Was That The Smell of Skunk or Coffee

by Cynthia Rucryst

 Yesterday’s WG was once again incredible! The start of it was rather scattered because NI and Ann had to go release a skunk caught in a live trap. Ni told us to go ahead and get started but everyone was all a twitter about the skunk and reluctant to start without some of our members. 

 

Then Ni and Ann came back smelling like skunk, especially Ann. So there ensued a long and funny skit about the smell. Most of the gals were bothered by it and so several women went rustling around looking for incense or candles to help rid the room of the smell and trying to figure out what Ann could do and where Ni was. Poor Ann, the major animal lover finally had to go shower off. With all that Teresa came in soaking wet and freezing after trying to get a big fish out of her boat and slipping on rocks—we were like sheep without a Border Collie!  

Hear and Now, A Eulogy

by Donna Lee Taylor

I wrote for you
each line brought to life
for you to experience
each syllable born
so I could experience
your response.

Summer Days

by H. Ní Aódagaín                                                        
 
Summer days link together like a bracelet

each bead a beauty,

as sun rises soft against the mountains

birds knock on wood to make home

the old dog, dear companion, stretches and yawns,

deciding to, yet once more, live this new day

at our side.

Picking Up Rocks Too

I’M NOT DISTURBED by Cynthia Rucryst

I’m disturbed!

And all the little niggling

Gremlins are having a ball.

I mean, literally.

They are playing Dodge Ball in my brain—

Bouncing not a soft rubbery ball,

But a hard basketball against the walls

Of my brain casing.

They disturbed my sleep at 4 a.m.

With all their little games

Picking Up Rocks

WHERE?  by Cynthia Rucryst

 All the brilliant thoughts I’ve had and did not write down, have escaped me—for now—they’re still in there, I just have to draw them up. Draw them up, like medicine into a syringe, or architectural plans for a building, or incantations for a spell. I draw down the moon to receive Moon energy into my body and spirit-—maybe down because she appears to be up from us. Stars and planets and other giant rocks appear to be out there up away from us, but according to one theory we are all just floating around in a giant bowl of space, so nothing is really up from us or down as well, just over there? Like neighbors? Down the street? Or, up the street? No, just over there, next door? Only caveat, it’s a long way to “over there” when you talk about stars, planets and Moons! Drawing in is a much deeper explanation, because apparently (quantum physically speaking) it’s all inward and over

The Point of Dew, or is it Do?

by Cynthia Rucryst

should be read with a slight southern accent! 

At the point of dew or is it do? At any point of anything there is the dew point, which is important to know about when discussing humidity. Humidity in the South is important, because it determines how much fannin’ one needs to do, or how much iced tea to make and how much conversation will center around humidity, how many times “Ohhh lawdy it’s humid” one can say in an afternoon. But hardly anyone talks about the dew point! Like a long forgotten cousin who lives, I hear tell, in the swamps with the gators and only a pirogue for transportation. 

Smoke

by Cynthia Rucryst

The curtain of smoke parted

for a short while, this morning,

bringing relief

from burning eyes--

not to be confused with

relief from burning fires.

Suffering immeasurable,

devastation widespread.

Many beings of mountain forests

losing more than humans,

In Denny's parking lot en route to winter solstice(with sincere apologies to Gertrude Stein)

by MaryAnn Shank

and if and when
and if and but
but now
and then
forever when

if you were she
and i were thee