Month: June 2017

Little Red Riding, Not

June 19, 2017.Reading time 1 minute.

Little Red Riding Hood
forgot to mount her horse
left him behind
chomping grass in the field

she,
being too foolish or too lazy
to take the time to
catch
brush
saddle
and
bridle
her willing pet
and too grossed out
to pick his hooves,
filled her basket with wine and cake
and set off down the trail
ON FOOT
to feed her sick granny

her mother warned her strictly
to stay on the trail

she should have told the girl
to use her brains
and ride her pony

I would tell you more,
but there is no more to tell

The Little Red Riding Hood girl,
Not Riding
was too slow
to outrun
the Big Bad Wolf

he
ate
her

~

Words and Photography ©2017 Tanya Cliff ~ to contact me

Posted in poetry & free verse. Bookmark the permalink.

 

 

The Ricochet

June 15, 2017.Reading time less than 1 minute.

“I got it”
yelled the boy
as feathers went flying
the body hit the ground with a soft thud

it was his first kill
harvested
with this year’s birthday present
in his grandma’s backyard

a pellet gun
aimed carefully

“lads will be lads”
said the dad
fantasizing
his strapping young hunter
field dressing
a 12-point buck

“it’s just a bird”
said the mom
consoling
her son as a few of his tears
splashed
on the winged carcass

“what a shame”
said the granny
sighing
a few days later
upon discovering a nest
filled
with
dead
baby
birds

~

Words and Photography ©2017 Tanya Cliff ~ to contact me

Posted in poetry & free verse. Bookmark the permalink.

A Helper’s Haiku

June 12, 2017.Reading time less than 1 minute.

chicks lift loads like ants

once buttered, the babes feasted

little red hen bread

~

for my daughter, who takes my photos, is a terrific stage blood artist and bakes delicious bread so we don’t starve

~

Words and Photography ©2017 Tanya Cliff ~ to contact me

Posted in haiku & poetry. Bookmark the permalink.

The Hummingbird and I

June 5, 2017.Reading time 1 minute.

we lingered out back
to frolic by the flowers
the hummingbird
the cat
the coyote
and
I

the coyote caught a whiff,
just a brief, tempting sensation,
of decomposing garbage in an overstuffed bin
it appealed to his undiscerning appetite

he ran through the trees
hot on the scent
and
caused a slight breeze
that made the cat’s tail fur erectly stand
swish, swish
back and forth, the angry appendage went
further fanning the air
as the feline statue stared

I watched in delight

the creature-stirred air was amusing,
a welcome reprieve to a still, sun-heating deck

the hummingbird,
observant,
picked that moment to dart this way and that
in zigzagging chaos
and
filled his small belly
on deck-variety nectar

I laughed at the sight

the cat, preoccupied with coyote obsessing,
and
the coyote, pursuing a waste trail for his lusting,
both missed an easy meal,
one obviously placed

we found satisfaction
through patiently watching
among the flowers
out back
that morning

the hummingbird and I,
both appetites
filled

 
~

 

Words and Photography ©2017 Tanya Cliff ~ to contact me

Posted in poetry & free verse. Bookmark the permalink.

Softly

June 1, 2017.Reading time less than 1 minute.

softly
barely blushing
flower bud cracks open
the season’s bloom is unabashed
invites winged lover with petals open
tempting the lusty appetite
lest the nectar meal pass
butterfly lands
softly

~

Words and Photography ©2017 Tanya Cliff ~ to contact me

Entry posted in poetry & Rictameter Verse. Bookmark the permalink.