No U-turns

On the road today, we are traveling to meet old friends. This is our first vacation since Covid started. As we traveled North to Ohio, the mountains in West Virginia were gorgeous.  but when we crossed the Ohio River, the clouds were spectacular. At my age, getting together with old friends is so important. Better to do it now rather than waiting for a memorial service in the future.

Life moves on

Seasons keep changing

No U-turns

Photos: Dwight L. Roth

Today at d’Verse, guest host Xenia Tran asked us to write a Haibun about a special September moment. Today was a gorgeous Fall Day to be traveling.

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Nature’s Spice

The mighty oak spreads high overhead against the sky

Loaded with thousands of acorns turning from hues of basil

to crushed chili pepper topped with shades of anise and coriander.

Leaves turn to cinnamon and paprika as they fall to the ground

to be crushed in a mortar of earth and ground with pestle of feet

bringing richness and spice, nature’s seasoning, to the soil below.

Acorns carpet bomb overwhelming the ground like falling peppercorns

Seeds for the future guaranteeing new growth

Providing food for squirrels and deer throughout the cold winter.

Some put down roots for the future of us all.

Photos: Dwight L. Roth

Today at d’Verse, Merril asked us to spice up our poems today by choosing three or more of the spices from a list she gave us. She said it could be related to cooking or how ever we wished to use them. I decided to use the metaphorically in nature.

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Punched and Planted

Digging trenches in my yard

Making way for new technology

Holes dug by hand

Steel bullet pushed underground

Compressed air punches it through soft dirt

Two tubes pushed and pulled through

Carrying fiber-optic cables

Speeding up internet communications

Traveling at the speed of light

Photos: Dwight L. Roth

Today at d’Verse, De Jackson asked us to use any form of the word Punch in our Monday Quadrille! Last spring Open Fiber came through our community and laid tubes for running fiber optic cable. The put two of them through holes they punched under the driveways and yards. Competition in the cable world is good for us consumers. They are still working at installing the actual fiber which is as thin as a hair.

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Food Chain

Feed Mill grinds grain

Peterbuilt transports to farms

Milk eggs chicken and beef

***

Photo of McCracken’s Feed Mill in Manhiem, Pennsylvania: Dwight L. Roth

Destroying Elegance

Yesterday morning when I went out on my deck to fill the bird bath bowl, I noticed this gorgeous spider’s web hanging on the downspout! I am always in awe when I see such a beautiful piece of Nature’s artwork. I immediately got my camera and took a couple of photos. I am sure the neighbors thought I was shooting at their upstairs windows, but this was too good to miss. Sadly, when I went back out at noon it was gone. Not a trace left to see. I am thinking that a bird might have flown through it.

Spider’s Web

Even elegance

has its minor flaws

Gone in an instance

destroyed by lack of perception

or intention

Start over or go hungry

Perhaps in a new location

Creativity is never completely destroyed

Like matter, it just changes form

and life goes on

***

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

Unasked Questions

Seems we all remember things we wish we had asked our loved ones when they pass. Today Queen Elizabeth II died at the age of 96. I am sure that her grandchildren and great grandchildren will one day reflect and think about what they wish they could ask her about her life as Queen!

Both of my parents have passed on, and I still think of things I wish I had asked them. When we are young and active our thoughts are distracted with the cares of life. By the time we think about it they are gone, and our chance has passed.

Answers to questions not asked, get scattered with the ashes.

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

Today at d’Verse, Bjorn asked us to create our own aphorism. An aphorism is a statement that presents a moral or philosophical idea in a metaphorical way. Aesop’s Fables are great examples.

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Gargantuan Words

I never understood the obsession with big words

calling it logolespy instead of just being a word freak.

Is bigger always better … more impressive?

Only in Texas, I believe.

To me it is just a lot of excited burbles

a gibberish of sorts much like a baby might speak

when playing with blocks on the floor.

I like laconic words… short and sweet…

chosen words that mean something to the reader.

Writing poetry is ikigai the reason for being

that can only be understood when speaking plainly.

Scintilla that sparks of inspiration takes us

down the yellow-brick road looking for the great OZ,

thinking his name should be twenty syllables long…

instead of just one.

No, gargantuan words don’t impress me much.

So… you know something none of the rest of us know

There has got to be a word for that…

Oh yes, that would be eniteo!

“I am distinguished most eminent … look at me shine!”

I say strikhedonia … it is all hog wash!

Simple words are susurrus to the soul…

light as a soft gently breeze.

The expression of belle-ame … my beautiful soul.

***

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

Today at d’Verse, Mish shared some of the new words she has come across on social media. She gave us a long list of them with their definitions and asked us to write a poem using at least three or more of these new words in our poem. I am not a fan of using words that are meaningless to the reader in my poems, and almost skipped this prompt. But then I thought, why not illustrate what I dislike about them in a poem. This is what came out!

For the words and definitions, we were given, join us at: https://dversepoets.com

Labor Day

Labor Day

Every day is Labor Day for my little Downy Woodpecker

All day long he comes to my suet feeder eating his fill

Back and forth he goes and sometimes she comes too

Sinking their beaks into fat, they pull out seeds

Emptying cage

Since this is Labor Day in the US, Lisa from d’Verse has given us the word labor as our Quadrille prompt. I can see, from my recliner, my cute little birds coming and going all day long enjoying the birdseed and suet cakes I put out for them. They labor very hard until all the good seed is gone. They flutter around in dismay when it gets empty, waiting for the refill. Reminds me the way government and politics sometimes works.

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Miniature Morning Glories

Little trumpeters

Blasting silent sunshine songs

Concert ends at noon

Flowers close up and go home

Tomorrow’s show’s at sunrise

***

Miniature Morning Glory Photos: Dwight L. Roth

These beautiful volunteers greet me at my kitchen window every morning!

Posted on d’Verse for open link night!

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Choice… or No Choice at All

“Hobson’s Choice,” they say, “is no choice at all.”

Much like the choices of our digital world

Do you “agree” or “disagree” seems to come with

every new social media site or equipment driver

Be sure to read the agreement before clicking…

Yeah, right…Who is fool enough to do that??

“Agree” is a “Hobson’s Choice”… no choice at all

An ultimatum you can’t ignore nor refuse

It is “agree” or send it back!

Who wants to do that?

So, we make our choice to have none

***

Who knows what our choice allows…

Perhaps selling our information?

Listening to us and gathering information?

Spying on us through our camera?

Or… giving up our rights to everything imaginable!

But we will never know… till it’s too late.

***

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

Today at d’Verse our guest host Christopher Reilley asked us to write a poem using the word choice. I liked his definition of Hobson’s Choice which is no choice at all!

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