—Poetry by Claire J. Baker, Pinole, CA
—Photos of Moonstones Courtesy of Public Domain
NEAR PLACERVILLE
Grasshoppers
on a thawed meadow
know
more
of the ways of water
than the State engineer
thrusting a red pole
deep
into Sierra snow.
Grasshoppers
on a thawed meadow
know
more
of the ways of water
than the State engineer
thrusting a red pole
deep
into Sierra snow.
BETHESDA FIREFLIES
After we kids
played Hide & Seek
& Kick-the-Can
in summer
after dinner
we sprawled on a
neighbor’s lawn
watching fireflies
& stars
merge…
After we kids
played Hide & Seek
& Kick-the-Can
in summer
after dinner
we sprawled on a
neighbor’s lawn
watching fireflies
& stars
merge…
CALIFORNIA ALMONDS
Colonies of bees
swarm over
valley orchards
of almond trees
frisking blooms
dusting pollen
buzzing in the slow
dialogue
of pollination
flickering through
creamy petals
in natural selection
amazing in every
almond-tree direction.
Colonies of bees
swarm over
valley orchards
of almond trees
frisking blooms
dusting pollen
buzzing in the slow
dialogue
of pollination
flickering through
creamy petals
in natural selection
amazing in every
almond-tree direction.
AT SISTER’S CARIBBEAN B&B
When it becomes this beautiful,
we forget the opposite end
of the spectrum: devastating
hurricanes, drug busts,
another money laundering;
beach chairs stolen from sheds;
needy natives rob lost tourists.
No matter, relaxed we wear
bathing suits made of air,
straw hats, sun lotion;
soon dream up another
pastel fantasy.
After frolicking with native kids &
their dogs, we machete coconuts
from our tree; sip banana daiquiris;
watch two anchored fishing boats
rock back & forth, like lovers.
Evenings, we feast in town
or snack, laid back
in our white-tile patio where
we read the stars’ Thesaurus,
while the Caribbean Sea plans
yet another knockout display
of turquoise watercolors.
When it becomes this beautiful,
we forget the opposite end
of the spectrum: devastating
hurricanes, drug busts,
another money laundering;
beach chairs stolen from sheds;
needy natives rob lost tourists.
No matter, relaxed we wear
bathing suits made of air,
straw hats, sun lotion;
soon dream up another
pastel fantasy.
After frolicking with native kids &
their dogs, we machete coconuts
from our tree; sip banana daiquiris;
watch two anchored fishing boats
rock back & forth, like lovers.
Evenings, we feast in town
or snack, laid back
in our white-tile patio where
we read the stars’ Thesaurus,
while the Caribbean Sea plans
yet another knockout display
of turquoise watercolors.
IN KATHMANDU
We two American tourists
urge an elderly woman,
slumping on a park bench
to look to the Himalayas,
that beyond snowy peaks lies
Shangri-la, the Valley of the Sun,
where no one feels old or sad.
The Nepali lowers pale gray eyes,
and hobbles away.
We sit in her place, look high,
and spot the pass, its open gate,
Shangri-la creamy with light.
We two American tourists
urge an elderly woman,
slumping on a park bench
to look to the Himalayas,
that beyond snowy peaks lies
Shangri-la, the Valley of the Sun,
where no one feels old or sad.
The Nepali lowers pale gray eyes,
and hobbles away.
We sit in her place, look high,
and spot the pass, its open gate,
Shangri-la creamy with light.
MOONSTONES
Seekers of adventure,
when your mountain gets too steep,
climb by rope,
bravely encountering icy chasms
and loose rocks at cliff edge.
If your rope frays while you cling
to granite, make footholds in thin air.
Nearing the peak you seek,
if stormed on, shelter in a cave with
a bear who dreams of honeycombed pines…
Still thirsty for adventure, leave the cave,
sip snow, chew miner’s lettuce and anise,
nibble wild mushrooms.
Survive!
Drawn higher into your mountain,
reach a ledge near the summit
where moonstones glow.
Gather them as keepsakes
of youthful energy
you will remember
and cherish all of your life.
________________________
Today’s LittleNip:
NATIONAL HOLIDAY
driving into dawn
The
horizon
glimmers
slivers
of
silvery gray
as we begin to pray
for a universal
Healing
Day
________________________
—Medusa, with a big St. Patrick’s Day welcome to Claire Baker, as she takes us traveling today, collecting moonstones with her fine poetry!
Seekers of adventure,
when your mountain gets too steep,
climb by rope,
bravely encountering icy chasms
and loose rocks at cliff edge.
If your rope frays while you cling
to granite, make footholds in thin air.
Nearing the peak you seek,
if stormed on, shelter in a cave with
a bear who dreams of honeycombed pines…
Still thirsty for adventure, leave the cave,
sip snow, chew miner’s lettuce and anise,
nibble wild mushrooms.
Survive!
Drawn higher into your mountain,
reach a ledge near the summit
where moonstones glow.
Gather them as keepsakes
of youthful energy
you will remember
and cherish all of your life.
________________________
Today’s LittleNip:
NATIONAL HOLIDAY
driving into dawn
The
horizon
glimmers
slivers
of
silvery gray
as we begin to pray
for a universal
Healing
Day
________________________
—Medusa, with a big St. Patrick’s Day welcome to Claire Baker, as she takes us traveling today, collecting moonstones with her fine poetry!
Photos in this column can be enlarged by
clicking on them once, then clicking on the x
in the top right corner to come back to Medusa.
Would you like to be a SnakePal?
All you have to do is send poetry and/or
photos and artwork to
kathykieth@hotmail.com. We post
work from all over the world, including
that which was previously-published.
Just remember:
the snakes of Medusa are always hungry—
for poetry, of course!
clicking on them once, then clicking on the x
in the top right corner to come back to Medusa.
Would you like to be a SnakePal?
All you have to do is send poetry and/or
photos and artwork to
kathykieth@hotmail.com. We post
work from all over the world, including
that which was previously-published.
Just remember:
the snakes of Medusa are always hungry—
for poetry, of course!
