I give myself
permission to drift
with a breeze that bends
the tip of a limb
to float on
the high and low notes
of birdsong at dusk
and pink clouds of a day’s yawn
to listen to a blade
of grass whistle its green
or to know what a stone
takes for granted
I give myself permission
to daisy dream of roots
tickled by the soil
while tickling it back
wherin the wings
of a hummingbird’s hum
would I hide feeding
on the nectar of honeysuckle vine
today
I give myself permission
ag / 2012
let’s dance moonlight in the meadow
I started a gluten-free diet about six months ago for health reasons, and I do feel better. I believed that the hardest parting would be with my beloved pasta (macaroni as a-way-of-life growing up as a kid). But I’m really ok losing the pasta mainly because after all these years – it’s the sauce that really matters. I continue to eat and cook chicken, seafood and yes even brown rice with a wholesome tomato, basil and garlic sauce.
However after seeing a nicely browned grilled cheese sandwich with the cheese oozing out of the pocket on Pinterest, my craving for this basic sandwich came as such a surprise. Actually, I rarely ate it before I embarked on the gluten-free diet. Every once in awhile though, I would treat myself to this comfort food and guilty pleasure made with a hearty fontina or havarti cheese and slathered with some butter on the outside for pan or grill frying. Simply gooey cheese – no tomato – I am a purist in some traditions! I would happily endure the non heart-healthy guilt for such a simple meal with a pickle and glass of iced tea on the side. But in a serious and delayed effort to acknowledge and deal with high cholesterol and coronary artery disease, honestly called “Andrea finally and begrudgingly decides to grow up“ (a little), I gave myself over to a newer and more sustainable and sensible way of life and diet. Funny how the small stuff gets to you after all. The one other food that I would add to my “sorry to see it go list” is spicy noodles in peanut sauce, again a once-in-awhile fun food.
Aha, maybe that’s it – more than just the taste it’s the fun in these foods that I really miss! Maybe, just maybe it’s all really worth it as long as I can enjoy and indulge in my beloved dark and darker chocolate. I am so happy that dark chocolate (in small amounts) is now considered “good for you” and heart-healthy. Honestly though, it would not matter. Chocolate and me forever. You cannot say that about too many things, so choose carefully those life-rich indulgences and heartily enjoy!!!
pink and white petals drift deeper the tree roots
sixty minutes sliced from dawn a robin’s high notes
Color ku are haiku and senryu inspired by the name of a paint color labeled on paint chips by Martha Stewart, Sherwin-Williams, Benjamin Moore etc. Most of these names have little to do with traditional color names and everything to do with imagination and whimsy. In the following haiku and senryu, the paint chip name is used and italicized within each of the color ku. All of these poems were recently published in Modern Haiku 42.1.
spring violet touch of nectar
a doe nibbles the baby dimples
the newness a smile
~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~
morning walk egg yolk
a wood pecker starts the day jiggles
its workday its light
~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~
wild honey lost
two dragonflies in the glass of milk
dip and swirl a taste of summer grass
picnic basket thatched cottage
our plans heirloom tomatoes
on hold almost ripe
~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~
willow branch cavern
the winding tics I growl at the dog
of my Twitter stream through a paper towel roll
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| Wintergreen face |
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| Puddingstone with a smile |
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| Feigning sleep |
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| Mouse eyes with a lichen and leaf beret. |
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| The only one with sharp looking teeth! |
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| I like this happy guy. A sweet bark face. |
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| This one looks a little confused – I can relate. |
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| I always smile back. |
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| You lookin’ at me? |
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