New Leaf celebrates the National Day of whatever it is

[Dunc]

Malinda

Maps for Lost Lovers ─ Maps offer such illumination at times, short cuts, scenic routes, Here there be Tygers; centre, limit and point.

Caramel Popcorn Lune ─ that sounds quite delicious! The perfect mouthful.

Lazy Lune ─ heh! A picture of complete relaxation ...

Welcome back!

Regards / Dunc

[Jee Leong]

Hi, Malinda. Thanks for the introduction to the Lunes. I like how you play against both the syllable and word counts. "Vacuum cleaner naps" sounds like a sigh of relief.

[new leaf]

Sarah, Rob, Donna, Dunc, and Jee, how nice to see you all again, too! Yes, we all enjoyed our lazy day together, but don't tell anyone - it wasn't the first time.

Onward, with both my challenge entries done, thanks to National Farm Animal day. It was going to be about baby goats, but Laurie's rules brought to mind a story from twenty-odd years ago.

[new leaf]

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Catventory

The softest cushion on the sofa,
catnip stuffed in a flannel mouse,

the brightest sunlight in the window
shining warm upon my back,

A bird to watch in the linden tree,
a nap on the grass in the afternoon,

The highest perch upon the shelf,
a pen to push around the desk,

the most delicious dish of fish,
a lick of yogurt for dessert,

the plumpest pillow on the bed:
all of these belong to me.


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National All is Ours Day

[new leaf]

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Silence is a Sea

A giant conch slides
from its shell for a walk;
a shark glides under the waves.

A jellyfish floats,
pale as a cloud in the ocean sky
over sea urchins, starfish, anemones.

Under an Antarctic iceberg,
shrimp kidnap snails
with nary a squeal

while corals in the Pacific
soundlessly suffer unseasonal heat
they cannot understand.


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National Day of Silence
criminal shrimp

[Janelo]

Wow Malinda! Silence is just gorgeous. Catventory has the perfect voice of feline self-satisfaction.

I think I was mistaken that you had stopped posting and will make my way all the way through your thread over the next few days!

Jane

[new leaf]

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Eleanor, Margaret, and Julia

Three handsome hens, dressed in iridescent feathers,
lived in a loft with a ladder to the yard.

Snugly surrounded with a wire mesh enclosure,
they dined each day on the choicest grains and seeds.

They exercised their thighs scratching grubs and wormy treats,
and we often tossed them dandelions and daisies for dessert.

When they were plump enough, the fox broke through the fence
and left their feathers scattered, bloody, on the ground.

We missed their eggs, their ebony gowns, their scarlet coifs and wattles,
but most of all the cheerful chatter of their voices in the air.

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named in memory of E. Roosevelt, M. Truman, and J. Child - and their voices
National Farm Animals Day

[Scrow]

'Silence' is beautiful, and a point well-made at the end. The poor hens, too - I love how you use the colour here - from the decked out hens to the blood from the fox.

Sarah

[cookala]

heya Malinda - good to see you're back!
Maps for Lost Lovers - is an exceptional found poem. everything works in this, very nice!
both lunes are wonderful - esp the caramel popcorn one. delicious, that mix of sweet and salt, yes!
Catventory- is a very clever list poem. the images are spot on as is the tone. and the final line is perfect.
Silence is a Sea - I love this one, being a huge fan of anything ocean related. "pale as a cloud in the ocean sky" is brilliant (and made me green!!!) love that bit. perfect last line, too. gosh you are so good at those enders!!
Eleanor, Margaret, and Julia- awww. sad tale. love the lush sonics and images in this. good use of color to effect.

[billdozer]

Hey there. Glad you're in it. Silence is a sea is beautiful. The lunes were fun. The catventory rings true. And I listened to part of the YouTube link for Overheard. Oh my, that Chicago accent and the cussing is rich! But your poem points the way back to the complex, ancient fauna.

[Sorella]

Oh you are back! I am fascinated by Julia Child -- the Hens made my day -- that last line!
Lazy is terrific!
Good to read you, a treat.
Sorella

[Dunc]

Malinda

Catventory ─ yes, that sounds about right, "all of these belong to me" on cat first principles.

Silence is a Sea ─ yes, yes, yes and yes, though our ******* government knows nothing of this.

Eleanor, Margaret and Julia ─ that's sad. I assume it wasn't a case of the fox beating N to it, but rather the interruption of long and happy chook lives. "their ebony gowns" is perfect.

Love ya work!

Regards / Dunc

[new leaf]

I have a lot of catch-up to do if I'm going to row myself out of the doldrums, where I suspected from the beginning that I would go.

Bill, Tony is a fabulous botanist and a rare character. He has nothing good to say about human incursion on the natural world.

Dunc, we were so fond of our girls, and would never have hurt a plume on their heads.

Jane, Sarah, Cookie, Sorella, thank you all for your encouraging words. I'm glad to know the images come through for you.

[new leaf]

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Nanggala Lune

Fragments lie
deep in Bali Sea
final dive


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National Submarine Day
a Kelly lune

[new leaf]

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December 1999

Cypress bend their backs
against the gale.

Rows of poplars snap,
inflexible to the end.

The neighbor's ancient cedar tilts,
its roots arising from the soil,

and as their high stone wall collapses
it slowly settles in our yard.

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National Big Wind Day
Cyclone Lothar


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