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Open Poetry #7
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The Pasture Pond [Repost from #1]
| Open Poetry #7 |
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The Pasture Pond [Repost from #1] |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart 
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The Pasture Pond There is the 160, and to the northwest corner in a sheltered area lies a small pond, primarily north and southern laid, curving, a drainage area succumbing at the northern end from too much rain, the furthermost corner of the dammed area eroding away. To reach the pond you must go over two swells of elevated native country, not hills, just swells, enough to lift you high at the top to see 360 degrees, and view the Smoky Hills. Indian country. Virgin land. Just you and me. Once at the pond, we can slide rocks over the frozen waters, and test the ice with our boots, give it more weight, hear a cracking and step back. Not cold enough to slide across fear holds us back, we've never known how really deep the pond and don't want to find out now. Wait a moment. Spring's rains dissolve the iciness of winter and warmer weather starts the pond to brewing scum green, bubbling, warm sun growing algae, with bobbing eyes of half-morphed tadpoles blinking, sinking, popping up over there, see? Step into the worn ruts left from last summer's cow's tracings to the edge of the pond, kick the sand a bit with your booted toe, and watch the red ants swarm. Cattails are beginning, reeds only. Wait a moment. Summer erupts the pond into cattails brown tops and frogs and squirrels chittering along the bank, and turtles and bugs, water bugs dancing, skimming the pond's surface and down the frog's throat. Now skim small rocks, flat rocks, make them dance and plop. Plop. Plop. A bit of moss clings to the edge of the water and you walk softly there, to not scare ....croack.... splash, splish, frogs hear you anyway, and dive, dive safely. The weeping willow lends a long trunk outward over the pond, enough to sit on and gaze out on the shimmering pond's surface, discerning eyes of toads, frogs and perhaps a turtle floating in the middle. Wishing for a small boat. Just for the heck of it. Heads disappear. Pop back up. Croaking. Chirping. Buzzing. Look toward the pond's south end, a blue heron standing. Still. Silent. Solitary. Ducks overhead, waiting for us to leave. Wait a moment. Rest begins. Water lower, scum gone, cooler mornings, lazy afternoons of fall begun. Cattails effervesced into fuzzy white puffs of seed waiting for scattering winds. Shining gold/yellow/red/orange reflections on blue water from the cottonwoods, elms, birch, and hedgetrees. Quiet. A frog, huge now, croaking deeper, lonely, only the one? No answer. Splush. Cows on the rise, watching you, waiting for you to leave. Come with me. You've seen the seasons of the pond. KRJ - Summer 1999< !signature--> Sunshine Look, then, into thine heart, and write ~~~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow [This message has been edited by Sunshine (edited 05-26-2000).] |
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| © Copyright 2000 Karilea Rilling Jungel - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Nan
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-20
Posts 21191Cape Cod Massachusetts USA |
I love the ocean... but one thing ponds have a better view of is the seasons... I like this one, Sunshine - It's still #1...  |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
I grew up by the ocean...loved it...love this, too! Thanks, Nan Sunshine Look, then, into thine heart, and write ~~~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow |
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Kit McCallum
Administrator
Member Laureate
since 2000-04-30
Posts 14774Ontario, Canada |
I've waded and splashed in many a pond as you've so vividly described Sunshine ... I much enjoyed this journey back ... thanks! Best wishes, /Kit |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
Can't you just hear those tree frogs, Kit? Thanks! |
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Pepper Member Elite
since 1999-08-19
Posts 3079Southern Florida |
Excellent imagery, Sun ... I'm there ..... Wonderful ....... |
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doreen peri Member Elite
since 1999-05-25
Posts 3812Virginia |
" we've never known how really deep the pond and don't want to find out now." sunshine... this is ART... wonderfully vivid, succinct, imaginative, creative, metaphorical, and distinctly YOU i think i remember this from when the forums first opened... i think this was the one that caught my eye and let me know there was Sunshine out there... god, this is good!! thank you for reposting it! |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
Pepper, I'm so glad you enjoyed... Doreen - thank you SO much for the display of passion over this piece...it was written to a challenge that [guess who -]PdV gave me when I was about a month old here...thought I would repost it for the newer members...but really tickled that the "older folk" remember it fondly...thanks! Sunshine Look, then, into thine heart, and write ~~~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow |
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