Great & Small

It is the day before Thanksgiving and it seems everyone is out picking up last minute items. People are everywhere and the traffic is crazy as impatient horns blare.

I reach into my pocket and her list, hand written in pencil, is crumpled around my keys. I fish it out, smoothing it as I squint to read :-

Red peppers
Green peppers
Ginger
Onions
Scallions
Garlick
Greatnut ice cream
Bizzy

Bizzy, she makes tea from this. “Good for the knees”, she says while rubbing it. I still have trouble figuring out which of her home remedies are mostly old wives tales. That matters not, though. It’s what she gets from it. I suspect they have more to do with her refusing to just give up. Or, to leave her fate in the hand of another.

Arthritis is taking its toll. That right knee is markedly larger than the left. So it can’t be comfortable. And she has given up on doctors. “They’re not doing anything for me, they’re just rifling through my insurance”, she complains. And soldiers on.

At age 87, she is still a warrior!

sparrows in a ruckus
above the roar of traffic –
how’s this possible?
I pause – from atop street light
an unlikely burst of nature

Pat R
11/29/19

A Tanka haibun having to do with giving thanks for things great and small. For Tanka Tuesday over at Colleen’s, also over at Frank Tassone’s Poetry Challenge where the prompt is Thanksgiving.

 

In the Garden

It is near autumn in my garden. Brown patches of dried leaves are here and there. They were caught up in the tussle between the hibiscus, and the strangling pumpkin vine from the neighbors yard. That thing had the hibiscus by the neck, in a deep bow, with two weighty pumpkins hanging off it.

The other vines that climbed the dangling cable are now crispy and brown. They owe their fate to the other pumpkin vine that was headed their way. It had to be stopped.

 

the lantern flower

as still as the morning air

the last pop of color

Pat R

10/07/19

For Ronovan Writes Haiku Challenge

where the prompt is Air & Lantern

Butterfly’s Dance

In the garden, a sweet scent romps with the occasional gust. A small tree that once lived in the shadow of the mulberry, is now rich with scented blooms.

at the heart of the
butterfly’s dance, the sweet scent
of blooms – warm spring day

Pat R

5/21/19

For dVerse poets where it’s quadrille monday and Kim is hosting. The prompt is “Rich”

&

For Ronovan Writes Haiku where the prompt is Sweet & Heart

Flower of the Day

In my garden at springtime I am always tempted to snap dried-up looking twigs. Most of the time I resist the urge only to be pleasantly surprised with tender shoots. One would think I would learn from this and leave well enough alone. But, being human each year it’s the same.The entity involved in these encounters probably just rolls it’s eyes and continue on to finding it’s way. Maybe someday.

new journey
uninterrupted
fate fulfilled

Pat R

4/26/19

For Cee’s Photography Challenge #Flower of the Day #FOTD

 

 

#Flower of The Day

Pear blossoms. This is from my pear tree. I planted it myself and it actually lived to be a tree bearing fruit. It was a big hit with the neighbors. They were helping me count how many pears we on the tree for the first time:)) 

It has been some years now. But still, every year, I am amazed!

 

every spring

right at my doorstep

living art

Pat

4/25/19

This is for Cee’s Photography for Flower of The Day Challenge. #FOTD.

NaPoWriMo

 

Smells Like Spring

My weekend is firmly in the aces column when I get to browse the farmer’s market. It has the air of a mini festival.

.
it smells like spring

hyacinth and lavendar glory in
the afternoon sun

even the bees
are browsing
the farmer’s market

Pat R

4/09/19

For dVerse Poets Prompt “Ace”

&

NaPoWriMo Day 9

&

Cees Flower Of The Day

 

Cherry blossoms Haibun

The first warm spring day at the botanic gardens are met with a good turnout. People of all ages, anxious to bask in the beauty of the early blooms. And for whom wandering under the cherry blossom canopy is a rite of spring. So they come early to bear witness – before the blossoms dwindle and start to fall.

a life of beauty
even in its falling
cherry blossoms

Pat R

4/08/19

For Frank Tassone’s prompt “Cherry Blossoms”

NaPoWriMo   Day 8

Cee’s Flower of The Day