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Open Poetry #8
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The Pasture Pond [Repost - #1]
| Open Poetry #8 |
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The Pasture Pond [Repost - #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. |
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| © Copyright 2000 Karilea Rilling Jungel - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Mark Bohannan Member Rara Avis
since 2000-06-21
Posts 7269In the winds of Cherokee song |
This was totally awesome. Thanks for letting me visit your pond. I hope the year I stayed didn't wear out my welcome. Lovely piece and great imagery. |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
Awesome works in my world. Thank you, Mark! Sunny ~~~Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow. Helen Keller ~~~ When you want to be loved, look within...KRJ |
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Sudhir Iyer Member Ascendant
since 2000-04-26
Posts 6943Mumbai, India : now in Belgium |
Karilea, My dear friend, Where was I when the seasons bloomed thus? Where was I when the pond lived a life such? Such wonderful work... well from you it is expected, but I have to say this anyway, marvelously exceptional... Many regards, sudhir |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
I can always expect you to give me a smile, Sudhir {~,^} Thank you! Sunny ~~~Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow. Helen Keller ~~~ When you want to be loved, look within...KRJ |
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BSC
Moderator
Member Elite
since 2000-02-04
Posts 2919New York, USA |
Oh, just how beautiful is this Karilea!!!! A visit there, though lasting a year, went by far to quickly. This is a simply amazing piece of work! Bonnie |
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Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
Sunshine, I must have missed this one because I would have remembered it. This is really an excellent, descriptive piece of writing. very enjoyable reading  |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
Bonnie, our years go by far too fast...this is the only way I can capture them to treasure year around...well, this and photos! Thank you!... 'Deer, I was going for descriptive! Hope you enjoyed the visit... Sunny ~~~Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow. Helen Keller ~~~ When you want to be loved, look within...KRJ |
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LngJhnAg Member Elite
since 1999-07-23
Posts 3508Boot+Kitty=Poetry in motion |
Karilea - this is wonderful! Little by little I'm beginning to enjoy free verse, thanks in great part to poems such a yours. See it? I can FEEL it! |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
LJA, that's TERRIFIC...now, my next task is to get you to HEAR it...I'll work on that! Thanks!!! Sunny ~~~Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow. Helen Keller ~~~ When you want to be loved, look within...KRJ |
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