I first wrote Respect as a more ordinarily formatted poem, but I am presenting it below as a Haibun. This is an originally Japanese form of prose paired with a haiku. Haibuns lend themselves to experimentation of form. Our intensive time in the house, these pandemic days, draws my attention to neighborhood non-human creatures. I … More Respect- Featured Poem for February, 2021
More shelter-in-place personal revelations. Hope you all are staying well. Giraffe A six feet 5” girlis sheltering-in-placein our house.I am 5 feet 2”and dropping.I want to stareat her tallnessas at a redwood.I lean backto see her. In her life,ceilings arereachable skies.Spider websin upper cornersof patio doorsget in her hair.Down the backstairs,she ducks to avoidbeing foreheaded. … More Giraffe–Poem for October, 2020
What strange times these are, wonderful moments and terrible happenings. So for a change of pace, I serve you my September poem. Fun to read it out loud. Trigger warning for people avoiding sugar. For those of you who wish to go further into the science of giggling rats, just Google Scientific American – “giggling … More Ode To Doughnuts- Featured Poem for September, 2020
I am sadly creating quite a collection of fire poems. This poem is from the Paradise Fires. So many fires. It hot even in San Francisco today and smoky. So many people have lost homes and livelihoods and have it way worse than us. My thoughts are with them. Avocet Online first published this poem … More Fires Burn in Paradise- Featured Poem for August, 2020
Like many poets, I have a growing collection of pandemic poems. Here is one for a smile. In the San Francisco summer fog I feel even more like I am hibernating. Hope you and yours are staying as well and joyful, as you can. Cardboard Boxes ( Shelter-in-Place; May 2020) Lying inside, on the … More Featured Poem: July, 2020
We lived in Sacramento three days a week this past year. I enjoyed the differences between San Francisco and Sacramento. There is the heat and cold, both of which are more in Sacramento, and the glorious deciduous trees. They bring back memories of New England and Upstate New York. South Land Park Twilight Heat … More Featured Poem: June, 2020
It is warm and sunny outside today. Good weather improves my attitude a great deal. I watch my emotions vary during this unusual time. The sameness of the environment seems to highlight changes. Moments of delight come and then pass. Not less valued for their transience. Stay as well as you can my friends. Any … More Featured Poem: May, 2020
After a rainy day like today, I was reminded of this old poem of mine. Simple pleasures make the difference during this time. Hope you are safe and well. Satsuma Quiet in the house. Just the dropping of the rain. The furnace sighs. I sit by the window, cold pouring off the single panes, legs … More Featured Poem: March, 2020
This is an acrostic poem using the alphabet. I hope you enjoy it. They can be quite fun. I was reminded of this poem as I walked by a large collection of California lilac plants. It is also called ceanothus or buckbrush and has a wonderful scent. As I stood appreciating the smell I realized … More Featured Poem: February, 2020
Chimney Raven It croaks twice, sounding deep in my chimney.Pitching my voice to raven guttural,I mimic the call.Its claws scrabbling on the metal flueit caws and awks two times more.I try again, just one croak. I receivesilence.Silence. The next day, the bird declaims againfrom a perch on the neighbor’s roofwhere it sips from a puddle … More Featured Poem: December, 2019
Heather Saunders Estes 