By Aiona
Chocolates on pillow?
Cool! Who would do that? But wait...
Aw man! It's cat poo!
| Author Notes |
When my roomie went on vacation, and we forgot to let Squishy out.
5-7-5 Haiku |
By Aiona
Resolutely I promise to be
Extremely careful to never
Boringly
Extraneously
Lazily
Loquaciously
Indulgently
Onerously use
NOUNS.
| Author Notes | because I know I do it too often |
By Aiona
I know we'll never meet again
My sometimes mentor, sometimes friend,
Sometimes father, sometimes mother,
Sometimes sister, never brother.
Intimate, but never lovers.
Will there ever be another?
| Author Notes | Thank you, cleo85, for letting Fanstory authors use your pictures. |
By Aiona
Warning: The author has noted that this contains the highest level of violence.
| Author Notes | It's like Frogger, but with brown furry things. |
By Aiona
When I think of you
I am riding on a wave
And can hear it roaring,
Louder, Rushing
And I can only cling to
Myself.
If I fall, no one will catch me
I must relinquish my hold to the sea.
| Author Notes | Because I'm going sailing today in freezing weather. |
By Aiona
There's a skunk inna shoulder,
So I'm *not* movin' over!
Just pass me, already!
Just pass me, already!
There's no one up ahead,
So don' wish I was dead,
Just pass me, already!
Just pass me, already!
Since you're ridin' on my butt,
I can see your sour face
Think I can't go slower
Than this 10 mph pace?
If you think I'm kidding,
Watch my brake lights start a-blinkin'.
So you passed me, already.
@#$%! finally passed me already.
By Aiona
I go to work and do it well.
Co-workers all think I'm swell.
"You're always so happy," they say to me.
I love my work. So why shouldn't I be?
At home, the kids play
And fight and all that.
My spouse and I cuddle
And look on while we chat.
But at night, I awake
And am drawn to your room,
I gaze your mantis,
The spaceships that vroom.
The toys and the things
That you made that are left.
And I thought I was fine
But I still feel bereft.
For under the joy
Lies a heavy heartache
For the dreams that you had
From which you won't awake.
By Aiona
Why are you so shocked?
I'm comfortable with you.
So I can let loose.
| Author Notes | more crude poetry |
By Aiona
One evening we gathered
And one of us asked
How long did you date
Before you passed gas
In front of your lover
And one woman said
Twenty years they'd been married
But she never once did.
"Oh really?" we asked her.
If any truth be there
Then surely that woman
Must be full of hot air.
| Author Notes | more poop humor |
By Aiona
By Aiona
I tried to visit your house one day.
Rented a boat to sail your way.
But the wind was too strong,
White caps pushed me along
Forcing me back to Marina del Rey.
Shall I ever see your writing spot
Perched upon a Catalina hilltop?
Or shall I pine away
Reading your books all day
'Til obligations at work make me stop?
| Author Notes | Zane Grey supposedly never lived out west, but wrote his Westerns from an island in the Pacific Ocean called Santa Catalina. He is spoofed in the 1980s sit-com "Brisco County Jr." by a man from the city who follows Brisco around writing about his adventures. (Thank you to Nosha17 who inspired me with her own ode to Jane Austen.) |
By Aiona
| Author Notes | I actually was listening. I really was! I'm working on my !!!!'s right now. |
By Aiona
For twelve long years I tried to figure out
Just why it was you didn't care about
When I thought to praise her or her skills,
Advancing mine or others was her will.
I thought you busy, overworked, or what
But then you sent that email with that smut,
And thought you could confide in me that deed
Professed to be a friend in time of need.
But you will never measure up to her
My friend indeed who never asked for more.
My company was all she had and sought;
Her words to me, the lessons that she taught.
And if you thought that by your vice you'd make
Me take your side then that's the straw that breaks.
| Author Notes | just angry, that's all. putting it in rhyme helps. |
By Aiona
The war is on!
The battle's rough,
For hearts and minds
And all that stuff.
All it needs is
A little push
A little flame
A little woof.
She wields her bow
And arrow well
To make those beating
Hearts all swell.
They won't go down
Without a fuss.
She makes the mark;
They bite the dust.
| Author Notes | aim true |
By Aiona
Our favorite room lies behind the sliding door.
As living rooms go, I couldn't wish for more!
This most spacious room has a carpet of green,
And is littered with flowers that I don't have to clean.
Fir walls enclose our blue-ceiling space,
And in the hot summer it's the "coolest" place!
In spring, our lilac blooms, so heady and sweet.
Bees buzz tree blossoms. Future apples to eat!
Strawberries and tomatoes yield fruits oh so ripe!
The fresh air makes eating outside a delight.
At Easter, we dyed eggs outside and were chipper,
Spared our carpet from kiddo's mess with the egg dipper.
Our temperate rainforest's the original terrarium.
And on clear nights it becomes our own planetarium.
It's a flexible room, which converts in a jiffy
To playroom or dining room. Bedroom is iffy,
'Cause though the green grass tempts sleepers to rest,
At present, it's the loo our dog prefers best.
| Author Notes | I LOVE OUR BACKYARD! |
By Aiona
"Shall I tell a story first,
Before I'm put to death?"
"That sounds quite nice. Please do," he said.
"Then I will take my rest."
And so began her nightly tale
On which her life depends.
Adventure, mystery, romance,
Which never had an end.
To find out what would happen next,
The old king spared her life.
Thus with her tales he fell in love,
And made her his last wife.
| Author Notes | She brought a whole new meaning to "writing for a living." |
By Aiona
| Author Notes | Thank you to Donald Colson for the use of his lovely rainbow. |
By Aiona
Idealized image
Mentally metamorphs my mature mage
And augments actual attributes
Grow gorgeous galactic girl
Only on our own.
| Author Notes |
1: an insect in its final, adult, sexually mature, and typically winged state
2: an idealized mental image of another person or the self |
By Aiona
On your wristband were
Three little words that hit me
So hard. How could I
Not save the one who saved me?
Were you truly beyond help?
| Author Notes | comes with the territory |
By Aiona
The knowledge of what one's made of
How sad it is he'll never get it.
The truth acquired from a life of love.
The knowledge of what one's made of.
The strength to make all mountains move.
To make a promise and have kept it.
The knowledge of what one's made of
How sad it is he'll never get it.
| Author Notes | A big thank you to It Is Written for the use of her incredibly beautiful artwork. Please click on the picture to visit her site at FanArtReview.com to let her know you like it. Clearly a big contender for the Family Art Contest she entered it into back in July 2013. She didn't win that contest, but she's a winner to me. |
By Aiona
| Author Notes | Cori |
By Aiona
Run of the mill life I lead today...
Open the door to a different way.
Many fish are in that sea,
And one of them is meant for me!
Nary a thought to living alone
'Cause I'm gonna find that special one.
Embracing love, romancing the stone.
| Author Notes | Why do people poo-poo this genre? And yet, in almost every story there's some measure of it. Might as well face it. We're addicted to... (Thank you to Wolfdancer13 for the use of this lovely romantic photograph.) |
By Aiona
Not the the destination but the journey
not the pictures just the words
words maniacal
words salad
salad days
salad du jour
jour ne sais pas
jour nay say paw
paw loves arkansas
paw saw mah saw in the maw
maw of the lion
maw saw was lyin
lyin in the grass
lyin out my ass
ass is so crass
ass bore my bass
bass on the track
bass for the jazz
jazz on the square
jazz in the air
air it all out
air is all spray
spray in the sky
spray in your eyes
eyes that can see
eyes that helped me
me and not thee
me and not I
I am for thee
I am for three
Three til eighteen
Three til there be
Be more than that
Be still and stay flat
Flat as a pancake
Flat not apartment
Apartment for rent
Apartment to let
let us all go
let them all know
know that there be
know RSVP
P is a letter
P is no word
word for please
word for plait
plait of salad
plait of words
words
salad
| Author Notes |
Hard to believe I wrote that.
starkat says: "The topic for this poetry contest is: Blitz Poetry (Take a Trip). Blitz poems are fun to write and are meant to be read out loud. The theme I chose for this contest is taking a trip. These poems tend to be wacky and go all over the place. So, you can take the reader on a trip all over the world or to outer space, if you want, or maybe on a picnic or a trip to the zoo, county fair, theme park, etc. It can be a fantasy trip. It's up to you. These poems are exactly 50 lines long. There are specific instructions on how you go about writing these poems and how you title your poem. The Blitz Poem is a poetry form created by Robert Keim. This form of poetry is a stream of short phrases and images with repetition and rapid flow. Begin with one short phrase, it can be a cliche. Begin the next line with another phrase that begins with the same first word as line 1. The first 48 lines should be short, but at least two words. The third and fourth lines are phrases that begin with the last word of the 2nd phrase, the 5th and 6th lines begin with the last word of the 4th line, and so on, continuing, with each subsequent pair beginning with the last word of the line above them, which establishes a pattern of repetition. Continue for 48 total lines with this pattern, And then the last two lines (49 and 50) repeat the last word of line 48, then the last word of line 47. The title must be only three words, with some sort of preposition or conjunction joining the first word from the third line to the first word from the 47th line, in that order. There should be no punctuation. When reading a BLITZ, it is read very quickly, pausing only to breathe." |
By Aiona
| Author Notes | Inspired by that locket writing prompt |
By Aiona
A dog and a snake
Flew across an ocean.
