A new poem

A trip to the Getty Center in the hills above the 405 freeway in Los Angeles inspired this poem. I've illustrated it with a couple of photos I took with my cell phone.

Getty Garden Bowl

Bougainvillea bowers

stand as sentinels

at the plaza’s edge,

as we start slowly

down the circular path.

The stream,

winding its way

amongst the rocks,

the hydrangea,

and tall yellow grass,

at our side.

We stop to peer

at the succulents beds,

their little puffed-leaves

arranged like swirling

rose petals,

in pale greens

tipped in blood red.

Finally we circle

to the bottom

where the azalea bowl

overflows in soft and hot pinks,

its blooms sucking in

the moisture of the pool
underneath.

Tree trimming rant - a new poem

Butcher

The tree trimming was yesterday.

And with his long-handled ax

he hacked the trees

stripping off leaves and

giant birds of paradise

until only bare branches and trunks

were left.

His onslaught hit the ground

leaving broken and bent petals,

the red succulents flattened

and spent.

Of course it got its intended result –

Light pouring through.

I can’t wait for the shade

to come back.

Coral Tree Before

 Coral Tree Today 

(2 weeks after the hack job)

 Poor Eucalyptus and Palms

Two more April PAD challenge poems

I submitted these two poems and three others posted here to the April 2012 PAD challenge contest. Robert Lee Brewer promises results in August.

I love succulents. 

Their colors are like a poem.

Day 22. The prompt was to write a judging poem

From the looks of it

Food TV’s Chopped judges

all seem to disagree

about the texture, taste, seasonings,

cooking style, and presentation skills

of the chefs competing on the show.

And yet, when their bickering

time is up, they say,yes,

nodding their heads up and down.

They know for sure

who is in and who is out.

How do they do that

this viewer wants to know.

Day 23. The prompt was to write a morning poem

I walk in the dark

of the morning,

just before a bit of moon

and the few remaining stars

give up their space in the sky

to the first light of dawn.