my stylist complains the lawn next door is greener I told him to stop with the buzz cuts already so we can dance with the wind
~kat (a tanka poem)
Na/GloPoWriMo 2026 Day 9 Prompt: Today, try writing your own poem in the voice of an animal or plant, or a poem that describes a specific animal or plant with references to historical events or scientific facts.
Pileated Woodpecker of Bramlett Mountain
This morning I happened upon the most wonderful glimmer. Just outside my window a magnificent pileated woodpecker was having a lovely time chipping away at an old downed tree. Of course I caught it on camera…not just a still photo…a little video clip! Enjoy!
forgiveness from crows is an honor, when bestowed, not to be tested, the faces they remember rouse ire fueled by vengeance
~kat
Day One Na/GloPoWriMo 2026 Prompt: write your own tanka – or multi-tanka poem. Theme and tone are up to you, but try to maintain the five-line stanza and syllable count.
Tanka is a traditional Japanese poetic form consisting of 31 syllables arranged in five lines with a 5-7-5-7-7 structure. Originating over 1,300 years ago, it is a deeply emotional, often melancholic form centered on love, nature, and personal reflection. It often features a pivotal “turn” (kami-no-ku to shimo-no-ku) between the first three lines and the last two, offering a “long haiku” with more depth.
A note about today’s poem:
The crow featured above is special because it is actually against a crow’s nature to forgive. a year ago one of their comrades died at my crow feeder. It was clear after this unfortunate event that my murder of crows thought I had something to do with its demise. As a result, they avoided me like the plague. Of course I was heartbroken. I kept putting out peanuts for them which they staunchly ignored. (The squirrels and blue joys loved having those treats all to themselves!) And then one day one of them got brave, I assume, and helped himself to a peanut. I was persistent and it seemed to pay off. Before long a half dozen, more than my original murder of three granted me clemency. They visit me everyday now. I am honored to have regained their trust, and believe me I don’t take likely the trust they’ve placed on me. It’s a true blessing. So of course the fellow above while paired with my cautionary tanka, is also my glimmer for today.
I wrote two poems today. They follow along the same theme. I can’t decide which one to post. And because I hate having to choose, I choose both. I am distressed by what I’m seeing from Minnesota. And the vicious added insult to injury wielded by our unhinged, vindictive government. I read that they are here in our town too. Someone recorded them, posting a warning to us on social media platforms. No one is safe.
heartbeats
a pulse detected means very different things to different people to some it’s a right to life to others, countdown to death the dearest price paid oftentimes by women, by mothers denied healthcare and autonomy to assuage fragile man-boys with power to choose which heartbeat deserves to live women, mere vessels, repositories for sperm, expendable, when too loud
(this poem follows the pattern of a trio of tankas)
——————————————————————————————-
when the worst thing isn’t
it snowed at dawn for only a few minutes no delicate flakes, just pellets of ice tap, tap, tapping on the frozen ground there’s more to the story they say the talking heads and daily scrolls horrible truth bleeding out… there was a faint heartbeat when they found her, precious time stolen by hateful thugs who let her die the tap, tap, tapping of a pure heart broken by malevolence and hate a kind voice silenced by pellets of ice
~kat
were there glimmers today? Of course…as there are every day…
I will take my snacks in high-octane liquid form thank you very much steaming espresso lattes are my newest obsession
~kat
It’s the gift I didn’t know I wanted or needed, especially since I am a morning Earl Grey tea with sweet cream kinda girl. But oh my…my oldest daughter has convinced me! “You have to have an espresso machine!” she declared, gifting one to me several days later!
All I can say is bu-bye morning Earl Grey…my caffeine boost just went turbo-espress-o-la-latte!!!! I’ll see you, Mr Grey at tea time!
This may not be what most consider to be a glimmer…but every time I glance at it, it makes me smile!
Much love, peace, and espresso latte glimmers to you!
So it is easier for you to find all the parts/chapters of my ongoing fiction series, I created a new page that lists all the links. You can check it out HERE!
Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kat Myrman and Like Mercury Colliding with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
like mercury colliding... 