Neither knew the other
Til they took a love potion.
Tho' different species
It was love at first sight
They couldn't deny,
Try as they might.
The snake said,
"I gotta go live in the ground."
The dog said,
"The ground ain't no place for this hound."
So the snake stayed above,
And put his ball and chain on.
And the dog laid an egg,
And became a matron.
| Author Notes |
Dad was born in '41.
Mom was born in '46. By the Chinese horoscope, snakes and dogs are highly compatible. Thank you to Bretislav for the artwork used. |
By Aiona
When you're jealous
Why's it bad?
There's no need to
Feel so sad!
Jealousy is
Quite helpful, you see?
It helps you perceive
What you want to be!
You envy a pilot's
Skyward flight?
Go to flight school!
Yes, you might!
You covet another's
Beautiful wife?
Woo a different beauty!
Spice up her life!
You wish that you
Had kids of your own?
Adopt a child and
Create love where there's none.
The world is full
Of good things to find.
Be jealous of all!
They'll be jealous in kind.
| Author Notes | I find when I'm jealous, it means there is something I have been neglecting to work on. |
By Aiona
to write or not to write
is never a question
because I can't stop....
By Aiona
Remember that day in the
Emergency department?
Glucose was over 200, potassium was low.
Red and flushed on the x-ray table.
Even had we gotten to her sooner
They tell me she would have died.
| Author Notes | An acrostic poem is a poem in which the first letter of each line spells a word. |
By Aiona
"The customer is always right."
Is that true? I think it might
Not be the best way to
Run a railroad. Hear me through!
Say a woman enters your store,
Demands a refund, stamps on your floor,
Calls your staff an "ugly bitch,"
Would you coddle such a witch?
No, I say! Throw her out!
Your store'll be better without
Such clientele. Respect for others should
Come first in ensuring a business is good.
Managers, don't betray your people.
And don't be like all of the sheeple,
Who haven't yet seen the light,
that, "No, the customer isn't always right."
| Author Notes | If I can find that article, I will post the link here. |
By Aiona
| Author Notes |
I have been mocked for my fear. I have been mocked for my faith. The choice is still clear to me. Sometimes they are the same.
A Diamante is a seven-lined contrast poem set up in a diamond shape. The first line begins with a noun/subject The second line contains two adjectives that describe the beginning noun. The third line contains three words ending in -ing relating to the noun/subject. The fourth line contains four words -- two that describe the first word, and two that describe the final ANTONYM/SYNONYM. If using an antonym for the ending, this is where the shift should occur. The fifth line contains three more -ing words describing the last word. The sixth line contains two more adjectives describing the ending antonym/synonym. The last line ends with the first noun's antonym or SYNONYM. Thank you to Loyd C. Taylor Sr. for letting us use his many wonderful pictures. |
By Aiona
je suis
je suis
à entrer dans la vie
d'un artiste de
l'histoire
et le documentaire
J'adore
J'adore
raconter une histoire
Il est la meilleure
chose de tous
à dire la vérité.
| Author Notes |
I can't remember who inspired me to try to write in French. It is definitely NOT my native language. So any corrections are appreciated.
Thank you to Moon Willow for use of the painting. For Jacob: I am I am to enter the life of an artist of history and documentary I love I love to tell a story It's the best thing of all to tell the truth. |
By Aiona
I knew a woman who was thirty-eight.
She wanted kids but couldn't find a mate,
And then she met a guy.
Oh, what a crazy world. . .
They were married in the month of June,
And truth be told, it was none too soon.
He died of cancer that year.
Oh, what a crazy world. . .
I knew a woman who was forty-three.
She wanted babies so she had herself three.
She took clomiphene.
Oh, what a crazy world. . .
Her babies' names are Ashley, Karen, and Sue.
And when they grow up they'll need Clomid too,
'Cause they're infertile like her.
Oh, what a crazy world. . .
I knew a woman who was forty-one.
She wanted children and adopted them.
And they live happily,
In this crazy world. . .
| Author Notes | When I did my obstetrics-gynecology rotation, I did a short rotation with an infertility specialist. I met so many women who were struggling with wanting kids that they could not have, for various reasons. Names and ages have been changed for HIPAA reasons, and also to make things rhyme. Thank you to suenethery for letting us use her pictures. |
By Aiona
Reach out and stuff face.
Chorus:
Your own
personal pizza
Something to fill up yer belly
Not PB & Jelly
Your own
personal pizza
Something to fill up yer belly
Something not smelly
Hungry I know
And you're all alone
Skin and bones
By the telephone
Lift up the receiver
I'll make you a great pizza.
Toppings we got
We'll put on a lot
Things you like best
You need to have fresh
I will deliver
You know you want a sliver.
Reach out and stuff face.
Reach out and stuff face.
Repeat Chorus.
I will deliver
Throw out last night's liver.
Reach out and stuff face.
Your own personal pizza.
Reach out and stuff face.
| Author Notes |
"Personal Jesus" by Depeche Mode Your own personal Jesus Someone to hear your prayers Someone who cares Your own personal Jesus Someone to hear your prayers Someone who's there Feeling unknown And you're all alone Flesh and bone By the telephone Lift up the receiver I'll make you a believer Take second best Put me to the test Things on your chest You need to confess I will deliver You know i'm a forgiver Reach out and touch faith Reach out and touch faith Your own personal Jesus... Feeling unknown And you're all alone Flesh and bone By the telephone Lift up the receiver I'll make you a believer I will deliver You know I'm a forgiver Reach out and touch faith Your own personal Jesus Reach out and touch faith Songwriters: GORE, MARTIN LEE |
By Aiona
Her body was cremated
But her story's still alive.
No longer physically present,
Existing just on her hard drive.
Her brother kept her hidden,
His jealousy was plain.
But later he released her,
As a file on his domain.
Electrons, photons streaming
From London to Texas,
Materializing on my screen,
Words intimate as sex is.
You can know her by her words.
Souls have a certain style.
From beyond the grave,
Even dead she made me smile.
Splattered on its pages,
So it emanates her essence.
I read it to remember
What it's like to feel her presence.
| Author Notes |
I knew it was her writing. Her words, and definitely not her brother's. And for a brief moment, it was like she was alive again. Sharing her stories with me.
That's what her book is -- little bits of her brain, her being, encapsulated in words. And that's why I love her writing. If you hold your friends dear, please make sure that someone who cares about your writing inherits it after your death. Thank you to lynnkah (aka Diane Haas) for her wonderful paintings and for letting FanStory authors use this picture for their poems and stories. |
By Aiona
| Author Notes |
(A Tanka is a 5-7-5-7-7 poem.)
Gybe-ing in sailing is hard, but sometimes necessary if the wind makes a sudden unexpected change. In sailing, some people say "DUCK!" instead of "Gybe ho!" because that's what one must do in order to avoid getting beaned in the head by the boom - which is so named probably because of what happens when you don't duck. |
By Aiona
| Author Notes |
I missed the limerick contest, but I thought I'd write one anyway!
Thank you to Agreenr for letting FanStory poets use this picture for their poetry. |
By Aiona
| Author Notes |
And did Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater
Have his wife and ate her too? Thank you to eileen0204 for allowing Fanstory authors to use her picture. |
By Aiona
Bold lips are red
Eyes are so blue
T'aint no need to wander
Hell, I'm married to you.
| Author Notes |
I'm not really married to Beth.
But by golly, there aren't a whole lot of names that are four letters long! |
By Aiona
I don't meet your expectations, I know.
Being non-white, I should hate white people with a passion.
Being female, I should tow the line that I am oppressed by men.
Being a social conservative, I should be opposed to gays and think all Muslims are terrorists.
Truth is, no one has kept me down. There is no war against my gender.
I aced all my high school classes, including math.
I finished professional school without affirmative action, despite being a true minority race.
I am just one female out of a class of 40% females from medical school.
I am a confirmed Catholic, but my father is Buddhist.
I believe scientific principles, and that extinction of species is evolution in action.
I believe men are from the Animal Kingdom, same as the rest.
I understand death is a part of our progress.
Don't lump me in any category, Will.
If you do, I will continue to fail to meet your expectations.
The world doesn't follow people's thoughts or semantics.
The natural world has its own laws, which cannot be denied.
| Author Notes | Never sent because he still wouldn't understand. |
By Aiona
The war is on
The battle's rough
For hearts and minds
And all that stuff.
All it needs is
A little push
A little flame
A little woof.
She wields her bow
And arrow well
To make those beating
Hearts all swell.
