Storms coming,
saw the angry red sky.
Went out back on the decking
a hummingbird was
dodging around but there was no feeder,
threw it away when she left.
Winds up, storms comin,
farm gates creaking and swinging
and that old oak cross-bar is real heavy
I made it that way.
Dogs rattled
the cat won't leave the damn kitchen
it gets under my feet
while I try to fix eggs in a skillet.
Yep, now I hear the loco coming,
seems like a tornado heading my way
but it's just the Chattanooga to Nashville line
winding its way around the property.
Storms coming though,
she wrote saying she ain't comin back.
Tonight I guess the storms gonna hit hard,
yep, from the barrel mouth of my own shotgun.
I sure see it coming.
Categories:
decking, poetry,
Form: Free verse
A wild night tucked-up
riding a storm in my bed.
Late digested cheese and crackers
are crumbs in my head
that now tumble like rocks
in a landslide.
Spumy sprays of dawn
crash upon my toss and turn,
pillows billowing on the floor
a poignant jetsam
stark signs of turbulent times.
The dog needs to go out
to do his thing.
Standing at the decking
swaying wearily I sense a roaring,
a sea-sickness
rolling over bare cold toes.
And me only 400 miles from the sea!
I need a handrail for my mind
or a strong cup of tea -
maybe some dry crackers.
Categories:
decking, poetry,
Form: Free verse
Down the docks beside the bay
There lives a very jolly fisherman
He wears a hat and long red boots
And loves his boat ‘The Mary-Ann’
He lifts the anchor and sets sail
Each day whether rain or shine
Riding the waves out on the sea
He baits and casts his line
He whistles while he’s working
He is such a jolly chappie
He has a great big secret
That makes him very happy
The reason that he wants fish
Is because he has on board
A very special first mate
Who loves a seafood hoard
The first mates name is Stan
He has whiskers and brown fur
He meows and claws the decking
And sleeps with a noisy purr
The jolly fisherman has lots of fun
Fishing with his best friend Stan -
So have you guessed who Stan is?
He is ships cat on ‘The Mary-Ann’ !
21 August 2022
A Jolly Fisherman Poetry Contest
Sponsor Julia Ward
Categories:
decking, boat, cat, child, children,
Form: Rhyme
She has a tumbledown deck, a creaky rocker.
Dandelion seeds carry memories
from one neglected garden patch to another.
She’s not that old, but her wine has mulled,
a hard sun has scoured her features.
There were children once. They play
now upon her mind
as crippled backwoods memories.
The ‘law’ took them, and the grinding years
brewed more bitter coffee, while on the decking
coffee cans were filled with cigarette butts.
‘No-good lovers’ still occasionally
practiced their shoddy dance steps,
but even the one night stands have dwindled
to hasty matinee tumbles.
Few life choices were well made or unpaid for,
yet in the ***-end of each day
she wanders upon her dandelion patch,
and prays to the girl she once was,
then she retires to a tousled bed
to sleep with the rootless shadows
that float as light as air
through her ramshackle nights.
Categories:
decking, poetry,
Form: Free verse
I imagine it was once slow and grey
then color came to a lackluster world,
tinted throats drank sunlight
through bowls of honey and light.
Eons shed a useless weight,
until a flint of flight hummed bright,
on shimmering winds.
This morning, one comes to my decking,
an iridescence, its long thin beak held high
as it hovers beside a red and yellow feeder.
It casts a shadow on the wooden floor,
a silhouette much larger than itself.
If I look only at the shadow
it could be some fanciful auk
descending out of a lost world,
but no, it is only a hummingbird,
a speck of color
blown from a windmill of creation
like the rest of us.
Categories:
decking, poetry,
Form: Free verse
My summertime Muses are wearing the jolly
Still decking “the halls with boughs of holly,”
Eschewing everything droll and melancholy
Chanting a happy tune from “Hello, Dolley.”
Helping me deal with a rambunctious collie
Singing ad alta voce “Good Golly, Miss Mollie,”
As I sink to dabble in foolish, but hilarious, folly.
written June 16. 2021
Categories:
decking, fun, muse, summer, writing,
Form: Monorhyme
a brain awakes
gains 200 pounds
sheds a 20 year old ghost
before it awoke
it opened doors
ground beans
percolated morning coffee
kissed an ex-wife goodbye
as it left for the future
…it had dreamed
too early
meanwhile
a bug is swimming in a toilet bowl
the bug wonders
if it can safely leave you
sleepwalking through the rest
of the day
you go sit out on the decking
blink in and out
between flashes of deja vu
a hummingbird comes to the feeder
your mind hums along
then like a bird on a nest
it settles
into the rhythmic reality
of another wednesday
Categories:
decking, poetry,
Form: Free verse
‘Twas December, two thousand two;
Christmas, of course, and my main thought -
Decking the halls on Tye Avenue.
With a broken leg, I’m in a stew,
my house, the only bare spot.
‘Twas December, two thousand two.
