Greens With Envy

Greens With Envy

Hyacinth hankers

for Holly’s berries.

Rue craves the scent

that Rosemary carries.

Ivy cites envy for Iris’s flower.

Erica covets Lavender’s power.

Veronica aches,

 (and I know this sounds silly)

but, she’d like to try soaking

in water – like Lily.

And Daffodil spills

she wishes that she

could be orange or red

(like Poppy instead)

while Poppy prefers

a bit darker hue –

maybe purple or blue –

more like Violet, who

while so dainty, petite,

thinks it might be quite neat

to be leggy and tall

instead of so small…

maybe bloom in the fall,

which makes Mum

rather glum,

as (despite her fall timing)

she’d much prefer spring

over everything.

It seems every plant –

in a pot, on a trellis

has a penchant for making

another one jealous

And it’s not just the flowers.

I beg of you, please,

don’t get me started

on shrubs, grass and trees.

PSC / 2019-Apr

After Words

PD photo - licensing info below

After Words

Some forgive

and disavow the pain,

ignore the slights and slurs,

deny the stain, cajoled  

to trusting leaves can ever turn,

while others live and yearn.

There’s no annulling words

once they’ve been cast.

You must merely refrain or

contend with the pain

 of untying knots

meant to last.

There’s no point

in ruing the blunder;

any judge in the county

can legally

put those bonds

asunder.

Still, it seems

a terrible waste

when all that remains

is the aftertaste, and

an afterimage that still

can make you yearn

yet the more you live

the more you know

and enduring is

the only way to learn

how afterglow

can preface afterburn.

PSC / 2019-Apr

Hornswoggled

photos by PSC

Hornswoggled

Earlier and earlier

every day,

I perceive the sky

lightening, brightening.

And the air fills

with trills of birdsong.

Peepers keep piping

the whole night long.

The calendar claims

it’s plainly spring,

but here’s the thing:

Even April admits

she’s a bit of a tease.

She relishes taunting.

She’ll flaunt a warm breeze

then crack you a wallop

that brings on a sneeze,

dropping you

to your knees.

Take today, for example:

all afternoon

it hasn’t been nice

falling pellets of ice

suggest spring’s

been enjoined;

or, perhaps

purloined –

fully pilfered,

swiped, nipped.

Either way,

I feel gypped.

PSC / 2019-Apr

Vincent van Gogh and Bob Ross

PD photo of Starry Night over the Rhone by Vincent van Gogh

PD photo of Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh

Link to: Van Gogh gallery - starry night painting

Copyright info re PD photos of Van Gogh's works:

Animal Intelligence

Animal Kingdom poster available on Amazon.com (link below) 

Animal Intelligence

Animals, beasts,

creatures, critters,

call them what you will,

and still, you must admit:

they've proven to exhibit

so many of our virtues

while pretemitting most

of our trespasses

Look closer, but

remove those

rosy glasses:

We humans offer

genocide, war and

greed, homicide,

denying those

in dire need,

pollution,

homelessness,

starvation,

hate infesting

every nation…

In point of fact,

(you may begrudge)

but when defining wisdom,

frankly, who are WE

to judge?

PSC / 2019-Apr

Additional readings on Animal Intelligence:

1. Animal intelligence: the smartest animal species in the world
2. New Scientist Daily Newsletter: LATEST IN ANIMAL-INTELLIGENCE
3.  Link to Animal Kingdom poster on Amazon.com

If I Sleep…

If I Sleep…

with the window open

I’ll surely be shivering,

quaking and quivering,

find frost on the pane

or rain on the sill

(or even worse still,

if especially chill)

a blanket of snow

on my bed;

and yet, (I’ll bet)

with the window closed,

I’ll be startled from sleep

by the shrill alarm’s beep

(a sound that I solidly dread)

and I’d much prefer

birdsong

instead.

PSC / 2019-Apr

YouTube Video & Audio info:

American Bird Conservancy - Published on Dec 19, 2014

American Robin photo by Kenneth Keifer, Shutterstock

Audio recorded in Vermont by Paul Marvin.

How Alarming!

Public Domain photo by Alan Cleaver

How Alarming! 

At half past December

she yawned with a sigh,

and said, “Wake me in June –

maybe early July”

(and then,

she headed on off to bed

still dreaming of dozing)

But, somehow,

instead…

awakenened (mistakenly?)

much too soon

(in the waning days

of the old worm moon)

not destined, alas,

 as summertime’s jewel,

but beckoned (I reckon)

to be April’s fool.

PSC/2019-Apr

Public Domain photo credits: photo by Alan Cleaver - originally posted to Flickr as Alarm Clock 3

(No edits have been made to this photo.) This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.

One More Blankety-blank Poem

(A Lightsome Limerick)

Desolate

photo by PSC / 2018-Nov

Desolate

For all

intents and purposes

he views the holidays as done

(even before they’ve begun.)

The light-hearted party’s con-

cluded, all the friendly laughter

and cordial conversations faded

away, burnt down to ash and

cinder; the lightsome guests,

family & friends, have

all gone home and

once again, he’s

wholly alone,

abandoned,

having been

(contrarily)

de-

lighted.

PSC / 2018-Nov

On Shaky Ground

public domain photo - credits below

On Shaky Ground

When the whole world shakes

a steady place to stand is

all you really need.

PSC / 2018-Nov PAD

public domain photo credits

One Lousy Poem

One Lousy Poem

Frankly,

at this point

(in time,

in my life,

in the world),

just trying

to write ONE

(lousy)

poem

(every.

single.

day.)

is too dang

ambitious

(or not

ambitious

enough.)

PSC / 2018-Nov PAD