The Thread Formerly Known as the 6T Thread

[Mrtenant]

The Shipwreck

Wandering the strange sea floor
Boulders of green and blue
Volcanic mounts dot the seafloor
Ancient and riddled with secret spaces
The kelp is especially thick
Running through my hands
A step forward and then back
Bubbles exhaled from my suit
Ancient and antique
Brass helmet and waterproof canvas
My harpoon stabs forward
More bubbles burst forth
At the great fish of blue and gold
Swimming lazily past
Light changes at its usual time
Casting the sea in an ethereal glow
And the fish go into a frenzy
Several come from hiding
Blacks, whites, blues, reds, purples
A kaleidoscope of sealife
Still I plod towards the ancient shipwreck
Exhaling bubbles with regularity
I will reach it, must reach it
It is why I am here

 

[cascadiabound]

December hot tub
Cold breeze kicks up spray
Running to the roof in bare feet
Shrugging off blanket wrap
climbing into the hot water
A novel pleasure
City rooftop on the shore
The cityscape twinkles
Even the twin highways
sparkle with moving lights
Give me this pleasure every day
My body releases tension
This eve of Christmas eve

 

[Mrtenant]

Christmas Heat

Where is the snow and ice
That once graced the season
Glorious moon and starlight
Once gleamed across the frost
I could see my breath in the cold
Whiskey warming my insides
How I felt the cold biting my ears
Nipping my nose at night

Today, the steady southwinds blow
Making a mockery of past Winters
Christmas Eve on the front porch
Sipping lemonades instead of cocoa
Wearing short pants and teeshirts
Lighting evergreen scented candles
Scented pine cones from the store
Sweat trickling down my back

Yet my heart aches more for the lost
Those neighbors visited by tragedy
Fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers
Our people that have passed away
Leaving us to pick up the pieces
We who hold each other in the storm
Offering hollow words and prayers
What else can any of us do

Looking towards the night sky
Surrounded by stars of hope
Pinpoints of shining examples
The small things we can do
To ease the suffering of our people
Aid the sick, feed the hungry
Provide clean air and water
Comfort survivors in their need

Be it hours or minutes
Some grand gesture if you must
Touch one life on one day
Our time is so short
Giving hope giving grace
Giving warm long hugs for miles
Maybe the heat isn't so bad
I can still hope for a cool breeze

 

[Mrtenant]

Cherry Blossom

There ain't no Safeguard
There aint no Old Spice
There aint no Irish Spring
Just a shot of cherry blossom

Yea today,

I smell like cherry blossoms
Just like cherry blossoms
Yea cherry blossoms

Gotta do the yardwork
Gotta clean the garage
Gotta split the firewood
A day's worth of dirt and grime

But today,

I smell like cherry blossoms
Just like cherry blossoms
Yea cherry blossoms

Got a date tonight with my girl
Dinner at a posh restaurant
Dancing the night away
Might even get lucky, yo!

Still today,

I smell like cherry blossoms
Just like cherry blossoms
Yea che cherry blossoms

Workin a day at the office
Big meeting with the man
Conferences with the customers
Workin that promotion

And yea, today

I smell like cherry blossoms
Just like cherry blossoms
Yea cherry blossoms

There ain't no Safeguard
There aint no Old Spice
There aint no Irish Spring
Gimme that sweet bodywash

Cuz today,

Ima smell like cherry blossoms
Just like cherry blossoms
Yea cherry blossoms

Gonna smell like cherry blossoms
Smell like cherry blossoms
Smell like cherry blossoms
Oooh yea cherry blossoms
Gonna smell like cherry blossoms baby
Just like cherry blossoms
All day yea
Just like cherry blossoms

 

[cascadiabound]

The
Santa
problem gets
worse every year
recruiters have tried
To sell him the idea
"Redheads make the best Santas"
His full beard now a snowy white
And bright blue eyes do twinkle
Causing strangers to say
"Hey there, Santa Claus!"
Perhaps it's time
To accept
Santa's
Hat

 

[Mrtenant]

(29-12/26/21)

