Yesterday I sat in a poetry workshop with Shutta Crum. She led us in three new poetry forms. It was a relaxing time to write and listen to other poets share. The workshop was free, and part of the Jax Poetry Fest, which is hosted by Hope at Hand, a Florida non-profit “that provides art and poetry sessions to vulnerable and at-risk youth populations.” There are still a dozen or more one-hour workshops available throughout April. The schedule is here.
I wrote yesterday and today about the Gambel’s quail that populate my yard here in the Mojave Desert.
Double Tetractys (Greece)
Quail
Scampers
Wondering
When her eggs will
hatch. For now she hurries then hides away
again. Springtime is here. She knows it’s close
Prehatch Checklist:
Seek more seeds.
Dust bath.
Wait.
Pensee (French)
Quail mom
waits for her brood
dreams of little knob’s hatching
nestful under the creosote
in anticipation
Chastushka (Russia)
Waiting, thinking ’bout her babies
(Handy, weather’s not like Hades)
Quailing mother shunning snarers
Watches eggs, this gentle bearer
Today at Ethical ELA’s #Verselove we wrote a praise poem called Kwansaba. I kept my quail theme going.
Sevens Up with Dave Wooley
I wake up to the quail singing
praise. After a winter of denned-down
waiting, they make their sweet company known:
In the flutter and rhythm of wings
In the scurry of food enough pursuit
In their joy of dusty dry bathing
I remind myself to praise this day.
I couldn’t get a good picture today, just this mama quail walking in the brush (lower right hand corner).
Here is a papa quail calling out praise…