NaPoWriMo 2021 Day 23 -- Cross THE River

 [photo from Wikipedia - Park on the Rio Grande] 

In the late 50's, early 60's, I lived in a house on the 

right and rode my Vespa Motorscooter along the river 

 - - - - 

 "I am twenty, drifting in la chalupa, the blue boat painted with roses, white lilies . . . there was still the little boat, the chalupa you built once, slowly, in the yard, after school." Little Boat by Jean Valentine - 1934-2020 https://poets.org/poem/la-chalupa-boat 

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 The Little Boat 

Tuesday morning the boat was not crowded  

Though it would comfortably hold twelve 

It only had this little Mexican 

woman and a man with a big straw hat 

The woman was carrying grocery bags 

She stopped, kissed the ground, "U.S.A." 

She went in the general store, had coffee 

The man seemed to be seasonal, he left.

While the boat left and came back, woman shopped 

A family of five got on the boat and 

the father pulled the rope around, around 

Another couple boarded, he pulled not 

Out of sight they went, probably to homes 

But the boat was loaded when coming back 

Standing room only for the men. They came  

for TexMex day, BOGO, Buy One Get one 

Those were the days, no Customs Agents here 

No Border Patrol either, all that was 

done at the park gate by officials there 

We came, went, crossing on the Little Boat 

 - - - - 

 - Poem Copyright, Jimmiehov 2021, All Rights Reserved 

 - I am also now linking this again, this time with Magaly, at The Writer's Pantry #81, https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/2021/08/writers-pantry-81-no-more-blogger.html .  And I am posting it there, LATE AGAIN.

 - I made a couple of changes and I'm linking it again on May 16, 2021, with Rosemary in The Writer's Pantry # 70,    https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/2021/05/writers-pantry-70-words-for-healing.html?m=1 

 - I am linked with NaPoWriMo, National Poem Writing Month,  Day 23, https://www.napowrimo.net/day-twenty-three-7/

 -  There our challenge at the NaPoWriMo was "to write a poem that responds, in some way, to another. "  I chose the poem above by Jean Valentine, Little Boat.  It reminded me of the old days, 1970's when the Big Bend National Park was open to the fold from Mexico and we were free to go to Mexico to shop for Hispanic items that we could not get here.  Many visited relatives who were still living in Mexico.   

The small boat that went across the Rio Grande River was attached to a rope and above was the other side of the rope, to be pulled one way or the other to propel the boat across the river.  

 - I am attempting to write at least one poem a day for the National Poem Writing Month.  Today is Day 23 of the 30, you can see my progress here, NaPoWriMo 2021.

 - - - 

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]

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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

 

A hard day's play in France [part 1] -- Looking At the Sky -- Our Spring 2009 Europe Holiday

This would be a busy day made busier.

We went to Homps to ride a canal boat on the Canal du Midi. When we got there we found out that in late April they only ran the afternoon ride so we had to figure out what to do whit our morning.

By unanimous vote it was decided we would visit an old town a bit to the north.

I will show you around that quaint little town which once had been a medieval fortress city.

[click any picture for large size]

The boat captain (only he and a boat attendant would be on our little canal boat) suggested that we drive north to Minerve (link).

We couldn't take the tour (we wouldn't anyway) because we had to have eaten and be back to Homps by 1:00.

The cat was at the restaurant outside eating area.

We made it back in plenty of time for our canal boat ride. I will post from that nice ride next time.

After our boat ride, our busy day would continue. Old town, Carcassonne, was next on our journey. See the map below.

We had fun. I will write more of our Spring 2009 Europe Holiday later.

[All Jim's Europe Holiday posts link]



For more Looking at the Sky on Friday photos
click over to Crazy Working Mom…

Boater's Dream ― Day 15 of NaPoWriMo 2015

 

A Landlubbers Envy

 

There once was a young man, yearned to have a boat.  As he grew older the boat never came near.  Then in his older years a slick salesman sold him his dream.  He thought.

 

Now stuck with a narrow boat barge and a once a year jaunt down the canal.  That's what was waiting for him.  Petrol was high, insurance through the roof.  He saved for a year, that jaunt cost him nine hundred pounds a day.