Down By The Sea

"No please, no not tonight
My heart is heavy
And the day has been long"
Your plead for relief
Oh I could not agree more
In a world grown colder
With the dead and the dying
And yet the call is always there
The call to reach for life and living
Come with me my love
The ocean calls us
Even in the depths of Winter
Sweeping us away
Meeting the wind on the water
Wistful guitar strings in the air
Inviting you to join with me
Singing Hallelujah together
At a campfire by the sea
With the music of the surf
A perfect end to our song
Taking you up into my arms
With a searing kiss
A slow dance across the strand
My hand around your waist
Peering into your gleaming eyes
Green, blue, and gold nebulae
Reflecting the stars all around
How could I not dream
Of a love that is eternal
Closing my eyes
Tasting your kiss
Stumbling and cursing
Laughing and knowing
The best way to honor the fallen
Is with the love we share
Sealing this event
Beyond compare

 

[cascadiabound]

(29-12/26/21)

Down By The Sea

"No please, no not tonight
My heart is heavy
And the day has been long"
Your plead for relief
Oh I could not agree more
In a world grown colder
With the dead and the dying
And yet the call is always there
The call to reach for life and living
Come with me my love
The ocean calls us
Even in the depths of Winter
Sweeping us away
Meeting the wind on the water
Wistful guitar strings in the air
Inviting you to join with me
Singing Hallelujah together
At a campfire by the sea
With the music of the surf
A perfect end to our song
Taking you up into my arms
With a searing kiss
A slow dance across the strand
My hand around your waist
Peering into your gleaming eyes
Green, blue, and gold nebulae
Reflecting the stars all around
How could I not dream
Of a love that is eternal
Closing my eyes
Tasting your kiss
Stumbling and cursing
Laughing and knowing
The best way to honor the fallen
Is with the love we share
Sealing this event
Beyond compare

 

[Mrtenant]

<title>

Standing in the framed round entry
Between the library and the hall
Backlit by the christmas tree
Placed just so, against the wall

Wearing that one hot chemise
Smooth violet night satin
She knows just how to tease
While sipping her manhattan

That look in her eye
Dangerous tilt of her hip
Definitely not shy
And biting her lip

I drop what I'm writing

 

[Mrtenant]

Winter Tales

Tall tales by candlelight
Dancing flame of merriment
Warming our spirits
Adventures of life and love
Shared with old friends and new
Sipping whiskey sours
Toasting wines and beer
How the glasses chime
Amongst ourselves
And for those who have gone on
Being glad of heart
That we, yes we are still here
Here at the end of all things
Where tall tales become legends
All on a New Years Eve
Where new adventures are born
With anticipation and glee
It will be a fine year indeed
With friends like these
The countdown starts

 

[cascadiabound]

Pandemic purgatory
An apt description
Of this never-ending cycle
Infections, hospitalizations
Tests, vaccines, masks, quarantines
A constant remaking of our reality
Reassessing risks
And wondering
Is it safe to get groceries today?
The weight of this unceasing pandemic
Even disturbs my sleep
Awaking with a start
The memory of a positive test
Imprinted on my anxious brain

Pandemic purgatory
Every call is covid now
all else scorched by the virus
My decades of nursing work
inadequate to address
The worry
The questions
The unknowns
My heart aching
As I lament just how little
I have to offer in terms of real help
Leaning hard on empathy
And a shared sense of helplessness
I pray again and again
For good outcomes

Pandemic purgatory
thirty days of exile
our aged and infirm friends
endure isolation and loneliness
such dire precautions
for an invisible foe
no shared meals
no morale boosting activities
moon-suited caregivers
shuffle in and out
struggling to connect
smiling eyes peek out
above muffling masks
the struggle is real
as one by one
and now in droves
my coworkers leave medicine
forever

 

[cascadiabound]

Palindrome poem

Amazing oak
Baby acorn sprouts
Leaves unfurling
Prayerful in tribute,
heart open

ordinary but sacred

Life continues
year to year
Past links future
This soil, God of dirt
Envelopes, enfolds, renews

Grief released

Tears like rain,
streaming again.
Hope may spring eternal.

