Monthly Archives: May 2010

Teacher

May 26, 2010

(This poem was written for Three Word Wednesday – in it, I use the last three weeks’ worth of word triads, and I’ve put the words in bold.)

Oh Teacher! My teacher!
Humble thou art:
thine art be humble
when spun from the heart.
Dancing in spirals
high above fear,
soars wisdom of ages
from sages and seers.
Sages will flower
with parsley and thyme,
unfolding seers
hear life as a rhyme.

Oh Teacher! My teacher!
Spiritus sanctus:
flow through me gently,
weightless, my aegis.
Fingers of dread –
ignore, they’re but phantoms –
grasp only that which
we offer as bedlam.
Phantoms transmute
to imagination,
bedlam becomes
a verdant vacation.

Oh Teacher! My teacher!
Ground, grass, and faerie:
pacify saplings
and red-tailed hawk aeries.
Abandon no hopes
all ye who enter
the blessings of now
and well-strengthened center,
which gradually move in
free-flowing precision
to grand sea of mystery
and peace – timeless fusion.

Posted in: Appalachian Mountains, Three Word Wednesday, poetry – 31 Comments

In the Garden and On the Mountain

May 13, 2010

Oh my, how the garden grows!  At the far side are the potato plants; closer in, you’ll see tomato plants, broccoli, and pepper plants.  On the near side, you’ll see onions, cabbage, and lettuce.  On the left side but cut out of the picture (oopsie) are the sweet potatoes, zucchini, and radishes.

Planted in the garden (but not yet sprouting) are green beans, yellow squash, carrots, eggplant, and corn.

Here’s a close-up of the cabbage.  It’s starting to form heads.

The potato plants grow bigger and bushier every day.  We’re hoping for ginormous potatoes come fall.

Speaking of good eats, the blackberry briers on the mountain are flowering like crazy, and soon there’ll be a bounty of blackberries for good munching.

Alongside the trail is growing a ladyslipper (a type of orchid).  As wildflowers, they’re rare, but as much time as I spend in the mountains, I spot one or two each Spring.

The tadpoles are doing well, though their pond has shrunk a bit because of dry weather.  We’re due to get rain this week, however, so they should continue to thrive.

And for your pleasure, a polliwog close-up.

Ineffable joy:  mountain Spring in full regalia.

Writing update:  I’m in the home stretch for first-pass revisions to my novel Heart’s Chalice. As a result, I’ve developed a degree of tunnel vision.  So if you keep up with Grace Notes (my short story blog), please bear with me until I get my short fiction mojo back.

Posted in: Appalachian Mountains, Gardening, Hiking, Writing – 18 Comments

In the Garden

May 5, 2010

(These haikus were written for Three Word Wednesday — since they’re poetry, I’ve posted them here instead of on Grace Notes, my short story blog.)

irises escape
late April frost, bloom and get
cozy with ivy

broccoli shoot hums
with dreams of lofty florets
while stretching sunward

beneath vibrant leaves
grow tasty underground roots
to dig as treasure

Posted in: Appalachian Mountains, Gardening, poetry – 34 Comments