sherku: dumpster

Your wish will come true

When it gets warm

We’ll do the deed

And toss what

We don’t need

My poetic promise for a dumpster to be delivered when it is warmer, poetically delivered for Christmas (and posted here after) so as not to spoil the surprise

Birthmas sestina

 Birthmas sestina - December 2021

Allison’s `birthmas` wish list called for a Satellite

Phone so she could go camping in the Wild.

Her mother would sleep better with such a Connection

Always possible. How often does Allison Explore?

Usually a week or two a year with her current Work

Schedule so buying a unit didn't seem too Practical. 

Moneywise it would seem more Practical

To choose from among the rental Satellite

Units. If her job requirements changed, Work

Might allow for more time in the Wild,

Or on the other hand, even less time to Explore

So the demand could vary for this type of Connection.

If the demand was for more Connection

Time, then the cost/benefit might make it more Practical

To review the purchase options and Explore

The real system services that such a Satellite

Phone would provide while out in the Wild

Or around, whether for play, or for Work.

With college admissions her current calling for Work,

The summertime is the ‘offseason’, so maintaining a Connection

When camping in the woods, or deep off the road, and in the Wild

Doesn't seem to be a major work factor. Some other Practical

Work calling could change the need for such a Satellite

Phone but we’ll cross that bridge or Explore

The options presented when the need to Explore

Is raised to a current requirement; that is, If her Work

Actually changes. In the meantime, a Satellite

Phone will remain elusive until the Connection

To a scheduled trip to the outdoors makes it Practical

And a periodic rental will be enabled to tame the Wild.

Let’s be clear, her mother’s wishes are not Wild.

Mothers nature is what it is and for Allison to Explore

Can run counter to the Practical

Desire of her mother to care and Work

For her children at all times. So a Connection

Can be helpful albeit expensive if by Satellite.

Hence, in Practical terms, a pending trip to the Wild 

Raising the need for a Satellite phone to carry and Explore

Whether for Work or play, should prompt a parental Connection to execute this gift.

For AMS

For those interested in what a "sestina" is, I used the following to come up with the format used here:

https://poets.org/glossary/sestina 

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/learn/glossary-terms/sestina 

https://study.com/learn/lesson/sestina-poem-structure-form.html

 

sherku: PFAS

So PFAS

Is so cruel

It's Teflon

Protection

Silently

May kill us

What is PFAS? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Per-_and_polyfluoroalkyl_substances

sherku: irony

The system

Designed to

Protect him

Punished him

For why he

Was protected

sherku: unfair

It's unfair

Why redo

The formula

Leaving so

Many kids 

Out of scope

sherku: indoor evergreen

Why bring indoor

An evergreen

String it with lights

And watch it

Slowly turn brown

Weightlessness

The task is on you. It is yours to do.
Large or small, it remains to be done

Procrastination can set in
You can find any number of things to do
To avoid facing the task 

Lyrics start dancing in my head
The song I knew, had known for years
Had heard the original by the Band
Listened to many covers

"Take a load off Fanny
Take a load for free
Take a load off Fanny
And (and, and) you put the load right on me
(You put the load right on me)"

It was catchy, could stick with you

Become a earworm
A term I discovered later would apply
To this sensation, this feeling 

Focus dispels the fog, clears the way
Sets the steps to action
Whether sweat is required or not
The action underway soon completes

Gradual and then all at once
The fog is gone, the weight is lifted
Life is free, possibilities abound
Until the next task comes around

"Take a load off Fanny
Take a load for free
Take a load off Fanny
And (and, and) you put the load right on me
(You put the load right on me)"

More on the earworm -> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earworm

The story behind the song "The Weight" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Weight

sherku: flywheel

Feed the flywheel

Trust the process

Keep all the info

Flowing to neighbors 

This realization crystalized during a conversation when receiving positive feedback

sherku: pumpkin seeds

Baked with oil

Lightly salted 

Hard to keep

Away from until

There are no more

(yes, it is that time of year)

sherku: there's hope

Under crystal blue sky

Autumn leaves 

A sense of

Hope here on

The Town Common

The Town Common

sherku - cross country quintet

*The start

Cross country
Foot stampede
Elbows out
Balancing
Staying on
Stride in the pack

*First mile

More room to 
Run, among
A few other
Hardy souls
Wondering
Why am I

*Second mile

Is that all
Why put the hill
Here? you're
Almost there
If they only knew

*Last stretch

Side stitch pain
Sweat stings eyes
We need you
Get that shirt
Lumbering
Legs just finish

*Post race

High fives tossed,
Dry heaves, congrats 
Between gasps 
Not sure this
Is what it
Means to win

* Upon reflection of my own years of cross country in high school and college as an athlete and coach, when observing the Hockomock League Championships on Sunday, Oct 31, 2021.