Spring may hope again,
Streaming rain like tears
Released grief
Renews, enfolds, envelopes
Dirt of God- Soil

This future links past – year to year
continues life

sacred but ordinary
open heart tribute, now prayerful
unfurling leaves, sprouts
Acorn
baby oak
amazing

 

[cascadiabound]

palindrome two

Quiltmaker
stitching
stumbling,
fussing
muddled, not muddy
guide my eyes,
my hand sorting

sorting, editing, adding
bright colorful fabric
shades and tones
prints stacked - emboldened
bold and whimsical
textured and subtle

order in contrast
desaturate
palette sorted

ready now
dissemble, assembled
cacophony of color

art collage
cut, stitched, ripped, sewn again
geometric lines
quilterly lines
geometric again

sewn ripped, stitched
cut collage
art

color of cacophony assembled
dissemble now
ready yourself –
sorted palette
desaturate

contrast in order
subtle and textured
whimsical and bold
emboldened

stacked prints
tones and shades
fabric
colorful bright
adding, editing, sorting,
Sorting hand
My eyes my guide
muddy not muddled
fussing,
stumbling, stitching
quiltmaker

 

[Mrtenant]

One Night Stand (song)

It's a Saturday night
Time to get dressed
Put on my boots
And some cologne I guess
Going to get me a girl
And love her all night

I knew what I was looking for

She's gonna be right
Super sweet and so tight
Dressed up pure in all white
Yea, she's a pretty little sprite
Lord, she makes me high as kite
You know, a romantical sight

And this is how it went...

Well I found her there
Just as I hoped
A breath of fresh air
And her lavender soap
Her hair was light brown
With blue eyes and white dress

She told me something though

I'm just looking for one
A guy that's real young
A need a guy that's real hung
Yea, a rich guy that's all rung
Another guy so good with his tongue
You know, a guy that's so fun

Well, this is what I said

Baby, you come to the right place
Come right over here and sit on my face
If that aint enough, I'm hung just in case
Got enough cash for satin and lace
I'm young enough darling but it aint a race
Let's love all night and I'll set the pace

And that's what we did

It's a Sunday morning
And I'm here all alone
She was just as I hoped
Swinging out of bed with a groan
A whirlwind of loving
And my story's all done

Until next weekend

 

[cascadiabound]

Black cat, fort cat
Bold green eyes, unflinching
Prowling the perimeter
Sleeping in the blankets
Or curled in the laundry basket
So many hiding places

Black cat, lost cat
Where did she go?
Dark forest consumed her
Prey of coyote or cougar?
Days, weeks, months elapsed
Little black cat gone gone gone

Black cat, miracle cat
More than two years gone
Where has she been?
Chip tag returns her
Will she stay now?
Or wander again?
A cat called hope

 

[cascadiabound]

until next weekend
must we wait?
until next weekend
it's a date
until next weekend
tapping my toe
until next weekend
lets go go go
until next weekend
Ima dreaming of you
until next weekend
tell me we aint through
until next weekend
I'll be daydreaming too
until next weekend
please don't make me wait
until next weekend
my mind may agitate
until next weekend
promise me true
until next weekend
don't make me blue
until next weekend
your heat will warm me
until next weekend
my heart will beat for thee

 

[Youroldscotsman]

until next weekend
must we wait?
until next weekend
it's a date
until next weekend
tapping my toe
until next weekend
lets go go go
until next weekend
Ima dreaming of you
until next weekend
tell me we aint through
until next weekend
I'll be daydreaming too
until next weekend
please don't make me wait
until next weekend
my mind may agitate
until next weekend
promise me true
until next weekend
don't make me blue
until next weekend
your heat will warm me
until next weekend
my heart will beat for thee

Loved this so much.

 

[cascadiabound]

Deschutes, Chehalis, Nisqually
Newaukum, Skokomish
Skookumchuck and Snoqualmie
Rising waters, king tide flood
Overtopping roads, dams
Supply chain stoppage
North south – flooded highway
East west – fathoms of snow
Anxiety rising with the water
Trapped by conditions
Layers of isolation
There is a flood of virus
Overtopping our community
A flood of waters
A firestorm of infection
Where can I drown my sorrows?

