
What shall I believe
Pondering the pandemic
Wondering what’s true
Searching for an absolute
In a relative world
Tanka

What shall I believe
Pondering the pandemic
Wondering what’s true
Searching for an absolute
In a relative world
Tanka

Lily dressed in pale purple
Stands regal by the garden gate
Watching the growing parade
Slowly passing her by
Focused on anger
Without a care
They destroy
What once
Was
Nonet
Written after seeing the destructive aftermath 50 days of rioting, protests, and marches has caused in Portland, Oregon USA 2020

Moving
Feathers and leaves
Flying and floating around
Destination determines their
Purpose
Cinquain

A fallen tree stump
Inspiration takes root
Rock garden springs up
Creativity of one hand
Causes neighbor unity
Tanka
I am so inspired to see the creativity that continues to grow in my neighborhood backyard. It really is a testimony to the ripple effect.
Yesterday my next door neighbor told me to come see what two other nearby neighbors had begun doing in their yards lately, and it was a beautiful creation of plants and flowers that definitely improved the property and visually brightened our total backyard landscape.
These neighbors hold me the other neighbors next to us will be continuing this theme all along the backside of our building which will eventually create a continuous stream of beauty all long the area where once there was just dirt, mud or dead grass and weeds.
It made me so happy to see, and I found tears of joy start glistening in my eyes, because all this began from a storm last year that caused one fallen tree. When it’s debris was hauled away all there was left was a small stump sticking up in the middle of our backyard. Looking at that every morning inspired me to want to beautify that area by sitting a plant on the stump and then to create a rock garden around it.
So I began. I put a plant on the stump, placed a few rocks around it and planted some ground cover. It began to take shape, and it was a great improvement to the yard. I figured it would be a work in progress as I pondered what else could go in there.
A couple of my next door neighbors loved the look and asked if they could help or.add to it and it has now grown into a beautiful centerpiece in our backyard that has spawned an outgrowth of other areas of beauty all around us as the creativity grew.
What a beautiful ripple effect!

Shutting out the world
Immersing myself in art
Creating beauty
From the pages of bad news
Painting over the sadness
Tanka

Peace is lost, chaos reigns,
As masked voices protest
“We cannot breathe”.
Colors war with one another,
All seeking their rights,
As Covid looms, bringing death.
“Be gone from us!”
We cry out in desperation
Grieving for what used to be.
Choka

Covid keeps crawling
Slowly creeping thru our land
Moving like a snail
Haiku

In the early morn,
Rising with the summer sun,
Waking with the birds,
I sit among trees and flowers,
Sipping coffee as
Windchimes serenade me.
A squirrel scurries,
Butterflies flutter, bees buzz.
My garden shuts out the world.
Choka

Some words spoken
Float past us like wispy
Feathers in the sky
Nebulous clouds bringing doubt
Uncertainty and confusion
Tanka

Without any care,
No matter world circumstances,
The rose still blooms
Oh that I should be as trusting
To do the same as it does
Tanka