They won't go down
Without a fuss.
She makes the mark;
They bite the dust.
| Author Notes | Aim true |
By Aiona
| Author Notes |
Do you ever look back on things that you worried about, and realize, you were pretty stupid? I sure do.
Thank you to drmerlin for letting FanStory authors use this picture. ==== Write a four line poem that has a specific syllable count. The first line has 1 syllable, the second line has 5 syllables, the third line has 5 syllables, and the last line has 9 syllables. The subject can be anything. |
By Aiona
| Author Notes | Thank you to avmurray for letting Fanstory authors use this picture for their poetry. |
By Aiona
| Author Notes |
I started using fountain pens about four or five years ago. There is no eraser. And I just love writing with them. I use different colors of inks, and best of all, once I put my thoughts on paper, there's no going back. One of the problems with creation is the feeling that it's not good enough. Drafts are always rough. Meant to be revised. It's getting that first draft on paper though, that must be accomplished before the revision can be complete. Fountain pens keep me moving forward.
Plus, they're just so fun! |
By Aiona
| Author Notes | And after that he said, "I need a carrot." And he wasn't talking about food! |
By Aiona
| Author Notes |
The Etheree poem has 10 lines with a specific syllable count. The first line has one syllable. The second line has two. The third line has three. The tenth line has ten syllables. It can also be reversed -- 10, 9, 8, 7, etc.
Thank you to Liillia for letting FanStory authors use this picture for their poems. |
By Aiona
By Aiona
Kelly gave the flu to Sue.
Sue then made it go to Lou.
Lou just passed it on to you.
You might want some Thera-flu!
| Author Notes | Thank you to Barb Barker for letting FanStory authors use this picture for their poetry. |
By Aiona
If you plant a white
Lotus where the pink one is
It will change color.
| Author Notes |
Thai proverb
Thank you to supergold for letting FanStory authors use this photo for their poems. |
By Aiona
In spring, I chose to take a walk and found That some strange creature had, under a log, Inserted lots of small translucent round Soft see-through balls in clusters in this bog. And so I kept on visiting that spot For every visit showed me something new. Round spheres inside became more than a dot; On one end, something small and wiggly grew. Great changes came when suddenly one day Some thief had whisked away all of the eggs. Left there instead were worm-like things at play. In time, those water-worms grew tiny legs For climbing out of water onto sand -- Emerging finally to live on land.
| Author Notes | It's a sonnet. I wanted to make it an acrostic. I never realized how hard it is to find 14-letter words to write about! Thank you to booklotto for letting Fanstory writers use this photo. |
By Aiona
| Author Notes | Thank you to meg119 for letting FanStory writers use this picture of a cat. |
By Aiona
If we left
Earth for the planet Mars
We would lose the beaches which Mars lacks
If we left
Earth for planet Venus
We would lose sight of the Sun in haze
If we left
Earth for posterity
We would retain the wealth of nature
| Author Notes | This is a 3-6-9 poem for the contest. It requires three stanzas. Each stanza has 3 lines of 3, 6, and 9 syllables respectively. It can be fun to travel, but it can be nice to come back home. Home is where the heart is. Home, sweet home. Thank you to supergold for letting Fanstory authors use this photo of the beach. |
By Aiona
| Author Notes | Some pine trees require fire in order to germinate. So although humans abhore wildfires, these trees have adapted to use them. Thank you to shutterspeed for letting Fanstory writers use this photo of a pine cone. |
By Aiona
| Author Notes | D.I.Y. always takes longer than I expect. So frustrating. I thought fixing my engine mounts myself would be easy. That's the D.I.Y. delusion. Good news is, I'm learning a lot more about diesel engines, wood working, and electrical wiring than I ever dreamed I would! The image is of my testing some of the wiring in the boat before I get in there. I found some current in my supposedly disconnected wires. Ugh! Now I have to trace where it's coming from! |
By Aiona
It happened when I least expected
I learned that I can love forever.
But when he chose death, I felt rejected.
It happened when I least expected
Alone once more, hopeless, dejected.
You helped put my heart back together
It happened when I least expected
I learned that I can love forever
| Author Notes |
I wanted to try my hand at structuring a poem, even though it's not part of the contest. This is a Triolet. It has eight lines, with a rhyming scheme of abaaabab. The first, fourth, and seventh lines are the exact same line. The second and eighth lines are also the same as each other.
This poem is written for a friend whose fiance died a few months after they were engaged. She spent her last moments with him in a church, but not in the way she thought they would be spent. I love her so much. I wish so hard that she'll find true love again. This poem is more a prayer for her than anything. I want her to be able to love again. I want to believe there's a purpose behind this horrible tragedy that she was forced to suffer. |
By Aiona
By Aiona
| Author Notes | Carpe Ventum! This is a shot from my sailboat last summer (June 27, 2018). From left to right is Sammish Island, Saddlebag Island, and Dot Island. My husband and I took my boat neighbor Dawn for a sail that day because her sailboat was broken. There's always a way to go sailing! |
By Aiona
| Author Notes | Limericks are supposed to be bawdy, right? That's a picture of an apple pie I made. (10/16/2016) |
By Aiona
| Author Notes |
Husband knows that the morning runs smoother if he gets up first and makes coffee for me. Does that make this a love poem?
Thank you to shutterspeed for letting FanStory writers use this picture! |
By Aiona
The other day I visited
The temple on the hill
Where the boat god resides
When he's not sailing just to chill
I brought an offering to him
A bag of PBR
Lord knows why he drinks it
Irish Death beats it by far
And I got down on my knees
In the hull I genuflect
Gawk in awe at all the Coosa board
Pay his glassing skills respect
He tells me put your baby
On the altar if you will
And he brings it back to life
With the battery from his drill
| Author Notes |
There's a guy whom I bugged a lot last year, who fixed SO many things on my sailboat. I am in awe of people who can work magic with broken things.
Glossary (as requested) PBR - Pabst Blue Ribbon, a beer that won awards for tasting like vinegar Irish Death - a most delicious non-award winning beer brewed in Ellensberg, Washington Coosa board - an expensive lightweight waterproof foamboard that has replaced balsam wood as the core of choice for fiberglass boats to glass - to enrobe in fiberglass by either wet overlay or by cold molding (sous vide for fiberglassing boats) |
By Aiona
| Author Notes | I recently decided I needed to change my life. I have a tendency to wait until the last minute to do things, and sometimes that means I stay beyond when I'm welcome. So this time, I'm being proactive. I'm leaving NOW. And trusting that I will end up in a better position. When you're low, supposedly there's no other way to go but up? Right? Either that or you die. BUT! I'll be a monarch for now, and trust I'm being led where I need to be. Unfortunately monarchs are becoming endangered. So I hope that metaphor doesn't hold true too! LOL! Thank you to helvi2 for letting Fanstory authors use this picture of a monarch. |
By Aiona
If you're sailing at slow speeds
And steerage is what you need,
Whatcha gonna use?
BOW THRUSTERS!
Don't knock 'em 'til you try 'em.
You might really like 'em!
Whatsa matter? Use those
BOW THRUSTERS!
If they say you are a wuss
'Cause you dared to use "the thrust,"
Tell 'em where to go!
BOW THRUSTERS!
| Author Notes |
At slow speeds with a single screw and/or with heavy wind that changes direction abruptly, sometimes you just lose steerage. That's why they were invented. Why are people so embarrassed to use them?
|
By Aiona
Ev'ryone needs some tool to erase with.
Really is handy for foot-in-mouth statements.
And if you could see
Something's not meant to be
Empty the slate with those babies!
| Author Notes | If only... |
By Aiona
| Author Notes | My fifteen-year-old German shorthair is having health problems and last night wasn't doing so hot. Found out this morning, my father-in-law passed away. I have a feeling he stopped by and asked Roscoe if he'd like to come with. Roscoe said no, not yet. Happy hunting, Gene! |
By Aiona
Where is it?
She asked him yesterday.
Gone... gone... gone... He left her all alone.
Where is it?
She tells herself someday
Come... come... come... Her mantra keeps her calm.
Where is it?
Asks someone sweet today.
Here... Here... Here... A brand new one, my dear.
| Author Notes |
Inspired from cues from "Writer Igniter":
Character: Apothecary Situation: Misplaces an important file Prop: An embroidered handkerchief Setting: an island lighthouse Thank you to ssjin29 for letting Fanstory writers use this image. When I finished writing this poem, I realized it sounded a lot like this song: |
By Aiona
| Author Notes |
Our landscaping bin costs $12 a month. We didn't pay for it during the summer. Had to subscribe to it again. Otherwise it's Fire-hazard City.
Thank you to Pamela Ruggiero for letting FanStory writers use her beautiful art. |
By Aiona
As I was strolling down the dock
On my regular morning walk,
I glimpsed a stomach-churning sight --
A pile of hair both brown and white.
Did some guy shave outside his boat?
Or scrape the hide of some poor goat?
And what in the hell
Is that awful smell?
