Oil Spill in the North River

A deluge of black oil killed a sparrow.
While a canada goose and great blue heron are
being treated from chemical spill.

The snow of the mountains feed me.
Wide is my mouth, awash with fish.
A strong river, I define valleys and foothills.

Sadness is the whale's echoing grunts.
Grief is eerie silence from the dying fish.  Is this
what we wish of death, a poison poured, toxic finis? 

I run alongside the prairies, yellow under 
afternoon sun.  Forests keel under my tides.
A benevolent river, I mark journeys anew.

I dig a grave until I couldn't count anymore-

A great blue heron brought in for treatment at Maidstone, Sask., near the site of a pipeline leak that spilled more than 200,000 litres of oil into the North Saskatchewan River. (Submitted by Wendy Wandler )  Source

Posted for D'verse Poets Pub- OpenLinkNight, starts at 3 pm EST.  I am your host so please come and join us with your poem.   

I read this news over the weekend and this picture struck me.   The Muskoday First Nation has declared a state of emergency.    

Drought poem

summer sun on my brows
sweat pours, deluge
of oppressive heat, thick
black oil, clotting
my mind to numbing rage-
words, wrinkled ash
tumbled from my cracked lips-
lost in sea-sands-

@Grace

Posted for D'verse Poets Pub - Drought or Deluge, hosted by Walter Wojtanik.   Having arrived from California, I was struck with the drought images of the hills and fields.

Haibun: Dog days of summer

He ignites me into an argument.   Like a firecracker waiting to explode, I give a rebuttal. Soon we are exchanging angry words over political and religious issues.   I should have held back, knowing both of us are temperamental.   He walks away with a final word.    

The late afternoon sun paints the trees with orange streaks.  A hummingbird wings above the blossoming pink buds.   A flight of birds swoon from the lack of rain in the hills.   With a cooler head, I'm back in the house washing the dishes.   He comes close, his stone-creased cheeks and white hair, so frail in the bright light.  We let peace settle like a cuddly dog, between father and daughter.

cacti bloom around

marbled fountain lady with jar,

wind-stroked by hot sands

Posted for D'verse Poets Pub - Haibun Monday - hosted by Kanzensakura - prompt is about hot days of summer. (Sorry had to do 2 paragraphs).  How did dog days summer affect you and these times in your life? Give me your best shot at this in a tight one paragraph haibun with a true, classical nature oriented haiku at the end (with season and cutting words).

Thanks for joining us.

in retrospect

  i, stone of beliefs
  i, close-fisted, held it

sure as sun rising
everyday in my small tropical home

then tides came-
there are 4 seasons 
storms
& silence
for a reason

in my mid-life
  i, cup of water rivulet
  i, palmless traveller

roots & being adrift
are good companions-
while a heavy luggage
is a pain to carry-

and getting older (hopefully) means:
  i, sponge
  i, seed 


                                 

@ Grace

Posted for D'verse Poets Pub - Part 5 of 5th Anniversary Celebration, Hosted by Gayle Walters Rose.   I have spent my vacation with my aging folks and I have thought a lot of my changing beliefs, and growing old.

Please check out the interview of Anthony Desmond here, and our short poetry prompt about changing beliefs.    So this ends our week's celebration at D'verse.   Thanks for all the visits!!!

thirsty for rain-slurped sky-

On the road to San Diego, US @Grace

black raven swoops silently
against the canvas of dry mountain hills-
roads shimmer, simmer in red hot dust


-------------


rocky mountains
saffron-stained by blue cloudless sky-
thirst, a palpable heartbeat

-------------

i-
sculpted against fading indigo sky
you-
waiting in slippers by the doorway home




Posted for D'verse Poets Pub - Hosted by Bjorn Rudberg - Day 4 of our D'verse 5th celebration.   Please read our interview of Sam Peralta and the writing prompt is Twitter Poetry.

Thanks for joining our celebration!!!!    One more on Friday, so come back and check our special feature.

Coming in from the cold

“I am cold, even though the heat of early summer is adequate. I am cold because I cannot find my heart.” ~Sebastian Barry from his novel A Long, Long Way




how years spent away made me 
    stone cold            
grey clouds hovered, 
    pewter-shivered sky 

i scribble with anxiety
    hush
           hush
as time drags me here, reluctant
    stranger fulfilling obligations-

you are patient
recounting kinship-
telling me of your journey-
from winter's white blanket of trees,
to long summer drought-

you ink past 
with lake's gentle tides
you palm today
with long unmeasured 
   breaths  
         (breathe)

tangerine sun warms, spilling of green 
light, plentiful
I (re)discover 
    beat
           beat
-my own heritage-

I find
    thump
           thump
-my own heart-

Posted for D'verse Poets Pub - Hosted by Walter Wojtanik.   Please check out our interview of Laurie Kolp and our prompt is the quote above.

This is day 3 of our 5th year anniversary celebration.   Thanks for joining us.

Sevenling: Music

summer sun dappled over the bowl of pears, 
while champagne glasses begged to be filled with laughter, 
as his fingers flew over piano keys - crescendo, sharp, diminuendo-

she didn't believed in palm reading (including tarot cards),   
destiny carved by family genes (even if they are colorful),
nor travelling alone (she loves noisy company)- 

but when his heart gave way, suddenly, music bubbled flat

Paining by Claudia Schonfeld, used with permission

Posted for D'verse Poets Pub - 5th anniversary celebration.   Please check out Claudia's interview and our poetry prompt is sevenling poem about music.   

My poem is based on my high school classmate's hubby who suddenly died of his first heart attack this past week.   It was traumatic as it was unexpected.

Thanks for joining us at our week long anniversary celebration (July 18-22).   

A journey of choices

frail hands,
frailer words 

skin, canvas of bruises
red-brown, slow to heal from falls
old age, an inevitable arrival

time, rushing mirror on wheels,
plays your memories on gramaphone

I'm rivered too 
sun-parched by your journey
but I must thirst still for life's mysteries

                                                             @Grace


Posted for D'verse Poets - 5th year D'verse celebration - Monday's celebration is a special interview of Brian Miller and the poetry prompt is 44 word post with the word Journey.     Please join us for a poetry feast from Monday to Friday, July 18 to 22 as we celebrate 5th year anniversary of D'verse.   

I just came back from visiting my folks and I thought a lot about growing old.