April 13, 2023

April Is National Poetry Month

I don't tend to think poetically, so a couple of years ago I challenged myself to write a haiku a day. I confess I didn't finish out my goal of a year's worth, but it came to mind the other day when I saw that April is National Poetry Month. It's all homestead inspired, so why not make a contribution?

I reckon I would call this small collection "Winter."

Dawn brightens blue
contrails cross beneath the moon 
sun peeks in the east

Head tall, watching all
feather sheen in black and green
strut, strut, pause - Rooster!

Clear sky, bright white sun,
Brisk wind biting my nose and cheeks
Winter is still here

Streaks of dappled grey
reach across the sky. No sun.
Will it rain today?

Crisp brown crunch beneath
soft grey paws. Pause. Green eyes fixed,
tail whips. Wrens beware!

Drip speckled cat coat
Wet paw prints on hardwood floor
It's raining again

Drip, drip, drip, drip, drip
Misty tree conversations
blue jays punctuate

Chicka-chicka-CHIT!
Scolding chickadee ignored -
Cat on a mission.

Small puddle reflects
grey calm behind fleeting clouds.
Small splash, sparrow bath!

Misty shades of sky
No brightness to mark the sun
Rain smiles from the clouds

Towhees scratch and hop
hunting leaf-hidden morsels
Squirrels watch and scold

Spoon poised, sudden dark,
Silence loudly fills the house -
the power is out.

Crisp sharp air pierces
my breath. Dark stillness broken,
coyotes calling

Spring, yet not spring. Birds
twitter and chirp, winter lurks
behind the north wind.

A neighbor's rooster 
crows and breaks the gray silence
Dawn sun arises

Smiling slice of moon,
crescent in the arch of blue,
Clear! No rain today!

Puffs of frosty breath
Ice caps on barnyard buckets
Robins heading north

Bright yellow on drab,
Winter's first promise of spring
- daffodils!

Pale yellow sun breaks
winter sky of frosty blue
Songbird symphony

Neglected haiku
The day went by so quickly
Promise forgotten


Puddle splash, rain rings,
Step carefully or wet feet!
Birds chirp, they don't care

Empty pasture waits
Goats stand at the gate and stare
Winter grass is scarce

Dog prints in the mud
Feathers scattered on the ground
Muscovy duck dead

Frost on the rooftops
Sun rises over pale blue
A warm day promise

High pitched screech aloft
like you hear in the movies
but this hawk is real

Twittering chatter
Community atop the tree
SWOOP! Silence in flight

Dull muddy sunrise
rain-gray clouds overshadowed
brilliant red breaks through

Fog dampens the sun
We look, we call, we wait. Where's
Meowy? Gone??? - Found!

Wind whips bare branches
Thunder announces a storm
Instant pelting rain

Hair blown in my eyes
clouds racing across the sky
cold weather returns

Snow flakes on whiskers
Paw prints on the snowy steps
Meow! Let me in!

Red cardinals, white snow,
green and yellow daffodils.
Colors of winter

Four little noses
Eight hoofs, four tails, mama's milk
Newborn baby goats

Frilly lettuce leaves
scalloped leaves of collard greens
winter's survivors

Dots of daffodils
bright yellow on winter drab
Robins everywhere

Breezes kiss my cheek
Cobbled clouds across the sky
Trail of northbound birds

Bouncing hops and jumping
Racing across the paddock
Baby goats at play

Damp drizzly morning 
becomes rainy afternoon
Indoor work today

Robin speckled fields
The hunt for earthworms is on
Flight! Northbound again

Ice speckled raindrops
become lost in the snowflakes.
Goats stay in the barn.

Chattering treetops
Branches alive with starlings
What do they discuss?

Crows call an alert!
All eyes search the skies. A hawk?
Far above, he's there

Anyone else?

9 comments:

wyomingheart said...

Travel far, and travel west.
See those faces you love in your quest.
Just rest assured after your travel test,
Back home on the ridge ain’t nothin but the best!

Missed you, Leigh, and it’s great to be back home!

Nancy In Boise said...

Nice!!!

Leigh said...

Wyomingheart, good to hear from you! I figured you all were traveling. Love your poem. It says it all! :)

Thanks, Nancy!

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Nice! I, as a young kid, loved to write poetry. I made up some crazy funny poems, but I have no idea where those are at in our current home renovation situation ha ha!

Toirdhealbheach Beucail said...

Ignored in silence,
the humble small holding shows
Nature's tapestry.

(Well done Leigh! I love haikus. If you have never read the Japanese poet Basho, I highly recommend him. He is the author most associated with bringing the art form to its highest level. Penguin has published his works under The Narrow Road to The Deep North and On Love and Barley. The first one is a travelogue with haiku interspersed, the second is all haiku.)

Leigh said...

Kristina, but you saved them, right? I hope you find them. Fortunately, I've saved my poetry (although there isn't much) plus everything I wrote for my creative writing class in college.

TB, I love that! And I always enjoy the haiku you publish on your blog. Thank you for the recommendation. I've heard of Basho, and really should get copies of his work.

Quinn said...

I like these very much, especially the evocative rooster and cat ones :) And I'm very glad Meowy was found!

Henny Penny said...

I like it a lot! I've always enjoyed reading poetry but sure can't write any.

Leigh said...

Quinn, thanks!

Henny, I don't think much about writing it either, but haiku are short and easier to manage. :)