pic-a-thon

[Angeline]

the Web

At first I thought the web was over some repaired screen or something. Is that what the spiders are like in sp's neighborhood? They certainly don't do that around my neck of the woods! (Around here though they're probably toxic or radioactive or something--first they weave, then they eat the Garden State Parkway.)

 

[smithpeter]

if three devices
are suitable,
so be it
you soviet

 

[Angeline]

Breathing Without Oxygen

When laying on the bed is not enough
there are still memories that lie cupped
under the sorrow of moons that passed
through the sky joining time from loss to
loss without forgetting that even numberless
stars born anew in the heavens each night
project their own time and time was relative
anyway when we walked to the swim
club or rode bikes around the block
around and around as if we were riding
to the beach we said or as if you were
flying. It came as no surprise when
you flew away one night in December.
So why should I wonder why all these years
later I still don’t understand why the stars
are as bright now as they were in the 1970s
when the Sun went supernova and I began
learning how to breathe without oxygen.

 

[Rybka]

Re: Breathing Without Oxygen

When laying on the bed is not enough
there are still memories that lie cupped
under the sorrow of moons that passed
through the sky joining time from loss to
loss without forgetting that even numberless
stars born anew in the heavens each night
project their own time and time was relative
anyway when we walked to the swim
club or rode bikes around the block
around and around as if we were riding
to the beach we said or as if you were
flying. It came as no surprise when
you flew away one night in December.
So why should I wonder why all these years
later I still don’t understand why the stars
are as bright now as they were in the 1970s
when the Sun went supernova and I began
learning how to breathe without oxygen.

May I suggest A. MacLeish's Epistle to be left in the Earth

. . . It is colder now, there are many stars, we are drifting
North by the Great Bear, the leaves are falling,
The water is stone in the scooped rocks, to southward
Red sun grey air:

The crows are slow on their crooked wings, the jays have left us:
Long since we passed the flares of Orion,

Each . . . believes in his heart he will die,
Many have written last thoughts and last letters.

None know if our deaths are now or forever:
None know if this wandering earth will be found.

We lie down and the snow covers our garments.
I pray you, you (if any open this writing)
Make in your mouths the words that were our names.

I will tell you all we have learned, I will tell you everything:

The earth is round, there are springs under the orchards,
The loam cuts with a blunt knife,

Beware of elms in thunder, the lights in the sky are stars—

We think they do not see, we think also
The trees do not know nor the leaves of the grasses hear us:
The birds too are ignorant.

Do not listen. Do not stand at dark in the open windows.

We before you have heard this: they are voices

They are not words at all but the wind rising.
Also none among us has seen God.

(. . . We have thought often
The flaws of the sun in the late and driving weather
Pointed to one tree but it was not so.)

As for the nights I warn you the nights are dangerous:
The wind changes at night and the dreams come.

It is very cold, there are strange stars near Arcturus.

Voices are crying an unknown name in the sky.




Regards,                       Rybka

 

[Angeline]

ohhh TY Rybka

You are making me fall in love with MacLeish. This is the second of his poems that you've posted that i adore.

 

[Angeline]

Blues Haikus

Blue Skies: a jazz song
Five in the morning right now
my head full of jazz

Jazz and poetry
always seem the same to me
improvisation

When I write a poem
My pen is an instrument
I am playing words

Poetic rhythms
are as musical as song
just listen for them

Mine have a rhythm
of smokey clubs and the blues
my heart belongs there

I don't understand
why this music so pulls me
well maybe I do

The blues born in pain
elevated to art form
that is beautiful

The blues born in pain
speak the human condition
to live is to hurt

But remake your pain
wail it through a tenor sax
change it to pleasure

Offer your sadness
to a voice that rocks rhythm
a transformation

This is paradox
exquisite and meaningful
making joy from pain

 

[OT]

manufactured men

overnight forces
change the structure of power

fragile corporations collapse
when
minions melt
and decay

 

[Angeline]

That Guy!

That little guy is quite the active one, isn't he? LOL

 

[Guest]

Brrrr!

Poor, little naked dude! Warm that little buggar up! He's so cold he has terminal shrinkage!

GP

 

[Palau]

always want willing
get hesitant thrill,
the embarking
down spine with tongue tip

then lower
to boot tips
with yellow socks
with black stripes

peeking
winking
blushing
screaming

 

[Angeline]

John

When in vanity before glasses
He sang with head jut forward
And knees slightly bent
His eyes searching we thought
Perhaps for one of us though
We now know he saw only blurs

The lips stretched thin around
The words he must have sang
Those songs thousands of times
But when he looked at Paul or
George the smile would reach
His eyes and he was real for them

Or seriously bending toward his
Harp you almost saw him looking
Inward focused on the multitasks
Harmonic whine lips dancing while
rhythm strums and foot in motion
Beating lost above the screams

But O the voice that rolled out
Of that mouth past strong teeth
And one just slightly crooked
His voice spread beyond his
pointed chin and wrapped around
microphone captured me easily as air

Drawn in deep that honest voice
Awoke my heart and still so many
Years from then the raw and simple
Plea of him trying to hide his love
Away unlocked abiding love was
All I needed then and evermore.

 

[Angeline]

Iambic Caveat

He smiles at her and he sends her flowers
A brace of parrot tulips for her eyes
His words her laughter eat up the hours
Though at times they pause giving voice to sighs

It seems a game of pretty illusion
As delicate as it is sweet to taste
Both so sure they can avoid confusion
confident characters with two hearts chaste

And yet the line is so easily crossed
When a spark flares into desire’s flame
Then on uncertain seas are lovers tossed
Washed weak ashore in this virtual game

Thus dear one she must this caution impart:
Fall with eyes open to preserve your heart

 

[Cordelia]

awe

So I thought I should start reading some of these threads top to bottom...

Three hours later, and I am immersed in verse. You guys are inspiring!

Pardon me...I must go write. I have a pic that is screaming for a poem. More to come.

Cordelia

 

[Angeline]

Oooooh a Cordie poem!

Pardon me...I must go write. I have a pic that is screaming for a poem. More to come.

Cordelia

Bring it on! Anything you add will only improve the thread, I know!

 

[Cordelia]

haiku

Look up! Mouths agape
We bit the bait of beauty
Caught on color hooks

cast from science rods
aesthetic lures dangling by
thermodynamics

 

[Angeline]

Hot Air Balloons

Just gorgeous--poem and pic. Did you take that?

 

[Cordelia]

Thanks, Angeline.

Yes, I took that picture.

I was watching 120 balloons rise in about an hour and a half with a field full of people. We were all looking up and gaping and it occurred to me that we looked like fish waiting to be caught.

This isn't the best picture I took, but it conveys the image I saw of giant fishermen.

Thanks for the comment.

Cordelia

 

[Lauren Hynde]

bumping this because Laurel and Manu are going to delete the attachments in older inactive threads...

 

[WickedEve]

I wonder if that's why I had a problem posting pics in pic-a-thon II? I had to upload to some space of mine and then attach the pic that way.

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Yes. Apparently Lit is running low on attachment space, they need to clean up the house...

 

[WickedEve]

I can understand that. We don't have many attachments on the poetry board but GB, and of course, amateur pic board is full of att. I can only imagine the space and bandwidth that is getting used.