Tuesday, March 26, 2024

My Building - a Poem for dVerse Poetics


[click on picture for larger viewing -- our grade school, I am the boy in back]

    image 

imagine you're driving today 
you come upon small farmstead 
a red barn and red granary 
all the other buildings are white 
 
all them except one small hut 
and that one looks standing only 
a one-holer with room for one 
one can sit or stand person's choice 

sears catalog rests on the seat 
pages missing, quite a few gone 
gone for wiping then down the hole 
stinks for heaven eeks up that hole 
  
we drive down the road a short way 
another clump of white buildings 
four we see and one more red brick 
one fairly large, one half its size 
 
those were in the middle of all  
two more were way back, lot is large 
one of the small rests on the right 
identical, left back corner 
 
those two also smell very bad 
sears catalogs between holes 
these are two-holers, don't know why 
left house for boys, right is the girl's 
 
long walk from either sits three more 
large right in the middle of all 
one on the right is the wood shed 
corn cobs too for starting the stove 

at recess kids play games of tag 
called "anti I over", "here I come" 
'It' throws the ball over the top 
tries to catch one from other side 

kids run to the opposite side 
try to get there before they're tagged 
who gets caught will be the new 'It' 
none will tire until classes start 

recess in winter is outside 
especially good with fresh snow 
that's time for playing 'fox and goose' 
another tag game, paths in snow 

my main attraction was the large 
large white's room, dozens student desks 
rows on rows, sort by student size 
the first graders are front and right 

heating wood stove in mid front row 
no air conditioning, windows all open 
student recital bench in front 
in front of students and the stove 

teacher's desk in the very front 
ask questions, listen kids recite 
watch the students for their raised hands 
one or two fingers, toilet needs 

up in front of all were blackboards 
chalk boards were all across the front 
teachers using them to explain 
and students showing math work 

only door was the one in back 
entrance to the mudroom comes first 
full of boots, caps, gloves, and jackets 
squeaky door separates classroom  
 _ _ _ 

List of some things not told in poem
Teachers boarded at the farm house 
Room and board, she came every day 
Red brick building, steps, storm cellar 

Flag pole sits beside the red brick 
Initials and names carved on desks 
Our school was small, grades one through eight 
I was alone, grades three through eight 
 _ _ _ 

 - Photo and Poem Copyright, Jimmiehov 2024 for Poem, xxx for Photo, All Rights Reserved 
 - I am linked with Kim at dVerse Poetics,
    https://dversepoets.com/2024/03/26/buildings/
    where Kim asked us to use "Building" as a writing prompt 
 - Click here to read other's writing
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Thursday, March 21, 2024

A Tribute -- a Poem for Friday Writings

Photo was AI generated by Bing's "AI Photo Generator" URL 
[Published and Copyright here by Jimmiehove 2024] 
[click on picture to enlarge]

      Tribute to a Good Friend 

Sadie was a good friend of mine 
So was her husband, better friend 
They were parents three children 
Married young, she grew tired of him 

Next single, her new friends were wild 
Still she was my friend, friends with both 
Sadie moved to Austin, afar 
I lost touch, ex kept me posted 

Her newfound friends on the wild side 
Sadie began drinking with them 
Eating way too much with her drink 
She had a heart attack and died 

A different kind of funeral 
The gang met at swimming hole 
There they raised their beer cans to her 
Ashes to the pond, cans followed 

Still think lots of her and her ex 
A loss of a friend who went wrong 
 _ _ _ 

 - Tribute Poem Copyright, Jimmiehov 2024, All Rights Reserved 
 - I am linked with Rommy at Friday Writings #119 here, 
 - Rommy has asked us to 'find inspiration “In memoriam”: write about a person, place, or thing that is gone.'  Mine is true, the lady's name here I have changed to honor the deceased but not identified by name.  Some of my readers may have known her also. 
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Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Situation Intolerable - a Poem for dverse Poetics

René Magritte, Homesickness (1940), oil on canvas
  
        What I see in the photo 

Home seems different, seems so very warm 
Back to where I left off this very bridge 
Had no wings back then plunged into the cold 
Team with wings dressed in white that pulled me out 

