rolling on its back
in a freshly mown paddock
a white horse
Published by
Patricia Prime
Patricia has recently retired from teaching after 30 years, and now devotes some time to the reading recovery programme at her local school. She is the co-editor of the New Zealand haiku magazine Kokako and reviews editor of the online magazine Stylus. She writes short stories, poetry, reviews and articles, and likes to write collaborative poems with other poets.
Contact Patricia: pprime at ihug.co.nz.
View all posts by Patricia Prime
93 thoughts on “”
up at 5
working the fields till 7 —
a tired worker
kind lady,
this particular thin-cloud night, my choice of “lucent” was to reflect it’s shining and translucency; through “lucent”, i aimed for a broader defining.
—
up at 5
working the fields till 7 —
a tired worker
–
time of her life
mother cat frolicks
with kittens
up at 5
working the fields till 7 —
a tired migrant worker
Dust bath –
on the white horse’s traces
a flock of sparrows
walking by the river –
the pilings of the old pier
crusted with barnacles
summer evening, lucent moon –
silent and still
uncountable stars
–
Bob, don’t think you need the “lucent moon”. Suggest:
summer moon
silent and still
uncountable stars
kind lady,
this particular thin-cloud night, my choice of “lucent” was to reflect it’s shining and translucency; through “lucent”, i aimed for a broader defining.
—
full moon
my thoughts at midnight …
hanging low
the stillness of dawn . . .
yet stirring in the leaves
reveals a bird
stillness –
never to take to the skies, again
mortality
mission station
fallen and dilapidated
settlers’ headstones
her life time –
may-10-1802 to
june-06-1805
strewn
from the headland
his ashes
noonday
pale and blue …
the rooster’s crows
–
against the sky
the Norfolk Pine’s
black silhouette
black —
darker than that
my walks at midnight
Athens –
up at dawn to watch
the ceremony
ringing alarm
one more sunrise —
death in her sleep
for you
I remember to buy
camomile tea
thought i forget —
i remember
the winter evening, we first met
in and out of love
the black cat surveys
his territory
blue skies, water
as far as the eye can see —
dark clouds forming
spring thaw –
appearing in the garden
the first daffodil
remnant of snow
on the rooftop —
seedling struggles to grow
–
heralding spring
a branch of cherry blossom
laden with snow
cherry blossoms
on the wall
cherry’s pit, from seasons past
from California
expensive black cherries
I buy a handful
naturally sweet —
in your words
to florida
a TV programme
about the everglades –
snapping crocs
beneath my bed
alligator shoes —
childhood monsters
far away –
remembrance of dad’s
two-toned dance slippers
distinct aroma
wrinkle tobacco pouch —
first time holding match
lately deceased
all his pipes delegated
to the rubbish bin
rummaging, on a cold morning
one man’s rubbish
another’s gem
daughter’s graduation
the sparkle of tiny gems
in her necklace
broken string —
pearls racing cross the ballroom floor
violinist plays on
Carmen on stage
granddaughter practices bullfight –
I book tickets
imitation of life …
life is but a dream
it seems
dreaming of birds
I wake to the dawn chorus
bell birds and tui
dawn –
korimake’s chimes
speaks to me
tui
amidst the norfolk pine
norfolk pine
a full yellow moon
caught in its branches
misty …
full moon waning
branch snags her locks
lost keys –
as I wait for the locksmith
the smell of fresh bread
lost glasses –
in the window
atop my head
–
the mockingbird’s feather
pale in comparison —
to the blue jay’s
opening the french doors
I startle a sparrow
in the bird bath
french bread aroma
through the french doors ~
my sultry french maiden
winter stew –
chunks of french bread
soak up the gravy
lack of meat
in my winter stew …
remembrance of july outing
a horse fades in the rain
the sound of leaves
water reflection –
the bowed branches
of a weeping willow
weeping willow —
close by, weeping widow
rains begin again
washing the dirt
from my gardening boots
again I hear the rain
pale-grey clouds
a grey stallion
rolls in the wet dust
on the barn
the shadow of a foal
cast by the sun
evening shadow on my wall —
the lizard’s tail
wiggles
longer than her hair
birthday ribbons
on the girl’s pigtails
father’s pen
dipped into the inkwell —
my first love’s pigtail
married with daughters
those boys who used to dip
my pigtails in the inkwell
to say, i do —
gaze upon the stars at night
yet, i daydream
exam time –
daydreaming about her boyfriend
she forgets to swat
examination time
a lump in my throat …
a look in your eyes
English friends
meditate in the abbey –
my envy grows
strolling, hand in hand
along the wall
Ivy grows
a hand in mine
I guide the blind man
across the road
the night sky –
unable to see
my hand
flare of a match
beneath the lamppost
the rain’s scrim
scrim —
rainy night, imposing your image
my canvas
daughter’s photo
admired by my friends –
she still looks 19
class reunion —
memory’s refusal to let go
the way it was
class of ’59 –
what happened to them all
I wonder
purple forget-me-nots
held to her lips
i wonder —
roadside gutter
littered with cherry-blossom –
gale force wind
hurricane winds —
barren cherry tree
roots exposed
root canal –
expensive advice
from the dentist
expensive,
to spend
or not spend one’s life-savings,
advice
appointment
with the bank manager –
investment advice
sunrise, through sleepy eyes —
night watchman
late for appointment
first sign of summer –
girls in crop tops
and short shorts
2nd sign of summer –
my watching
first signs
blossom emerging –
purple of magnolia
light pink of cherry
flying high
touching a cloud’s puffiness —
ideal
son’s birthday . . .
I have to stretch up high
to kiss him
noon greeting
so tiny, a package
a kiss upon her cheek
out of the window
the place he hid as a youngster
now overgrown
those hidden places
diminished —
in winter
how to make a link?
inspirational places
in the mind
unbreakable bond –
aroma of the pine
though i were blind
visiting
the optician
sight sorely tested
sight sorely tested —
looking cross midnight
where sunrise had formed
of like mind
we could spend the days
talking poetry
so many poems
so little time —
before evening comes
sunset
the black cat curls
before the fire
sunset —
stormy tropical morning
palm fronds expose green fruit
–
sad, basho’s banana tree never knew the wonders of bearing fruit