Semipalmated Plover

Little feet
Scurry over sand
A brief pause

I. J.’s Birds of the Week Invitation CXXXI

End of Light

Summer is cooling
Summer will end
End of heat
End of sweat 
Sweat the change 
Sweat the future
Future uncertain
Future will come
Come into autumn
Come to the present
Present is nice
Present is pretty
Pretty with colors
Pretty in fall
Fall to the ground
Fall to the earth
Earth reclaims life
Earth rotates time
Time to work
Time to harvest
Harvest the pears
Harvest the apples
Apples are picked
Apples are baked
Baked with cinnamon 
Baked with love
Love in the air
Love of the weather
Weather is mild
Weather is fair
Fair season stars
Fair prized pumpkins
Pumpkins for pie
Pumpkins are carved
Carved with tools
Carved into faces
Faces that laugh
Faces that play
Play outdoors
Play in the leaves
Leaves that turn red
Leaves that turn golden
Golden mums bloom
Golden sky fades
Fades away day
Fades away light
Light winking stars
Light up the night
Night
Stars

W3 Prompt #174: Wea’ve Written Weekly poet of the week, Carol Anne, prompts us to write a blitz poem on the theme of “transition from summer to fall.”

Outshine

I spread stained glass wings
Compete with the blazing sun
Certain I outshine

TankaTuesday Poetry Challenge No. 27, hosted by Robbie.

Gulf Fritillary

Like an Abstract Painting

I find you disconcerting.
Your asymmetry 
contradicts my desire for balance.
Your blue perspective 
curbs my deluded optimism.
Somehow we work —
an abstract painting 
converged at the center.

W3 Prompt #173: Wea’ve Written Weekly poet of the week, Ange, prompts us to write an ekphrastic poem inspired by one of two proposed works of art, incorporating the word “blue.”

Assassin Bug

A search for insects
I stalk the garden flora 
Camera ready
I scan each petal and stalk 
Meeting an assassin bug

TankaTuesday Poetry Challenge No. 26, hosted by Yvette. Yvette challenges us to write a Tanka using a word that has multiple meanings. I chose the word “stalk.”

Harmonoia

My arms reach toward the sky
Like branches of a majestic tree
Blessings counted on each green leaf
Kindness and compassion ooze like oxygen
Gratitude sits at the forefront
Harmonoia plays in the background
As seasons will inevitably change 
Vibrant greens destined to turn brown
Good fortunes doomed to wither and die
Only strong roots remain insulated from dark days
I plant mine deep in the nurturing soil
Fretfully awaiting the inescapable adversity

W3 Prompt #172: Wea’ve Written Weekly poet of the week, Violet, prompts us to: “Choose a word from The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows and make it the title of your poem. Your poem should either use the word directly or capture the essence of its meaning.” The definition of “Harmonoia” may be found here.

dVerse OpenLinkNight #388 hosted by Bjorn. Bjorn provides a mini-prompt: Why do trees conceal the splendor of their roots? Pablo Neruda, Book of questions.

Unpredictable

I could love the rain
Long for rolling thunder clouds
Raindrops rhythmic beat
But there is trepidation 
Regular hundred year floods

Colleen’s TankaTuesday Poetry Challenge #25

Kate’s Pull Up a Seat Photo Challenge, week 32

A Taiga: Philosophically Treading

About the waters
Workers watch the others play
Seaside residents
Gaze from bayside terraces
Philosophically treading

TankaTuesday Poetry Challenge #24 hosted by Willow.

Explanation Unknown

Long path winding to destination unknown   
Strongly compels with temptation unknown  

Deep rooted trees attentively guide roadside 
Gnarly cheerleaders through motivation unknown 

Each tentative step intuitively follows another 
Tired feet persevere with determination unknown  

Invisible skittering critters crunch forest underbrush  
Each spy through curious investigation unknown  

Long winding path disappointingly runs a full circle 
Jen ends at the start — her transformation unknown  

W3 Prompt #171: Wea’ve Written Weekly, poet of the week, Deanna, prompts us to write a ghazal on a theme of our choice.

dVerse Poetics “Let’s Take a Walk in the Woods, Shall We?,” hosted by Lillian.

Character

Why must you stop and stare?
Your mouths agape at my front gate
Your heads shaking in distaste
Do you expect me to feel disgraced?
A spice of life is what I add
In a conformist neighborhood I find sad
So what if I paint my shutters pink
It adds some character, don’t you think?
The baby blue siding complementary 
A vibrant yellow front entry
Black and white checkerboard paths
Lead to colorful flowers in upcycled baths
(and toilets)
Yes, it’s quite the marvelous home
Simply ask my donsy of gnomes 

Photo credit: Victoria Baker
Donnybrook Visitor Centre

W3 Prompt #170: Wea’ve Written Weekly poet of the week, Dennis, prompts us to: “Write a poem of 20 lines or fewer that imagines what is happening in the scene… You must use the word ‘donsy’ somewhere in your poem.”

Featured image assisted with Microsoft AI