An Art Flash Poem for the Weekend

Old Smoothie;
   cold hairless weasel?

Old Smoothie had no hair
Nor the feathers of olden day

Nothing to keep him warm
‘Twas human clothing or a mate

Old Smoothie chose his mate
She had feathers galore and more

Feathers to keep him warm
That didn’t work still he was cold

Old Smoothie ditched his mate
 _ _ _ _

 - Poem Copyright, Jimmiehov 2019, All Rights Reserved
 - I’m linked with Kerry O’Connor in the Imaginary Garden at http://withrealtoads.blogspot.com/2019/07/art-flash-55.html?m=1
 - an “Art Flash Poem” having exactly 55 words including its title.  And inspired by a piece of art which is posted on her URL link above. Hint: when I first saw it my guess was two nearly hairless Weasels.
..

Going to Mars

If I were on a spaceship 
Going to Mars 

I'd miss some niceties 
Spitting out the window and
Let fresh air in 
Pretty sunsets be no more 
Or stars at night 

Because there would be no night 
Nor bright sunrise 
How would I count the days 
That 
We'd be apart 

Wonder if they'd let me drive 
Pass by your house 
 _ _ _ _

 - Poem Copyright, Jimmiehov 2019, All Rights Reserved 
 - I'm linked with Magaly Guerrero in the Imaginary Garden at http://withrealtoads.blogspot.com/2019/02/weekend-mini-challenge-strange-news.html?m=1 
 - I had a 55 word version but now it's 60 words plus three for the title. 

A Sunday Mini-challenge Writing

Ringing Bells 

I'm with somberest of handbells 
Making music with bemoaners  
They rule forlorn country music

We sooth wives' lovesick vocal cords
Their man comes back the women croon
Wail diatonic scales.  Sickly

Sarrcastic somber percussions
we are, let you fill in the blanks
 _ _ _ _

 - Poem Copyright, Jimmiehov 2019, All Rights
Reserved
 - I am linked with  Kim Russell in the Imaginary Garden at http://withrealtoads.blogspot.com/2019/01/weekend-mini-challenge-sarcastic.html?m=1
 - Since this is a Mini-challenge we generally write short pieces, this one is eight lines and has 42 words plus two for the title.
 - Kim's directions, "Choose an instrument, give it a characteristic adjective or a personality, and write a poem about it, in any form of your choice. It doesn’t have to be about the instrument or music. But it must include a phrase like ‘sarcastic percussion’. You can take it wherever you want."

We cratered - Heroic couplet form

We cried together  
.
We saw it coming, proverbial mile
Fate had dealt us dirty, sardonic smile

We cried together, that long fated night
Why did you shed those tears, why did we cry  

 

And when we cratered, it all fell apart

So now we're saying goodbyes, saddened hearts

Our love has gone away, no telling where

Not meant to be, can't return, we don't care

 

We had some good times, but they didn't last

You can text, I'll reply, we're in the past

_ _ _ _

Picture, Poem Copyright 2014, 2018, © Jimmiehov, All Rights Reserved
 - 2014 Photo, http://jimmiehov6.blogspot.com/2014/07/blog-post_19.html
 - I am linked with Kim Russell  at the Imaginary Garden with Real Toads, Weekend Mini Challenge: The Heroic Couplet, http://withrealtoads.blogspot.com/2018/03/weekend-mini-challenge-heroic-couplet.html 
 - Kim had been looking at new-to-her forms, the Heroic Couplet was it. 
(Linked above, go see)
 - I am also linked with Sanaa Rizvi at The Imaginary Garden with Real Toads, Tuesday Platform  ( http://withrealtoads.blogspot.com/2018/03/the-tuesday-platform_27.html?m=1 )

Mini Challenge -- another added to my boat poems

My boat

 

My thrill started before I knew

just what a boat was.  I'd found an

old bottle from somewhere I have

forgotten now.  On rainy days

 

I'd put my little boat into

a stream of water gushing down

the hill and away.  On it's down

hill trek I'd be there acting as

 

Captain of my ship, steering, not

aware how fragile my vessel

might have been It didn't bother

that I had to go, bring it back

 

I'd do it over and over

again and again.  When I tired

the boat went in my stash, along

with my other make to do toys
 

[Taken at the Little Venice Canal Boat show, 2014, London, U.K.]

