NaPoWriMo 2020 Day 6 + April PAD Challenge Day 6 + April PAD Countdown Catch-Up Day 4: Trap

Lying loose and limp without a thought

That anything might do me harm

Between powerful jaws I was helplessly caught

My heart exploded with alarm

Basking in the sunlight's sultry charm

Suddenly with peril I was fraught

By unexpected assault was I disarmed 

Lying loose and limp without a thought

Every caution I'd been taught

Went hazy in the spring day's charm

To my detriment, I'd full forgot

That anything might do me harm

I had no defenses to rearm

A docile, helpless forest tot

My spirit quivered with alarm

Between powerful jaws I was helplessly caught

A simple lesson can be taught

From my fatal fall to harm

My last moments were with terror fraught

My heart exploded with alarm

The sweet spring day has lost its charm

Bones picked clean and left to rot

No elegy or call to arms

For prey animals by predators caught

Lying loose and limp

~cie~

notes

NaPoWriMo: Write a poem from the point of view of one person/animal/thing from Hieronymous Bosch’s famous (and famously bizarre) triptych The Garden of Earthly Delights.

April PAD Challenge Day 6: Write a "trap" poem.

April PAD Countdown Catch-Up Day 4: Write an elegy

Poetry Style: Rondeau Redouble

Carpe Diem Tan Renga Wednesday on Friday: The Old Pond

I like this frog. This frog has a "don't fuck with me" look about it. I resonate with this frog.

old pond

a frog jumps in

sound of water

splashes on my face wake me

bringing me back down to earth

~Basho & Cie~

Notes:

The Hokku stanza of this poem was penned by Matsuo Basho (1644 - 1694). The Ageku stanza is all about me.

Carpe Diem Weekend Meditation #110: Bush Warbler

Bush Warbler

A spring warbler casts

A dropping on the rice cakes —

The veranda edge.

I feed rice cakes to the birds

The earth drinking up my tea.

~Cie~

Visit the Artist

Ghost Town Grover Sez:

"I shore don't blame you, Ornery. I wouldn't wanna drink no tea that a bird pooped in neither."

Visit the Artist

Cactus Clem sez:

"Say, Ornery, you know that sun tea you was brewin' on the front porch? Well, I was kinda thirsty after my stroll on the Lone Prairie, and I done drank it all down. I don't think it had no bird poop in it, though, 'cause it had a cover on it and everything.

Visit Ghost Town Grover, Cactus Clem, and the Ornery Old Lady at the Grover Hotel

Read more Ornery Poetry

Carpe Diem Tan Renga Wednesday #5: White Crane

how I wish to call

a white crane from Fukei,

but for this cold rain.

the crane wisely remains home

safely out of the downpour

Kikaku & Cie

Notes:

The Hokku stanza of this Renga was composed by Takarai Kikaku (1661 - 1707) who was an accomplished disciple of Matsuo Basho. The Ageku stanza was composed by me on behalf of the crane who said: "I ain't goin' out in that downpour, Beeyotch!" Or something like that. 

OctPoWriMo 2019: Day 29 + Carpe Diem #1771 Lightness of Being the Firefly

Image Source

longing for the grass

at the bottom of the pool

those fireflies.

longing for the grass

with lust almost immoral

they light up the night

at the bottom of the pool

they float free now of burden

solitude sublime

those fireflies

craving no deeper meaning

than being alive

Basho & Cie

Notes:

The "sleigh" of this Troiku was created by Matsuo Basho (1644 - 1694). The team of firefly horses was guided by me.

I just noticed this Emoji icon in the bottom right corner of my post. It looks all pissed off and frazzled. I laugh, as this is the first poem in several days that has been at peace with things. It's about fireflies, just doing firefly stuff, longing for grass, and lighting up the night. I didn't notice the Emoji thing yesterday or the day before. Maybe it exploded upon being exposed to the radioactive rage of my post.

Now it's a starched white shirt with a red tie. Apparently, the fireflies have gone into business and are dressing the part.

Carpe Diem #1770: Tomtit

Image Source

gold and black jewel

sitting with ruby berries

voice like a gold bell

~Cie~

Notes:

Imma admit that I have no idea what a tomtit sounds like. A blue tit sounds like this.

Carpe Diem Solo No Renga + Haiku My Heart + OctPoWriMo 2019: Day 25: White

Image by David Mark from Pixabay

Note:

This is a poem about my dislike of the fur industry and disdain for those who wear fur as a fashion accessory. It is not pretty, so you may not care to read it.

why do some wish to

stain the white snow red with blood

to steal the white fur?

why do some wish to

stain the white snow red with blood

to steal the white fur?

profit their motivation
their souls are dead within them

why do some wish to
subject the innocent to 
their cold-hearted whims?
the cries of the dying fall
on deaf ears and decayed hearts

stain the white snow red
to line their pockets with gold
all for fashion's sake
fur lovely on the living
becomes ugly with carnage

to steal the white fur
go with clubs and guns and traps
animals in cages
not out of necessity
strictly a status symbol

strictly for profit
from the wealthy and heartless
wear their victim's pain
the beautiful fur adorns
the carcass now lies bloody

souls are dead within
the heartless social climbers
who wear their victims
as adornments draped over
their unfeeling carcasses

~Sly~

image copyright juliahenze @123rf.com

Cie's activist alter-ego Sly Fawkes has been on a tear the past couple of days.

Haiku My Heart + OctPoWriMo 2019: Day 25: White: A Senryu

Image by David Mark from Pixabay

why do some wish to

stain the white snow red with blood

to steal the white fur?

~Sly~

image copyright juliahenze @123rf.com

Cie's activist alter-ego Sly Fawkes has been on a tear the past couple of days.

