To Know Without Knowing
Red moss, crimson as the blood of a slaughtered calf,
I knew I had seen it before but could not recall
where or when. To see a landscape painting, knowing
I had been there before
In the Valley of Cobblers, children ran barefoot on
summer grass and scented wildflowers
unpasteurized milk, and healthy, innocent laughter.
I know this to be true, but I don’t know why.
I think of reindeer; will they eat red moss used
as they are to the grey variety? The sun keeps shining
like Spanish blood orange with a wicked cold.
The good earth is dry and waits for rain
The Red Moss is a forgotten love story. Perhaps
if I sit still long enough and wait
I will remember it.
Four batches of ice cream,
two cobblers with peaches,
some spicy beef chili;
must loosen my breeches.
Invited the neighbors,
but none of them came.
But it won’t get wasted
‘Cuz that’d be a shame.
No, it will get waisted,
and it will be mine.
I’ll just row it off,
and that will be fine.
But one thing sure bummed me;
when they cancelled, I wept.
I’d tidied the house up;
the porches were swept.
That cleaning for nothing:
the floors and the stoop.
Only one thing consoles me:
another big scoop.
New Orleans French quarter bakeries
feature luxurious flavorsome bene’s
palatable pumpkin pies, exquisitely decorated cookies
aromatic meaty soups, nectarous scones, rich dipping sauces
appetizing cobblers, and cream puffs larger than clouds.
My nose lead the way after I found the brochure
I was not disappointed
Blue
berries
on the vine.
Gift of Nature.
Unrefined fresh fruit,
unwashed, eaten just so.
Option to blend special treats –
muffins, smoothies, cobblers, and pies.
Scrumptious splendor, sweet summer surprise.
And so it’s make your mind up time, right here in the U.K.
I guess you’ll get the same thing soon, in the U.S. of A
Candidates will waffle on each night and every day
The gullible will swallow every single word they say
For the won’ts then will and the wills then won’t
While the don’ts all do ad the dos all don’t
And some veer left and some veer right
And some will talk like black is white
It’s yes means no and no means yes
And less means more and more means less
No wonder we’re in such a mess
When their true views we can but guess
In this campaign that’s laden with
Paid saboteurs and nobblers
Integrity means my vote goes
To he who answered, “Cobblers!”
—————————————————————————————
[Only Nigel Farage would answer a stupid question with
A plain, simple “Cobblers”. Indeed, he did just that in
Interview with the BBC’s Nick Robertson. Go, Nigel!]
Thanksgiving Day is the word
Someone giving me the bird
Cranberries and pumpkin pie
Mashed potatoes catch my eye
Casseroles and deviled eggs
Buttered corn and turkey legs
Salads, rolls, and cobblers deep
After dinner fast asleep
A couple hours, hear me snore
Wide awake, I want some more
Chowing down, I just can't stop
Now I think I'm gonna pop
granny’s oven began working in the twenties, and working strong
she was baking pies, cookies, cakes, and muffins all winter long
it is 1959 and her oven is still working her baking heart away.
you can hear it heating up at the beginning of every single day.
her scones are delicious, her pineapple upside down cake a delight.
she sometimes bakes raspberry cobblers way into the night.
granny never lets company step a foot inside without a treat.
her oven is her conspirator, and we all think this is truly neat.
I go knowing exactly what I want
I am particular in my liking
Shoes must be comfortable to wear
For both dancing and for hiking
I know they say they flatter
But stilettos are not my fave
Let’s be honest, they hurt like hell
They’re only for the brave
Fiddly buckles, wispy straps
Both of these are just annoying
Bending down at my advancing age
Is something that I try avoiding
And I bet if you find a shoe that fits
They’ll cost a million dollars
Shoe shopping is no fun at all -
It’s such a bunch of cobblers
A yoga-loving frog from France
was told it was good for dance
While performing a cobblers pose
Tipped over and fell on his nose
Sat straight up and drew in his legs
To perform a Half Lord of Fishes - Pose.
If he made me promise not to disclose,
a broken promise now is one of my woes.
COUNTING SYLLABLES*
2/2
lacks pace
slow race
bombshell
death knell
3/3
one desire
to retire
wasted brain
down the drain
cobblers last
frozen past
common sense
self defence
rocking beat
happy feet
in the groove
on the move
4/4
an unsure cook
recipe book
5/5
confronting yeti
with palms so sweaty
© Harry J Horsman 2022
*Apologising if stepping on anyone’s toes
If so, get in touch and I will credit the poem
First two forms are footles, invented by Brian Strand.
A lady who was feeling blue
Compared her life to an old shoe
Although she fit
Her love had split
So she had to make do with two
Harvest Fest’s Annual fair is the place we are heading today
Maisy my dog is totally excited, she loves the children.
My own are grown and have moved to cities far away.
Where the jobs are, away from their cousins and us.
The smells of fall are in the air – pumpkin, cinnamon, applesauce.
I am bringing homemade cider, apple cobblers and pumpkin pies.
Knowing that some customers will be eagerly looking for me.
I love this time of year, when I do not feel alone. Maisy wags her tail.
I adore blackberries I must admit
fresh, ripe, big, juicy, heavy summer berries
delicious to eat growing wild
in a country dappled meadow
then, picking a bucket or two or three
to made blackberry jam or jelly
or whirling into a smoothie
for breakfast
delicious as a tart, a pie, a cake, a square
and fat muffins warm from the oven
how about blackberry cheese cake
and warm dripping cobblers
I have even added them to a spring salad
so, delightful
but the absolute best, best, best
is blackberry wine . . .
________________________
August 25, 2022
Poetry/Free Verse/Blackberry Dreams Divine
Copyright Protected, ID 08-1483-301-25
All Rights Reserved, 2022, Constance La France
Written for the Standard contest, Your Thoughts On Blackberries
sponsor, Matt Caliri, Judged 09/08/2022
Recalling how chiggers can itch
I'll still cross the muddiest ditch
the biggest blackberries to find.
Deet sends most critters to their niche.
Wrestling briers, a path I'll stake
while dreaming of cobblers to bake...
Whoa! my full pail I left behind
the moment I spotted a snake.
Returning with weapon in tow
and searching along with my beau
At last, I regain peace of mind,
he scares off the snake with a hoe.
Retrieving my bucket brim full
we hurry past fence and the bull.
Are they worth the grit and the grind?
You bet, homegrown blackberries rule.
July 31, 2022
Contest: Your Thoughts on Blackberries
Sponsor: Matt Caliri
My cousins came home regaling us with stories about the fey.
They had seen faeries, elves, brownies and gargoyles in the woods.
They are dancing and singing, there is a happy feeling of warm play!
They were selling beautiful Christmas ornaments along with the foods.
We ran back there and noted they also had plums, raisins and berries.
We bought our fill, and returned to Grandma’s house happy and gay.
Did they also have cobblers, cakes and pies, some filled with cherries?
We were not sure, but resolved to run back to see the very next day!
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