                                   [click to enlarge]

- - - -

Photo and Poem Copyright, © 2014 and 2017 Jimmiehov, All Rights Reserved 

 

I'm linked with  Kim Russell at The Imaginary Garden with Real Toads, Weekend Mini Challenge: Boats, http://withrealtoads.blogspot.com/2017/09/weekend-mini-challenge-boats.html . Kim wants us to "I’d like you to write about a boat. It could be a boat you’ve owned; one on which you’ve taken a trip; a famous boat; a dream boat ..."
For the mini-challenge I have 104 words.
Some boats for me on this blog, http://jimmiehov6.blogspot.com/search?q=boat

 

Walking and Seeing ~~ A Mini Poem for Sunday

 

Walking in the moonlight with Mom;

"I can see the great uncomplicated thing" 

 

We'd go walk around the block Mom and me

A little girl, about five I would guess

Maybe four or six, can't remember well

The Moon was bright, fuzzy as usual

Remember the night, last time for a bit

 

Then one evening we went again, us two

Moon was bright, I could see the sidewalk cracks

Next remembered looking up, sight to see!

"Mother, I can see the Man in the Moon!"

"Uncomplicated Things" doctors can fix
 

_ _ _ _

 

 - Photo and Poem Copyright © 2017, 2010, 2008 (photos) and 2017 (Poem) Jimmiehov, All Rights Reserved

 - Photo at top is a "Print Screen" copied from Kerry's post below 
 - Photo below the poem was published on my other blog in 2008 and 2010 

 - I'm linked with  Kerry O'Connor, at the Imaginary Garden with Real Toads, Micro Poetry ~ Uncomplicated Things,  http://withrealtoads.blogspot.com/2017/08/micro-poetry-uncomplicated-things.html
 - Kelly's instructions are, "This weekend, our frame of reference is "Uncomplicated Things" - from the second line of the poem, The Moon, by Leonard Cohen. "  Then build a short mini-poem around that line as inspiration, ten lines or less (I have ten lines).

 - Notes:
 - - In a couple of places I purposely confused the correct form of pronouns (note especially for a certain daughter, then for my sister, and for other unnamed ladies, who are keepers of the straight)

 - I have deleted a small amount of text, third line from Cohen's poem as it was unsuitable for some of my younger readers.

 - - The "Moon Jar" pictured above was made by pottery artist, Helen Garriott.  This jar and companion "Sun Jar" were of limited production, each one handcrafted. (previously posted in 2008 and 2010 in my other blog - link).  Helen Garriott (link) was the wife of Owen Garriott (link), Sky Lab Astronaut and is mother of Richard Garriott (link) who is a civilian who paid his own way to ride up the Space Lab. 
 
 - - The cougar behind is a print by Charles Fracé, a nature painting artist. Mine is autographed by him, "To: Jim", and represents my college, The University of Houston, and its athletes, the Houston Cougars. Mrs. Jim gave me the picture after having it so nicely framed.

.

A Sunday Mini Challenge weekend Poem for you

Putting on Airs*

 

We approached it with much trepidation
Might people think we were seeking some warmth

Would we be turned away at the grand door

Five bright welcome flags, U.S nonetheless

 

Heralded by the flags, still cool reception

Feelings of hidden microphones, cameras

Semblance of black armbands yet they wore none 

Greeters and Porters cold and stiff, no smiles

 

Said we came for coffee, tea and biscuits

The wait staff stood at parade rest, no smiles

No women help, men, order of the day

Ordered tea and scones, headed for the Lou

 

Lavatories in the Lou carved of stone

Carved of granite, golden faucets gleaming

High formal beaming like a British Lou  

A hundred plus years of age was it all

 

Goodbye doorman at the Lou standing tall

Meandered back inspecting fine fixtures

Of this most expensive D.C. hotel

Tea and scones been dumped on our low table
 _ _ _ _ _

Poem and Photos Copyright, © Jimmiehov 2017, All Rights Reserved 

Notes and photos: 


* "Since the 1500s, “airs” has referred to having an affected manner. It's from the French word air, "look, appearance, or bearing." Behaving as if you're better than other people — wealthier, better dressed, or better educated — is to put on airs. Acting like you know more than your teacher is a way to put on airs.
put on airs - Dictionary Definition : Vocabulary.com

To see where we had tea, highlight the blank area below:
The Building:  : The T r u m p  Hotel in Washington D.C.  No, we didn't stay there, way too many $$$$Bucks for us.  But we did go there for coffee one afternoon.  Mrs. Jim and I opted for a nice Cappuccino.  We (not tea and scones) were served in the hotel lobby.
 

