Bird life in October - poems

HAIKU
cardinal
'chits' from the far end
of the porch
~~~

robin
at the birdbath
but only for a drink
~~~

mockingbird
chasing a robin
from the birdbath
~~~

red-headed woodpecker--
its morning drink
where I can see                                 
~~~

TANKA
bluejay
squawking
from a beautyberry limb--
   calling kin to water
   or warning foes away?

AUTUMN: Theme and Variations

Theme:
"A Traveler's Meditation" (Amphion)

God's handiwork is all around:
Bright red leaves,
wheat in sheaves,
Fertile farms where flocks abound;
Shaded cows
chew and drowse;
Mountains' multi-colored dress;
Thunderclouds
draped in shrouds:
God's bounteous works are limitless.
~~

Variation I

"Highway 23 in Autumn" (Neville)

God's handiwork is all around:

in scarlet, yellow leaves

and golden wheat in sheaves.

Sun-burnished pasturelands abound;

leafy groves shading cows

that switch and chew and drowse.

God's goodness--in all life--profound.

~~

Variation II

"Autumn Song" (Pantoum)

God's handiwork is all around,

Magenta, scarlet, yellow leaves;

Sun-burnished pasturelands abound,

Cut, ripened wheat stands bronzed in sheaves.

Magenta, scarlet, yellow leaves,

Umbrella groves of sassafras,

Cut, ripened wheat stands bronzed in sheaves--

a visual banquet unsurpassed.

Umbrella groves of sassafras,

a camouflage for brindle cows,

(a visual banquet unsurpassed)

which nonchalantly chew and drowse.

Like Garland's fresh-shaved stubble, gold,

sun-burnished pasturelands abound,

and I sing with the oriole,

"God's handiwork is all around."

~~

Variation III

"An Autumn Minute" (Minute)

The autumn beauty's everywhere--

in fragrant air,

magenta leaves,

bronzed wheat in sheaves.

Sun-burnished pastures stubbled gold,

lone oriole,

umbrellaed groves

--bovine alcoves--

a visual banquet unsurpassed,

a rich repast.

All senses share

fall/s love affair.

~~

PL - from Variations - published 1994

With Windows 10, I can't get a pic for this poetry blog. So..........

"Being a poet is one of the unhealthier jobs--no regular hours, so many temptations!" - Elizabeth Bishop, found in Book Lover's Calendar for 2015 for the weekend of October 10& 11.

.............. here are some lately-written shorties.

CINQUAINS

Then don't look!
Outside
their fence, they place--
by their full trash bin--more
and smaller bags. They can't see, but
I can!
~~

Mistaken Identity
Help! Help!
An owl swooped down
and snatched my lure; got snagged
on a fish hook. I called the Feds"
"Come quick!"
~~

Around the Homestead
Privet
branches brush crisp,
fallen maple leaves on
the barrow trip to the growing
brush pile.
~~

Union Trust Co., Little Rock
Sadly,
that old building--
its striking art-deco
style notwithstanding--torn down for
parking.
~~

The Visitor
A black
butterfly flies
the length of the front porch,
veers off and disappears. Oh! It
comes back.
~~

c PL, dba lovepat press, 2015