Aarrgghh!!

[HowardM2]

"Small Song: Weathering"

One last wisteria raceme,
faded and torn, resists
dissolution in heavy rain.
Sometimes, even slimmest stems
. . . . . . . . . hold.

[cookala]

hi Howard!
Snack – yes, how time erodes our memories. love the mice nibbling.
Succession – love the metaphor in this. so much is said with just a few words, nice.
Bouquet – this has an ominous tone to it, great word choices/descriptives in this chilled me.
Followed – I really like this a lot, the idea of being stalked by your own feet is fresh. this is a fun small song!
Glimpse – don’t you just hate it when that happens and you have to feel the muck squishing between your toes? yucky feeling but I still enjoyed it (the poem, not the memory of squishing)
Fuliginous – I had to look that up. sooty, smoky. love your green stars, and lots of great images in this.
Playlist - oh, those skreeks, and rattles, too. they drive me nuts. I liken the skreek to nails on a chalkboard. so offensive to one’s ears. I guess the pizza makes it worth it!
Transmutation – oh, yum. love this one for it’s sonics and images. brilliant.
Sundered – sundered and orphaned are great word choices. this has layers to it, “ but without role /
in any larger scheme of things”
Weathering – the proverbial hanging by a thread. seems to be a lot of that going on these days with covid running rampant. strong images set up the ending well.
so, Happy Easter to you and yours, Howard.

[prokopton]

Weathering – bent but not broken, a strong emotion. I was rooting for the wisteria! Ahem.

Sundered – larger scheme? That stretches the imagination, I mean Capella is 42 light years hence. Capella to Pollux is about 35 degrees, so huge distance. Anyway it got my attention. Made me think. We are getting rather insular with this quarantine thing. We need the kind of perspective you bring us.

Transmutation – the alliteration and the sonics of the T sounds work wonderfully well, ahem, as do the M&Ms. Nice

Playlist evokes vivid sound images and the rain reference makes me think of “petals on a wet, black bough.”

Good reading you, H. Thx.

G.

[DeniseD]

Hi Howard,

I'm glad you decided to post more small songs. These are pleasing to the heart and the ear. And, for such short pieces they are meaningful and layered. Keep them coming.

[HowardM2]

Thanks, everyone; I appreciate your taking the time to read and comment.

Attention diverted by outside events today; back to fluffing tomorrow.

[HowardM2]

"Small Song: Plop!"
(with serious apologies
to Matsuo Bashô)

Into the old pond
the old poet jumps, naked.
Look away! Quickly!

[Dunc]

Howard

Sundered reminds me of a clock with its cogs on the table. I'm beguiled to become aware of an aspect of my own sense of the heavens through what you point out.

Weathering is another vivid image, and your typography at the end serves exactly, not something that's always true of typography.

Plop! is pure brilliance, contender for Best in Show.

I say it every time, but your touch with these is very impressive.

Regards / Dunc

[Scrow]

Hi,

I love ‘Plop!’. I was laughing at it as I took a walk in the bluebell woods tonight, wondering if the green dank pond had ever seen an old poet jump in it, and if it did, would they come out with green hair. You and Dunc, your poems brighten each April night (for different reasons).

Weathering is beautiful, too - Although I have had to edit my original post as I mistook clematis for wisteria. I am better with ground flowers.

Sarah

[kristalynn]

Out of the last several of these I have read, "Playlist" stands out. So relatable and funny. I will be back for more of these little gems.

[alondra]

Thanks for Transmutation´s handful of beauty, Howard. These days, I think we need it more than ever!

[HowardM2]

Thanks, everyone. Slowly forging ahead on fluffing.

[HowardM2]

"Small Song: Speculation"

The thick scent of potting soil
gives way to the more vigorous tangs
of rosemary, thyme, dill,
as they're settled into terracotta
as investments in tomorrow.

[Emily Bronte]

Hi, Howard,

Great to see you back here.

This year in particular your thread is so restful to visit--a series of beautifully sharp observations of nature and people that pull me back into the moment.

Oh and your thread title expresses my current feelings in general in just one word.

Perfect.

Mari.

[Scrow]

Hi,

I like the idea of 'terracotta investments' which reminds me of the terracotta army, too. It's a lovely poem, and I enjoy the centraling of the scent of the soil. I agree with 'vigorous tangs' (I know rosemary, various sorts of thyme and dill) too, and wonder if Summer Savory would fall into this camp, or if it's too bitter.

Sarah

[HowardM2]

Thanks, Mari and Sarah; I appreciate your comments. I love Summer Savory immensely, but have to grow it from seed which I don't do very much these days as I no longer have a substantial herb garden; it is one of my 3 favorite fragrant herbs though, along with thyme and basil (rosemary comes in fourth for me, but who's counting? Oh, I was, wasn't I?)

Long day and an internet problem a bit earlier, so no fluffling again. Tomorrow.