 

 . . . . [click on the picture for larger size viewing]

 

I am linked with Kim Russell in the Imaginary Garden with Real Toads, "Weekend Mini Challenge: Buildings", http://withrealtoads.blogspot.com/2017/07/weekend-mini-challenge-buildings.html

 

One of Kim's "favourite poems by Philip Larkin is ‘The Building’, which (she) cannot reproduce here due to copyright restrictions."  However, (she) provide(d) a link to the poem HERE." 

 

Her further directions are, "Today’s challenge is to write about a building. It could be a specific building with a name that we would all know without directly naming it."  

 

So I tried.

 

.

A Flash 55 poem for the weekend -- Grocery Shopping

 

Grocery shopping
Isn't favorite thing to do
Math I've learned helps me not

Took my dolly too
Stopped at the Starbucks
Will coffee stunt our growth

Green things I don't eat
Red isn't much better
Do cookies rot my teeth

I went with Mother
She'll spend one quarter for me
What makes the onion cry

 

- - - - -
Pictures and Poem Copyright, © Jimmiehov 2014 and 2017, All Rights Reserved
I'm linked with Kerry O'Conner at the Imaginary Garden with Real Toads, Play it Again Toads !, link is http://withrealtoads.blogspot.com/2017/03/play-it-again-toads.html 
 
I chose her first option for a Flash 55 poem.  It turned out also to have an option for it to be a Zen Poem with 55 words of which I'm not real good.  So I'm playing Kerry's prior request of Saturday, May 2, 2015.  It seems that I posted three poems for that day's call, none of which was a very good Zen poem.  The link is http://withrealtoads.blogspot.co.za/2015/05/flash-55-plus.html  I do have exactly 55 Words, with a questioning view and  a set of four Senryū verses which the Zen like.

Painting is easy when you don’t know how, but very difficult when you do. Edgar Dégas
The same may go for poetry? (whatever, I enjoy painting with the words!)

Pictures previously posted here: (on a visit around at the Borough Market in London and in Vauxhall, London, U.K. in 2014--while visiting our daughter and granddaughter and SIL there while they were living for five years in London). http://jimmiehov.blogspot.com/2014/10/a-quiz-whats-your-favorite-eleven.html

Hot Dog stuff for a Sunday Challenge Poem

[click picture for large size][click here for the hot dog super sized]

Weiner on a stick 

Life for one has evolved from hot dog  
Sliced on bread with catsup and mustard 
To a weiner on a stick, corn dog 

There was a spell, hard times cast upon 
Family budget low for food. Our one 
Had a ration of only two dogs 

He stretched those dogs, sliced each into four 
Made eight, laid them straight on bread folded 
Catsup in the valley, poor folks pride 

Better times came for the one, oil strike? 
Whatever, nothing now made at home 
Catsup nor bread, corn dog from the store 
 _ _ _ _ 

Poem copyright, Jimmiehov,2016, All Rights Reserved

Today I'm linked with Kim Russell at the Imaginary Garden with Real Toads, Weekend Mini-Challenge:  Cooking up a Storm; http://withrealtoads.blogspot.com/2016/11/weekend-mini-challenge-cooking-up-storm.html 
Kim wants us to write a 'four tercet' poem about cooking. Read more for further directions at the link above.   