 

To save his pennies for a later day the young-now-old man lived on his barge.  His wife would have no part of that and left, back for her city life.

 

His only joy in life now was the annual Little Venice boat show over the early May Bank Holiday weekend.  Others he'd also attend, some taking his boat and others he'd walk or catch a ride.

[click on a picture for larger view, back button to return]

 

 

 

_ _ _

 

 Photos and Poem Copyright © 2015 Jimmiehov, All Rights Reserved

 

I am linked with  hedgewitch at the Real Toads, History Is Twistery: The Folly and with  NaPoWriMo 2015, both for Day 15 of National Poem Writing Month -- Phew, April is halfway over.

 

"The challenge is broad--we are in the middle of April,  and I don't intend to be picky about minor details. As long as your poem or prose poem is influenced in some way by the concepts discussed here (of the folly of the dreams of a classic snake-oil salesman J Whittaker Wright), please feel free to run with it as your Muse takes you." (instructions for the day)

 

YouTube look, video of IWA's 2014 Canalway Cavalcade:

 

My muse's ex-landlubber above had the dream and was now enduring his folly.  Mrs. Jim and I attended London's Little Venice Canal Boat Show in 2013.  It was an elbow to elbow affair with a carnival atmosphere. The canal boats were stretched and parked in probably a mile stretch. You might like to attend this year? 

Links: 

Canal Events & Festivals 2015 - 2016, http://narrowboats.org/features/canal_events.aspx ;  and

Little Venice Canalway Cavalcade - 2nd - 4th May 2015

https://www.waterways.org.uk/events_festivals/canalway_cavalcade_2015/iwa_canalway_cavalcade_2015

  

The Lover's Boat -- a Play it Again Challenge poem



"The Lovers' Boat" Albert Pinkham Ryder 1881

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The Lover's Boat
 
The sun has risen, flowers are awake
Wake up little lovers, they're calling you
 
We've seen it all, asleep still in embrace
No movement from them is seen, still they sleep
 
All night long they embraced and cooed and kissed
Time to go now, a blossom for your hair
 
Smell the fragrance sweet! Awake now she is
Alluring and fresh, what about her guy?
 
Kiss him on his brow, then his ear you kiss
He will smell you sweet and reciprocate
 
Awaken he does, and kisses her sweetly
Sweeter than the flowers, Your boat awaits
 
Into the sunset he rows while she sings
Love songs they are, tonight another beach

 Poem Copyright,
© 2015 Jimmiehov,
All Rights Reserve

 

Picture from Margaret's Play it Again, Toads! #13 to which I'm linked today for her instructions.  I chose Option # 1, "1)  Imagined by Kerry - Wednesday Challenge - Write a flowery poem in a non-cliched way."

 

Note: Comments may or may not be returned, but I appreciate them greatly.  We are in Caribbean Sea returning to Houston in the morning from an Emerald Princess seven day cruise. (Home now--Monday--after a day and night with the kids and grand-daughter, KP)

Midweek Blues -- Who is driving the boat?

You couldn't prove anything by me. Since men do boat handling best I will assume the man is.

The fellow appears to have a rudder handle. Or could there be a real driver inside?

We saw this pretty blue barge boat (also called 'narrow boat' [link]) on the Canal du Midi in Southern France (link). We passed it while we were canal boating just over a month ago.

[Answer: they both are, the lady up front is telling the guy in the back with the rudder where, when, and which way he should go and all the other important driving instructions. Ladies are good at that.]

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I am now a charter member of the new MidWeek Blues group, maybe the second person to post, Rebecca, of Dusty Cellar is first. But she started this so she ought to be the first. They post around Wednesday I think.

If you want to post a MidWeek Blues picture, go get directions from Rebecca by clicking on the logo below. She has a Mr. Linky and good directions (considering it is for the first time). Just do what I did.

Monet's Boat

 

Mr. Monet don't you fall 

I like your boat hang on tight 

Do you fish are you fishing 

I'll come up closer and look 

I'm not sure where you are now 

It's not your pond that's for sure 

Your pond is so much smaller 

There I like walking your bridge 

Mr. Monet could I ride 

Ride in this your fishing boat 

I would like that very much 

I say thank you in advance 

. . . 

