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Sunday, April 28, 2013

The Anywhen of Spring

 
 
 
Consider this.
If the anywhen of spring
arrives, dressed in daffodils
and squills, a soiree
to celebrate would have
its anywhy.

And the anywhich
of the whoop it up
simply must include
(please say if you concur)
some chiffon gowns and dancing shoes.
No?  Too much?  Then we'll agree
on ragged jeans and running shoes.
But most important,
there must be cheese
cake
with razzleberry swirls.
Not just anycake will do.

We'll bless the anywhere of blooms
with crumbs of cake
and drops of wine,
sprinkled
anyway.

And yes, yes to rejoicing
anywhither and anywise,
the moment spring bursts in.

We'll whoop her up with
wine and cake.  Give her
the whole shebang.

We'll welcome spring
with all the best 
of anyhow
we can.

The words and photo are copyright Carol Steel.   This is a silly poem to welcome spring on this warm Sunday in April.  The raspberry swirl cheesecake is from Tony's Pastries.  Have you been there?  If not, shame on you.  Anything from Tony's is an orgasm for the taste buds.  Tony's Pastries is located at 137 McLaughlin Drive in Moncton, New Brunswick.  This isn't an ad nor did I receive anything for my enthusiasm and endorsement, (but I would take a raspberry shortbread cookie, if it were offered).  Go.  Try it.  Anything is yummilicious at Tony's anywise.

Saturday, April 27, 2013

Love is in The Air



The ring necked pheasant male is trilling and squawking from his vantage point, looking for love in the yard.  When he spots a female, he squawks and fluffs his feathers to attract her attention. 

"Hey, look at me.  Ain't I fine?  Choose me, choose me."

Love is in the air.  Or is it just nature and need?

Whatever it is, it's loud and colourful and urgent. 


 
Photos and words are copyright carol Steel.

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Poetry Challenge: Lune


 

This blog post is in response to a poetry challenge from Grace (aka Heaven) at Imaginary Garden with Real Toads. The following is quoted from their site:

 


 

On April 25, 2013, we will see a full moon. So, I think it is timely that the poetry form we tackle today is called Lune, which is French for “moon”.

 


 

Robert Kelly, an American poet, invented the Lune poetry form. He felt that adhering to the strict form of Japanese haiku (5-7-5 syllables) in English creates a different poem than the Japanese intention. He invented the Lune to remove these differences, and the only requirement is the 5-3-5 syllables. There are no other rules i.e. no need for a cutting word or punctuation. Rhymes are fine; subject matter is wide open.

 

In his book, Lunes, Robert Kelly has a short foreword:

 

Lunes are small poems that spend half their lives in darkness & half in light. Each lune has thirteen syllables one for each month of the moon’s year.

 

a minute ago

that tree was

still full of blackbirds

 

~0~

In writing the lune poem, be guided that the intention is to make the minimal reverberate to the maximum. Each lune is a separate poem.

 

 

This is the end of the quotation and the explanation from Imaginary Garden with Real Toads.

Remember each lune is a separate poem.  Here are eight of mine:

 

Writing Poems

Words mutter themselves

into poems

saying less and more

 

Loving You

Kisses light the day

fanning flames

for tonight’s bonfire

 

Dream Time

I pull the blankets up

to my chin

as the night dreams me

 

Dawn

Spooning we awake

robin song

throbbing in our veins

 

Greeting the Day

Dream-edge of waking

murmurs grace

morning sings praises

 

Morning Blues

Coffee in my cup

squills in bloom

morning sings the blues

 

Coffee

The smell of coffee

a perfume

my home wears all day

 

Evening Song

An hour ago

my glass held

wine and dusk and you

 

The photo and words for the eight lune poems are copyright ©Carol Steel.  If you would like to see what others have written, click here.  Words shown in colour on this post will take you to another site with additional information, if you click on them.

 

 

 

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Wordless Wednesday




Note: Wordless Wednesday's photo is of the bones of old snow and old trees at the edge of the Shediac River, taken last week in this slow, late spring.  Photo is copyright Carol Steel.

Friday, April 19, 2013

Carrying Spring


 
 

Carrying Spring

Crocus,
bright petals,
you come bearing gifts;
cups full of sunshine
spill over
with spring.


 
 
Words and photos are copyright Carol Steel.

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Common Mergansers






Common Mergansers


The river awakens.  Her belly hungry,

she swallows the ice floes

and gurgles with melt.


The wind whirls a dance

with stray leaves left behind

by runaway snow.


Wild ducks, the mergansers

fly low, arrow-straight,

splash in and float.


The sleek divers call out

in harsh notes, like the twangs

of guitar,  songs of fishing

in spring.

 

Words and photos are copyright ©Carol Steel.

Monday, April 15, 2013

April is Birthday Month

 
 
April is Birthday Month
April is a month of birthdays in our family.   There are fourteen in all: sisters, sons, grand-daughters, grandsons, nephews and dear friends, including a first husband.
We don’t celebrate with parties, gifts, cards and cake like we once would have done, before our family expanded.  The number of family and friends expanded as we grew older, retired and began to manage on a smaller income.  The thoughts, good wishes and love are still there, though the money for gifts and parties is not.  Neither is the energy.
Fourteen birthdays in a thirty-day month would mean that nearly every day a party would be organized, held or recovered from in April.  Impossible indeed.
To all our dear friends and beloved family, you who celebrate April birthdays, from birthday number 1 to birthday number seventy-one and everywhere in between, we wish you happiness and love, opportunities for joy and for everything you need in the coming year.
To quote one friend, “May you celebrate well and be well-celebrated.”
Happy April Birthday 2013 to each of you.
 
Note:  This photo is not mine.  It is used with permission under the Creative Commons license and the original owner is D. Sharon Pruitt.  Thanks to Sharon for its use.


Sunday, April 14, 2013

It Continues to Snow



The snow goes on and on and on...


 
 
and if it were earlier in the year,
we would think it lovely.
 
But for now,
it makes spring weather
a longer wait.
 
Patience.
 
Enjoy
the thick flakes
drifting.

Saturday, April 13, 2013

First Crocus




This photo is for everyone like me who woke to find snow in the yard again, with more to fall later today. 

I found this in my garden yesterday. 

There is hope that warmer weather will reach us.  May it arrive soon and bring with it swaths of spring flowers.

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Waiting for Winter to End

 
 
 

Waiting for Winter to End

 

Outside to the east,

my garden slumbers

under a mat of leaves,

still slick with the last

ice crystals of winter.

 

Not one crocus

pushes purple fingers

through a sleeve of snow,

to fling out its fist

full of robin song.

Not one.

 

And no hardy squill

splits the worn brown skin

of an old oak leaf,

to trumpet its fresh blues.

 

Inside to the west,

the sun coaxes ladybugs

out of the crevices,

away from their sleep.

 

I listen to them dancing

tap-tap-tapping

between the window panes.

 

I watch them whirling,

kicking up their heels,

clicking their red wings.

 

They are keeping time

as Spring hums her own

intoxicating tune;

this throb so ancient,

nothing can resist.

 

Words and photo are copyright ©Carol Steel.

 
 
 
 


Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Sharp Sight




Sharp Sight


The shiver of winter still strums the air.

Amid the grains of rotting snow,

a solitary crow

clutches a storm-torn branch

and breaks off a twig in his beak.

The crow lifts and flaps his blue black wings

rising with this perfect piece

to the top of the tallest fir.

The air vibrates with welcome

caws of raucous joy,

as one is greeted by the other.

They are so high.  I wonder.

Can they see

spring from there?
 
Words and photo are copyright Carol Steel.

Wednesday, April 3, 2013