"Oh, that's seal hair," said a passing bloke.
| Author Notes | And I thought my dog shed a lot! |
By Aiona
| Author Notes |
At first I believed what everyone told me. That I could instigate change with the work I did. It turned out, I was perpetuating problems, not solving them. So I stopped. People feel sorry for me, when I tell them I quit my job. I don't think they understand. My job was keeping me from helping people, not the other way around. They kept me tired, overworked, jumping through higher and higher hoops, obsessed with reaching meaningless unattainable goals that sacrificed my original intent. But, sometimes the imagos have to struggle to break through the cocoon in order to learn to fly. I think these past four weeks, I've just been letting my wings dry out. I'm thankful that my friends and family have afforded me this time.
THANK YOU TO EILEEN0204 FOR LETTING FANSTORY WRITERS USE THIS PICTURE OF A MONARCH BUTTERFLY - A SPECIES ON THE VERGE OF EXTINCTION. |
By Aiona
Don't drive to Oak Harbor
Come stay with me
My boat's all warm
And dry and cozy.
Have a beer
And sit and watch me
I've got Rainier
And I can clear my settee.
When my engine's fixed
And I've cleaned all the spaces,
Come sail with me
And let's win some races.
| Author Notes |
Funny that right after I wrote this, he did come by.
Helped me get my freshwater system flushed out, and even brought beer. :) |
By Aiona
You said you'd come.
Why did you lie?
Or forgot
'Cause you were high?
| Author Notes |
Someone flaked on me last year. I don't think he remembered he said he would sail with me. I highly suspect he was on meth when he claimed he would race with me.
Thank you to jgrace for letting FanStory authors use this painting "Bowing to Other Gods." |
By Aiona
Patience be my guide
As I travel the unknown
Ignorance is cured
When I fight fear and persist
To learn what I do not know
| Author Notes |
Per Fanstory:
"Tanka is a form of poetry that often follows a specific syllable count. line 1 - 5 syllables line 2 - 7 syllables line 3 - 5 syllables line 4 - 7 syllables line 5 - 7 syllables" Thank you to Susan for pointing out that the third line is best as a "satori." Per Jane Reichhold at https://www.ahapoetry.com/GIFTANK.HTM: "...If you've enjoyed reading and writing haiku, you will probably luxuriate in tanka. Here the writer gets two extra lines - and long ones at that - plus the freedom to write about one's feelings! For a society such as ours, where people are encouraged to express and explore their feelings, tanka seems a better fitting poetry form than the more popular haiku. What are the rules? At this point there aren't many which have been given to us in English. We've seen the syllable and line count. Over the centuries there have been changes in styles regarding where the line breaks should be. For a while it was after the second line, later after the third line. With the decline in tanka writing in this century and the Japanese practice of copying European poetry fads, line breaks have become a purely individual decision. Capitalization and punctuation have been at the mercy of translators; so the rules one follows with haiku are a possible starting point. For nearly a thousand years there has been very little written about the use of the 'pivotal image.' Formerly the idea was that somewhere in the third line would be an image that could relate - or link - to both the upper two lines, which were to be on one subject (usually nature) and to the lower two lines written on another subject or feeelings of the author. Haiku writers will recognize this linking concept and be able to use it to add the two last lines. Haiku writers will also probably find in their notebooks verses which were not haiku-like enough to be published as such, but which could make a beginning for a tanka. By linking the images in the lower two lines with the first two by the associations fostered by the middle line, it is possible to find a new way of thinking of all three, or more, images...." Thank you to GaliaG for letting Fanstory authors use this picture. |
By Aiona
| Author Notes |
So many nautical terms have another meaning in land-lubber jargon! So confusing!
Thank you to David Ruhl for letting FanStory authors use his artwork of blocks. |
By Aiona
| Author Notes | so yummy, gone so quickly |
By Aiona
| Author Notes | Today I learned to cut a quill pen. The above was written with J. Herbin Emerald of Chivor ink. |
By Aiona
| Author Notes |
I see so many solo-sailors on the docks. I fantasize about hooking them up! So far, I've been unsuccessful. I think many sailors are schizotypal types - i.e. they like being alone!
The image above is of the Wooden Boat Foundation in Port Townsend, WA. They have a woodshop there that the public can use for free. So if you're in town and need a band saw, table saw, jig saw, or anything like that, stop on by. Tell Gary I said hi. |
By Aiona
Slurping squishy centers
Delicious tasty oysters
| Author Notes |
Honestly, I don't like raw oysters. I prefer them in cream of oyster soup, like the kind Campbell's used to make, but doesn't anymore. There were never enough oysters in it, for me, so my mom would put more in!
I also love deep-fried oysters, with crunchy batter. The Brown Lantern has THE BEST fried oysters in Skagit County. Hands down. Thank you to Brendaartwork18 for letting FanStory authors used this picture. |
By Aiona
wind whipped
windchimes
from my window seat
whitecaps wave at me wildly
to R.S.V.P.
| Author Notes |
This is for the 2-2-5-7-5 poetry contest.
It's grey and rainy days in the Pacific Northwest. But if it's wind you want, there's PLENTY of it right now! I am stuck on land. If I can't sail, at least I can write a poem about it. Thank you to bunkie for letting FanStory authors use this painting "Sailor Surfers." |
By Aiona
When I say "electrons," most people are wary.
They think that electrons are things that are scary.
But I'm not afraid! No, sirree! Nor should you!
Here is a secret: They're just people too!
Like people, electrons can be oh-so-helpful.
They run pumps for water to keep people's wells full.
Like you and me do, they like running 'round.
In metal coils*, they help speakers make sounds.
When running from monsters, they don't like to go back.
And in diodes** they'll show where the monsters are at.
Where do they come from? Why do they run?
Well, some electrons get energy*** from our Sun!
Like people need food, fuel makes electrons flow.
Diesel engines turn magnets**** that make electrons go.
| Author Notes |
*Old radios were made with metal coils through which current passed.
**L.E.D. lights are diodes -- a type of one-way electron road that lights up as electrons pass through it. ***Solar panels use the power of light to make electrons flow in a wire. ****Most engines have alternators which can make electrons move. |
By Aiona
| Author Notes |
Thank you to avmurray for letting FanStory authors use this painting of Lady Death.
"The corrupt vs. the fanatic: This is the only choice Third Worlders ever get. One appeals to the voters who don't expect things to get better but don't want them to get worse, while the other appeals to those who think a wild-eyed extremist and his sword can lead them to paradise." -- David Cole |
By Aiona
| Author Notes |
I know you didn't understand what you did. I forgive you, Dennis.
Thank you to cleo85 for letting FanStory authors use this photograph "Poverty." |
By Aiona
she
sobbed and
said it's hard
when your father
died alone because
he could not see you since
he tested positive for
the coronavirus disease
but Alzheimer's disease has also
kept my father from seeing me
or spending time with the kids
or letting him go out
or seeing movies
long before this
pandemic
ever
came
| Author Notes | Thank you to VMarguarite for letting FanStory authors use this great painting "Joy for Daddy." Is it joy by Daddy? Or joy that Daddy is there? Probably both! |
By Aiona
Realizing she could never be as smart, beautiful, and graceful as others, Diana resolved to always make sure others would be as dumb, ugly, and clumsy as she was. Unfortunately nature and science do not care about hurt feelings. So when her chemotherapy treatments were being performed by doctors and nurses who matriculated based on pity, her irrational envy finally killed her. Did she appreciate the irony? Unfortunately not, because she was too stupid.
| Author Notes |
When people continue to base policies and decisions on feelings rather than science, evolution and/or God passes judgment. Thank you to Kurt Vonnegut for giving the world his short story "Harrison Bergeron" from Welcome to the Monkey House. I prefer happy endings, but it was a good story.
Thank you to tali15 for letting FanStory authors use this picture "Venetian Green." |
By Aiona
| Author Notes |
Thank you to donnadiann for letting FanStory authors use the photo "Christmas Blessings."
Below is a link to a BBC video with clips of a former florist making home fries -- something we've been making a lot at home too. Like the Russians, many humans are just trying to get by during this period of mass unemployment. Video caption: "With President Putin's approval rating at an all-time low amid the coronavirus outbreak, what do people in his home city make of him?" |
By Aiona
| Author Notes |
Have you tickled someone today? Science has shown that every child needs to be tickled once a day to survive.
3-line poem contest: Write a poem that has a syllable count of either 5-7-5 or 5-7-7. It does not rhyme. But the poem must address a loved one. |
By Aiona
| Author Notes |
Sometimes it's true.
Thank you to LittleBogie 007 for letting FanStory authors use this photo. |
By Aiona
Last week it spat rain
The only paper I worked
On was a wasps' nest
The empty one got tossed but
The other was still buzzing
| Author Notes |
I'm in the process of fixing up a boat I got for free.
