A Shift Most Perceptible

Inspired by the word “shift” per Monday’s dVerse quadrille poetry prompt, hosted by Mish.

I’m running

Nature’s carpet cushions knees

Stride relaxed yet swift

Breathing measured

Feeling exhilarated

 

Dream shifts to reality

Stepping out into the Quebec spring morning

hat, gloves and jacket – necessary

No soft paths

Unforgiving asphalt

breathing, ragged

 

Dream not reality

But will be, soon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Hole in the Clouds

Monday was Prosery Monday on dVerse, hosted by the lovely Merril D. Smith.  We were given the following line:

“In space in time I sit thousands of feet above the sea”
—From May Sarton, “Meditation in Sunlight

We have 144 words to play with and it must not be in any poetic form.  We must use the line, word for word, though we may change the punctuation.

Today, I was watching a talk show with and the singer Michel Rivard was the guest. He just so happened to sing the song “Un trou dans les nuages” (A Hole in the Clouds) that inspired me to participate.  I translated the song and added my two cents’ worth.

They came through a hole in the clouds, landing a few paces away.  I know I was chosen because they trust in me.  They gave me an imaginary stone, like a crystal carved out of the blue of the night.  I hid it in under the ferns in the woods and will have it in hand when they return for me.

I have suffered ridicule by all the townsfolk who point at the sky, mocking me, and calling me the village idiot for believing in them.  Yet I have faith and I wait.

And now the day is come; I read it in the clouds.  They alight on the clearing near the woods and shine a beam on my face. There are no witnesses, as they requested.

In space and time, I sit thousands of feet above the sea.  I’ve no memory of before.

The lyrics (in French) can be found here.  Deepl is a wonderful translation tool, should you be interested. 
 

Left Gasping

It’s Quadrille Monday on dVerse today and De Jackson (aka WhimsyGizmo) is hosting.  The word (or variation thereof) today is “Gasp”.  It’s all Merril’s fault that I went where I did and not where I thought I would.

 

Friends, south of the 49th

leave me gasping

their purple crocus and

yellow daffodils

blooming since February!

Here?

Sun shines, sometimes;

just above freezing, occasionally

bicycle path partially clear, for now

first run of the year

Gasping, I push on

Spring is coming, right?

 

No Expectations – dVerse

On Monday, the lovely Merril hosted dVerse Prosery Monday.  I promised her I would participate but it took me two days to get the words I wanted.  These are still not the ones that popped into my head as I was walking but that’s how it goes, sometimes.  We were challenged to use the following poetry line, but NOT in any poetry form whatsoever.  We have 144 words to work with (not including the title):

“This year’s a different thing, –
I’ll not think of you.”

from Charlotte Mew, “I so liked Spring”

 

It’s the same thing, year after year.  I tell myself not to expect anything, that way there will be no disappointments.  It’s like I can’t help myself; my mind goes off on its own, raking in one thought after another, building up a scenario until I find myself thinking, yes! that’s exactly it.  That’s what I want.  Then I wait for it to happen ~ for some mysterious entity to come along and do the necessary to bring that random scenario to fruition.  How foolish is that?  I know better.  I’m past the fairy tale age.  There is no myth to getting what you desire.  It requires effort.  On MY part.

I promise myself this year’s a different thing.  I’ll not think of you as that mysterious entity come to swoop in and make it happen.  Having you join me will be a bonus.

 

 

 

 

Winging It – Quadrille from dVerse

I decided to play along today (well, started yesterday but you know how that can go…)  WhimsyGizmo hosted Quadrille Monday for dVerse and all we had to do was use the word “wing”, or some for of it, in a 44-word poem.  Why not, eh?

Like an actor in the wings

Suddenly called forth to perform

I must dazzle them with my brilliance

Or baffle them with my bullshit

And see what happens

 

Supposedly a far cry from

Winging it

According to MacGruber

 

Can be costly

According to me

Shift In Gears – dVerse

There is no way in hell I could resist this fantabulous challenge, issued by Lillian, for dVerse in which it’s all about Ben & Jerry’s ice cream… More particularly, the flavours listed below (the dates are when they were in service or laid to rest.  But here’s the rub.  We cannot write about ice cream, AND, we cannot change the names of the flavours.  The only thing we are allowed to do is add punctuation and play with the capitalisation.   We could use one or two or, in my case, ALL of the flavours.  Hope you smile as much as I did, writing this baby!  We actually visited the factory back in 2010 so… 

At the factoryChange is Brewing  – current Half-Baked  – created in 2000 -still going strong Urban Bourbon  – 2017 -still going strong Coffee Coffee Buzzbuzzbuzz  – current Wavy Gravy  – 1993 – 2001 Urban Jumble  – 2000 -2001 Dastardly Mash  – 1979 – 1991 Miz Jelena’s Sweet Potato Pie  – 1992 – 1993 Goodbye Yellow Brick Road  – limited edition available July 18 to 25, 2008 Late Night Snack  – 2010 – 2014
Imagine Whirled Peace  – 2007 – 2013 Sugar Plum  – 1989 – 1990 Economic Crunch  – only in 1987 during the stock market crash
This is Nuts  2001  – 2002

A change is brewing, my dear

the time has come

What do I mean, my Sugar Plum?

