The Lady of Schemes
There once was a Lady of Kerrville
Who came to town with a strong will
To take her pen to town
But then her music went down
And her piano playing was at a standstill.
There once was an Elderly Lady
Who thought that she just maybe
Would acquire a degree
To add to her three
And pursue musicology.
There once was a Woman of Dreams
Who fantasized within means
To accomplish once more
Yet who’s keeping score?
Studying cultures abroad she schemes.
joanconnor04/25/2022
Today, our fifth anniversary, is celebrated with the following poem I scripted this early morning:
what game shall we play today?
to revere our five years ~
two souls who met by chance
alas, one keeps searching to be free
not of her partner, oh, no, no, no!
not of her marriage, smitten she is!
free of routine, those daily tasks
that bind her in interests that never last.
what game shall we indulge ourselves
in
a playful sort of way?
take this day, its relevance and delight
one another with
commitment, connectivity, coupled
we thank our God for
His myriad of gifts, reassurances,
as we play our game today.
NaPoWriMo #21
Using a cinquain graphic organizer specifying adjectives, "ing" words, phrase, last line synonymous with first line, I completed the following structured poem using prompt #21:
This prompt asks you to write a poem in which you first recall someone you used to know closely but are no longer in touch with, then a job you used to have but no longer do, and then a piece of art that you saw once and that has stuck with you over time. Finally, close the poem with an unanswerable question.
1)
girlfriend
supportive timely
wishing reminiscing
two-way communication nonexistent
friendless
2)
teacher
unfortunate, mislead
challenging, misfitting, provoking
position unappreciated, disrespected
retired
3)
abstract
balanced, textural
creating, learning, freeing
desire to understand
subjective
4)
Why do people allow their age to determine their actions and their goals?
joanconnor04/21/2022
crusts, dried out pieces of bun
leftover bread stuffing
one chunk of white bread
moldy crust cut off.
recycling event happening today
rejoice in your rejuvenation, dear
friends in the bread pudding rendezvous!
is it sacrilegious to call it
the bread resurrection event?
each dried out morsel will
allow the milk to penetrate
and transform its crustiness into
an edible delectable
the dates are dancing to be
included with a few raisins, those
dried up withered fellas that become
plump as the party commences
exposed to the eggs and cinnamon
nutmeg and sugar - attention ingredients!
how many of you eggs want to be
beaten into this meeting?
“custard, make it like a custard,” the
bread bellows, the spices squawk,
the sugar discerningly decides when
“enough is enough.”
the camaraderie of characters join
together in 350 degrees
working their synchronicity
to please.
joanconnor 04/20/2022
An Easter Cinquain
alive
a faith to share
Easter morn awakened
i am resurrected my way
in prayer
i am
Indifferent to
most needlecrafts
maybe not all
i purchased embroidery
possibly joining
the ladies, very interested in
the vintage travel trailer design
no interest in
the gathering
i divert my ears
as you talk
of crocheting
knitting
quilting
when i get old older oldest
i shall appreciate
your needlework
i have none
once i wanted to tat
a very long time ago
that was that
now i hear there is
needle tatting -
much easier - wonder
how easy - indifferent
however curious
i have small and smaller
weaving looms sitting
on the closet shelf
wonder if i will learn that
like i didn’t learn to tat
or crochet
or knit
or quilt
i keep holding
a pen or tap
computer keys
contemplating
the undone as i do
i opened the windows
the money took wings
i had a substantial amount saved
this month i withdrew it all
and then some……
it’s april 2022 - my tax bill is paid
the fence man started and finished in four days
a very extensive cyclone fence required
to acquire house insurance
my windows are still open
the money still nesting in the
insurance coffers then
the dermatologist radiated
copay was hundreds.
may brings may baskets and
it is amazing, truly a may basket
being refilled as
social security and pension money
begins to rebuild
Increment
by increment
and i?
i am shutting my windows to
keep those dollars from fluttering out
my nest egg needs rebuilding
joanconnor04/12/2022
A Tanka of Tiny Frets
one small ukulele
its player tormented
an instrumental challenge
such tiny frets for
four untrained fingers
I just learned about a new form of writing (Korean)…. thanks for reading a first attempt.
Sijo about something large -
It’s immense! Continuing down a canyon of cedar trees
One perched home with miles of green flowing into the neighbors’ plots
Enveloped! Cement surrounds, keeping in place a country house.
joanconnor 04/11/2022
guide to sijo | sejong writing competition (sejongculturalsociety.org)
my future
evoked to recall my first dwelling
my only connection now is
the cemetery ⇢ a mile
from town as mom and dad
rest in peace and i
well-aware that
my ashes
belong
there
The prompt was to write a nonet with nine lines beginning with nine syllables. Then each line diminishes by one in its syllabic count.
joanconnor 04/09/2022
Prompt from the website:
Today, I’d like to challenge you to write a poem that argues against, or somehow questions, a proverb or saying.
legacy of the wise
(“A prudent question is one-half of wisdom.” says Francis Bacon)
and the other half? the other half must be knowledge
as we are intellectually tasked, we listen as others
respond to our questions, they - saturated with wisdom
we seek wisdom
then death approaches
our prudent wisdom half cup becomes
the full cup of answers = knowledge
the full cup of wisdom
we have questioned out
time to pour
our wisdom into
the next half-filled cup
joanconor 04/08/2022
Two Times To
Two times I have chosen to travel on
Roads that take me away from the impact of
Diverged opinions regarding how my life
(In these final decades) should be lived.
A plan by others is only that, not my desire but gives me
Yellow check marks, warnings that the depth of my
Woods will only be known if I walk through, not to.
joanconnor 04/06/2022
The Arachnid Orchestra
The Arachnid Orchestra draws
An attentive crowd
Its members display superb skill
It doesn’t take long to figure it out
One talent, three instruments
And leftover legs that will
Tap the beat and turn the page
The tarantula leads the way
As she commands the cymbals
With a flourish she plays
Violin, one clarinet and still has
Two more legs to
Tap the beat and turn the page
Daddy long legs controls the timpani
Toots the flute and bows the viola
Couldn’t be prouder as he
Keeps his cool and according to rule
Has the necessary legs to
Tap the beat and turn the page
The pseudo scorpion proud to be
lead French hornist and cello master
the harp is near and she
Plucks its strings and always has
Two extra legs that
Tap the beat and turn the page
The tick has his pick of the bass
and trombone, always with ease he does
As he pleases on the snare drum
To the rhythm as his extra legs
Tap the beat and turn the page
So important the oboe pinched with
The black widow’s tight lips, a piano
She adores, a xylophone she
Explores as she still has legs
To tap the beat and turn the page
Lastly the tiny mite, important to all
A baton in each arm waving
wildly to control
This group of ambidextrous
Multi contortionists all
Displaying great talents as
6 x 2 plus the director too
Taps the beat and turns the page
To perform for you onstage their
Concerto for Overachieving Arachnids
Joanconnor 04/06/2022
SNAP! - so nice among plants it only took a few minutes to water the invisible zinnias they're struggling, underground still i should ha...
