moxiesquirrel - Poem-a-Day /NaPoWriMo 2016

Ridicule

4/3/2016

Ridicule

I had forgotten
how hard it is to dress for spring and fall, not like winter
     to wear so much
or summer
     as little as possible
the vague uneasiness
of being caught with a hat
or caught without one
the warding away
     of ridicule
for having misinterpreted
the weather.

Knock Off

4/3/2016

Knock Off

I sent
the amethyst
aperitif cup
to it's next incarnation,
deep purple
eggshell
shards
sticking prettily out
in all directions
from a lime green dish sponge,
like a hedgehog
in a disappointing
but brief
dream.

Poem-A-Day 2016

4/1/2016

Twigs

Quince twigs
in a blue and white
pitcher of water
because I
could just only glimpse
tiny flower buds
tucked under
the dry
scales
of
March twigs
destined for the brushpile.
Today the buds are fat and green.
Sunlight serrates
leaf margins,
diamonds on green gold.

April Poem-a-Day 2015

5/1/2015

Roomful of Diners

Standing among trees,
Silent life.
Silenced by my leaf crushing arrival

Like entering a roomful of diners
who were not expecting you

All pause, eyes upon you
stilled at presence only briefly

Life returns in increments:

metallic chink of china talons
distant sirens or love calls

one will stand
speak loudly
look around startled
and sit.

A roomful of quiet conversation
click, tsee and buzz

Like entering a roomful of diners
Standing among trees.

April: Buster Browns

5/1/2015

Chokecherry, ink, 2008

Buster Browns

In the soft lying-down grasses
above the meadow
where the cherry tree stood
a curl of cherry bark
came to my feet
as I remembered
red Buster Brown
Mary Janes
with
leather tooling
and two toned shading
in the soft lying-down grasses
above the meadow
where my cherry tree stood.

April Poem-A-Day: Fiona

5/1/2015

Fiona, watercolor, 2013

Fiona

A nap together, you and I:
Fiona protecting the two of us
From Jerry's despairing affections.
When he finally left the bed
she emerged in a sunrise
of tie dyed folds
from under my skirt
to collect the leftovers.

April: Tiny Souls

5/1/2015

Tiny Souls

Maybe we carry about
a collection
of tiny souls
riding together in one complete body
released at death in a puff of creatures
gripping, letting go,
seeking the next
conflagration of birth.

My raison d'être:
to host
and nourish them
keep them whole and pure
and disperse them
with a final whispered kiss.

April Poem-A-Day: Animal Decor

5/1/2015

Moose Swamp, 2009

Animal Decor

A Fox head bowl for cereal
and glass Bear for the spice
plastic salt and pepper Cats
defending them from Mice.

An Armadillo whistle
nailed halfway down the hall
there's Chickens on the crockpot
but they're turned to face the wall.

Tiger guards the family car
Bobcat guards the broom
an angry Mayan Bunny Rabbit
glares across the room.

A pair of Pigs hold cookbooks
by the door, a Llama greeter
while the Otter watches over all
from the baseboard heater.

My cat sleeps on two Prairie Dogs
Red Panda's on the bike
a Goat skull shares the sewing desk
with crumbling Trilobites.

Plastic Beaver, resin Moose
both balanced on the sill
a china Mallard pours the tea
a Penguin holds my pills.

A wooden Lizard climbs the post
past insects cut from tin
surrounded by faux Animals
when did they all come in?

April 28: Spring Morning Sightings

4/28/2015

Spring Morning Sightings

Ruby Crowned Kinglets
singing triads
hidden all about
one popped out onto a stump with it's cadmium red! head!

Yellow Rumped Warbler
minor civil servant
in parade threads
Dispersed even the robins from their windbreak!

White breasted Nuthatch
wings spread
soaring like a plane
while gripping the birdfeeder with all his little talons!

Pileated Woodpecker
every year
without fail
how come he always dives right at me?

Blue Jay
violet and teal
black and white
Smartest and loudest and colorless.

Tufted Titmouse
wheezily cursing
Scattering chickadees
There's no time to waste! Crest up!

April 25: Earth Day, Belated.

4/26/2015

Inspiring Stock Photo

Earth Day, Belated.

Earth Day passed my observation,
lacking Holiday elation.
Passive eco-activism.
Back at home: Recidivism.

Grab the kids and pack the Yukon!
Plant a tree in downtown Tuscon!
Save the whales and trade for coupons!
Cut some trees to print more groupons!

Earth Day passed my observation
lacking Holiday elation
Passive eco-activism
Back at home: Recidivism.