Here you will find photos, poetry, and possibly somelight-heartedfoolishness. For the Heavier Side of JzB see my other blog, Retirement Blues. (There be dragons!)
I claim copyright and reserve all rights for my original material of every type and genre.
Every day visits* From Moose, Goose, and Orb Weaver All seized by Haiku
"Why moose and goose?" you may ask. Back on 2/04/13 Pirate wrote a haiku with an elk in it, and I responded with one with a moose and then included him every day. A few days later in comments Mystic asked "Where's the goose?" So I started including her with this post on 2/07. A week later on the 14th, Mark Readfern asked for and received a spider. The rest is history.
*Well, most days, anyway. Grant me a bit of poetic license.
"I love to challenge you to write/compose an all new haiku (or tanka) in
response on that haiga ... and if you think you can make a haiga
yourself within 24 hours than you may also submit a haiga."
UPDATE 2/11/15 for The Imaginary Garden Tuesday Platform [a day late]
Since it's all about the stage and the applause, I'll take this opportunity to blow my own horn - literally.
~~::~~
Carpe Diem theme originally from Nov 7, 2012.
My grandson Nate is a smart, healthy boy. He'll be 12 1/2 on Valentine's day.
But he got off to a rough start. He was born with transposition of the great arteries - his pulmonary artery and aorta were hooked up in reverse. So instead of a complete circulatory system, he had two closed loops. Fortunately, this condition was observed in an ultrasound. So he was born at Mott's Children's Hospital at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where fixing these things is a matter of routine.
When he was born, he turned blue immediately. But the neo-natal cardiac team was on high alert and quickly performed a radical procedure that stabilized him until the open-heart surgery could be performed a week later.
It was a success, and everything turned out well. Which is pretty remarkable since they opened him up like a clam, and the great arteries in a newborn have about the same diameter as a pencil lead.
So I wrote this song for him. A blues of course. A minor blues for a little guy. The barely audible bass riff at the beginning and end is supposed to represent a heart beat. There is other symbolism in the song's construction, some of which was unconscious. Trombone solo by me.
And, after the fact, a Carpe Diem Freestyle opportunity. We have Nate and Em two days a week this Summer. It can be a lot of work, but these moments are fleeting, and not to be missed.
The damned thing is still following me. All morning, throughout the day, even at sunset - especially at sunset - sticking to me like a tail pinned on a donkey. Silent, always so silent, and moving more stealthily than I ever could. No doubt it's even a better dancer than I, no matter how hard I stomp on it. So resolute, it never leaves me alone . . . until I turn off the lights.
~:~:~
mine hides behind me
of the light but not in it
leaves me in darkness
~:~:~
Here's a bonus at no extra charge - a poem my granddaughter Alexa wrote two years ago when she was in the 5th grade.
SHADOWS
With a shadow by your side
You'll never be alone,
Even down the emptiest street
Of a deserted town,
Down a long, twisted road
Both of you walk together,
With haunting memories
Following close behind,
Ghosts of memories
That will never leave your side.
Our granddaughter Amanda is a wonderful dancer and, with her early September birthday, also a Virgo. She has been accepted to attend a week-long summer intensive program in New York with the Rockettes this summer, finishing off with a performance at Radio City Music Hall. Here is a video of her as the Sugar Plum Fairy in a local production of the Nutcracker from last December. Full disclosure: she is my lovely wife's granddaughter - but we do play nicely together and share.
My lovely wife and I have a blended family. Her two sons and my son and daughter have blessed us with the eleven grandchildren you can see in the picture. We've been taking kids-on-the-couch pictures since there were only three of them, over a decade ago. Now they spill off on all sides.
On the couch, from the left: Rebekka, Ryan, Nate, Abby, Josh, Amanda, Danny and Alexa. On the floor: Samantha, Emily and Lauren.
We have eleven Beautiful, smart talented Grandchildren to share
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Dancers and athletes Thespians and musicians They fill us with pride
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I am thankful for Our children - and that they brought Us these grandchildren
For Thanksgiving we had all 11 grandchildren [and their parents] together at our house. This only happens one or twice a year, so it's always a special time for all involved.
I thought it might be fun to find a phrase to start each of 13 haiku to employ our baker's dozen words. So I went to page 56 of my old paperback copy of Charles deLint's short story collection The Ivory And The Horn, and in the story "The Forest Is Crying" found this sentence. "So he only had two images of them: down and out, or dressed in khaki, carrying an assault rifle."
Then the wordle words cried out to me. So I cooperated with the inevitable. And now I am crying.
Reflections at Sandy Hook An assault rifle Quickest way to top off Your list of victims
An assault rifle speaks. Now no way to lighten Grief for those families
An assault rifle Brings to visibility A madman's sickness
An assault rifle Speaks. Nothing to listen to But report and screams
An assault rifle Blast signalling the end of An innocent life
An assault rifle Slicks the corridors with pools Of innocent blood
An assault rifle Leaves no time for a gentle Sigh - just violent death
An assault rifle Speaks death. Responder rushes To the scene . . . Too late
An assault rifle Scratches at the psychopath's Wild murderous itch
An assault rifle Left no doubt about how the event unfolded
An assault rifle Reflected in the glassy Stare of madman's eyes
An assault rifle Pierces a milky tableau Leaving children dead
An assault rifle And predictably we have One more tragic end
