Tag: #CosPhoChal

Looking Down — Community (Collaboration with Revived Writer)

One’s friends are precious, keep them close in heart,
Even though distance can get in the way,
It’s no excuse, these days, to be apart,
Community is needed like the day.
We like to think our choices have been smart.
We like to think there’s always time for play.
Our roads may turn and lead us somewhere new
But nowhere could I see forgetting you.

Text: This is a collaboration poem with Revived Writer. She selected ottava rima with rhyme pattern abababcc as the form. Her part is in bold.  It is also part of Jilly’s Casting Bricks October Challenge.

Photo: “Curve in Bridge”. I took this at the Chicago Botanic Garden and I’m linking it to K’lee and Dale’s Cosmic Photo Challenge with theme “Looking Down” and with trablogger’s Mundane Monday.

Harvest Moon By Day

When I look down I face the harvest moon
Although I see the earth in morning light.
The sun climbs on my back until it’s noon.
Dead trees lie on the ground, rebirth in sight.
The harvest moon, bright round, will shine tonight.
The woodland path unwinds me here and there
Then stops as cautious deer run off somewhere.

Text: The form of this poem is Chaucerian stanza or rime royal using iambic pentameter with rhyme pattern ababbcc. I plan to use this form on Thursday for the dVerse Form for All.

Photos: “Path Through Fallen Tree”, above, and “More or Less Facing the Harvest Moon”, below, by the author. Linked to K’lee and Dale’s Cosmic Photo Challenge with theme “Under the Harvest Moon” and trablogger’s Mundane Monday.  I took all photos at Somme Woods Forest Preserve in Northbrook, Illinois, around the time of the harvest moon.

More or Less Facing the Harvest Moon
More or Less Facing the Harvest Moon

Autumn: Cosmic and Mundane

I want the cosmic and mundane
To merge into a truer view,
To turn into a new terrain
That wakes when autumn’s light shines through.

Photos: “Autumn Sunset”, above, and “Early Autumn”, below, by the author and linked to K’lee and Dale’s Cosmic Photo Challenge and trablogger’s Mundane Monday.

Early Autumn

Pink Guardians of the Entrance

Some say that they are in the way
But I am glad they’re there.
They’re still and bright and love the light
Projecting pink through day and night
To scare away despair.

Photo: “Pink Guardians of the Entrance”. I am linking this to K’lee and Dale’s Cosmic Photo Challenge with the theme of “the stillness and the light” and to trablogger’s Mundane Monday.

Mundane Monday — Fungi

“Am I so pretty you would take a picture of me?”  Yes.

Photos: “Stump”, above, and “Mundane Fungus”, below, by the author.  I’ve linked both to K’lee and Dale’s Cosmic Photo Challenge with the theme “fungi” as well as trablogger’s Mundane Monday.

When I read Dale’s prompt I asked myself, “Where am I going to find a fungus?”  A voice said, “Go to the botanic garden.”  I replied, “I’ve never seen a fungus there.  It’s too clean.” The voice responded, “Go to the woods in the botanic garden.”  I walked to the Mary Mix McDonald Woods and followed the trail until it forked.  “Now where?”  The voice responded, “Take the boardwalk.”  At the end of the boardwalk I saw the fungus. “I’ll have to step off the trail.”  The voice responded, “Stop whining and take the photo.” It was the only fungus I saw all day, but I had no need to see another.

Mundane Fungus

Orange

The mundane is so everywhere.

Photos: “Table, Coffee, Notebook” above and “Orange, White and Darker” below by the author and linked to K’lee and Dale’s Cosmic Photo Challenge with theme “A Clockwork’d Orange”. I also linked them to trablogger’s Mundane Monday Challenge.

Orange, White and Darker

Let the Light Shine in

Autumn changes focus on school schedules and condo movements, but now for our children, not for us. It’s the same with Spring. In between these events, like sunlight going through the leaves of trees, there is viewing the lake and parkways where trees can reach for the sun because the buildings are small enough for them to have a chance.

LIGHT THROUGH PATIENT TREES
BUILDINGS BLOCK THE AUTUMN SKY
BOTH PROVIDE COOL SHADE

Text: Linked to dVerse Haibun Monday. Toni is hosting with the theme “season changes”.
Linked to Jilly’s Casting Bricks – September Challenge. Consider this one part (first or second) of a double haibun and add another haibun.

Photo: “Sidewalk Flower with Dark Sun” below by the author linked to K’lee and Dale’s Cosmic Photo Challenge with the theme “Let the Sun Shine in” and Mundane Monday.

Sidewalk Flower and Dark Sun
Sidewalk Flower and Dark Sun

Cloudiness

Circling rain from hurricane
Leaks through the wrecked roof.
Only hope can drain:
Up comes wavy proof
Drowning the dry place
In torrential waste.
Nightmares blocking bliss
End with fear and pain.
Sink with thoughts of only this.
Sink in wet of wider rain.

Linked to dVerse Quadrille Monday hosted by Bjorn using the word “bliss”. I am thinking of Hurricane Harvey.  The poem also represents the “acrostic” form which I plan to use for this Thursday’s dVerse form prompt.
Photo: “Cloudiness” by the author linked to K’lee and Dale’s Cosmic Photo Challenge with theme “A Cloudy Configuration”.

Living in the Light

At the Chicago Air and Water Show we watch antique planes from World War I go straight up into the air and turn down dizzy across Lake Michigan looping and looping. Then we watch more advanced planes go even higher into the air and turn down looping, pretending to run into each other. They were from World War II. Finally we see planes that could float above the water like a UFO. They move even faster. They were from World War III.

Along the lake we watch seagulls rest one per piling in the water, well-behaved, living in the light, indifferent to the air show, keeping their distances and yet clearly together. Back home I notice that my neighbor’s flower bed is still colorful, but showing its age in the light of summer joy.

PETALS DROP WITH AGE
AUGUST AIR WARMS SEAGULL PEACE
EVEN WE CAN FLY

Linked to dVerse Haibun Monday hosted by Toni with the topic, “What did we you do on your summer vacation?”
Photos: “Lines and Waves” above and “A Neighbor’s Garden” below by the author both linked to K’lee and Dale’s Cosmic Photo Challenge with the themes “Living in the Light” or “Rain”.

A Neighbor's Flower Garden

My Heart Stays With My Dreams

At times I cannot find my dreams
Or fear what they might be:
Hidden habits I don’t want
With burdens blinding me?

With them my heart stays anyway.
My mind’s not far behind
Though searching for some better dreams
If better I might find.

Linked to dVerse Quadrille hosted by De Jackson here, aka WhimsyGizmo, with prompt word “dream”.
Photos: “My Heart is Where My Dreams Are” above and “Other Heart-Dream Locations” below by the author linked to K’lee and Dale’s Cosmic Photo Challenge with theme “where is your heart?”  The first photo is also my answer to Jane Dougherty’s challenge to show the surroundings where we write.

Other Heart-Dream Locations
Other Heart-Dream Locations
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