Note:  We were in Monet's stomping place for several days, his garden near where he severed his ear 

. . . 

 - Photo and Poem Copyright ©️ jimmiehov 2025 All Rights Reserved.

 - I am linked with Merril D Smith at dVerse at    https://dversepoets.com/author/merrildsmith/

 - Merril's writing instructions are, "You may write an ekphrastic poem inspired by Claude Monet’s “The Studio Boat.” Your poem does not need to include anything about reflecting or reflections, but it can." 

. . . 

China sans pictures

China Things I Remember;

I have pictures but none to show

Been there and memories suffice

Climbed the Wall, sailed the dirty Yangtze

Ate the dumplings and lots of "pork"

.

Twenty-one days of my life spent

Spent there amongst the yellow race

Talked with teens in the Metro rail,

practicing their English on us

.

I remember most the boat cruise

Lijiang River, Guilin, China

With the Haystack hills protruding

They cooked us a meal on the boat

.

Toilets on the floor in the back

men's and women's, butts off the floor

Wine for sale, snake in the bottle

My pictures I'll find, not today

.





Li River Cruise Boats--our boat was larger (Photo credit, courtesy of Wikipedia at http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/77/The_Li_River.jpg/800px-The_Li_River.jpg )

Poem Copyright, © 2014 Jimmiehov, All Rights Reserved

Today I am linked with Hannah at the Real Toads, Friday Challenge 

Hannah wants us to share some things concerning China in a poem.  My visit there would have been better sharing if I had pictures of our visit.  Unfortunately I do but they aren't digital and are not in a book.  Some shoe box tucked away hides them for now.

So, yes, I've been to China, it was on my retirement bucket list.  We did most of the things tourists do, visited the Terracotta Warriors, saw the Panda Bears too, shopped the open and covered markets, rode in a rickshaw, visited in a home, walked over Tiananmen Square, and a whole lot more.

The Day Cometh - a Poem for Friday Writings and dVerse Poetics

[click on a picture for larger view, back button to return]

 

The Boating Decision 

I remember the day 

The day I said goodbye 

That day I sailed away 

The day I made you cry  

My ship I hopped aboard 

Been calling me to come 

For wages room and board 

Would nine months be my home 

Swabbing decks cleaning rooms 

Drinks were free food was good 

Keeping busy time zoomed 

Happy not, bad were moods 

Payday came hopped the boat  

Ship work is not my thing 

Coming near, near your home 

Hear the bell, be my ring  

Know now I should be here 

Have you close cozy near 

Bad mistake 

Please be home 

A Landlubbers Envy

 _ _ _ 

 - Poem Copyright, Jimmiehov 2024, All Rights  Reserved 

 - Photo Copyright, Jimmiehov 2015 [URL] taken by me at the Little Venus Canal Boat Show which is held annually at Westminster, London, U.K.

 - I am linked with Rommy for hosting Friday Writings #113  at https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/?m=1

   She offered su an optional prompt posted at the end of these notes.  I chose to post this one instead.

 - I'm also linked with Merril at dVerse Poetics here, for her prompt for this poem 

   https://dversepoets.com/2024/02/06/poetics-sail-into-a-poem/ 

   for the prompt subject and word to use, "ship or boat"

 - Click here to read other dVerse writers' works for the prompt 

 - Rommy has invited "us to write poetry or prose about our favorite modern convenience or invention."

..

Sunday Muse -- What Now

 

A  Situation  

The boat is tired its crew has gone 

They left last week not to return 

Bottom's rotting water comes in 

That's my life now like it or not 

Just one long week were those last years 

Oars were stolen, tie chain rusting 

The fish remain waiting for net 

Eager fisher with a new boat 

 - - - 

 - Poem Copyright, Jimmiehov 2021, All Rights Reserved 

 - Photo prompt thanks to Carrie Van Horn, http://thesundaymuse.blogspot.com/2021/07/sunday-muse-167.html?m=1 

.
Boat poems

a midweek "Going Poem" for you

Do you want to come along

We have this cute little tugboat

Sister and I

Going up and down the canals

That's our new life

Wouldn't you like to come along

Two empty bunks

It doesn't seem so romantic

But wait you'll see

Sister and I and our spouses

Four retired folk

But guests don't stay you'd have to leave 

We share with all

Cook, clean, swab, pull ropes.  Fill the tanks

A hand could stay
 

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

 [click to enlarge]

