Category: Photography

Pentimento

I sometimes think I change my mind
To fit prevailing wind.
It only matters that I find
Amidst these changes I was kind.
If not, well, then I’ve sinned.

Text: Linked to dVerse Poetics. Amaya is hosting with the theme “pentimento”.

Photo: “Morning Rays of Light” that I am linking to Frank Jansen’s Tuesday Photo Challenge since this sunrise looks “exotic” to me which is the theme this week.

News: Yesterday I joined a local poetry group, Poets and Patrons.  They host annual poetry contests and the Helen Schaible International Shakespearean Petrarchan Sonnet Contest.

Home

The thought of riding my bicycle up and down Indiana State Road 55 and even getting as far as DeMotte, exhausted and proud because we also got back, makes me realize today how big I felt our world was back then no matter how small it actually was by other measurements. Like burrowing rodents on a communal challenge, we knew that trip my brother and I took to DeMotte broke important, new ground.

There was a hill half a mile from the prairie farm we had to climb to reach our destination. We were told to be careful because cars could not see us. We were careful, at least on our bikes, or lucky that few cars usually drive that rural road. I wondered why that hill was there at all considering how flat everywhere else was. At the time I reasoned that even the slightest elevation, say a foot, must be caused by a dinosaur’s body lying somewhere below. I wanted to dig them up and then keep going to China.

I can still see that hill, but I can’t find it for sure on Google Maps. The information online does put in perspective most of the places I heard and imagined as a child. “So that’s where they are!” I tell myself. However, I don’t need an online map for that hill. Even in my memory it remains difficult to bike up, but fun to ride down.

QUIET CORN AND BEANS
GROWING ON DEEP PRAIRIE SOIL
CHILDREN RUSHING BY

Text: Linked to dVerse Haibun Monday.  Mish is hosting with the theme “hometown”.

Photo: “Trees in Winter”

Reasons To Be Cheerful

Every step mistaken,
Every dream delay
Open arms, forgiven–
Morning shines today.

Text: Linked to Debbie Roth’s Forgiving Fridays.

Photos: “Every Step”, above, and “Morning Light”, below, linked to K’lee and Dale’s Cosmic Photo Challenge with the theme “Reasons to be Cheerful”.

Morning Light

 

Today

The Earth wears cloudy sunglasses today
And smiles as warmth gets through to us today.

The wind sleeps all the afternoon away
And trees have nothing much to do today.

The Earth eclipsed the Moon last night and may
Bare trees eclipse the Sun’s dim light today.

Flying birds herd like a song. They sway.
I wish my camera would turn on today.

Forgive that camera. Now, enjoy their play.
You saw them, Frank. That’s all that counts today.

Text: Linked to dVerse Meeting the Bar. Paul is hosting with the ghazal form as the theme. I am also linking this to Debbie Roth’s Forgiving Fridays.

Photos: “Winter Sun Through Trees”, above, and “Earth Wears Cloudy Sunglasses”, below.

Earth Wearing Cloudy Sunglasses

Grounding

Belief shows me what I would see
With mirrors everywhere.
Dark branches of the leafless trees
Shiver in the winter’s breeze
As I do standing there.

Text: Linked to dVerse Poetics.  Bjorn is hosting with the theme of mirrors.

Photos: “Grounding”, above, and “Lake Michigan from Gillson Park”, below.

Lake Michigan from Gillson Park

Mythological Jellyfish

Five hundred million years ago
The jellyfish poem began.
It is sung in the sea. It’s sung on the land.
To sing it again is the plan.

The winds blow the waves.
The waves move along.
The myth is resung
Like an wonderful song.

Text: Linked to dVerse Quadrille Monday where Victoria C. Slotto is hosting with the word “poem”.

Photos: “Windblown Jellyfish”, above, and “Found on the Beach”, below, linked to K’lee and Dale’s Cosmic Photo Challenge with the theme “Mythological”.

Found on the Beach
Found on the Beach

Air and Land Show

Pigeons stick together waving through the sky.
Seagulls wander off alone aiming their dreams high.
Plovers busy with the shore flitter now and then.
Terns wait by serenely. The Sun will rise again.

Text: Linked to dVerse Open Link Night where Grace is hosting.  I am also linking, as gratitude to the Sun for rising, to Debbie Roth’s Forgiving Fridays.
Photos: “Bright Sun”, above, and “Birds Around Me”, below.

Birds Around Me

Writing on the Trolley

I found a new brand of pen in the drugstore and I’m on a trolley which distorts my handwriting although when it stops it is easier to write.

I don’t know what the next words will be or whether I will like any of this when I redo it later. I am grateful that some words come.

It occurred to me recently that we don’t–can’t–have complete explanations for anything including why I’m on this trolley and I am grateful for that as well.

MOVING PAST EACH STREET
WINTER HERE IS COOL AND WARM
PLOVERS EVER PLAY

Text: Linked to dVerse Haibun Monday.  Kim Russell is hosting with the theme of handwriting.

Photo: “Writing on the Trolley”

News: I permitted Carly Stambaugh to use my poems as part of the data for her artificial intelligence project last October. She published her results last Friday.  Three other poets were involved.

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