It is full of wasps' nests. Whee! |
By Aiona
| Author Notes | A friend gave me a tip about trailer insurance. AAA will "trailer" your trailer if it breaks down. Whew! The picture above is a snapshot of my friend's hydraulic brakes. The hydraulic "wheel cylinder" is on top. There are two brake shoes on either side. You can tell they're still good, because the shoes are thicker than the backing plates. Once they're the same thickness, it's time to change the shoes, or else the rivets will start to score (dig into and ruin) the inside of the wheel drum. |
By Aiona
I guess he pulls out
As quickly as he pulls up
An anchor, baby.
| Author Notes |
A friend of mine went sailing with me, and pulled anchor before letting me know. I was down below, checking my engine. We had no propulsion -- no sails, no engine -- when he did that. Apparently he does everything in haste, as he also has admitted to me in the past, he got a girl pregnant when he had a one-night stand.
This happened weeks ago (the anchor incident), and I'm still a bit sore over it. But in typical passive aggressive style, instead of ragging on him about it, I write poetry. |
By Aiona
A fathom
The depth to place coffins
The distance new friends must stay apart
Is it deep
Enough to keep them safe
Planned prevention of touching others
Side by side
Though not in the same boat
We spin and turn in separate worlds
| Author Notes |
The image is the sunrise from my boat on November 1, 2020. We were social distancing from SV Oreanda who was anchored east of us. We didn't know them. And we won't get to know them during lockdown. No more impromptu sailor potlucks. Oh well. We brought our own beer, anyway. :)
We anchored in a depth of eighteen feet with a scope of 1 to about 3.5. Luckily it wasn't terribly windy. If we had let our more scope, we could run into our anchored neighbors in the night. Tide rips and eddies mean that we don't always spin in the same direction, and I have found that no one here typically uses more than 1:5 scope, for some reason, even though textbooks all say use 1:7 scope. |
By Aiona
Crunchy fried gizzards
Are gone from the shelves.
The lockdown's forced me
To make them myself!
| Author Notes |
There's a gas station in Bow, Washington where I always used to stop to get their delicious deep fried gizzards. They said they aren't allowed to serve them anymore. I don't understand why they can't, but restaurants can serve deep fried stuff. They said they had to throw away all their frozen stock, because it expired, and they still haven't been allowed to cook any. So they also never re-ordered more.
So I found a recipe online, and made some myself. They're not as good as the gas station's though. I was so sad that they threw away all that stock. I would have bought it all if had I known!!!!!!! |
By Aiona
| Author Notes |
Slugs rule over my garden. They ate my kale.
But their tyranny can be overcome! Thank you to VMarguarite for letting FanStory authors use this painting: "At Rest" Instructions: "Write a four line poem that has a specific syllable count. The first line has 1 syllable, the second line has 5 syllables, the third line has 5 syllables, and the last line has 9 syllables. The subject can be anything." |
By Aiona
Yesterday I cleaned my cell phone
And I saw one
Freaky snapshot
Making me stop!
What the heck could I be thinking?!
Snapping stinking
Diapers gruesome,
And a used one!
Scenes so joyful came back flashing
Of my laughing,
Taking fudge and
Pranking husband.
| Author Notes |
The Minute Poem is a poem that follows the "8,4,4,4" syllable count structure. It usually has 3 stanzas that are exactly the same. So: 8,4,4,4; 8,4,4,4; 8,4,4,4 syllables.
A traditional Minute Poem has 12 lines total. It has 60 syllables. It is written in a strict iambic meter. The rhyme scheme is as follows: aabb, ccdd, eeff. However, for this contest there is not a requirement to follow the iambic meter rhyme scheme only to have a rhyme and the proper syllable count. |
By Aiona
Crazy
Often lazy
Background check was hazy
Went shopping instead of chopping
Wood. Chuck.
| Author Notes |
I never actually dated anyone named Chuck. I think he liked me though.
Thank you to Charlie Newman for letting FanStory authors use what I think may be a picture of a woodchuck????? |
By Aiona
| Author Notes |
Sometimes love comes in unexpected places.
Unlike birds who mate for life, sometimes dying when their mate dies, humans can find love again. This is an entry for the ABC contest. 5 lines. First four lines begin with a letter of the alphabet in series. The fifth line can start with any letter of the alphabet. Rhyme is optional. Thank you to lissc for letting FanStory authors use this picture of two peach-faced lovebirds. |
By Aiona
Oh, Thyme Leaf Speedwell!
Veronica oltensis
I wish you were mine!
| Author Notes |
We sold our mower when we moved. So now, I don't have anything to crop the rye grass that seems to have invaded part of our front yard. I saw someone using this blue-flowered ground cover instead. Awesome! I wish I had some seeds.
|
By Aiona
Weed free
Pull up and toss
Salad
| Author Notes | I am finding lots of native edibles in my yard. |
By Aiona
I baked some bread and
You made broccoli-cheese soup
We are better together
| Author Notes |
This poem was written for the 3-line poem poetry contest. The first line must be 5 syllables long, and the second and third lines must be 7 syllables in length.
If you want the recipes, message me! So yummy! Thank you to Susan for pointing out that "broccoli" is NOT a two-syllable word. |
By Aiona
Back in March, with hopeful heart
And springtime
Naivete, we chopped down
All the weeds in a small space
Next we put out egg cartons
And filled them with soil
Seeds were planted in each egg cup
Lovely sprouts grew gracefully from each one
Until they were
Gobbled a few weeks later by hungry slugs.
| Author Notes | Someone said putting a bowl of beer around them would help. True? |
By Aiona
Get it now,
Because it's the present
Of a lifetime.
This offer won't come again
And when this sale is past
You can't find it in stores.
Take advantage of this deal now
Or you'll regret it in the future
There are also no returns
On time.
| Author Notes |
Thank you to bd_shutterspeed for letting FanStory authors use this picture of a timepiece.
|
By Aiona
| Author Notes |
I do wear pants, but I don't know if my fellow Zoom-ers are or not. And would they even tell me? :)
Thanks to TimLikesCameras for letting FanStory authors use this image for their writing! I wonder if he was wearing pants. |
By Aiona
| Author Notes |
Sailing has so many double entendres.
Thank you to MK Flood for letting FanStory authors use this image for their writing. |
By Aiona
My mom accepted changes gracefully
Except when she had bled for weeks nonstop.
"No worries," said Mom's mom. "Mine lasted weeks!
One day it quits. Then...not another drop!
Perhaps we all do this, for my mom said
'About the same thing happened too, to me.'"
Unwilling to believe what Grandma said,
She chose a day to have a D & C.
And afterwards, though she thought it would stop,
Light bleeding still continued night and day.
Then Dad mused, "Maybe cancer's what you got."
And Nanay scoffed, "Believe me when I say,
Look, dear, it stops, no matter what you do."
Eventually Mom learned it was true.
| Author Notes |
I wrote this while I was waiting for my car to be serviced yesterday.
Thanks to lyenochka for reminding me to make sure it's in iambic pentameter with ten syllables per line. "Eventually" technically has four syllables, but I pronounce it with three. But I used it as if it has four to make the last line ten syllables. Tough cookie this poem! |
By Aiona
Warning: The author has noted that this contains the highest level of language.
| Author Notes | LOL! I swear, someone should come up with a new dictionary for all these Internet terms. |
By Aiona
When I get on the internet
Then you can bet
That time will fly
So swiftly by.
I merely got online to see
A recipe
A friend has logged
Within her blog.
Alas, before I found the page
I was waylaid
By clickbait snares
And bought their wares.
| Author Notes |
Just a minute.....
Thanks to avmurray for letting Fanstory authors use this image. |
By Aiona
I learned why it's called
Stinky Bob
When picking flowers
| Author Notes | Pungent smell. I think it's edible too, but who would want to eat it!? |
By Aiona
Smile
I'm learning not to
'Cause I don't need to
Since no one sees it with my mask on.
| Author Notes | When I see people on the street, I used to smile at them, and they would smile back. Now, no one smiles back. I can't help it though, when I see someone wearing a mask with a funny saying on it. I may make a mask with the above picture on it. What do you think? |
By Aiona
Being locked in
D-vitamin
Cannot
Be got
Poor young things
| Author Notes |
It will be interesting to see if there is a world-wide increase in pediatric rickets over the next year. Evidence shows that staying inside, with constant near-vision, also increases the development of childhood myopia (near-sightedness).
|
By Aiona
| Author Notes | I learned to bike on a flat school running track. My kids are learning on our street which is a steep hill. I don't know which is better. |
By Aiona
Someone told me recently
Things are funnier in threes.
Is this true? I have my doubts.
With my next script I'll test it out.
He also said that jokes should end
On a K-word like "consent"
Instead of something like "agreed."
Unless of course it's part of "threes."
I'm known to some as a rule breaker,
But in this case, I'm not the money maker.