I was issued suit like that, white with wings 
Notices on my back saying, "stay pending" 
Pending interview with the famous saint 
Backlog was ahead of me but I could wait 

I had persisted going back, visit 
Visit with kin left behind and explain 
Tell of my ills, worries, evil thoughts why 
I could bear no more had to make the jump 

Now thinking why and what, why I would leave 
Leave a mess behind that I couldn't cope 
So I was released, on leave of absence 
Gave me the lion to ride him back home 

Didn't tell me before but when we left 
Out the golden door my suit turned to black 
Wings I'd never used they said take with me 
But don't to use those wings as they're evil now  

And we came but the kin understood not 
Why I'd leave like that, messes left for them 
Here we stand on that bridge ready to leave 
Wanting to test these wings, I'd like to fly 

Lion senses bad, he needs to mount up 
With one giant leap and we could be gone 
 _ _ _ 

 - Poem Copyright, Jimmiehov 2024, All Rights Reserved 
 - I am linked with Melissa Lemay at dVerse Poetics
 - Click here to read what others have written, go to the link just above to read about the artist, René Magritte, and to read our instructions from Melissa, our host tonight 
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Monday, March 18, 2024

Army then -- a Poem for Quadrille #197

armycadets.com from Amazon gun ad

  War stories 

Getting old now

loves telling tales

Army stories

are his forte


No war for him

guns on the rack

Not shooting range

Score penciled in


Sharpshooter him

Medal to prove

Wore alongside

Good Conduct pin


Did Radar man

once shoot that gun


Basic Training

_ _ _


 - Poem Copyright, Jimmiehov 2024, All Rights Reserved 

 - I am linked with De Jackson at dVerse Quadrille #197 for hosting, 
    she asked us to Write a Quadrille poem, 44 words in length and to use her chosen prompt word, "sharp
    Click here to read some others work, same instructions 
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Friday, March 15, 2024

St Patrick's Day - a Poem for Friday Writings


    
    Was St. Patrick Pinched?

Was our St. Patrick really real?
Yes he was real though not a saint 
Catholics hadn't made saints back then 
Celebrate him March seventeen 

He drove snakes out of Ireland? 
Yes, were a poetic symbol
Metaphors for the devil leaving 
Leaving from his many converts 

Did leprechauns really help him? 
Total fable they don't exist 
We like to think so, needed help 
We write of them as if they're real*

Then why should we wear green that day? 
Wear them so that you won't get pinched 
Green dress gives total Pinch License 
Put on your green and pinch away **

** A very good rundown on "9 Surprising Facts About St. Patrick's Day" can be found Here.  



 - Photos are copies I took, this year, of TV pictures being broadcasted 
 - Poem Copyright, Jimmiehov 2024, All Rights Reserved 
 - I am Linked with Magaly at Friday Writings  #118 at 
   where Magaly has invited "us to write poetry or prose inspired by strange spring traditions. Don’t happen to know any? No problem!" According to her, "we can find some interesting choices HERE and HERE and HERE." (My 'St. Patrick's Day' would be weird conduct on any day but St. Patrick's Day, but still is not as weird as some of these.)
.
p.s. an apology  to my faithful readers who were waiting on the 14th for my annual "pi Day post".  Finaly i made it, dated as proper for pi, March 14.  Here is my repertoire for the ones I have posted, 
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Thursday, March 14, 2024

Van Gogh - a Poem for dVerse Open Link Night

.

Van Gogh’s painting “Window in the Studio” – painted in 1889

I

   Van Gogh Dilemma 

Van Gogh went round and round 
To bad his fuzzy math 

Had he remembered "pi" 
Might have stopped while he's sane 

Instead he stopped at top 
Thought his ear was to blame 

Whacked one off at its base 
Sharp knife felled it one swoop 

Simple the constant "pi" 
3 point one four to know 
_ _ _ 

 - Poem Copyright, Jimmiehov 2024, All Rights Reserved 
 - I am linked with Lillian at dVerse Open Link Night, here 
 - Click here to read other's writing today (3/14/2024) 

 - I have been writing for "pi Day" since 2011, here is a list that showed when I searched my blog for use of the word, 
..
 - * Below is My picture taken outside the infirmary where Van Gogh was staying after he had cut off his own ear.   For information of the photo below and more of our stay there in St. Remyclick here
  - Vincent van Gogh -- 30 March 1853 – 29 July 1890): 

[Photo Copyright, Jimmiehov 2006]
. .


