Poetography

Some of you already know my bloggie pal Jinksy of Napple Notes. If you do, then you also know she's a clever lady with a delicious sense of humour and fine poetry skills. Jinksy is my favourite kind of poet - sometimes serious - oftentimes silly. Occasionally she'll turn her comments section over to her readers challenging them to a poetic response, which is what prompted me to offer her a challenge of my own.

I often search the web for interesting quotes to accompany my photos. Sometimes I select a snippet of a song, a line from a movie or something from a book. More often than not, a bit of poetry exists which will often express the mood of my images. It's satisfying to find the right ones, but it's also very time consuming.

Enter Jinsky.

The other day, I dropped my poetic friend an email asking her if she might be inspired to write a few lines for each of the photos you'll see below. Jinsky rose to the occasion and quickly shot back with her wonderfully crafted verse and haiku which are paired with the matching images for which they were written. I hope you enjoy them, and if you do, please be sure to drop over to Jinsky's blog and let her know. I bet you'll find yourself returning there often.

This lovely gull circled around me a few times before I was able to get him into focus. Though he was still fairly distant, it looks like I just had time to take the photo and duck out of his way - thanks to my zoomy lens.

the camera's eye
freeze-framed the quizzical glance
of the gliding gull

This little pocket of the lake collects the strangest things. Last time, it was a fishing float and an apple. This time it looks like breakfast was on the menu - Cocoa Puffs, a solitary Honeycomb and what appears to be a mushroom cap.

cereal puff balls
float in a nightmare landscape
of water logged dream

This is last year's Autumn Joy which will be cut back before new growth appears. When it begins to bloom in mid-summer, it looks a bit like broccoli. Then as the mini blossoms open, it changes from green to soft pink to rusty red.

Ghostly echoes of the past

haunt the dried flower heads
as they dream of youth flown
and wait patiently for rebirth.

Walking down the street, in the town of Lindsay in southern Ontario, we saw this cute pooch watching every car and person which passed beneath his window.

It's a dog's life standing still,

poised like a statue on the sill,
watching clouds go passing by
with never once the chance to fly
on scudding paws along the street,
free, excited, swift and fleet.
What dreams go racing through his head
at night, inside his doggy bed?

We spent the night in Lindsay. These three stones decorated the table in our motel room.

Three polished stones encircled by lace

each with a word carve on its face-
Truth for the seeking,
Faith in the finding,
and Wisdom to grant overall grace.

Back at home, I was trying to photograph a bird which sat atop a higher branch. The winged critter was out of my focal range but the camera decided that these woolen mittens were an unusual find - about ten feet above me.

green pine-needle spray
disguises identity
of two brown mittens

On the first warm day of spring, all sorts of wheels hit the pavement - bicycles, motorcycles, roller blade and skateboards. This board was abandoned hastily by my young neighbour. I suspect he had to pee.

Bright painted shapes protest at their sudden view
of a world tip tilted and stationary,
as the discarded board's metal wheels vibrate
with the hum of remembered movement.

Then again, that might have been me who had to pee... after finishing this yummy martini made with passion fruit, lemonade, pineapple and vodka.

on a glass surface
painted dragon fly hovers
intoxicated

Newly-sprouting willow boughs against the backdrop of the setting sun.

willow branches bow

to greet golden, glow-worm spheres
of lighted windows

Thanks for joining Jinsky and me on our little joint adventure. If you enjoyed our post, please stop by her blog and let her know.

I'll be back in a few days.