Since he is, though, I think I'd best
Try his way first, and save mine for last.
| Author Notes | Knowing when to take advice, and when to bring the salt shaker. It's tough. |
By Aiona
I have made a deal
My writing partner and I
Owe haikus for sloth
| Author Notes | I have a writing partner in Italy. We made a deal. If we do not write ANYTHING during the week, we have to write a haiku. So far, it's worked. And yet, here is a haiku for you all. LOL! |
By Aiona
Muffin time
Time to rhyme
In my hive
Make it jive
Orange zest
Butter's best
Add the rest
Mix that mess!
We're not talkin'
We're just rockin'
And TikTokin'
Haters walkin'
Now we're bakin'
I'm not fakin'
We be makin'
Muffins say'in
"Eat them muffins!"
Not the tough 'uns
Slurp and huffin'
What's left? Nothin'
| Author Notes |
Someone gave me an orange muffin recipe. Or maybe they're scones. I'll find out.
The recipe is in Italian, so she can't really tell me what they are. |
By Aiona
| Author Notes | Thank you to VMarguarite for letting FanStory authors use this awesome drawing "Christmas Bonding" for their writings. |
By Aiona
| Author Notes |
One of my boyfriends took me to a museum somewhere. Gosh if I could remember where it was. It might have been in Texas. Or maybe St. Louis. Or Indianapolis? We went so many places. Anyway, this museum had a book in it... Oh it was Jeremy. And James Ryssman was with us. I still can't remember which museum. Anyway, the book was Little Red Riding Hood, but it was told completely in this fashion. That was over twenty years ago. I wish I knew who the author was.
Thank you to VMarguarite for letting FanStory authors use this painting for their stories and poems. |
By Aiona
Miss Elaine thought she'd give it a chance --
A free phone app that promised romance.
Though she met a hot hunk,
Couldn't swallow the junk
He told only to get in her pants.
| Author Notes |
I'm making fun of online dating, but I did meet my husband online in 2000. We got married shortly afterwards. Heck, I always forget our anniversary. Writing this poem made me remember!!!!! Thanks, Fanstory!
Take a look at humanitariansoftinder.com. Tell me what you think. I'm curious. Thanks to lyenochka for inspiring me to look up anapestic and amphibrachic. So I changed it to be strictly anapestic. Thanks to Renate-Bertodi for letting FanStory authors use this artwork titled "Couples Meet." |
By Aiona
| Author Notes |
I think it's funny that the word "boo" has gone from being an exclamation to scare someone to a term of endearment. So weird. Now I'm gonna go eat supper with my boo, too.
Oh, this is an acrostic lune. |
By Aiona
Look in the mirror
Recite proclamations;
All the soft bigotry
Of low expectations
Believe it and none even
Question the motives
How callously given
The Manson-like votives
"Helter Skelter!" he cried
Of four foreign singers.
"And after they've died,
We'll end up the winners."
How little the effort
To stroke and to preen it
Virtue signals galore
All pretend to mean it
Months from now sadly
The furor's forgotten
Ignore just how badly
Core edicts were rotten.
| Author Notes | Thank you to Mr. Jones for letting FanStory authors use the mixed media photo of Nelson Mandela. |
By Aiona
Holy clown she shows
Our thoughts juxtaposed
Satire used to cloak
Truths we all should know
| Author Notes |
I just learned what a "heyoka" is last week from a YouTube ad. LOL!
Thank you to Raoul D'Harmental for letting FanStory authors use "Narcissus and Echo" for their writings. |
By Aiona
Single
But available
During a lockdown
Where does one go?
When most restaurants are closed
"Midnight Madness Bowling" is no more
Netflix and TV dinners replace movie theaters
She went to Lime Kiln and just sat
| Author Notes |
I'm so thankful I'm married, but I really feel for all the young people who are single and have nowhere to socialize. I don't know how they manage. This photo was taken at Lime Kiln Point on San Juan Island last weekend. I was there with a friend, but this girl was clearly by herself, and happy! I remember doing stuff alone, too. And it wasn't even a lockdown. So kudos to her!
"Where Do You Go" by No Mercy |
By Aiona
When she broke wind, she went broke.
By Aiona
| Author Notes |
A friend who's really into "native" plants told me these are good specimens of "star flowers." Seen on Mount Erie, on the ground as I was heading to the western look-out point. According to this website -- https://plantcaretoday.com/star-flower-plant.html -- star flowers prefer "dappled sunlight" or "shade," and not full sun. Thanks to lyenochka for letting me know they can be invasive. And thanks to Bonnie Seach for suggesting word changes! |
By Aiona
| Author Notes |
I listed these on my local Buy Nothing group last week. No takers so far! LOL!
I suck at Skee-ball, and I think we are never going to Chuck E. Cheese again anyway. Besides, when we last went to an arcade, they don't use paper tickets anymore. They have those digital score cards. :) |
By Aiona
| Author Notes |
The rules say "Haiku doesn't rhyme."
But it doesn't say you can't use homonyms...... Thank you to seshadri_sreenivasan for letting FanStory authors use this photo "Eagles Point of View" for their writing. |
By Aiona
Twitchy fingers hesitate.
"Don't you do it," my brain states.
"Breathe real deep and pass it by.
No need to check his dumb profile."
But my heart pounds when I see
His tags and stories in my feed.
Algorithms know my weakness;
Goad me into "Just one peek, yes?"
"NO!" I shout and hit "Ignore."
Ignore for 30 days? Nay MORE!
Go on! Click it! Just "Unfriend."
Manifest your limerance's end.
| Author Notes | Have you watched Netflix's documentary about how social media tries to trigger you, to get you to keep engaging? Things that make you mad or sad? It's disturbing. Well, this week, I wasn't triggered by any social media. It was something that happened in person. Just can't avoid it. It's not just social media. It has to be a mindset. I'm still practicing ignoring the things that make me mad. Life is too short to be upset about things you can't control. |
By Aiona
| Author Notes | silly |
By Aiona
| Author Notes |
When my cat tore and ate one of my hair ribbons, he pooped it out part-way and then ran all over the house with it trailing behind him. :( Thank goodness it didn't get all knotted up inside him. I had to pull it the rest of the way out. Ew. After that, I threw away all my hair ribbons. But yarn..... I still have a bunch of yarn. I need to get rid of it.
Thank you to VMarguarite for letting FanStory authors use this painting of "Never Ending Yarn." |
By Aiona
I write not for love
But for souls who lack love still
Don't be still my heart
When hearts beat alone
Lonely ones can lose their way
Of love life is made
By making love-lore
For the forlorn writers make
Their happy endings
Crafted with labor
To save those broken hearts with
written CPR
| Author Notes |
Sometimes I forget who I am writing for. But when I remember, it makes it all worthwhile. It's never too late for a "happily ever after." NEVER.
Miracle originally had an ending where James died. But it can't be a romance if he dies. It's a stipulation of the genre. A heart must beat in "pairs." If the diastole is not matched with a systole or vice versa, a person will die. |
By Aiona
Why does a monarch butterfly
Make a trip of thousands of miles
To Amazon forests that I fear
Are starting to slowly disappear?
I believe an instinct lies
Within those regal butterflies,
To make that long and treacherous flight
Trusting faith they'll be alright.
And what makes some people turn
To medical and nursing school to learn
Chemistry, biology, physiology
That help heal a human body?
Years of training, lack of sleep,
Never having time to eat,
Exposed to illnesses, blood, and gore,
Debts to banks that make us poor?
Just as in those butterflies
Within some humans also lies
An ancient instinct making them seek
Ways to fortify the weak
Heal the sick, repair what breaks,
And help recover from their mistakes,
Sharing knowledge that is new
So they can stave off illness too.
And in the end, with all our might
We pray that we will be alright
That what we do won't be for naught
"Keep the faith" is what we're taught.
So what then does a monarch do
When the forest that he is used to
Is finally gone, where shall he go?
Shall he give up? The answer's "No."
Faith will bring us to our goal;
But where is not for us to know.
When we are called, we must believe
We are where we are meant to be.
| Author Notes | Thank you to eileen0204 for letting FanStory authors use this lovely photo of a monarch butterfly on milkweed flowers. |
By Aiona
It wasn't love at first, I must confess
I saw him standing there amongst the weeds
But wrote his number down though, nonetheless
And rang his owner up so we could meet.
And how surprised I was to find that he
Had so much more to him than meets the eye
Perfect crispy sails and brand new sheets
Inside, his gorgeous brightwork made me smile.
And when we sailed, I found yet more to love
All rigged to please, he made our sails a breeze.
His roller-furling gave us time alone,
And lazy-jacks proved he was just like me.
My husband sadly asks if I have strayed.
I lie and say, "Of course I haven't, Babe!"
| Author Notes | I do love my husband. I do. But I love my sailboat too. |
By Aiona
| Author Notes | Ugh! I found this in my yard! It's everywhere! The sap reportedly causes itchy burning rashes. Each plant reportedly produces 20,000 seeds. Argh! |
By Aiona
What are you afraid of?
Of making someone mad?
Mad because you said, "No"?
No, fear you'll make them sad?
"Sad" is when you gave your all,
All for nothing gained.
