“Beaver, Damn.”

there he stood, staring
into the strange immovable water
awestruck and terrified
gone was his powerful tail
his pelt of water-shedding fur
and giant wood-shredding teeth
confused
reached for a pencil, and chewed

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Two prompts get smushed together today in this little piece. First, Trifextra asks us to use compound modifiers in a piece of exactly 33 words. I used two. Second, Fireblossom challenges us at With Real Toads to write a poem as if the spirit of an animal has taken over our bodies, and how they might react to that.

“Feathers and Root Cellars”

Photo is my own, taken at the Riverwalk in Rock Hill, November 2012

I watch
these mornings as I trek through the forest
as Nature’s creatures make preparations
for the coming cold.
I always take a moment to watch
to smile and wonder
what their busy work means.
old wives’ tales
herald a harsh winter when birds
and rodents
spend months gathering nuts and berries
preparing a root-cellar of supplies
so I too begin to feather my nest
airing thick blankets
and sweaters and heavy socks
knitting warm hats and mittens and scarves
that I wear to keep warm
as I make the trek out to the forest
and watch the creatures of Nature prepare
for a long, cold winter.

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Written to answer the challenge at d’Verse, which asks us to look at the ways in which we prepare for things to come; in this case, preparing for a cold, snowy Winter.

“Purr Baby”

My beautiful baby
you speak
and I listen to your “hewwo”
and “how” and “merruf”
your slender self slinking across the room
every step measured
every pose poised
I wilt under your longing stare
unable to deny you
a touch
a word
or a morsel of food
your softness so seductive
your closeness so calming
If I could keep you
in my arms
forever
I would.

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The image is my own little purr-baby, Isis. I love her so very much, and she is the inspiration for this poem. I’ve linked this to OSI’s prompt ‘Friend‘ because this little demon is also my friend.

“Deer Crossing”

I drive along back country roads
trying to juggle technology’s gifts
the cell phone, the satellite radio, the GPS to navigate me home
distracted
they come from nowhere
a mother, a yearling, and a speckled fawn
tails flicking
ears pricked to the sound of iron beasts rushing past
daintily approaching the edge of the wood
I pull over slowly
I stop, and watch them consider their path
awed by their presence, by their nearness, by their peace
seduced
their existence a spectacle
offering me solace from the everyday
protection from the chaos of modern convenience
if only for a moment

 

Written in response to Three Word Wednesday’s prompt, using the words fawn, juggle, and navigate. Also wrote it to answer the challenge at Velvet Verbosity, for the E.B. White prompt.