Our beloved Cordelia had a bout with near-death for two solid weeks, but I am happy to report she’s on the mend. She’s fifteen, so we accept that she is slowing down. But she looks significantly better now and is actually up and walking. That’s a big improvement from when I wrote this poem. The…

Below is a cinquain, a poetic form in which the first and last lines mirror one another in sound, with the number of syllables increasing by 2 with each line before returning to 2: 2-4-6-8-2. Breathe deep…From an orange groveWafts the sweet, pure fragranceOf snowy, orange-centered petals Bees’ bliss

Happy Easter to all!

Granddaughter Luna Triolet for her Birthday Today Willowy Luna is entering her teensShe’s artistic, smart, and a little bit sassyShe loves tee-shirts and wide-legged jeansWillowy Luna is entering her teensHer jokes are enough to burst your spleenShe sings like an angel and is quite classyWillowy Luna is entering her teensShe’s artistic, smart, and a little…

Tree limbs dance in the breeze Dark greens and bright oranges abound The air is filled with the hum of bees The tree limbs dance in the breeze Red-tailed hawks glide in the sky with ease Black ants scurry along the ground Tree limbs dance in the breeze Dark greens and bright oranges abound

I hear a woodpecker’s rapping Along with the distant cawing of crows My eyes are heavy from napping I hear a woodpecker’s rapping Along with a faraway dog’s yapping I stretch my body and wiggle my toes I hear a woodpecker’s rapping Along with the distant cawing of crows

A tanka poem has 31 syllables in a 5/7/5/7/7 pattern. Also, the first two lines are more descriptive and image-focused, shifting to a more reflective metaphor, simile, or personification in the closing lines. I wrote this to describe three-year-old Ethan at the orange grove: Loping down the path He has no concern or fear He…

Here is a poem I have written for my grandson Milo, since March is his birthday month. For those of you who have written to me expressing your concern over the complications of Milo’s birth, thank you. Your thoughts, prayers, and well wishes touched my heart. I will see Rachael, Andrew, and Milo later this…

In preparation for participating in the National Poetry Month Challenge, I wrote this poem today. I should prepare you, in April I am hopeful I can write a poem a day to post. An acrostic poem: Ojai Spring Skies are blue now Possible showers in a couple of days Rain is a major part of…