I ... entered the poem of life, whose purpose is ... simply to witness the beauties of the world, to discover the many forms that love can take. (Barabara Blackman in 'Glass After Glass')

These poems are works in progress and may be updated without notice. Nevertheless copyright applies to all writings here and all photos (which are either my own or used with permission). Thank you for your comments. I read and appreciate them all, and reply here to specific points that seem to need it — or as I have the leisure. Otherwise I reciprocate by reading and commenting on your blog posts as much as possible.

16 April 2017

Streetlight, Rain

(American sentences)

Streetlight, rain, a rain-blurred moon in a black sky – my Autumn neighbourhood.

After the big April floods bumpy road surfaces muddy edges.

Flood-ruined possessions line the streets, piled as high as the water was.

Climate change summer too hot too wet: garden of weeds and mosquitos.

After a few days the rain stops; after a few more the cat ventures out.

A branch from the bush with red flowers juts across the path: pruning time.

Music piercing walls and scaling fences: schoolboy neighbour's recorder.

Shrieking cockatoos fly over at twilight, urging each other home.

When shops and businesses shut for the night, it’s already sunset.

Summer over, I wear pyjamas to bed; the cat snuggles closer.














Day 16 of April Poetry Month at 'imaginary garden with real toads' is Micro Poetry ~ Streetlight Rain in which we are invited to write poem of 10 lines or less, or to try the American Sentences invented by Allen Ginsberg as a Western kind of haiku, or to focus on the theme 'Streetlight, Rain'. So I thought I'd try the lot! If my 10 separate American sentences don't exactly constitute one poem, they at least have a common subject, all being descriptive of this time of year where I live.

14 comments:

  1. After a few days the rain stops; after a few more the cat ventures out.

    I love the way the semi-colon creates the pause in this sentence. Thanks for sharing your rainy impressions of April.

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  2. These are really good, Rosemary!

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  3. I love that last sentence for its coziness and settling in

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  4. Love these, especially with that ending sentence... perfect!

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  5. That's an impressive collection of American Sentences, Rosemary - I couldn't manage ten! I especially like:

    'After the big April floods bumpy road surfaces muddy edges';
    'After a few days the rain stops; after a few more the cat ventures out';
    and.
    'Summer over, I wear pyjamas to bed; the cat snuggles closer'.

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    Replies
    1. Yours, though, cohered beautifully into a whole, indivisible poem! :)

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  6. So clever to do 10 American sentences. :) I love all of these, Rosemary.

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  7. Oh gosh these are absolute perfection, Rosemary!❤️

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  8. Quite American for an Aussie :) ~

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  9. Congratulations. I believe you brilliantly and poetically met your goal. (with a message - all returns)

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  10. Love how These sentences build upon each other

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  11. Especially loved: After a few days the rain stops; after a few more the cat ventures out. Goodness, it is an entire story!

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  12. Fantastic! You took the challenge and made a story out of it.

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