It’s time for what?

 

I’ll tell you what!

To say goodbye, Yellow Brick Road

This urban jumble of a jungle

This constant coffee, coffee, buzzbuzzbuzz

This is nuts, I say, nuts!

 

This economic crunch forces us

to go go go, a dastardly mash

a non-stop dash

And for what I tell you?

For some half-baked notion

that more is more?

 

Well, it’s not

I wanna slow things down

feel wavy gravy while we partake

of the urban bourbon of life, slow-like

while we imagine a whirled peace

a different way of living

 

Are you in?  What say you? Wait.

How about this?  We’ll have a slice of

Miz Jelena’s Sweet Potato Pie, or,

if you prefer, some key lime instead,

And plan for our shift in gears.

 

 

 

 

Summer Solstice

I haven’t been doing much participatin’.  Just a phase I’m going through, methinks.  However, I did start this two days ago (what?) and am finally ready to share today.  dVerse on Monday Haibun was hosted by Frank J. Tassone and he suggested we celebrate the Solstice (summer for the northern hemisphere, winter for the southern).  I love this time of year because it still has a mix of cool and warm days, especially in the Montreal area.  It’s a little Russian Roulette weather-wise.  Come mid-July to mid-August, we risk getting the gross, humid, hot and life-sucking heat.  So, I shall take this time to celebrate the little joys.

The tulips, rhododendrons, and lilacs have come and gone, their scent barely a memory before the next wave of blooms take centre stage, such as daisies, irises, and lillies.  Hatchlings have broken free from their shells and are looking less and less like little aliens and more like their parents, wings coming in slowly.

Yes indeed, Summer Solstice is upon us in the northern hemisphere.  Before the humidity and serious heat hit, we are graced with temperatures hovering around the 25℃ (75℉).  Daisies sway in the lovely breeze, bees are buzzing, roses are blooming and strawberries are starting to pop up to join with the rhubarb – cakes, pies, cordials?  The sounds and scents of summer fill the air.  And when the rains come?  They can be gentle or fierce, accompanied by thunder and lightening. Oh! To have a covered porch again so that I can feel I am one with the elements!

To Summer Solstice

Coming to life with aplomb

Soak it all in now

 

 

Climbing Mountains

it is Haibun Monday today on dVerse, hosted by Frank J. Tassone.  Today, we are to write about Cold Mountain – a Chinese poet from sometime in the 9th century, during the Tang Dynasty.  His poetry has influenced both Zen practitioners and eastern style poets. The immediacy of his work embodies the emphasis on the present moment that defines Zen aesthetics. The Beat Poets were moths drawn to his fire. Well. That is quite the mouthful.  Thankfully, Frank has not limited us to trying to become Chinese Zen Masters.  His instructions are as follows:

Today, write you haibun on either one of the following options:

  1. A Cold Mountain: the towering heights, frigid temperatures, majestic views, or existential challenges of a mountain. You could even go metaphorical, describing the cold mountain of overwhelming circumstances, or how we make mountains out of mole hills.
  2. The Cold Mountain: a haibun that follows the influence of Hanshan (Cold Mountain), with his immediacy, concern for humanity, and deep devotion to nature.

I knew a man who believed he could climb any mountain.  And he did.  Life was never a walk in the park.  A difficult childhood, a substance addiction, a near bankruptcy, were all stepping stones for him.  He always made the choice to live.  He cleaned himself up, he paid his debts, and he worked his way up from sweeping floors to fixing machinery to designing to owning his own company.  An autodidact who didn’t understand the word quit.

Some mountains are harder and colder to climb than others.  And some, you cannot reach the top, no matter how much you desire it.

No challenge too great

When you believe in yourself

Until breath runs out

CCC172 – Catch the Moon

Oy. I love when I challenge myself to try something waaay outside of my comfort zone.  I saw Crispina’s photo and knew I had some sort of matchy-matchy response (very much IN my comfort zone).  Then dVerse came along on the same day I was going to respond to the CCC, and challenged us to try a Sparrowlet.  So, of course, I thought, I can do this and merge two challenges since the CCC is open to pretty much anything, as long as we don’t exaggerate and go over 150 words – why I would never! Okay, maybe once or twice…  That said, my skills as a poetesse need much fine-tuning.  I like to think my attempts will gain in sophistication as I keep stretching…

 

The winter moon, above shines bright

And I so wish, with all my might

That I could hold it still till noon

And offer it for your delight

And gone would be all sense of gloom

Above shines bright, the winter moon

 

Within my arms, I’ll hold you close

Breast to my breast, nose to my nose

I know you won’t resist my charms

For it is you, I love the most

To never let you come to harm

I’ll hold you close, within my arms

 

 

Salty Kiss

It’s Quadrille Monday on dVerse and I’m actually rather early (for me!) This week it is being hosted by De Jackson from WimseyGismo.  This week, De wants us to get salty!  So we have to use a variation of the word “salt” in our 44-word poem.  And, without further ado…

Winter wind buffets my bare face

forcing tears to stream

a frozen trail down my cheeks

 

A blazing fire would warm me, yes

 

But what I truly desire is

the taste of the salty sea

warmed by my lover’s lips in a sultry kiss