Tag Archives: parenting

Petting Zoo

(Poem 174 for 2024 – I am writing a poem a day)

Photographs taken by Erica Smith 6/22/24.

Chickens, ducks, cousins, goats,
bunnies, memories, friends, and fun—
a morning spent at a petting zoo
laughing and learning in the sun.

Parents watch and take photographs,
encourage the children to be brave,
pet those babies and give them love;
try to make that little goat behave.

A kid’s a kid, whether goat or child,
ready for frolicking on a summer day.
Each is happy to be with the other,
nothing to do but run around and play.

@Genuine Joe’s – 174th poem of the year

Runner ups for the Petting Zoo photos to accompany my poem:

Hawaiian Thai Fusion

(Poem 173 for 2024 – I am writing a poem a day)

Girls’ luncheon at Cilantro Grill is fabulous, filling,
a lovely time with mother, daughter, granddaughter,
grandmother, great-grandmother, great-granddaughter,
future sister-in-law, daughter-in-law, mother-in-law.

Kalua pork, grilled pineapple, garlic edamame,
butter shrimp, macaroni salad, spam musubi,
tom yum, Pad Thai, basil fried rice, yellow curry,
deep fried red snapper, drunken noodles, tom kha.

@Home Studio – 173rd poem of the year



To The Dress

(Poem 172 for 2024 – I am writing a poem a day)


Photo by Rebekah J. Marshall

A princess in a fitted gown
floats into the room sparkling
like stars in a dark night sky.
She is the dream vision of
every little girl who imagines
herself someday gracefully
gliding down a cathedral aisle.
The sheer veil ripples elegantly,
falling like light snow in quiet
drifts on her brunette locks.
Gentle turns, angled glances
at her beauty in the mirror,
loveliness draped in silk and lace.

@Home Studio – 172nd poem of the year

Runner ups for the Wedding Dress Event photos to accompany my poem:

Laundry

(Poem 169 for 2024 – I am writing a poem a day)

AI Generated image I prompted on Gencraft.com https://gencraft.ai/p/pKdWmW

The conundrum of laundry is constant
with eight people in the house every day.
Someone will forget to clean the dryer vent,
and for that a lecture will come my way.
Some use scents to make their clothing smell nice,
while others prefer unscented and pure.
Three different soaps add up to quite a price,
but it is worth it for peace, I am sure.
Sometimes a person forgets to unload
their washer or dryer causing dismay,
as others in line now find their turn slowed
and possibly pushed to another day.
Eventually, all laundry gets done;
clean clothes is the victory we have won.

@Home Studio – 169th poem of the year

Runner ups for the Laundry photos to accompany my poem:

Turtle in a Turtle Shell

(Poem 167 for 2024 – I am writing a poem a day)

AI Generated image I prompted on Gencraft.com https://gencraft.ai/p/xW7ThK

Maybe a turtle is in a turtle shell
much the way mice are in fur coats,
eels wear slick high-sheen leather,
and monsters live in skins of goats.

Stubborn dinosaurs wear emu feathers,
and goddess cats are draped in fluff.
Humans must don these hot meat suits,
while armadillos carry armor that’s rough.

Porcupines live inside costumes with spears
to protect like whales with the thickest skin.
It makes me wonder if the being we see
could be different from the soul within.

@Home Studio – 167th poem of the year

Runner ups for the Turtle photos to accompany my poem:

Cat Piano

(Poem 165 for 2024 – I am writing a poem a day)

AI Generated image I prompted on Gencraft.com https://gencraft.ai/p/IjuQ7t

My cats have a piano.
They let me play it
once in a while when
I get the notion, but
mostly they sleep and
purr, and stretch on the
multiple flat surfaces
purely built for perching.

@Home Studio – 165th poem of the year

Runner ups for the Cat Piano photos to accompany my poem:

Kura

(Poem 164 for 2024 – I am writing a poem a day)

I am so sorry, sweet Kura,
for being a bad steward.
I am treading water and
barely staying afloat.
Between trying to keep
people, dogs, cats, plants,
and an opossum alive,
none can really thrive,
certainly not me and,
obviously, not you.
I am guilty of neglect,
and you deserve better.
I already spoke with your
former caretaker, and she
has agreed to nurse you
back to health, I only
hope it is not too late.

@Home Studio on 6/18/24 @ 10:37pm – 164th poem of the year

Horse Girl

(Poem 162 for 2024 – I am writing a poem a day)

AI Generated image I prompted on Gencraft.com https://gencraft.ai/p/FAMugB

My little black cowgirl
went to horse camp last
week and discovered that
there is a lot of work involved
in caring for a girl’s best friend.

She doesn’t think she
wants to run a ranch any
time soon, or train for the
rodeo, or even get a horse
of her own because…labor.

Her favorite take aways
were the cute jeans, the two-
toned brown and pink cowgirl boots,
the slow riding part of the adventure, and
petting horses while others mucked the stalls.

@Home Studio – 162nd poem of the year

Runner ups for the Horse Girl photos to accompany my poem:

Sarah & Duck

(Poem 161 for 2024 – I am writing a poem a day)

Charlotte and I, and Sarah and Duck
like to have tea together now and then.
We especially like it when we get visits
from Donkey, Scarf Lady, Bag, and Bug.
We gossip about Scooter Boy and the
Ribbon Sisters sitting with Umbrella.
We keep an eye on The Shallots to see
if they have grown, say hello to Plate
Girl, and wave happily to Hat Lady.
If it’s an especially lovely day, we might
see Bread Man, hear a squawk from
Flamingo, or chat with Leftover Wool.
And through it all, we sip our tea and
sigh, while whispering as many right
proper British-isms as we can muster.

@Home Studio – 161st poem of the year (after watching Sarah & Duck with Charlotte.)

Harris, Sarah Gomes, and O’Sullivan, Tim, Sarah & Duck, Karrot Animation, 18 February, 2013.

Opossum Hammock

(Poem 158 for 2024 – I am writing a poem a day)

AI Generated image I prompted on Gencraft.com https://gencraft.ai/p/7TnOut

Every opossum should have a hammock
for the purpose of reclining and lounging.
They spend the night mastering feats dynamic,
then cleaning little hands after scrounging.

Their weary bodies need 18 hours of sleep,
so it’s amazing we ever catch them awake.
A suspended soft perch ensures nary a peep,
as they dream of eating cake and a steak.

Yes, every opossum deserves a hanging bed
where they can climb to a safe, warm retreat.
There they can nestle and rest a tired head
to nap in peace and dream of sweet meat.

@Home Studio – 158th poem of the year

Runner ups for the Opossum Hammock photos to accompany my poem: