Canebreak ABC’s Red ants, black ants marching all together, through a canebreak by the river in the lovely summer weather. Many-colored butterflies drift or dream or flit among tall stalks for the very fun of it. A caterpillar wriggles and a cricket creaks a song, surrounded by the river cane, thick and green and long. Dragonflies a-dazzle with […]
Perils of Poe and Poetry
Something weird is in the air. It’s in my nose and ears and hair. Last night, I read a lot of Poe, and now, I can’t talk right no mo’. The things I say come out in rhyme; not just once, but all the time. The sun is shining, bright as can be; the whole […]
The Captain at the Helm
·Father’s Day! Congratulations and best wishes to all dads everywhere. To my son, first of all, a wonderful father to two awfully neat kids, to brothers and cousins and friends who are celebrating this day. And, although he isn’t here any more, a big thank you to my own dad, the captain at the helm […]
In Flanders Fields
·In Flanders Fields by John McCrae, May, 1915 In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, […]
A Small World After All
·God’s Small World God made a tiny, shiny world in blades of grass and flowers, Where crickets creep and spiders spin and dewdrops fall in showers. And in this small, this crawly world are secrets and surprises. The caterpillars creeping here wear summertime disguises. No one but God could think of it; I don’t know […]
An Upside Down Prayer
·A Prayer of Cyrus Brown “The proper way for a man to pray” said Deacon Lemuel Keyes, “and the only proper attitude is down upon his knees.” “Nay, I should say the way to pray,” said Reverend Dr. Wise “is standing straight with outstretched arms and rapt and upturned eyes.” “Oh, no, no, no.” said […]