Grazing
As I watched
the black and white calf
worked, cajoled, and finally
wormed her head and neck
through the
narrow
confines
of the hole
in the fence so that she could eat the green grass,
that was,
of course,
much better than what was available
on her side of the fence.
Moments later,
naturally, she changed her mind,
pulled her head and neck, eventually, back through the fence's hole
and ambled off down the hill toward still better grasses.
Poetry: Copyright 2013-2104 by William H. McCann, Jr. All rights reserved. Photographs: Copyright 2013-2014 by Jeanine Lister All rights Reserved
Saturday, May 31, 2014
Resolution and Updates
The month has gotten away from me and I didn't even manage an entry a day on this blog. Life intervened and inspiration didn't. Still, this is a new month and I resolve to do better. Currently, I am working on two projects: reading Stanley Fish's short, but challenging and revolutionary, How to Write a Sentence: And How to Read One (Harper, 2011); it is a book which will change my poetry, and probably my teaching. Also, I have been working on compiling my first book of poetry, almost completely from the archives of the blog. My hope is that that book, to be called Country Traffic Jam, will be published by JW Books later this summer.
The month has gotten away from me and I didn't even manage an entry a day on this blog. Life intervened and inspiration didn't. Still, this is a new month and I resolve to do better. Currently, I am working on two projects: reading Stanley Fish's short, but challenging and revolutionary, How to Write a Sentence: And How to Read One (Harper, 2011); it is a book which will change my poetry, and probably my teaching. Also, I have been working on compiling my first book of poetry, almost completely from the archives of the blog. My hope is that that book, to be called Country Traffic Jam, will be published by JW Books later this summer.
Friday, May 30, 2014
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Sunday, May 25, 2014
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
Circles of Life
The ground hog could barely be seen
in the high grass.
He peeked around cautiously
looking this way and that before exploring more.
Unseen by the groundhog
was a hawk flying in circles and patterns
undetected from the ground.
And still further above the fray
waiting to see what the hawk might do
was a buzzard who was hoping that the remains
of the groundhog might be its next meal.
The ground hog could barely be seen
in the high grass.
He peeked around cautiously
looking this way and that before exploring more.
Unseen by the groundhog
was a hawk flying in circles and patterns
undetected from the ground.
And still further above the fray
waiting to see what the hawk might do
was a buzzard who was hoping that the remains
of the groundhog might be its next meal.
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Sunday, May 18, 2014
Saturday, May 17, 2014
Saturday Night
Between home and Corinth ...
Possum
Rooster
Raccoon
Buzzard
Really?
Yup... electrocuted
and, near the Corinth railroad bridge--
amid the blare of blue lights and red
and the stares of deputies, witnesses and the idle curious:
a sheet shrouded stretcher
being managed by somber EMTs
who accidentally kick a beer bottle
that rolls across the road
and comes to rest
in the weeds.
Between home and Corinth ...
Possum
Rooster
Raccoon
Buzzard
Really?
Yup... electrocuted
and, near the Corinth railroad bridge--
amid the blare of blue lights and red
and the stares of deputies, witnesses and the idle curious:
a sheet shrouded stretcher
being managed by somber EMTs
who accidentally kick a beer bottle
that rolls across the road
and comes to rest
in the weeds.
Friday, May 16, 2014
Thursday, May 15, 2014
New Pet "Owner'
Jeanine is gone
to Colorado
so its me and Halli and Pinka (the cat)
striving to make it through for 10 days.
Yesterday Halli wouldn' eat
and the cat couldn't be found.
Not sure I'm cut out for pet ownership
on the spur of the moment.
This morning the cat came meowing
round the bed.
And Halli ate her fill.
Maybe I'll make it yet.
Jeanine is gone
to Colorado
so its me and Halli and Pinka (the cat)
striving to make it through for 10 days.
Yesterday Halli wouldn' eat
and the cat couldn't be found.
Not sure I'm cut out for pet ownership
on the spur of the moment.
This morning the cat came meowing
round the bed.
And Halli ate her fill.
Maybe I'll make it yet.
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
Fly Like An Eagle
Driving home after work at Bullard
I want to push down on the accelerator and
fly like an eagle:
Along the ridges out rt. 36
there is mist hanging in the low spots
and more as I drive up to the high ones.
But I drive slowly
because my tire pressure is low
and I can't get new tires
until tomorrow.
Driving home after work at Bullard
I want to push down on the accelerator and
fly like an eagle:
Along the ridges out rt. 36
there is mist hanging in the low spots
and more as I drive up to the high ones.
But I drive slowly
because my tire pressure is low
and I can't get new tires
until tomorrow.
Ostrich
Mist is settled on the trees
rain is coming down
and I looked out the window to
notice a pair of my jeans
hanging on the line.
And then I saw the bird--
small with white breast and brown body and wings--
sittting nearby
looking down at them.
Looking up she seemed to look straight at me,
"Aren't these yours? Well, get them out of the
rain, you ostrich."
Mist is settled on the trees
rain is coming down
and I looked out the window to
notice a pair of my jeans
hanging on the line.
And then I saw the bird--
small with white breast and brown body and wings--
sittting nearby
looking down at them.
Looking up she seemed to look straight at me,
"Aren't these yours? Well, get them out of the
rain, you ostrich."