Compare my photo above of the actual orchard with this 
one that I took of one of Gogh's paintings of the orchard. 

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Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Spring and young maids - a Poem for dverse Poetics


    young maids

baby boomers now young maids 
beautiful eyes all features 
double smiles they love to flirt 

Dutch masters have no feel for them 
February gold gleam gone for them
goblets have emptied, never full 

golden dawn daffodils brightly shine 
golden echos from the maidens hair 
ice follies skated to demise 

lemon beauty Florida dames 
lingerie off the lines tease 
love calls young maids come Spring 
            _ _ _ 

 - Photo and Poem Copyright, Jimmiehov 2011 and 2023 respectively, All Rights Reserved 
 - I first used this photo on May 5, 2011  
 - I am linked with Merril at dVerse Poetics for prompt word list at 
    where I choose the first twelve on the to be the first word or words for my poem, note the alphabetic order.  All are listed on Merril's dVerse link above
    Click Here to read what other writers have written  
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Thursday, March 07, 2024

Cooking vs. Making - a Poem for Friday Writings and for dVerse Quadrille

My Egg, Ham, and Cheese sandwich open face 
See its recipe amongst various ones that I make 
Oct 13 in a search of my blog for the word "sandwich  
 here, 
https://jimmiehov.blogspot.com/search?q=sandwich 

Note: Today, March 8, is International Women's Day.   Click here to read about it.


    A Woman's Touch 


It takes a woman's touch 

Woman's touch for to cook 

Cook I said, not to make 


I make sandwiches, egg,

ham, and cheese oh so fine

Meatballs and spaghetti

and follow recipes


It's finer touch, deserts

pretty dishes she cooks 

Woman touches for those

               _ _ _


 - Photo and Poem Copywrite, Jimmiehov 2023 and 2024 Respectively, All Rights Reserved
 - I am linked with Rosemary at the Friday Writings #117 at 
  where she asked "us to write sensual poetry or prose about an item of clothes." (this request was optional for us to use)

 - I was also linked with De Jackson for the dVerse Quadrille 195  on February 19 at 
 where she asked us to use the prompt word "touch" in our poem of exactly 44 words, not counting the title.
 - Click here to read other's Quadrille writings 
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Monday, March 04, 2024

Fun, Perhaps - a Poem for dVerse Quadrille

Three-generation bed party, my daughter, her daughter, and Mrs. Jim.  
[First  posted by me, Jimmhov on 2018 (URL)]


  A Slight Problem?


I dreamed I was going

to a party

Nice party where pillows and

blankets rule

A slumber party sublime

Kids love them


All my buddies coming and

Some good friends

I don't know by whom I got

my invite 


Lost the envelope

Invitation too 
 _ _ _ 

 - Poem Copyright, Jimmiehov 2024, All Rights Reserved 
 - I am linked with Punam for dVerse Quadrille #196 for my 44 words not counting the title at  
 - Click here to read what the others have treated our prompt word, "slumber".
. .

Friday, March 01, 2024

Grandpa H. and I - a Poem for Friday Writings

My Grandfather and Grandmother in 1957
(photo originally posted 2010 [URL])

  He Influenced Me; Grandpa H. 

Grandpa H. has changed my life 
Even now I sense his pull 
Good habits and bad, them all 
Some I've kicked, others remain 

Favorite was the rides with him 
It was me and him alone 
I liked his cars, Buicks new 
First off install his spittoon 

Grandpa with tobacco chewed 
Kissed we kids juice smeared our cheeks 
And did I chew,  why of course 
Nasty habit.  Place to spit? 

