Hot, Hot, Hot

Temperatures to day were in the mid 90 F here in North Carolina. You know it is hot when the squirrel is stretched out on my chair in the shade and I am sitting inside with the AC running!

Midsummer heat wave

Squirrel and I try to keep cool

No showers in sight

Photos: Dwight L. Roth

 

 

 

 

Seduction

Springtime smiling green
Tomatoes heavy on the vine
Shining in the sun

Swollen flesh pumped full
Rainwater fills every space
Face tanned by the sun

Chameleon turns
Green to blushing red cheeks
Smiling in the sun

Seduction draws me
Sinking my teeth in your flesh
Juice drips off my chin

My tomato photo taken this morning: Dwight L. Roth

Today at d’Verse, Frank Tassone discussed the Imaginism style of writing poetry, where the subject is described with detailed imagery.  He asked us to write in Free Verse or a series of Haiku. I love writing Haiku so I chose that format.

Join us at: https://dversepoets.com

 

 

Benjamin Wissler

Man of prominence
Heartbroken when Anna died
Granite Marker stands

A carved stone tribute
Nothing too good for Anna
Granite marker stands

Benjamin now rests
Next to his dear sweet Anna
Twin stone markers stand

Lasting legacy
Not to be forgotten
Granite marker stands

Remembered by some
Who now have joined him at rest
Granite Marker Stands

Photos from the Hammer Creek Cemetery: Dwight L. Roth
Benjamin died two years before the Spanish Flu Epidemic of 1918.

Laura at d’Verse asked us to choose a name on a tombstone that we did not know and write a poem about this person. I decided to write a series of senyru poems. I took this photos a few years ago when we were in Pennsylvania.

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Feeding Babies

Red Bellied Woodpecker

Woodpeckers gobble

suet from my hanging feeder

Feeding Spring babies

Hairy Woodpecker

Photos: Dwight L. Roth

Reflections of Spring

Pond reflects Spring green

Mixed with barn red and sky blue

Fresh grass makes warm milk

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

Open link night at d’Verse.  A Spring Haiku reflection for me!

Join us at: https://dversepoets.com

Masters

Masters

Today at d’Verse, Frank Tassone offered to us two master poets. One was William Shakespear who was a prolific English poet and play-write. The second was the most revered Japanese poet Matsuo Bashō (松尾 芭蕉, 1644–1694), who introduced hokku which later became haiku poetry. Both men changed the world with their words. This is the goal of all of us who write. Our hope is that our words will shed light on the truth of the world around us in a way that has both present and lasting affect.

I write poems on my

journey with teacher Bashō

New beans sprouts today

*****

Such different poets

Shakespear and Bashō

Both pushing flowers

**

Bashō visits Shakespear’s stage

So many words are spoken

**

“All’s well that ends well”

What more needs to be spoken

Clear as fresh spring air

**

Lost in endless lines of verse

Shakespear’s never ending voice

**

Bashō speaks more with

less, like a set c-4 charge

Spring explodes

*****

I wrote my Haibun above, then added a few non-conformed haikai ranga verses following that give comparison of the two from Bashō’s perspective.

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Photos from d’Verse…

Shades of Red

Deep folds of silk

Cascading atop long stems

Spring snowflakes in red

Photos: Dwight L. Roth

My Geranium

 

Reincarnation Reboot

I fully retired in 2011. Over the years I had many interests that have since been helpful to fill my time now that I am retired. I began to spend time doing acrylic painting. Bob Ross’s The Joy of Painting came on PBS create channel every day at 12:30. I watched in awe, while eating my lunch, as he painted a whole painting in less than a half hour. I began to experiment with his painting techniques and finally found some success.
Little Chippie was a mourning dove who fell out of his nest too early. We began to feed him and he became like a pet, actually eating out of our hand. This was my last personal encounter with Chippie. As he got older he began to be more distant. We went on vacation for two weeks and when we returned he had adjusted to life in the wild. We were sad to lose the connection, but realized this day would come. You can read the original poem at https://wordpress.com/post/rothpoetry.wordpress.com/18410

I wrote a children’s book Little Chippies Big Adventure, which is also an e-book on kindle.

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Painting with my friend
Spring dove brought social closeness
Now the bird has flown

Photo: Dwight L. Roth
Kim at d’Verse asked us to go back and find an autobiographical poem and add prose and a haiku to it for Haibun Monday.

Join us at: https://dversepoets.com

For a preview of my story click the link below:

http://a.co/78yG5dH

Last Chance

Dogwood park is closing tomorrow with the announcement of the stay at home order for the state of North Carolina. Only essential movement is permitted.  We decided to take advantage of the gorgeous day and meet our Son and family at the park for the first time on over three weeks. We picnicked using two tables and spread out making no physical contact with them. How odd not to greet with hugs!  It was a beautiful day and the dogwoods for which the park was named were in full bloom.

A beautiful day

Park will be closed from now on…

Dogwoods still blooming

Other families were enjoying the park….

Photos: Dwight L. Roth

Haiku for a Winter Day

Winter
Darkness closes in
Winter comes softly creeping
Hiding in the shadows

Snowflakes
Big wet snowflakes
Hold hands as they dance toward earth
Melting hearts are warm

Cardinals
Red Cardinals arrive
Filling their gullets with seeds
For a long cold night

Carolina Wren
Hyper little wren
Nervous always moving round
Chipper little friend

Chickadee
Black-capped Chicakadee
Dressed in his gray and white tux
Eat seeds with abandon

Photos: Dwight L. Roth