Black vulture
sculpted onyx wings spread wide
Not looking for me
Picked up scent of death
floating in the air nearby
Nature’s carrion
Opossum for lunch
Shared by four… each in their turn
Life is short for all
Hung around awhile
then sailed off through tall oak trees
Majestic wingspan
Photos; Dwight L. Roth
***
Painting: Dwight L. Roth
******
Eagle Painting: Dwight L. Roth
Photos: Dwight L. Roth
Thanks to the Eagles for the reference to their song Hotel California
Photos: Dwight L. Roth
My favorite garden vegetable each summer is the tomato. Although it is technically a fruit, I will take it either way. Nothing beats a great tomato sandwich. As they ripen in my tiny garden, I think, how beautiful they are and am thankful for these jewels of summer!
This painting of a lone egret was painted for our friend Jean, who lives in Alberta. I originally painted a large painting of the same scene. When she saw it she loved it, but it was too big to ship. So I painted a smaller one and packed it in between the clothes in my suitcase, when we traveled to Edmonton. It is one of the few oils I have done. I usually paint with acrylics. The painting was still in tact when we opened the suitcase. She has it hanging on the wall in her kitchen, and enjoys it every day!
Patiently watching
Unseen critters provide lunch
Reflection follows
*******************************************
Egret Painting: Dwight L. Roth
Fishers come with hook and beak
Lunch is found in Hammer Creek
One sits dangling on the shore
Heron dives // comes back for more
Frank is challenging us to try the Tanaga form of poetry, for our d’Verse poetry group. It consists of four lines with seven syllables in each line. It has a rhyming pattern. It usually has no title, since the lines of the verse should make clear what is being said. This is my first attempt at writing a Tanaga poem. The heron in the photo is a Great White Egret. They often nest in the Susquehanna Valley region of Pennsylvania.
Come join us at d’Verse: https://dversepoets.com/
Photos from Hammer Creek near Clay, Pennsylvania. – Dwight L. Roth
Web of Death
In her dark tunnel she hides
Lying in wait for the blazing sun
Dew drops clinging to her web
Breathing quietly // with the patience of Job…
Knowing lunch comes as soft breezes blow.
Her web of death // spun for unwitting insects
Entangled in her shimmering threads.
Thin as fiber optics… strong as steel
Once entangled // they are her next meal
From her tunnel of darkness she emerges
Like a horror on the fun-house ride
One venomous bite // and it’s all over
Then she’s back inside
************************************************
Photo: Dwight L. Roth
Traveling today on Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina I came across this beautiful web soaked in the dew of a heavy overhanging fog. Its amazing engineering is breathtaking, as it reflected in the water drops shimmering in the morning light. Amazing something so beautiful can be a web of death. Much like the rest of our life. The things that shimmer and shine sometimes bring our demise!
Web of Death
In her dark tunnel she hides
Lying in wait for the blazing sun
Dew drops clinging to her web
Breathing quietly with the patience of Job
Knowing lunch comes as soft breezes will blow
Her web of death for unwitting insects
Entangled in her shimmering threads
Thin as fiber optics strong as steel
Once entangled they are her next meal
From her tunnel of darkness she emerges
Like a horror on the fun-house ride
A venomous bite and it’s all over
Then she’s back inside
