when planning for a lovely stroll,
with dog in tow,
to play some fetch
at river’s edge
take care to notice red dawn skies
-word to the wise-
you might regret
the plans you’ve set
if you ignore the coming storms
when you’ve been warned
you’ll feel the pain…
relentless rain.
kat ~ 27 July 2016
A Minute Poem for Jane Dougherty’s Poetry Challenge based on the painting by Franz Marc entitled “In the Rain”, including the following word prompts: Rain, Red, Relentless, River, Regrets.
This week’s prompt for Haiku Horizon’s weekly challenge is the word Lock. Lock is one of those words that has multiple meanings or applications. I would venture to say, more than most! It can mean all of these things (from Dictionary.com):
As a Noun:1. a device for securing a door, gate, lid, drawer, or the like in position when closed, consisting of a bolt or system of bolts propelled and withdrawn by a mechanism operated by a key, dial, etc.2. a contrivance for fastening or securing something.3. the mechanism that explodes the charge; gunlock; safety (def 4).4. any device or part for stopping temporarily the motion of a mechanism.5. an enclosed chamber in a canal, dam, etc., with gates at each end, for raising or lowering vessels from one level to another by admitting or releasing water.6. an air lock or decompression chamber.7. complete and unchallenged control; an unbreakable hold.8. Slang. someone or something certain of success; sure thing: He’s a lock to win the championship.
9.Wrestling. any of various holds, especially a hold secured on the arm,leg, or head:
leg lock.
10. Horology. (in an escapement) the overlap between a tooth of an escape wheel and the surface of the pallet locking it.
11. Metalworking. a projection or recession in the mating face of a forging die.As a Verb (used with an object):
12.to fasten or secure (a door, window, building, etc.) by the operation of a lock or locks.
13.to shut in a place fastened by a lock or locks, as for security or restraint.
14.to make fast or immovable by or as if by a lock: He locked the steering wheel on his car.
15.to make fast or immovable, as by engaging parts: to lock the wheels of a wagon.
16.to join or unite firmly by interlinking or intertwining: to lock arms.
17.to hold fast in an embrace:She was locked in his arms.
18.to move (a ship) by means of a lock or locks, as in a canal (often followed by through, in, out, down, or up).
19.to furnish with locks, as a canal.
As a Verb (used without object)
20. to become locked: This door locks with a key.
21.to become fastened, fixed, or interlocked : gears that lock into place.
22. to go or pass by means of a lock or locks, as a vessel.
23. to construct locks in waterways.
CNNWIRE Image from Nice, France
Locked and Loaded…
locked and loaded
terror rages in our streets
promote peace not walls
It’s Sunday and time to look at the week that was. Here in the US many of us suffered through the boisterous culmination of a campaign, also known as the Republican National Convention. Well, I might be a bit biased. Perhaps it’s time for a Disclaimer and Apology…
Dear World,
Though it may be obvious, I feel compelled to mention that I am not of Republican Christian Right persuasion. That being said, please accept the apology of this bleeding heart, progressive liberal for the ugly spectacle that fomented across the airwaves from our broken country this past week.
There is an alternative reality that exists here…one of an inclusive, compassionate, respectful, peace and freedom-loving nature. And while we always knew that there was a dark poison lurking deep in the heart of our nation, I don’t believe any of us truly understood the pervasiveness of it until now.
If you are a praying person, please remember us (even as we remember you each time peace is ripped apart by violence or unrest and division where you live…this week, we remember our neighbor’s in Munich…)
It’s easy in the face of darkness to lose hope…but…(I love the word “but”) …but I also know that there is enough love and light in this world to overcome the darkness. It just takes a spark!
Peace, love and healing to us all. I believe in our capacity for goodness and I am inspired by your light. Shine on!
Shi Sai Sunday’s Week in ReVerse – 24 July 2016
We pray trusting that God is listening but…
intriguingly impressive
You never know what treasures you might find in a strange new place!
It gets the brain clicking and inspires.
Even when the price is great, good eventually overcomes evil
Those who are naive
Enough was enough
to guide them through the dark of night
Pray For Munich ❤️
While everyone watched in horror
Living in the light
dredg(ing) through stagnant surfaces
offers escape for the wise.
~kat
The Shi Sai, (formerly known as a ReVerse) is a form created by Kat Myrman in April 2016. It is a poem created by taking one line of verse from several poems of an author’s own collection. The shi sai is done as a review of a series or collection of poems and therefore, each line should flow in chronological order of the dates the poems were written (from oldest to new). The lines chosen should be the author’s favorite from each poem. This form works best if the author resists the temptation to read the full new poem before all the verses have been added. (It helps one to resist the impulse to change a line to make it “fit”.
she paints the cobalt sky with light
a gift of stars for wanderers
bright hope for weary travelers
to guide them through the dark of night
to help them set their course aright
to lead them on a path secure
she paints the cobalt sky with light
a gift of stars for wanderers
soaring on the wind she takes flight
to rise up to Valhalla’s shore
to lead brave heroes slain in war
to their reward for well-fought fights
she paints the cobalt sky with light.
Kat ~ 22 July 2016
A Rondel for Jane Dougherty’s Poetry Challenge based on the photo above by John Bauer and by the prompt words: Star, Gift, Wander, Soaring, Cobalt.
Have you been woolgathering lately? Today’s Dictionary.com Word of the Day entered the English vocabulary in the 1500’s, literally meaning the gathering of the tufts of wool shed by sheep and caught on bushes. It is also associated with indulgence in idle fancies and in daydreaming and absentmindedness.
B.A. Phythian explains the connection between the word’s literal and figurative applications in A Concise Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1993): It was an activity for poor people hoping to gather enough fragments to weave together, entailing a certain amount of haphazard rambling among hedgerows and fields by women and children. This rather random wandering has been a metaphor for dreaminess since the 16th century.
For additional understanding, here is Merriam-Webster’s definition:
Woolgathering once literally referred to the act of gathering loose tufts of wool that had gotten caught on bushes and fences as sheep passed by. Woolgatherers must have seemed to wander aimlessly, gaining little for their efforts, for in the mid-16th century “woolgathering” began to appear in figurative phrases such as “my wits (or my mind) went a-woolgathering” – in other words, “my mind went wandering aimlessly.” From there, it wasn’t long before the word woolgathering came to suggest the act of indulging in purposeless mind-wandering.
I don’t know that I have ever heard this word used, but most of us are not exposed to the literal activity of woolgathering in this day and age. Perhaps a better metaphor for 21st century woolgathering could be TwitterTrolling. Hmmm…I like it. “Her twittertrolling caused her to miss the boarding call for her flight.”
Woolgathering and twittertrolling, are considered indulgences in this modern era where time is money and we are constantly working to do more with less to satisfy some shareholder’s bottom line. If you do engage in occasional woolgathering it is a good idea to do so with one ear open and your wits intact so you don’t miss something important.
Here is my Haiku then…playing a bit with the sheep reference. Have a great Friday!
Those who are naive
minds adrift, woolgathering
are easily fleeced.
kat ~ 22 July 2016
like mercury colliding... 