 _ _ _ _

 - Photo and Poem Copyright, Jimmiehov 2018. All Rights Reserved
   (Photo of the Tugboat is by Karin, aka "Outlawyer", click on her name or see her prompt post today at the link below.   There she has it and some of her other pictures also posted.  She reserves all rights but has released use by us for our poems.  I made a PrintScreen copy photo to post here.)
 - I'm linked with Karin in the Imaginary Garden at http://withrealtoads.blogspot.com/2018/08/going-going-gone-midweek-prompt.html?m=1
 - Karin was remembering the poems she had memorized when she was young. She then realized that many used the word "going" or another form of "go" in them.
 - This process was the basis for her a  asking us to remember along with her and then to WRITE a poem using "going" fairly near its beginning.   BTW,  I've used the word "going" 17 times on this blog https://jimmiehov6.blogspot.com/search?q=going&m=1  One them is titled, "Going, going, gone" as the title of Karin's post with the Toads above.
 - If Nursery Rhymes count I'm sure "This Little Pig . . . " was my first to memorize.

Outside Homps, France, riding a canal boat on the Canal du Midi.

After the boat ride, our busy day would continue.

Old town, Carcassonne, was next on our journey.

[click any picture for a larger sized view]

 

Didn't Croak

 

   

Photo of Youngest Son's Clan, Copyright ©️ jimmiehov 2025, All Rights Reserved 

     Didn't Do

Letter of missing the boat 

My boat was based on the list 

List of things I hadn't done 

I  did them all, I'm still here 

You were with me all the time 

They were saying we're "like twins 

Joined at the hip, used his list"

Now we must each make our own 

We didn't croak pity us 

Theres not much to look for now 

82 countries I've been 

Raised five children countless grands 

Getting to be time to croak 

Perhaps I will this summer

To you Happy Summerween 

I'm the older, love you more 

. . . 

 - Photo and poem Copyright ©️ jimmiehov 2025  All Rights Reserved 

 - I am linked for this weeks prompt at What's Going On 

 - I am also liked with "Friday Writings" 190 at  https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/?m=1 -- 

. . . 

Things we will never see -- Day 4 of NaPoWriMo 2015

Things we will never see .

..[click on pictures for larger sized viewing]

[click again for larger still.  Back button returns]

For sure the wind, pushes our boat

Electrical current, it works
Electrical voltage, it shocks
Do you see light, catch a handful
.
We know the effects of all these
And then some. More, many, we find 
Results we know, deductive all
Science finds new ones every day
 .
The wind is simplest, windmills turn
Who can forget those pretty legs
Bared by breeze, Marilyn Monroe--
Lifted her skirt high as her head

Romantic all, better so than
A piece of wire, sail on our boat,
Light bulb, or blade of a windmill
Comes to mind, action, from each force 

 

Harbor on Bosporus Strait, Istanbul, Turkey.  Link to 

Our 2013 Venice-Istanbul-Black Sea-Athens cruise

Treasured pieces of grown people -- sail boats?

_ _ _
 

Photos and Poem Copyright
© 2013 and 2015 Jimmiehov
All Rights Reserved

 

- NaPoWriMo 2015 is a project to write a poem every day in April, National Poetry Month.  I am not sure that I will write one every day, we will see.
 - Today I'm linked with Isadora Gruye's piece, "Caution: Tender Buttons," continuing with Day 4 of Poems in April at the Imaginary Garden with Real Toads  and also Day 4 of NaPoWriMo 2015

 - Izzy's directions:  Read the excerpts from Tender Buttons below and write a short poem about an object, foods, or a room in the style of Stein.  I chose some objects, an invisible ones, then devoted a stanza for wind as my prompt for writing my short piece.  Below I am posting one piece of Gertrude Stein's work, Tender Buttons from Izzy's.  

Excerpt from Tender Buttons:
 
"... What is the current that makes machinery, that makes it crackle, what is the current that presents a long line and a necessary waist. What is this current.

What is the wind, what is it. ..."