The Poetry Marathon

HE COMPLIED

Clever little critter, laboring
through the evening, to spin
his lovely, patterned, tacky carpet;
Inviting tasty prey, he hoped, to walk or step upon.

Down to the gutter and out over
the Holly; then back again to
wrap the downspout with
a tidy tablecloth of glue.

A gust of wind catches his just-spun cloth of
cloth of silky strand, tossing
him soundly against the waiting door.
“‘Just spin another wider web and glue it down again.”

Busy little spider,
failed to spot the bigger threat,
who came down to see what she might eat;
a lonely lady needing food to fill her reddened belly.

Ah, but have no fear. The lady cannot wed;
she lays some eggs and bids him come offer up
offer up his treasure. No strings attached, just nature’s way.
Persuaded by her beauty, he complied to be her dinner.

© 2017 Kathleen J Kidder
8/5/2017 Hour Nine – Half Marathon

Thunderstorm

The green-grey of a storm is utterly electrifying.

You can almost taste the violent potential,

even as the air presses down on you,

and birds huddle away tightly,

and there is nothing behind but golden sunlight

and that dark storm, looming,

that thunder sound low and rumbling over you.

I Noticed

The dragonflies hovering around the cemetery were copper, I noticed,
As I tuned out the useless voices droning at the head of the casket.
Copper dragonflies, as it turned out, made me feel better.

The dragonfly my daughter hennaed onto my hand was copper, I noticed,
As I listened to her soft alto, laughing at the table with her best friend.
Copper dragonflies, as it turns out, still make me feel better.

prompt #10 ~ blue

In this red/blue state ~

 

In the very early morning, blue mist

bleeds from the Blue Ridge mountains

on the horizon. It rolls down the slopes

puddles in the valleys, thick & furred.

Even the evergreens are blued w/fog

softened in outline. This is home now.

 

In Oklahoma, where the dirt is ironrust red,

the wind blows as red as the politics.

Here, even when the Stars & Bars stake

their claim to race & religion, old manners

breathe blue mist. Rain falls in silvery threads

and light is suffused with blue shadows.

 

Perhaps my battered hopes will heal, cradled

in air the colour of memory. And red light

will thin to rose, while blue sky deepens. Perhaps.

And maybe, in this misty high place, I will learn

to listen, hearing through red anger the quiet

melody of blues.

Sunset

At days end

runners of sunlight bend in the sky.

hues of purple, pink, orange and yellow.

Swirls of light and color combine

to form a heavenly view,

an earthly delight.

Inspiration for art,

and for those in despair,

that something better awaits,

after our time passes.

Ochre

Red and a deep ochre yellow
Merge away into sunshine
Bright dark deep
All together
Filtering into a cool darkness
Refusing to stay without
Following everywhere
Sunshine and all
Stepping over everything
Tripping over corners
Spilling over embraces
Spreading over tables
Moving over crevices
Settling over quietly.
Red and a deep ochre yellow
Merge into sunshine.
_narinder.

The Old Guy

 

When did he get here?

 

Kind of round.

Other guy was muscular but thinner.

Hair’s a little thin,

Quite a bit of grey.

Other guy had full, dark hair.

 

Other man was grouchy;

This one’s irascible.

Other guy was a little anxious;

This one worries all the time.

Other man was compulsive;

This one’s obsessed.

 

He brought so much stuff.

He fidgets.

Smacks and growls when he eats.

Face folds over on his nose

When he sleeps.

He snores.

 

Drives me crazy.

 

But…….

 

He has the other guy’s eyes

And his wry smile.

Tells good stories,

Just like the other man.

Doesn’t let me get away with stuff,

Like fooling myself.

Goes along with my crazy ideas

Even when they scare him.

He loves my sons.

Seems comfortable here,

Like he fits.

Just like the other guy.

He gets me.

 

I’ll let him stay.

That Paint Brush

That Paint Brush

Paint for me a picture, of how life’s meant to be.
Golden like the sunset, or blue just like the sea.

Paint it big and bold, don’t waste time with mundane things.
Life can stop so quickly, just with a few telephone rings.

Spin me round the spring time, swish summer into fall.
Don’t forget white winter, it has no mercy left at all.

Paint the world with colors, let the lanscapes brightly sing.
Gray’s not meant for our world, toss it out, let the vivid colors ring.

 

– Mary-Jeanne Smith

Apple Season

 

Apple green light leaf

Falling gentle from the tree

Leaving peace beneath

 

Apple red light leaf

Changing yearly from the tree

Bringing lovely color beneath

 

Apple yellow light leaf

Coming lightly from the tree

Awaiting a new season beneath

(Hour Ten –  Maritza M. Mejia)

 

 

 

 

Love In Rainbows

Love me in rainbows,
Not just red, blue or green,
Love me with whispers of the Agean Sea

Love me in rainbows,
Not with some smattering,
Love me with fervor of mosquitos’ biting

Love me in rainbows
More than red, blue and white,
Love me and hold me with all of your might

Love me in rainbows,
Love with all of your sight,
Love me with such heat we lift up in flight

Love me in rainbows
Whose ends pile with gold
Love me with such love our love can’t be sold

Love me in rainbows
With colors so bold
Your love and my love can never grow old

Love me in rainbows
‘Til we reach the sun
Love me and love me ’til we become one

Love me in rainbows,
Silken touches you’ve spun
And I’ll love you forever, ’cause I won’t be outdone