Gained at least some wisdom though,
Though it's all that remains.
| Author Notes |
I'm a softie. When someone asks for my help, it's in my nature to say "yes," even when it goes against my best interests. I said "no" to a few people this week. Sometimes I say "yes" to people who simply take advantage of my good nature. And yet I still care. It's funny I care, when they don't.
Loop Poetry requires that the last word of each line becomes the first word of the next line. So the last word of line 1 becomes the first word of line 2, last word of line 2 becomes the first word of line 3 - and so on. There is a rhyme scheme. The rhyme scheme is abcb. There are no restrictions on the number of stanzas nor on the syllable count for each line. |
By Aiona
The old monk said
If you plant a red
Lotus near
White ones here
They will all turn pink instead.
| Author Notes |
a twenty-word poem
Thank you to iPhone7 for letting FanStory authors use this lovely photo of a lotus. |
By Aiona
It's that time of year again
To disentangle skein from skein
Of holiday lights stashed way too fast,
Every year just like the last.
"This year, we'll wrap them 'round a reel."
We said that last year, and didn't still.
One year, each strand went in a Ziploc pouch.
That worked okay 'til we took them out.
Then each strand still had to be untangled
From itself, without being mangled.
Why do we do this every year?
Because those lights give so much cheer!
| Author Notes |
We used to turn them off, but now LEDs use such little electricity, we leave them on much longer. The blue lights help with the gloominess of dark mornings. It makes me think it's daylight outside, and I'm more inclined to get up at my usual hour.
The picture above is of Kingston Marina's city lights (Kingston, Washington, USA; not Jamaica). It's a free display. |
By Aiona
Some girl caught a newt just now.
"Now, I'll keep you for my pet.
Pet you, hug you, give you kisses."
Kisses make the newt quite wet.
"Wet and slimy!" says her brother.
"Brother! What weird pets you find.
Find a different pet, please, will you?"
"You get lost! I like this kind."
Kind of mellow little fellow.
Fellow needs his newt-friends though.
Though she'd really love to keep it,
It is good she let it go.
| Author Notes |
It was so cute! I put it back in the leaf pile though. Thank you to El-Mundo for letting FanStory writers use the picture.
WARNING: Do not kiss newts. Their skin secretes neurotoxins. A 29-year-old guy in Oregon died from eating a newt on a dare. |
By Aiona
| Author Notes | It's hard to get mail when you're a liveaboard. |
By Aiona
| Author Notes | Thanks to Cindy Sue Truman for letting FanStory authors use her artwork for their stories/poems. |
By Aiona
dry grass in its cracks
the tennis court only takes
cricket players now
| Author Notes | Image is the abandoned tennis courts at the old Fulford Marina (torn down). |
By Aiona
| Author Notes |
For the Nonet contest
A recipe for a famous Whitstable gem. For a recipe with less allusions, see https://www.ourcookbooks.com/recipe/2391415/whitstable-angels-on-horseback.html It's basically bacon-wrapped oysters, grilled and served on buttered bread. Thank you to MKFlood for letting FanStory poets use this picture "On the Bayou." |
By Aiona
Love
is when
a child's life
has more weight than
one's own thoughts or wants
| Author Notes | My parents blew $50,000 at the casino a few years back, but couldn't afford to fix the pool to make it safe for their grandkids. |
By Aiona
| Author Notes |
I think this is my first time to use "nappies" in a poem. It's my third time to use "loo" in a poem. FanStory really challenges me, you know.
Thank you to nikman for letting FanStory authors use this photo "Anticipating?!" |
By Aiona
| Author Notes |
Is science art? 3D molecular models of proteins are fascinating, because they involve understanding organic chemistry (no, not *that* kind of "organic") and the building blocks of organic living beings. ACE 2 receptor is in the cell membranes of cells throughout the human body. So spike protein could potentially attach to any cell it reaches -- kidney tissue, lung tissue, uterine tissue, placental tissue, platelets, blood vessel endothelium, and even skin tissue -- the most visible endothelium we have. ACE 2 receptor is a major player in the RAS (Renin Angiotensin System) which regulates blood pressure. (https://ccforum.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13054-020-03120-0) Have you caught COVID? You may have noticed your blood pressure became elevated during your illness. If you were ill enough to go into shock, your blood pressure would then drop significantly. These are the ways in which COVID kills. The problem is, the spike protein is also what is produced when one introduces the spike protein mRNA into one's system. For those who are susceptible, increased presence of spike protein can cause the same effect as infection by COVID, leading to inflammation of endothelium of the myocardium (heart muscle) as well as vascular endothelium (blood vessels). When spike protein attaches to platelets, it can lead to increased thrombosis (aka clotting). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7471641/
This binding of spike protein to platelets is something that we've known for decades. |
By Aiona
| Author Notes |
When AI's are programmed for cost-efficiency, there is no need to spend money on treating people. Add bureaucracy to the mix, and it's Babylon revisited.
Thank you to cleo85 for letting FanStory authors use "Dream" with their writing. |
By Aiona
| Author Notes | Thank you avmurray for letting FanStory authors use this lovely image "Narcissus" with their writing. |
By Aiona
| Author Notes |
Someone once told me he thinks "love" is when someone makes you happy. He used that definition to justify wanting to cheat on his wife. That kind of "love" fades because no one can "make you happy" all of the time. True love is felt by someone who wants to make someone else happy. Everything else is just selfishness. That's my opinion, and I'm sticking with it. Unless someone knows "true love," they really shouldn't be taking care of kids -- who regularly make me unhappy, but I love them anyway! I am happy that guy doesn't have kids, because he would never truly "love" them.
Thank you to cleo85 for letting FanStory authors use this picture "Poverty." |
By Aiona
| Author Notes |
My kids love going through the car wash. We've washed it at home, but it's hard to do the roof. The eighteen-dollar wash does the undercarriage.
|
By Aiona
Never
Apologizes
Relishes
Confusion
Intolerably
Supercilious
Sneers
Iniquity
Surges
Throughout
| Author Notes | Thank you to cleo85 for letting FanStory writers use this image "News of Yester Year" with their writing. |
By Aiona
| Author Notes |
Thank you to Glena Jessee-King for letting FanStory writers use this lovely image "Good Green Eats" with their writing.
I can't believe our broccoli survived freezing temperatures. Wot!? |
By Aiona
| Author Notes | Thank you to Linda Wetzel for letting FanStory authors use this lovely painting "Dipping Our Toes" with their writing. |
By Aiona
| Author Notes |
My favorite song about rain is by Anna Graceman.
Thank you to cakemp55 for letting FanStory authors use this lovely photo of the rain in Spain not falling on the plain but in Salamanca ("A rainy day") with their writing. |
By Aiona
| Author Notes |
1 Corinthians 13 verse 12 is basically Paul writing to the people of Corinth, "Make sure you're not a narc." Accept that you made mistakes, and do better. Narcs never self-reflect, hence they continue hurting people.
I call this style of poem "DiPesto" -- named after one of the characters in the 1980s show "Moonlighting." Thank you to Jewell McChesney for letting FanStory authors use this awesome painting "Living in the Moment" with their writing. |
By Aiona
| Author Notes |
I'm coming to terms with the fact that, in doing harm to me, my mother sacrificed her soul to show me how to be closer to God. I pray for her deliverance, but I know it's up to her to shun the demons. Everyone has free will. God does not dominate. Only demons dominate. It is up to us to break free.
Thank you to cleo85 for letting FanStory writers use this lovely image "Southern Lights" with their writing. |
By Aiona
| Author Notes |
A narcissist takes and takes and feels entitled that others must suffer for their gain. That is not love. That is selfishness. When you're really with someone who loves you, their happiness is your happiness. Narcissists are not happy when someone else is happy, if it means they must deny their needs. This is why narcissists make terrible mothers. They cannot "love" a baby who cannot do anything for them.
Thank you to supergold for letting FanStory authors use this lovely picture "the leaning tower of Pisa" -- a structure that was built on unstable foundations, and yet continued to be built higher and higher......... a testament to how imbalance works for some people. |
By Aiona
By Aiona
| Author Notes |
My youngest lost an eye-tooth today. She cried mightily, and I couldn't get her to believe that her loss was necessary for a new and better tooth to take its place. The enamel of milk teeth is not as durable as that of permanent teeth. So many metaphors with life.
Thank you to AllondraGallegos for letting FanStory writers use "Smile for the Moment" with their writing, even though it says, "Laugh now, Cry later," I hope it's the opposite for anyone "losing a tooth!" |
By Aiona
| Author Notes | Thank you to seshadri_sreenivasan for letting FanStory writers use this awesome picture "Too Many Cooks.....:" with their writing. |
By Aiona
| Author Notes |
I tried a paper straw at Costco once. It disintegrated before I was done with my drink. Now, I just drink straight from the cup like heathens are meant to.