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
Left Behind
Early this morning
as the car,
driven by Laurine--
mother and grandmother to--
Jeanine and Siobhan (respectively)
along with Bill (the cat),
and all their stuff left the drive
on the way to Colorado--
for the ultimate "girls night out" to last
10 days (9 nights)--
all I could think
was,
"What now?"
Early this morning
as the car,
driven by Laurine--
mother and grandmother to--
Jeanine and Siobhan (respectively)
along with Bill (the cat),
and all their stuff left the drive
on the way to Colorado--
for the ultimate "girls night out" to last
10 days (9 nights)--
all I could think
was,
"What now?"
Monday, May 12, 2014
Sunday, May 11, 2014
Under New Management
Above the hummingbird feeders,
atop the shepherd's crook
The goldfinch
majestically regal in his
bright yellow and black plumage
seemed puzzled.
He chattered.
"Where are my sunflower seeds?
What are these strange clear things with the little 'flowers'?"
He looked up.Then down.
He seemed to look directly at Jeanine and me
standing not five feet away,
on the other side of the window glass.
One last time he chattered,
"Who moved my feeder?"
When we gave no answer,
Finally,
He flew away.
Above the hummingbird feeders,
atop the shepherd's crook
The goldfinch
majestically regal in his
bright yellow and black plumage
seemed puzzled.
He chattered.
"Where are my sunflower seeds?
What are these strange clear things with the little 'flowers'?"
He looked up.Then down.
He seemed to look directly at Jeanine and me
standing not five feet away,
on the other side of the window glass.
One last time he chattered,
"Who moved my feeder?"
When we gave no answer,
Finally,
He flew away.
Saturday, May 10, 2014
Wildlife Encounters
Driving away from the house
with Halli locked in
I noticed that the wild life
had come out a bit:
a mourning dove placidly sat outside
the living room winndow
seemingly aware that Halli
(despite her barking)
was not a threat.
As we got in our car
a tom turkey was graveling in the drive.
Moments later, we noticed
A box turtle
plodding along up the drive
and as we approached,
it simply moved into the grass and kept going.
Meanwhile, I miss these close
encounters with wildlife that Halligan
so routinely prevents or disrupts.
Driving away from the house
with Halli locked in
I noticed that the wild life
had come out a bit:
a mourning dove placidly sat outside
the living room winndow
seemingly aware that Halli
(despite her barking)
was not a threat.
As we got in our car
a tom turkey was graveling in the drive.
Moments later, we noticed
A box turtle
plodding along up the drive
and as we approached,
it simply moved into the grass and kept going.
Meanwhile, I miss these close
encounters with wildlife that Halligan
so routinely prevents or disrupts.
Friday, May 9, 2014
Spring Storm
For twenty minutes
With the wind roaring
and rain pouring down,
pounding our poor house
I felt isolated and
alone.
Then the rain stopped
frogs and song birds could be heard
the hummingbirds returned to their feeders
and Halligan went outside
to find mischief, no doubt.
Only then did things get back to normal.
For twenty minutes
With the wind roaring
and rain pouring down,
pounding our poor house
I felt isolated and
alone.
Then the rain stopped
frogs and song birds could be heard
the hummingbirds returned to their feeders
and Halligan went outside
to find mischief, no doubt.
Only then did things get back to normal.
Thursday, May 8, 2014
Sunday, May 4, 2014
Farm Life
Trees leafing out.
Grass growing faster than weeds.
Cars parked in the grass.
Bicycles leaning against the storage shed--
Who has time?
Wheel barrows with stones and sand,
or manure,
in their bottoms
A patio partially completed awaiting
Elliott's strong arms and back.
Halligan chasing bees around the lawn--
even if that takes her through
where Jeanine and I are working:
she weeding the garden
me shoveling rock and sand
and fixing the driveway.
Trees leafing out.
Grass growing faster than weeds.
Cars parked in the grass.
Bicycles leaning against the storage shed--
Who has time?
Wheel barrows with stones and sand,
or manure,
in their bottoms
A patio partially completed awaiting
Elliott's strong arms and back.
Halligan chasing bees around the lawn--
even if that takes her through
where Jeanine and I are working:
she weeding the garden
me shoveling rock and sand
and fixing the driveway.
Saturday, May 3, 2014
Recipe for a Smoother Drive
Begin with a drive full of mud holes
bumps and lumps
Add one each:
road worker
wheel barrow,
shovel
rock pile
and
rake.
Road worker should repeatedly
follow processes below:
Take empty shovel
stab it into the pile of rock
lift full shovel
dump contents into wheel barrow.
Repeat untl wheel barrow is full.
Take full wheel barrow to a mudpuddle
and dump in rock.
Rake until rock is smoothed out
(and puddle is filled up).
Repeat entire process
until drive way is smooth
or until
road worker can no longer work.
Begin with a drive full of mud holes
bumps and lumps
Add one each:
road worker
wheel barrow,
shovel
rock pile
and
rake.
Road worker should repeatedly
follow processes below:
Take empty shovel
stab it into the pile of rock
lift full shovel
dump contents into wheel barrow.
Repeat untl wheel barrow is full.
Take full wheel barrow to a mudpuddle
and dump in rock.
Rake until rock is smoothed out
(and puddle is filled up).
Repeat entire process
until drive way is smooth
or until
road worker can no longer work.
Friday, May 2, 2014
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