On our rides stop signs I liked 
"Stop! 'S' 'T' 'O' 'P'," he'd spell, 
"Stop, take off panties," he called 
Never understood it all 

Many more that I could tell 
A few chapters in my book 

Uncles, Grandpa, and Grandma 
My photo, 2006 (URL) From left to right: My Dad, Uncle Lester, Uncle Howard, Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle Chester in 1940s photo taken at Grandpa's farm. The car was Dad's blue 1938 Ford Tudor Deluxe
 _ _ _ 

 - Photo and Poem Copyright, Jimmiehov 2006 and 2010 (Photos) and 2024 (Poem), All Rights Reserved 
 - I am linked with Magaly Guerrero for hosting with Friday Writings #116 at 
 -  Magaly is taking over Rommy's prompt which is to ask you to write about someone who made an impression on you as a child (for good or ill).
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Monday, February 26, 2024

Snowmoon Write -- for Haibun Monday

©iStockphoto.com/Wouter van Caspel

 

Snowmoon Last Night 

    Driving home last night we pulled over to view.  Just above the horizon was a magnificent scene, the moon, a February Full moon in bloom.  It was  showing its features as white with an orange tinted background.  It's name, being in February is the Snowmoon, heralding in falling snow, the kind the kids' snowmen are made of.  

    But being in Southeast Texas, close to the Gulf of Mexico shore, we won't be having snow this year.  The chances are gone for that come midmonth February.  Our temperatures are now in the 70, 80, and a few 90Fs from here on out.  Yes, we may have a cold wave come in from the north but still no snow for us.  That comes about once every ten years. 

    And anyway, we enjoy seeing this moon in full with no snow, it is sooo very pretty.  Maybe next year. 

_ _ _ 

Snowmoon, Snowmoon, where 
Where can we see snow you'd bring 
Old home, Nebraska? 


Our back yard a few years ago 
[click picture for larger 
view, it's really pretty]
_ _ _ 

 - Bottom Photo and Haibun Write, Copyright Jimmiehov 2021 (URL) and 2024, All Rights Reserved 
 - I am linked with Frank J Tassone for dVerse Haibun Monday at 
 - Click here to read other writers' writing for the prompt, "SnowMoon"
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Sunday, February 25, 2024

Lesson Learned - a Poem for dVerse

W

  I Went Walking

day i went walking 
i'd walked a ways 
day i learned a lesson

learned of birds and bees 
a bunch of bees 
mourning that morn

a dead deer in the ditch
killed by a car
hawks hogging on its meat

hawks get hungry 
bees stay busy 
 _ _ _

 - Photo and Poem Copyright, Jimmiehov 2008 (URL) and 2024, All Rights Reserved 
 - I'm linked with Djorn at dVerse here,
    Click here to read of others using this form as described at the link above.  I wrote too late to make roll call there, but I enjoyed giving this an attempt.   
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Thursday, February 22, 2024

comes Freedom? -- a poem for Friday Writings

Photo from "C o r p u n . c o m"


   Freedom the Hard Way
 
Freedom, freedom, freedom 
Paddle my arse, and kick my tail 
'Through discipline comes freedom'  
Boot in the butt, I won't wail   

Freedom, freedom, freedom   
Paddle my arse, and pinch my cheeks 
Cry if I don't gain freedom   
And won't be freed for long weeks

Freedom, freedom, freedom  
Say bad things and box on the ear 
Ears will ring, my dog will bark 
You'll wonder why I can't hear 

Freedom, freedom, freedom 
Louder yelling, belt to the rear
Black and blue, my dog might bite 
Called the cops, the law is near  

Freedom, discipline they don't mold 
Though I am tough, 'twas getting old 
_ _ _                     

 - Poem Copyright, Jimmiehov 2024, All Rights Reserved 
 - I am linked with Rommy for hosting for Magaly and the prompt, second line,  "Through discipline comes freedom" for Friday Writings #115 at     https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/?m=1 
 - Magaly previously had decided on a prompt wanted us to be invited to write poetry or prose inspired by the following quote: “Through discipline comes freedom.”
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