Note:  I made the cheese hot dog above, it is quick to make and 'only' has 310 calories.  More of my hot dog blogs can be found here, 
http://jimmiehov6.blogspot.com/search?q=Hot+dog

a somewhat silly ditty ~~ "Small giants and large dwarfs"



Namba Parks in Osaka
Bored Panda 

 

Small giants and large

dwarfs share the landscape

 

Architects delight,

weaving climbers and

tiny windows share

the scene fighting for

 

the top, upside down,

downside up, silly

twins bewilder you

and me, cousins sad

 

to think of what may

become way of life

for normal people

too, way too sick to

 

argue, quarrel. 

Doesn't matter

_ _ _ _

Ditty copyright, © 2016 Jimmiehov, All rights reserved

Photo inspiration, Namba Parks in Osaka by Bored Panda , from Kerry's Flash 55 PLUS! Challenge. 

Kerry, at the Imaginary Garden with Real Toads (at http://withrealtoads.blogspot.com/2016/10/flash-55-plus.html ) introduced us to the Bored Panda website.  There she "came across the post, 15+ of the most Amazing Examples of Japanese Architecture. ... (she) was transfixed by the ergonomic and/or economic use of space" (just right for my giants and large dwarfs).

Oh yes, exactly 55 words, per Kerry's request. 
Note:  I may not be politically correct.  But then, ... (Doesn't matter -- I liked the picture)

Spirits, hobs, nymphs, sylphs ~~ a Poem, mixed and matched and melded

(Thinking of the night just ended, futile

  Futility, chasing demons away) 

Spirits, troubled, 

Spirits, troubled, live in the tree 
Dead tree, home for hobs and sylphs 
The nymps emerge, happy they dance 
While the spirits broil in the tree 

Nymph mother and spirit father 
Hollowed this tree hallowed it be 
The sylps renew and cleanse by night 
While the hobs roam spreading doom 

Spirit father, nymph mother, they 
Meld, mold them by pairs, life goes on 
- - - -
Poem copyright , 2016 Jimmiehov, All rights reserved

I'm linked with Brendan at the Imaginary Garden with Real Toads, Sunday Mini-challenge:  Charms
http://withrealtoads.blogspot.com/2016/09/sunday-mini-challenge-charms.html

Eating challenge poem - In the Market for Poems

To market she
 

To the market she would go 

Mostly for the samples 

She was a poor thing, stooped 

Lunch on the go they said 

Saving her pennies scarce 

The merchants knew her well 

Showing, giving their wares 

Fruit from all the nations 

 One day she didn't show 

Then the next and the next 

Where's their freeloader friend 

Would she not soon return

Collected money they 

Went to her door they knocked 

Jailed they said, shoplifting 

Sad, to the jail they went 

Jailer said, poor thing stooped 

Her words to them,  "When I

was poor you fed me well 

Visit now, God bless you." **

_ _ _ _

Photo and Poem Copyright © 2006 and 2016 Jimmiehov, All Rights Reserved

Today I'm linked to "Outlawyer" at 
http://withrealtoads.blogspot.com/2016/07/weekend-mini-challenge-in-market-for.html 

** Notes and Links:
1. Top 2006 photo taken of Mrs. Jim at the market in Paleramo, Sicily, Italy.
2. My favorite market is the Borough Market in London (Link)
3. Jim's (my) other blog search on "market"  (Link)
4. Matthew 25:35-40  The Bible, New International Version (NIV) (Link) 
35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'

Dragons Around ~~ a Sunday "Mini-Challenge Poem"

.
This isn't an old haunt that burned last weekend.  
I was only there once, it was with my Dad.  
(More of my 2007 blog post)  

Dragons Around** 

Should we all remember those days? 
Those hot days of "Burn, Baby, Burn" 
They accomplished so very much 
Hit them where it hurts, deep purses 

Deep purses pay, economics 
"Profits Matter", rule of the day 
No lives were lost, only money 
Has America forgotten? 

Dragons still below and within** 
_ _ _ _ 

Photo and Poem Copyright © 2007 and 2016 Jimmiehov, All Rights Reserved

2007 Photo of a burned restaurant was a part of this Jim's Little Blog post:

http://jimmiehov.blogspot.com/2007/03/another-first-my-first-drink-in-public.html

I am linked with Brendan at the Imaginary Garden with Real Toads, Sunday Mini-Challenge, Shallows, Deeply (link)

** Brendan's words, see his link here