Grandkids, my volunteer work crew,
tied my heart in a granny knot.
decking the halls on Tye Avenue.
Porch lights strung, manger scene askew,
my approval, they earnestly sought.
‘Twas December, two thousand two.
Front window tree, last thing to do;
they attack it, never being taught.
Decking the halls on Tye Avenue.
Year to remember, grandkids, do you?
a Christmas I have never forgot.
‘Twas December, two thousand two;
Decking the halls on Tye Avenue.
December 28, 2020
contest: Deck the Halls (Villanelle)
sponsor: Joseph May
Categories:
decking, 11th grade, christmas, grandchild,
Form: Villanelle
Your loosened hair
Gleaming in the benign sun
Roses in our blood inhale dense air
Decking up before departure has begun
The green is paling one by one
It's the dance of death in colour
A fountain of farewell with a hue
For the cracking bones of October
Palliating painters seated in queue
Picasso brown red and blue
The message on the train is as clear as an apple
Our hues are too fleeting to hold
Come let's dance dear before yellowing begins in maple
Before our roots get too old
Under the introverted autumn sun let's melt our gold
October 20, 2020
Autumn Poetry Contest
Sponsored by: Francine Roberts
Categories:
decking, autumn, color,
Form: Quintain (English)
Walking into my garden,
I notice things need doing,
Fence needs painting,
Weeding and pruning,
And the grass needs cutting.
Do not !!!! Get me started on the decking,
I will cut the hedge instead,
Greenhouse needs washing,
Plants need potting,
Think I will forget the ... decking.
Hose pipes got a leak,
So has the shed,
Turf needs hoovering,
Pebbles need brushing,
I love my garden.
It all gets done in a week or two,
It's then sit back, relax and enjoy the view,
That's not the decking
Categories:
decking, garden, nature, sunshine,
Form: Free verse
Not the beer, of course!
Death to you, Covid-19
Mass-murderer
Coward in hiding, festering,
attacking surreptitiously
Sucker-punching
Men and women,
young and old.
Babies and animals, too.
I bet you hate puppies!
Shame on you
throwing poison darts
at people in the dark!
Come into the light,
you monster you!
Is it because you know
your ugly mug
is good enough
for decking?
Die off soon, evil one.
Date written: 05/05/2020
Categories:
decking, anger, poetry, write,
Form: Dramatic Verse
Fanciful dragon had fool for a pet.
Carries his breakfast each day, and it’s wet.
Licked on by six pixies.
He could easily fix these.
Certainly has not thought of decking them yet.
Categories:
decking, 2nd grade, 3rd grade,
Form: Limerick
eerie aura augmented
felon feature fermented
cremating callous contractions
drooling drips punctured
hoity relief reeled
vying voluptuous acme
tainted tongue trained'n
decking damped trail
fostered feelings feign
porous pulchritude birthed
crisp conception pivoted
mystic smirk aided
syntactic silhouette seeped'n
seductive syllables' creed.
'20:03:30:19:45
Note: Dedicated to a dickhead I cherish: Oreoluwa.
Categories:
decking, hero,
Form: Sonnet
Summer sun bakes the desert hot rocks near sand
Swimming pool, cool decking, green grass welcomes
Warmest season, diving board jump and splash
Smiles, laughter, enjoyment; now lunchtime chips and dip, with yummy ginger ale hums.
Sky blue, vivid green, sunshine yellow settle on summertime
Fruition, fulfillment, happiness, and beauty smile on
Family harvesting seeds sown in many good ways in summer attire,
Summer heat and summer crops getting ready for Independence Day dawn.
Picnic with spouse on grassy park hill enjoying soda pop
Vacation in June, July, August after summer solstice,
Summery dream a reality feeling cheered and happy
Glad we summered at our beach resort enjoying the sun’s full kiss.
Fourth of July red white and blue fruit parfait pudding dessert
Flavorful picnic enjoyment, Frisbee games frolicking in the park,
Time stands still holding almost timeless feelings and emotions of good happiness
Bang fireworks brighten the evening sky, freedom’s alive varoom in fireworks stark.
Categories:
decking, family, firework, happy, independence
Form: Rhyme
Anybody feel like singing? :)
It’s the most poetic time, of the year
where the writers are writing,
the blog pages fighting
and comments of cheer
It’s the most poetic time, of the year
It’s the soup, soupiest season of all
with those verses a’ flowing
of winter and snowing
and decking the hall
It’s the soup, soupiest season of all
You’ll read stanzas of loving
of snowballs they’re gloving
and packages under the tree
There’ll be lines filled with phrases
of faith and its praises
in every poem you see
It’s the most poetic time, of the year
you’ll find poems for reading
with broken hearts bleeding
it soon will be clear
It’s the most poetic time, of the year
~
Written to the melody of the song: "It's the most wonderful time of the year"
Written by George Wyle and Edward Pola.
Originally performed by Andy Williams
Categories:
decking, song, winter,
Form: Lyric
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