Katharine’s prompt was to look East, North, West and South and work the first thing I see in each direction into a poem.  At East: the trees of Life and Death (a dead snag next to a living tree); at South, the neighbors’ silo; at West, the lamp post; at North, the rooster on the weather vane.

EAST
Morning will appear
between two trees on the ridge,
gateway between the worlds,
the dead and the living,
and the day born between them.

SOUTH
Blue silo rises
in the next valley over.
Mid-day sun will glint
from the shiny silver dome,
like code meant for the chickens.

WEST
Shadows climb the hill
As the sun tops the west ridge.
The lamp will wink on
and spread a puddle of light
into the misty evening.

NORTH
When the north wind blows
whistling into the hollow
the rooster screeches
from the iron weather vane.
Night settles over the fields.

 

Prompt

Tomorrow’s prompt is also from Katharine Jennings.  She suggested that tomorrow I take Ellis and Joss outside and ask what Ellis sees to the north, and what Joss sees to the south.  If you care to join me, you can find your own children or child-like spirit to fulfill the prompt, or I will try to remember to post my children’s observations in the morning, if you want theirs.

 

Gratitude List:

1.  Papaya with lime that takes me back to the shores of Lake Victoria
2.  Ellis’ utter delight at making an AM radio with his electricity set
3.  Praesiolite in the shape of a wing
4.  Boundaries
5.  Still so very much to learn

May we walk in beauty!