leashes unlock
toenails tick the grain
straight back to bed
to tunnel back under
and slumber
til sun-up
Oh, Emmy!
My poem today is a tribute to the greatest animal whisperer I’ve ever known- Emmy Minor-
who exudes joy and hope where it isn’t.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/grist.org/article/it1/amp/
Oh, Emmy!
Oh, to speak eagle,
broken-winged eagle
who returns majestically
to the skies!
There on the banks
of Sapelo’s flow
a lifespring well
of thanks
Oh, to lisp otter,
motor-legged otter,
who happily limps
back up the dock
and ….wait….
this can’t be…..
playfully romps
with the dog?
Oh, to gab with the goat-
a miracle save-
who now firmly believes
he’s a man?
To hum a sad song
that turns upbeat again
and sparks life anew
in her hands
She speaks to them all
and calls them by name
“Helmet”
“Ootie”
“William”
and coaches them back
to their game
and still they return
from release to the wild
grateful homecomings
to the sanctuary
to thank her
to whisper
“I love you”
in animalese
Oh, what can you
teach us
about loving those
not just like us
Emmy,
before all hope is lost?
Another Virgin River Haiku or Two
Another Virgin River Haiku or Two
Jack runs the town’s bar
Mel delivers the babies
they have two children
Preacher and Paige cook
they have two children also
Paige was on the run
Vanni’s husband died
his best friend Paul married her
they have two kids, too
Old Doc Mullins died
while he was babysitting
senior bachelor
Hope McCrea finds folks
brings them to Virgin River
I wish she’d find me!
A Virgin River 8 Haiku
A Virgin River 8 Haiku
Noah Kincaid comes
to pastor Virgin River
meets Ellie Baldwin
Common Threads 