Before the Ruby-throated Hummingbird Stood Still

When not composing on the computer (and before that on a Remington Quiet- Riter exactly like this
one which my parents bought me as a junior high graduation gift), I jot down bits and pieces of rantings and ravings on a 7 1/8 x 5 1/4 inch account book--the perfect size for my miniscule scribblings. 

Number one starts on January 11, 1975 in Seattle and finishes (with stopovers in London and Paris) in Greece in July 1976; the one I'm currently scribbling in is number twelve. That's not much of an output but what can you expect from a humming bird.

 

Full Circle

Fall’s half-moon

Waxing through

Judas tree leaves,

Jasmine flowers all

Ready on ground.

Poem

Like that ruby-throated humming

Bird that moves by

Making us stand still.

Huuklyeand Cinquor on Abandoning One's Craft in the Middle of the Sea of Doldrums

When that wan

But overblown lubberly poet told me

He was ready to set forth boldly

Out of the calms of obscurity

And take the world by storm,

I told him to batten the hatches,

Remain at his station and please

Wait for the lull to blow over.

Moderator’s comments: Aye-aye, O Captain! My Captain!

Sweet 'n' Sour

I remember

Mom had a habit

Of enticing her

Granddaughter into the store-

Room where she’d ply

The kid with all kinds of sweet

Whatnots till she was caught

Red-handed by a red-

Faced son who thought

She was trying

To pull a fast one

On the sourpuss dad
Who had all but forgotten

He once had parents

As sweet as she was.