** Also upon reflection, the quintet likely aligns to the top five of the seven member cross country team are the one who score points. The sixth and seventh members of the team displace the others.

part of the pack in the boys varsity race at the Hockomock League Championships

Fret factors, or variations on the theme of "a dark and stormy night"

** Part 1 **

She still worries when I go for my night walk 

Even if just in our neighborhood

where there is little traffic,

most folks are usually home by this time,

there is little movement on the road,

even the wildlife is nesting

Plenty of road to share in this uncertainty,

coming out of the pandemic,

wondering what the new normal might be,

striding along, street lights start the shadow races,

the blackest black bleeds to grey

as the light shifts from back to front

as the light shifts, the shadow dims,

decides to go the other way,

leaving you alone for a time.

Navigating the curve, it is dark,

hard to see, harder still

when in this mid-point between these poles

This street light works, sorta.

It slowly comes on building brightness,

widening its circle of light,

it reaches as far as it can,

stays for a bit, only a bit,

abracadabra,

the cone of  light disappears

Then I am back to navigating

the curve of the road,

walking on a dark and stormy night

** Part 2 **

Upon entry I was greeted

with a problem to solve immediately.

Whether it was the toilet clogged,

or the TV remote not working,

or someone had called

and wanted something that

needed to be done right now.

That was always more important

than a "welcome home, how was your day?"

So we learned how to dive right

into what was a dark and stormy night. 

We left behind whatever else

was in the current thought stream,

forgot about the radio news,

the song's last notes,

or the podcast voice of reason,

or what had happened at work that day.

There was barely time

to put down my bag

or take off my coat

before jumping into the problem

of the night to try and

make sense of the issue at hand.

Then to step back,

to gather the tools required;

maybe it needed the plunger,

or new batteries,

or to make the phone call.

Sometimes it could be quick work

to bring light and dispel the darkness.

A plunge or two to clear away the clog.

The batteries returned functionality,

the status lights came on,

the channel or volume would change properly.

Sometimes it took a little longer

to make sense of the stormy issue.

Then it was as if we had never left the current,

we weren't in a river of dreams.

The islands in the stream just slipped by.

Some when, some where, some how

those news bits, notes of the melody,

or voices of insight would come forward to play.

Maybe not today, or tomorrow, but someday. 

** Part 3 **

It was a dark and stormy night.

The creek flowed by steadily.

At first, it seemed only the creek noise;

then a flash lit the sky,

thunder claps rolling along the creek.

The rains followed. Gentle rain at first,

then steady buckets. A soaking rain.

It was a good rain. It was needed.

The trees and grasses welcomed it.

Another lightning flash broke the dark.

What were they thinking of

doing it all at once?

The storm wouldn't last.

The clouds and rain would roll away.

The thunder would become a distant echo.

The rains too would pass.

In a few hours,

daylight would creep over the ridge

chasing the night away.

It was time to write,

lasso/harness those images,

thoughts, all too briefly

illuminated before they flowed away.

Rolling over bedside,

opening the pad,

scribbling the translations

as they appeared.

Images to words.

Would others follow along? 

There is the challenge.

We hope to raise enough interest,

use enough of their words,

to recreate the dark and stormy night for them.

It only thunders when it rains.

Why is that he considered?

It was hard enough creating the space,

the time, to welcome the moment,

to go with the flow of images,

transferring them to words,

wrestling the meaning of being.

Now soaking wet, yes,

you only get wet once.

He was at one with the world.

The creek was flowing; bubbling,

gurgling, eddying around smooth rocks,

ever flowing.

Taking a deep breath

he realized,

we can do this.

For DS, on the journey together

a continuation and completion of part one shared previously

https://www.quietpoet.com/2021/06/a-dark-and-stormy-night-part-1.html

A dark and stormy night (part 1)

She worries when I go for my night walk

Even if just in our neighborhood where there is little traffic

most folks home by this time, little movement

on the road, even the wildlife is nesting

Plenty of road to share in this uncertainty

Coming out of the pandemic, wondering what the new normal might be

Striding along, street lights start the shadow races

The blackest black bleeds to grey as the light shifts from back to front

as the light shifts, the shadow dims, decides to

go the other way, leaving you alone for a time

Navigating the curve, it is dark, hard to see,

harder still when in this far point between these poles

This street light works, sorta. It slowly comes on

building brightness, widening its circle of light

It reaches as far as it can, stays for a bit, only a bit,

abracadabra, the cone of light disappears

Then I am back to navigating the curve

walking on a dark and stormy night

sherku: subscribe me

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sherku: jelly beans 3

Doesn't the line

Go three Jelly

beans a day

Keeps the

doctor away 

sherku: in the room

Questions raised

Answers made

Discourse runs

All rounda the

Rather large

Elephant 

sherku: sleep

Surrender

Perchance to dream

Have this all change

Alas it won't

Tis what it is 

sherku: ear worm

Robins bobbing

Manicured lawn

Neighborhood

Silence broken

Angry voices

sherku: new moon

Not lost in thought

Long clear driveway

Fresh chalk at hand

Inspires

Eager artist

sherku: hot rod

Hot rod youngster
Steps on the gas
Attempts to fly
No wings though 
Only makes noise

composed on the road in RI (but I could have been almost anywhere)

sherku: Valentine's view

Sun rays cast 

Tree shadows 

Across the 

Trail this blue 

Jay morning 

Holding my love

for Dolores - 2/14/21

sherku: small success

refilling

my water bottle

listening

to the filling

stopping in time