Sakura

Photo © 2014 Jennifer Wagner

Spring’s love note comes

like riotous femininity

sipping pink champagne

and throwing her head back

saying, “catch me,

if you can.”

© 2014 Jennifer Wagner

For Imaginary Garden with Real Toads: Artistic Interpretations with Margaret – Flowers.  Cherry blossoms say “spring” to me.  So glad to see them!

friend

photo © 2014 jennifer wagner

extra treats,

longer hugs.

laryngeal paralysis

& age

are taking you

into

the next phase.

we mentally

try to hear

the future

empty

of hefty paws

padding the floor,

and your bones

groaning

with the creaking of the stairs.

we say things like:

remember when he stole that entire ham?

           

we’ll never have another dog

like him.

           

he’s happy;

he’s had a good life.

           

i want to be the one to dig his grave,

when you know,

“it”

comes.

your slow-wag tail,

your chocolate eyes

melt us

and each of us

searches

for how

we can learn to say,

do svidaniya, drug.

© 2014 Jennifer Wagner

I’ve been working on this one for a while.  Too emotional.  Our big, mellow Labrador, Druke, is 13 years old and the signs are all there.  “Druke” is how we spell his name, pronounced “drug/droogk” meaning “friend” in Russian.

до свидания, друг

Poetry Jam:  Letting Go

Poets United Midweek Motif:  In Two or More Languages

Search & Rescue

The last I heard from you was

at 5:30am

and I turn off the TV now

to rain forecast and reports

of mud to turn to quicksand.

I’m not supposed to worry.

I’m not supposed to worry.

I’m not supposed to worry.

© 2014 Jennifer Wagner

Hearts and prayers and hands continue to go out for the victims and their loved ones of the mudslide in Oso, WA in which 14 have died and many are missing.  My husband is part of the USAR (Urban Search and Rescue) team deployed in the rescue and recovery effort.

Varied Thrush

At the beginning,

ends,

and afters,

(the dawn,

the dusk,

the eclipsing of the rain shower),

you call:

1. wake up

2. calmly be

3. rejoice

I think you’re right.

© 2014 Jennifer Wagner

We hear the Varied Thrush from our house every day.  I haven’t gotten a photo (they are quick to hide), but they are pretty orange and bluish-gray birds with a call much like a referee’s whistle.

For the open link at Poets United Poetry Pantry

Lovers' Boats (Naked, Unashamed)

Fairyland – Sunita Khedekar

beez buzz

zap

            zapp

fizzle

fuzzle

guzzle

            nuzzle

the pleasant

swish

rattle

rustle

of cotton candy pink

feather and wing

and clothes

fling

-ing

and skin dip-

ping

into the splash, giggling

a sarcoline

memory quilting

© 2014 Jennifer Wagner

At dVerse Poetics Grace has invited us to write to the delightfully vibrant artwork of Sunita Khedekar.  She also encouraged us to use color words with the help of The Phrontistery.  The piece I chose to write to reminded me of a cabin we’ve stayed at a few times with a private outdoor hot tub in a beautiful natural setting…trees, creek…just picturesque.  We always chuckle at a sign they have posted there that reads, “We don’t skinny dip, we chunky dunk.”  Anyway, however you are…make a splash. ;)