 

[cascadiabound]

Annesplaining

Mansplaining Annesplaining
a meeting run off the rails
while numbers too many obscure realities
and rationale hides intentions
Assurance every possible scenario
has been taken well into account
behind the document they call
the Dead Sea Scrolls
(they so blithely offend)
Every moment irks more
as we trip into a third hour
invitations to participate obviated
by public chiding to not participate
via chat
when did a zoom message to all
become a side conversation?
The power these elected now wield
makes them fixated on
funds they can now demand
regardless of ability to pay
or the hardship it may cause

Mansplaining Annesplaining
do you not see
lacking transparency
will undo the good will of
neighbors and friends?
The imagined urgency of this or that
does not comport,
should not compute
but this fiefdom of seven
will override all
by an impossible to attain
majority
How dare you bury the lead
dramatic changes ahead
how powerless we are
to oppose your will
Might as well
just write the check

 

[cascadiabound]

Simple gold band
A steady companion over 62 years
Circle of love, never broken
Encompassed and safe
Within the promises kept
Decade after decade
State after state
Through school and parenthood
Work, volunteerism, travel and play
The passing of generations
Always
Simple gold band
Adorning her hand
Until her mind went wandering
Lost in the fog
Neural pathways disrupted
Where is home?
What is happening tomorrow
Are you my Joe?
Simple gold band
A most precious thing
Hidden from herself and all others
Surely for safekeeping
Is anything safe
In dementia land?
Where sequestering items
Is a compulsion
Simple gold band
Perhaps you will emerge
From between the couch cushions
Or the potted fern
In any case
Too late now
The band is missing
From her hand
In eternal rest

 

[Winter_Fare]

Today is heavy
Evening fades to night

Walking home
Home to you
Lit by amber lights
Lead feet stalled by
Creeping walls of traffic

Needing you
The feel of you
Chest against face
Arms around shoulders
Your voice

Draws me to bed
Leaving darker words unsaid

 

[cascadiabound]

Dull sky, smudged and stained
Matches my mood
Darkened further by visions of
patients waiting
In Fords, subarus and mazdas
Bucket toting nurses
skuttle back and forth
Shrouded in gowns and shields
Beat down by repetition
Rude self righteousness demanding
Ivermictin, dry mist, god knows what next

Blackened monitors
My face mirrored double
Spinning think-delay
Patient demands numerous
As those Flickering pixels
Calls unceasing
recode, decode, record
N95 filters every breath
A staccato of innunciation
Obscuring compassion
Under dozens of demands
Referral, refill, refuse, refute
Shifting protocols, hypervigilance
Risk assessment variables
Unsteady as a tilt a wheel
Disorienting in this not so fun house

We bleed dismay and morale
Leaching that call to serve
Until it's a mere shadow
Resiliance broken by whiplash
One grateful for small favors
Next angry and recalcitrant
Denying science and expertise
Feels like a debilitating strobe light
Peircing my muddled mind
Depleted, demoralized, devoid
That once bright spark
Reduced to a smudge

 

[Mrtenant]

Pathways

In the dreaming dark
She prays for a light
To illuminate the path
That has always been

A simple phrase
Even simpler meter
Reach for me there
Tomorrow or today

With your candle lit
A thin braid glistens
Among the foamy mass
An ocean of hair

Earrings and badges
Trinkets of warmth
Thoughtful gifts
To bring you home

Leave it behind
This dreaming darkness
I am your guide
Breathe in and all the way out

 

[cascadiabound]

Pathways

In the dreaming dark
She prays for a light
To illuminate the path
That has always been

A simple phrase
Even simpler meter
Reach for me there
Tomorrow or today

With your candle lit
A thin braid glistens
Among the foamy mass
An ocean of hair

Earrings and badges
Trinkets of warmth
Thoughtful gifts
To bring you home

Leave it behind
This dreaming darkness
I am your guide
Breathe in and all the way out

 

[cascadiabound]

Magenta and orange streaked sky
Stunning colors steal my breath
En-bayed water liquid gold
Silhouetted ferry traverses
Swirling silver grey currents
Falling temperature forms fog
Spilling from cedar tops
Blanketing the waters
Pink tinged sky smudges grey
Little lights dot the shore
Salish sea nightfall

 

[cascadiabound]

5 o'clock summer sun presides over
Receding winter's day tide
Two hours past noon
White noise of messy surf
Growling waves rising, form a half mile out
Close waves rear into a kicking chorus line
White froth glints and falls back
Polished cobbles grey black green
Seastack silhouette
Washed in the falling tide
January north coast beach