Thank you to VMarguarite for letting FanStory writers use "Four Plus Four" with their writing. |
By Aiona
| Author Notes |
I woke up this morning, and discovered deer had raided my garden, ate all the heads off my sunflowers and broccoli, and a raccoon, by the paw print, crushed one of my two remaining basil seedlings. LOL! I give up. I'll just write and buy my vegetables instead.
Thank you to willie for letting Fanstory writers use "Rascal" with their writing. As Robert Burns' said in his famous poem "To a Mouse," "The best laid schemes o' Mice an' Men/Gang aft agley." |
By Aiona
| Author Notes |
A minute is 3 4-line stanzas of 8-4-4-4 syllables in iambic meter with a rhyme scheme of aabb ccdd eeff.
Thank you to eileen0204 for letting FanStory writers use this image "The Next Big Step" with their writing. |
By Aiona
| Author Notes |
When denied a mother's love, God says, "It's okay to turn to Me."
Matthew 19:29-30 |
By Aiona
| Author Notes | Thank you to Joanna Levesley for letting FanStory authors use "The Lady of the Lake" with their writing. |
By Aiona
When people ask me about my dad
I tell them
He's with the government,
And so I'm not allowed
To talk about him.
Stops the questions
Most of the time.
When I was seventeen
I got a letter
Mom told him to write.
In his broken English
Because he used a translator
He said,
Dear Alex,
Your mother tells me you are a boy.
Am I?
I've never had a son before.
So there's a daughter somewhere?
I met your mother in Nevada.
I knew that much.
One-hundred-and-one of us arrived
"Five in binary," Mom said.
To investigate a crude monument
It was wooden
Made by your people
Not my people
In the likeness of our Chancellor.
Narcissistic, any?
Your people
Not my people
Brought us into ferrous buildings on wheels
RVs
And domiciles of flimsy fabric
Tents
Full of combustion products
Smoking pot
During a "Kudd el Pahti"
Cuddle party
She saw me
Mom did
Mistook me for food
T.M.I.
But when she realized I was not food
I said T.M.I.
She engaged in something that--
La-la-la-la-not-reading-this-part
--Then the authorities arrived
Thank goodness
And the other hundred who arrived with me
Four in binary
Were eliminated
Killed
I survived unseen underneath your mother--
La-la-la-la-not-reading-this-either
--Torched the Chancellor's statue
What they do at Burning Man
Then brought me to a facility nearby
Area 51
And here I have remained.
I hope your mother
And you
Are well
These past nine years --
Eighteen in Earth-years.
Your Dad
| Author Notes | Thank you to cleo85 for letting FanStory writers use this lovely image "Deserted" with their writing. |
By Aiona
My phone got lost sometime today
While shoveling out the driveway;
Lost in that snow
With still more to go.
I decided to stop for the day.
Inside, I tried to get warm
Hot cocoa worked, just like a charm.
No phone to call
Any friends at all
I handled my loss with aplomb.
"At least I've got TV to view."
Then I learned my remote was lost too.
When the power went down
From fallen trees all around
I switched gears then to salvaging food.
With my fireplace now roaring with heat,
I roasted some weenies to eat.
Made some s'mores for dessert
Ate them all 'til I hurt
Then headed to bed feeling beat.
I could have felt sad with no phone,
But I tried not to gripe or to groan.
Instead, curled up in bed
With a book I've not read,
I savored some "Me-Time" alone.
| Author Notes |
It was supposed to snow today, but.... it hasn't yet! I'm ready though.
I really have dropped my cellphone in a snow drift after shoveling the driveway. Luckily somehow my son found it. Thank you to Jack Moore for letting FanStory writers use this awesome picture "School's Out Tomorrow" with their writing. |
By Aiona
Bow to your Partners,
Partners, promenade.
Promenade right now.
Now you've got it made.
Made it home now.
Now this is whatcha do.
Do a little yell
Yell out "Ya-Hoo!"
"Ya-hoo!" on home.
Home is where you go.
Go face your partners.
Partners, do-si-do!
Do-si-do and now.
Now ladies in the middle.
Middles star right.
Right there, give a wiggle.
Wiggle home now.
Now gents to the center.
Center left, if you like
Like a snowflake in the winter.
Winter ain't warm.
Warm your ladies up good.
Good! Swing right-like
Like a good gent would!
Would you all now turn.
Turn 'round. Face your corners.
Corners, allemande right,
Right back to your partners.
Partners swing left.
Left alone! Are you glad?
Glad hands in a circle
Circle left like you're mad.
Mad about your partners.
Partners right swing back.
Back home, face center.
Center in and clap!
Clap once, then back.
Back and then, circle right.
Right now, promenade.
Promenade all night.
Night night! Go home.
Home to your one and only.
Only swing her right so,
So you'll never be lonely!
| Author Notes |
Thank you to cleo85 for letting FanStory writers use this image "The Dancers" with their writing.
To hear and see some really amazing square-dancing, here's a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_cQuBSo_jk. |
By Aiona
| Author Notes | Thank you to supergold for letting FanStory authors use "an abstract for Jairos" with their writing. |
By Aiona
| Author Notes |
When I was little, my dad built so many things for me -- a treehouse, see-saw, tree swing, a wagon, etc. etc. With my new job, I had time to build something for my own child. I think Dad would laugh to know we used his tools! I have wanted his old hand drill since I was six! Every time I look at it, it reminds me to always stay busy, creating, helping, and to keep my spirits "up." LOL!
Got glow-in-the-dark stars from Buy Nothing. So cool! |
By Aiona
| Author Notes |
The last I remember, a "democracy" involves voting. It doesn't mean that a privileged few get to make decisions. Narcs abound, people. Please don't let them gaslight you.
Thank you to VMarguarite for letting FanStory writers use this lovely image "Towering Reflections" with their writing. |
By Aiona
| Author Notes |
Don't be afraid to write.
(This is a lecture to myself.) |
By Aiona
By Aiona
| Author Notes | Thank you again to supergold for letting FanStory writers use this image "an abstract for Jairos" with their writing. |
By Aiona
| Author Notes | Thank you to Donna Colley for letting FanStory writers use this lovely image "Pretty in pink" with their writing. |
By Aiona
Once there was a rich man.
A narcissist was he,
Who swore whenever he would die,
"I'll take my wealth with me!"
Indeed, he struck a deal with God
A contract deemed so bold,
That when he reached the Pearly Gates,
He'd bring his crates of gold.
So when he proudly passed away
To Heaven he was sent.
St. Peter checked inside those crates
And laughed."You brought pavement?"
| Author Notes | Thank you to Envision for letting FanStory writers use the artwork "Puffy Cumulus" with their writing. |
By Aiona
A handkerchief can be
Beneficial for you and me
Contain a sneeze
Dodge a disease
And all while looking pretty
| Author Notes |
I like carrying a hankie. I found one in a box of my mom's old clothes, and it inspired me to buy some of my own. Hers had lace edges, but mine are just plain white. I use them for everything from wiping my kids' noses to cleaning bird poop off windshields. (I bleach them afterwards. That's why I only have white hankies.)
Thank you to supergold2 for letting FanStory authors use this image "how do you like my nose ?" with their writing. |
By Aiona
Have pity on the bullies
For being so damn mean
'Cause it's
Their childhood way of coping
With never being seen.
Their Daddy maybe beat them.
Or Momma was a drunk.
At best, they were neglectful.
So
Their kids end up as thugs.
To fight their parents' demons,
They change into one too.
But then,
When no one ever likes them,
They haven't got a clue!
Instead of praising others
They glare
With hateful, jealous eyes.
For nothing makes them happy
But seeing people cry.
They live a life that's fear-based.
"If others have, I lose."
So
When people need their succor,
Their selfishness will rule.
They hoard up their belongings,
Like money, power, fame.
And crushing people's feelings
Becomes an addict's game.
Their spouses end up leaving.
Their kids can't stand them too.
They wind up in a "home" and
Then
They bully staff there too!
They have so many chances
To learn to treat us well.
To love
Their neighbor as themselves
And not wind up in hell.
It's hard to love a bully
SO
I'll do it from afar.
And learn from their behavior
How not to gain God's ire.
I'm grateful for my friendships.
I love to see friends win.
Their joy makes me feel happy
Yet
I'm sad when there is sin.
If I have wronged another
I will apologize
And try to make it better.
On this, our peace relies.
| Author Notes |
I've learned that I just cannot be around people who never show joy at other people's happiness. They have some kind of disorder that makes them want to tear other people down for fun. They are dangerous to themselves and others. Stick with people who are happy when they see other people happy. These people know how to love one another. Some people are given more than 70 years to learn how to be a nice person, and just keep failing..... This is an exam that no one can cheat at. And the teacher doesn't give you mulligans. Love one another, folks. Please!
Thank you to Renate-Bertodi for letting FanStory writers use this lovely image "No Porpoises" with their writing. |
By Aiona
| Author Notes | The deer in our area like to eat the miner's lettuce in our yard, which just happens to look like this cute little amphibian. Sometimes camouflage isn't evolutionarily favorable! |
|
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