The earth does what it doesand always has– Storm bellowing,Flood rushing,And the reeds bend;Trees sway and sometimesgo roots up;The waters wildsweep the landforgetting former bankserasing damsthe diligent beaver built. _____________________ The tempest swoops inoff the oceanwhere it trained,charginglike a heavyweightout of his corner,Knocksthe ancient weather vanea-tizzy,sets its poniesrunning circlesin the wind;Slapsthe lastof autumn’s fireoff the …
Tag Archives: Poetry
A Shire Reverie
A gathering of stones,of mortar and affection:warmed by April sun,a drift of fragrance–cow’s breath and old hay,ripe cheese, pale grasses,the lightest scent of blossomand the lingerance of snow,and second breakfast hearth-smoke… Distant crows wheeling, crying, cawing,coarsely calling admirationof the new-turned turf,of turning season,of turning, turning, turningin the sky above the oaks… The distant touch of …
Pioneer Cafe, Montana Morning
Ladies of a Certain Agegirls no moreexcept in the heart:What Life has givenyou have takendespite the dreams you had,despite intentions and resistance;Age acquiring resiliencefor survival’s sakewhen life is hardor dull beyond endurance. Power in the circlearound the cafe tableevery morning, every dayexcept Sundays, maybe:Ladies, old and agingsocializing despite,because of Life;finding, making, sharing power’round this table…and resilience,endurance,and amusement–even some days, …
LONG ISLAND SUMMERS
I’d go backfor just a moment,perhaps as longas one day and a night,enough, I think,to relish what I lovedabout Long Island summers: Scents of ragweed,seared grasses,almost-too-sweet rosesin the heavy summer air… Glittering waters,hot, hot sandand tiny shellshiding in the dryingseaweed margin of the tide… Early morningssun like a glowing peachsoft-lit hazy cool’til nearly 10… And …
THE GUEST OF HONOR
Old Bilbo Baggins is eleventy-one! For a hobbit, indeed a respectible age. Though he loves to sit out with his pipe in the sun He acts like a lad in his tweens, not a sage! For a hobbit, indeed a respectible age He’s well on his way now to match the Old Took! He acts …
Wait…
Wait a minute…Wait your turnWait WaitJust you wait… What are you waiting for? Patience!learn it, own it–for being put asidepushed to the backout of the way… Wait to be askedinvitedwelcomed… Waitto be included. Wait for the start.Wait for the end. Wait for the end of waiting. CL Redding December 2022
AFTERMATH
The impassioned moment’s passed,The fight’s gone out of me;tolerance and hope set inwith a sighand by-and-bythis latest violence,outrage, assaultagainst the heart and soulwill pass–and leave me livingstilland still possessedof most of what I had; Life goes onsublime,absurd,expects the future stillmakes plansinvestsand wandersdown the middle courseagain somewhere betweenthe hopeless and the glad. Disappointmentgnaws away at faith. …
Elder Dreaming
So many pathwaysdrear and close,or bright and magicalthrough woods and hillsand neighborhoods,I now will never walk… Trails to wonders,mysteries,unmet friends and scenes,destinationsand discoveriesthat once may have been… Pictures still and movingare now my wayto wander,to rememberthe feel of forest airsacross my face. CL Redding November 2022
Purdah
I am not a tootsie rollwrapped up to keep off lint and dirt.I am a human being.I have personhood and dreamsambitions, likes, desires,yearnings and creative fires… I have a life to livethat is my own. I have just angers, I have boundaries, mine,not yours. How ignoranthow arroganthow mean of youto think me nothingbut your lollipop. …
Pioneer Cafe, Montana Morning
Ladies of a Certain Agegirls no moreexcept in the heart:What Life has givenyou have takendespite the dreams you had,despite intentions and resistance;Age acquiring resiliencefor survival’s sakewhen life is hardor dull beyond endurance. Power in the circlearound the cafe tableevery morning, every dayexcept Sundays, maybe:Ladies, old and agingsocializing despite,because of Life;finding, making, sharing power’round this table…and resilience,endurance,and amusement–even some days, …
LOOSELY SPEAKING... 