He dims the light
for a mystic boe
to enter in glory
gently panting
and pawing
the crystalised earth.
Slowly he kneels
with the majestic beast
before a smiling babe.
I run in circles all day long
doing a heap of chores and
getting things done
but I'll tell you what I truly find exhausting.
It's the waiting and not knowing,
it sets me back and slows me down.
It frustrates me to the bitter end.
Instead of multitasking
I end up multimasking
juggling and pretending
to be the patient person
that I'm really not.
AP: Honorable Mention 2025
The Second To The Last Straw
Just Forgiving One More Time,
This Isn’t A Super-Wide Camel's
Back With A Minor Tolerance In Mind.
The Conditions For Unconditional
Can Quickly Toughen Love To Scars.
There Maybe Something Out Of
Place I Can Rearrange…
Ummm,
Depending
How
You Really
Are.
Nope.
Whatever.
Closed.
Sorry.
-Gray Squirrel
07-27-2025
KERATIN is extracted from
cows hooves to make to
make foam for fire extinguishers.
............................................
They butchered the shank
to make disks
to serve with beef cheeks.
the wine sauce would be cooked
separate and and made of
wine
chicken feet
thyme
bay leaves
cayenne
carrots
garlic
onions
sun dried tomato's
3 anchovies
we would need
15 pounds of cheeks
20 pounds of shanks
6 pounds of chicken feet
( to make chicken stock)
the oniony, tender
meltingly beefy
goodness of meat
served with vegetables
and creamy mashed potatoes
ah- God
Mercy on these
people!
The make shift area would be chicken wire two sides
with sand and cement mixed with a cob material
and plastered
to create walls
with a tin overlapping roof.
Soft flimsy red moths
settled like starving locusts
over brittle straw
Feathers or Straw
Miracle Man
8/6/2024
Peace of mind catnaps,
on the bed of soft feathers;
not anxiety.
I am scared, especially when that
Thought crosses my mind.
It’s like strolling past an expensive boutique,
Where beautiful pieces catch my eye,
Yet remain just out of reach.
Still, I pause to admire them,
Rather than altering my path.
For I know they are worth the longing.
It might be hard to wait for
A dream that may never come true,
But giving up is even harder
When you know it's everything you desire.
Amidst summer’s day
Post middle school finale
In the concrete valley
A vanguard viking lay
We gathered as a ragtag crew
Peeled his corpse off the floor
Carrying him, despite the gore.
To the stream, as we knew what to do
Fashioning a mausoleum of straw
Hoping he felt no disdain,
His grave enveloped in flame
And gently floated away.
It was there I thought to myself,
“What is the meaning of it all?”
Scarecrows
Birds foes
Farmland
They stand
Dress codes
Old clothes
Plus hat
With that
Deploy
Decoy
Away
Birds stay
No fear
This year
Good yield
From field
Without
A doubt
The best
Harvest
Backed by
Straw guy
Straw gal
As well.
(The girl scarecrows do well too lol)
24.08.23
Between the reaching shades of tall trees
copper-leafed hillocks’ catch fire,
ghost flames
burnish the slow stealth of evening.
A translucent straw-light
seen only through the thumb hole
of a painter’s pallet,
or in that late sunlit wash, that blooms
so openly that eyes miss it.
Redolent are the long shadows
dipped as they are in rich earthy scents.
The flaxen hay is layered between
timbered silhouettes,
where gossamer ribbons of vapor
hazes-over honeyed acers.
Softly a lambent buoyancy of evening
blends amber and russet wisps
with hues of sorrel and orange.
A mellowing sky drapes over the fields
a chiffon fan of muted rays.
The tawny straws turn slowly,
all unclear to daylight eyes,
but by this eventide
we will view this ebbing day
through a golden glass.
Gimme your best shot
Why the hell not
And let the both of us
Play an unfriendly game
Of pick up Camel
Straw's and stick's
And the winner
Is or will be decided
By whomever
Break's as many backs
As either you or I
Or at very least
Failing that
Gets the most backs up
And being it's a Camel
It sure as hell
Has to be at very least
More than the very minimum of 2
Otherwise what's the use
We may just as well
Play
Water
V
Sand
And see who eventually makes it
Out of the desert
Full of sand
Onto beach sand
And then we can quibble
And compare
Sand
V
Sand
As we die of thirst
As neither of us
Can drink or survive
On salt water
Proving the point
The only thing 2 stupid people
Will ever agree on
Is when
And after
That are both
Dead
The other may have in fact had
A valid point
But saying and admitting that
Got your nose out of joint
So ouch so
You had to ram home your point
Nebraska straw was irritated to be woven into a hat
I am as plain as a calf, lion, hoot owl, corncob and bat.
you are a beginning, her grandma told her; do not give up.
especially if you are adopted by the lovely miss buttercup.
Buttercup was a fashion diva who lived on both of their farms.
she enjoyed decorating her neck, ears, fingers and arms.
I will make you so pretty, she told the hat, you will be phat.
day lilies, coral cone flowers and perky daisies went onto the hat.
I look so fancy now, I could walk the new york avenue.
I would be welcome in Chicago’s magnificent mile too.
Nebraska straw felt fancy and loved her new look.
her photo was featured on the cover of women’s Redbook
Cynthia Kwiecinski and Suzanne Colby
You've broken every rule of civility
With the execrable decision you made recently
You withdrew a job offer from a school superintendent
for addressing you as 'Ladies' in an acceptance email
You claim the term constitutes a micro-aggression'
But it's you abominations who have disgraced your profession
The superintendent-to-be meant to compliment you
But you two sows couldn't see that for the cud that you chew
I have much more to say, but come what may ~
You deserve to chew CRUD for the rest of your days
_________________________________________________________
Check out Fox News, April 03, 2023, 'School Superintendent candidate
says job offer was rescinded...' Story by Yael Halon
Ammonia-ed clumps of damp, dunged straw
forked onto her cold barrow, then rolled outside.
Across the field where her ninety pounds
thrust up the dray atop a mulching mound!
Nineteen times before the sour dregs
are swallowed by the day.
Bowed tendons stripe her calloused palms with pain.
She racks each open with a metal comb
to rake her horse’s mane.
Stall cleaned; horse fed, mane combed to shine as gold-
Showered, she brings her smile to our bed.
Home from School
A little stream by the village bridge.
Clear cold water over jagged stones
searched for pieces of china in the mud
as we meandered slowly home.
Once-treasured patterns and bits of bones and
a black eel,rolling wave,burrowing far.
We sucked sweet nectar from fuchsia flowers
on our way home from school
Sometimes on lazy summer days,
When the workmen were on the road,
We pressed our toes in black tar bubbles,
And an asphalt oily smell, followed us home
A robin's nest was a sacred find
purple foxglove,waving our fairy hands
a homemade doll,yellow plaited straw
treasures home from school
Off for milk to Twomey's farm,
huge cow-beasts, dirty, with leather-silk skin
in September our berry purple mouths
a juicy feast all the way home
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