Carpe Diem #1768: Crow: A Senryu

Image Source

old black crow and me

we have a lot in common

both misunderstood

~Cie~

Carpe Diem #1766: Mouse

Image Source

a mouse is quite cute

so long as it stays outside

in the house, trouble

~Cie~

Notes:

I have a story now. 

In 2001, the first year that my son and I were in the mobile home (the one we are now clearing out to sell), we had a problem with mice. Fortunately, we also had a mousetrap. 

Our mousetrap was the big gray and white guy, although he was still a juvenile then. His name was Raymond (2001 - 2018). One of my co-workers took in a pregnant cat. Raymond, seen here with his brother Leon (2001 - 2017) was one of the kittens. Leon, obviously, was another of the same litter.

One day Raymond dropped on my pillow what I thought was the back half of a catnip mouse. I was half right. There was no "catnip" to this mouse. I screamed and hurried the mouse ass outside. I can only reason that Raymond ate the head and figured that it would be kind to offer me the butt.

Raymond caught a couple more mice. Then the mice must have gotten savvy to the fact that there was a cat in the house and stopped coming around.

I had to have Raymond put to sleep when he was 17. He had tumors all over his body including his digestive tract and in his forehead. I probably shouldn't have waited as long as I did. 

Leon had to be put to sleep a few months prior. He developed feline infectious peritonitis, which puzzled me because I never let my cats outside, except for Isis, who was semi-feral and I couldn't keep her in. The vet said that the FIP had probably been dormant in Leon's system for his entire life. It can sometimes take many years for it to become active.

Anyway, I never was keen on the bone-crusher type of mousetrap. If you don't have a mouse-head-eater like Raymond living in your house and you have mice, try a humane trap like Ghost Town Grover sells in his general store. If you order through the link, we earn a small commission.

Carpe Diem #1765: Squirrel

Image Source

I remember when

you took peanuts from my hand

in a world long gone

~Cie~

Notes:

Remembering feeding the squirrels peanuts when I was 10 years old.

That is 44 years ago.

Carpe Diem #1759: Grasshopper

Image Source

oh grasshopper green

grasshoppers brown and yellow

your season is past

~Cie~

Carpe Diem #1758 + OctPoWriMo 2019 Day 6 Extra: Blue Hummingbird

Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay

little hummingbird

a jewel in constant motion

with sapphire feathers

~Cie~

Carpe Diem #1757: Dragonfly

naturally cool

the dragonfly zooms along

to hang at the pond

~Cie~

Carpe Diem Weekend Meditation: Goat and Sunflowers

Image Source

I drive past a house

Little goat stretches through fence

Munches sunflower

~Cie~

Carpe Diem Summer Challenge 2019: Outdoor Shower

Image by Ambady Sasi from Pixabay

I
outdoor shower
bathed in sun colors
of hot water

outdoor shower
a little bird looks out from
the branches of home

bathed in sun colors
its black and yellow feathers
so like clouds and light

of hot water
heat of summer relentless
even for a bird

II
slipping into the pool
naked divides the night
sun-warmed waters
.
slipping into the pool
comes a nighttime visitor
a stealthy raccoon

naked divides the night
those that hide in the daytime
appear bold at dusk

sun-warmed waters
a pleasure as it paddles
silent in shadow

Jane & Cie

Notes:

I was honestly stuck with this one. Then it came to me, like flash--like a vision! I just wrote it down.

The "sleighs" of these two Troiku were written by Jane Reichhold (1937 - 2016). The unruly "horses" were led to water by me.

D'Verse Poets Open Link Night #246 + Carpe Diem Weekend Meditation #91 Renga With (hineri) Sonora Desert

Beach Mouse

1. 

among dune grass

silver bleached logs

and a perfect day

among dune grass

if you blink, you will miss it

mouse peers from its home

silver bleached logs

blasted by sand, wind, and rain

beauty in harshness

and a perfect day

if perfection does exist

found in solitude

Image by Pexels from Pixabay

2. 

overcoming rocks

a stream of cacti

slowly spreading

overcoming rocks
taking root in barren soil
resilient plants

a stream of cacti

clandestine water vessels

ride the desert wave

slowly spreading
seeds take root across the dunes
carried on the wind

Teddy Bear Cholla

3. 

desert ways

branching all over

cholla cactus

desert ways
arid, harsh, unforgiving
to some, blessed home

branching up to the sky
reaching up to greet the sun
rooted deep in earth

cholla cactus
spines sparkling like gems in sun
don't try to pick me

Image by Mike Goad from Pixabay

4. 
alone and asking
to be touched
teddy bear cholla

alone and asking
thirsty for the rain to fall
the sun still beats down

to be touched
is a desire that ceases
when touch is cruel

teddy bear cholla
with spines that appear silky
not truly cuddly

Image by katja from Pixabay

5. 
writing
desert poems
pencil cholla

writing
salvation or damnation
release, obsession

desert poems
love the look of the desert
but can't stand the heat

pencil cholla
plucking a spine for a nib
words scrawled with my blood

Image by StockSnap from Pixabay

6. 
desert sunset
cholla cactus sticks
to the light

desert sunset
with night comes blessed coolness
nighttime desert song

cholla cactus sticks
daring passerby to touch
its tempting needles

to the light
shining from the moon above
nighttime creatures sing

~Jane & Cie~

Notes:

The "sleighs" of the Troiku in this Troiku Hineri were written by Jane Reichhold (1937 - 2016). The spiky Horses of the Apocalypse were wrangled by me.
I've been doing Troiku all month. These were supposed to be Renga. Yes, I know, I am bad at following instructions and I suck at my job. In other news, water is wet.