Toast with cheese and hot chocolate -- a Poem for Friday Writings #136

 Magaly has invited us to write poetry or prose inspired by Grace Lee Boggs’s (read URL link below) quote, “We can begin by doing small things…”  Lots of possibilities here? 

Pictures copyright Jimmiehov 2024

   Twelve little pieces 

Twelve little pieces 

that there should be but, 

Eleven this time 

They have a purpose? 

slathered with creme cheese 

Yummy by itself 

But there's more to come 

Jar, strawberry jam 

Hot chocolate to drink 

Fork does the dabbing 

dabbing and dipping 

smearing white with red 

Yummier now still 

Small things together 

Dainty breakfast comes

Yes, “We can begin 

by doing small things…” 

. .

 
Pictures copyright Jimmiehov 2024

- Photos and poem Copyright, Jimmiehov 2024, All Rights Reserved 

 - I am Linked with Magaly at Friday Writings #136,     https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/ 

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Flies - a Poem for Friday Writing

 . “Do what we can, summer will have its flies” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson 

Do those words you to tell your story?  Magaly thinks and hope's they will today. Let's write and we'll see.

Flies in My Pie 

Pick up your spoon 

and play your tune 

Flies in your pie 

don't take a bite 

'Cause if you do 

they're bad for you 

Insects' nasty 

born from nasty 

Like horses dead 

Eggs in their head 

_ _ _ 

 - Poem Copyright Jimmiehov 2024 - all Rights Reserved

 - I am linked with Magaly at Friday Writings #133 at 

    https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/ 

for her Ralph Waldo Emerson prompt line, as posted from above at the beginning of this blog 

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Photo from a book store - and a Poem for Friday Writings

You can count the keys on this LARGE PRINT typewriter pictured.
Please also note that it is a manual and not electric.
"Typewriter" posts, http://jimmiehov.blogspot.com/search?q=typewriter

  Words we speak 

"If I had my choice, I probably would've 

gotten married in my twenties, 

had three kids, and never left my hometown.  

Sometimes life doesn't work out the way 

we wish it would." 

Words were spoken like I've heard before

'I won't ever marry a man, and when I have 

children I'll teach them to not marry either.'  

Thus sayeth a senior girl in my typing class 

(I and one other were the only boys enrolled) 

which shocked a farm boy like me. 

Later I read in the paper when the girl above 

had married that summer a fellow who drove 

a batch truck for the paving gang making the 

new highway to a neighboring town.  

Later still, I read of the birth that fall of a baby 

boy to the couple.  

The author of the book from which I quoted, 

then married, did have a child, at the age 

of forty-two.  

Things don't often, seldom, work out like 

our plans.  

I didn't plan things, never did.  Instead when 

there is an open door of opportunity I evaluate 

choices and most often have taken the good ones. 

 

I ended up not rich but have retired well enough 

off to have retired many years now. All my 

degrees aren't helping me now but they did produce 

quite well. 

Moral of the story from my book, the author 

was telling, "God has a plan for us" and it may 

differ greatly from our own. 

_ _ _

Notes:

1. The book I'm reading is “Mostly What God Does”

written by Savannah Guthrie. The words I have used here

are to be found in Chapter 4, titled “Like a Mother”.

2. My “Prose Poem” has 290 words not counting the title 

but counting the author's quotation from the book. 

_ _ _ 

- Writing Copyright, Jimmiehov 2024, All rights reserved 

-  I am linked with Magaly at Friday Writings #130 at 

  https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/ 

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A Date Perhaps? -- a Poem for Friday Writings and for dVerse Quadrille

 
                    [Courtesy "freepic.com]

  A Haven Not

Your place or mine

was question asked

no way ever

I'd make it yours

Yours'd be a trap

unwary falls

I am aware

of what's behind

Behind your door

jump out and scare

bejeebers out

never your place

Not safe for me

nor anyone

  _ _ _ 

  - Poem Copyright, Jimmiehov 2024, All Rights Reserved 

  - I am linked with Magaly Guerrero for hosting at Friday Writings #127 at 

     https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/ 

 - I am also linked with De Jackson for dVerse Quadrille Monday #201, prompt today "pine",  

   https://dversepoets.com/2024/05/13/quadrille-201-poems-of-place/ 

 - Quadrille Monday's poetry has exactly 44 words 

 - Click here to reads other's Quadrille poems 

     Perhaps you would like to write these also 

 - Note:  I used this same blog title August 21, 2023 for Jackson Quadrille Monday #182

https://jimmiehov6.blogspot.com/2023/08/a-date-perhaps-poem-for-dverse-quadrille.html

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Rabbit and the Fowls - - a Poem for Friday Writings and a Piece of Prosery for dVerse

 Missing friends

Little rabbit was 

 getting lonesome 

He'd sit by the fence 

 missing his buddies 

“Something told the wild geese 

 It was time to fly.”

Then they all left  

  alone again 

Didn't last him long

 ducks coming in

Quickly making friends 

 Rabbit's alone no more 

 

_ _ _ _ 

 - Photos and Poem Copyright, Jimmiehov 2024, All Rights Reserved  

 - I am linked with Rosemary at dVerse Friday Writings #126 at 

    https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/ 

   Rosemary has asked as an optional assignment for us to write a poem or story (or a few) in only 160 characters including title and spaces. (If you choose to write more than one, please put them all in one post and make sure that collectively they don't exceed our 369 word limit.)  

   I chose not to do that and wrote instead what you see next here.    

.

 - I am also linked with Kim881 at Prosery, dVerse,  her prompt line is above in quotations and posted at 

https://dversepoets.com/2024/05/06/prosery-something-told-the-wild-geese/ 

 

 - Click here for others writing Prosery Flash Writing this week.  I wrote only 44 Words, we could have 144

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A Hope -- a Poem for Friday Writings

    

      "Cupid's Arrow" Artwork by Jimmiehov 2021, 

 Copyright 2021, URL - I've carried this in my Bible for 

 ages but 2021 is the first time I've found it published

    Sweethearts 

Have you ever been asked 

what's your favorite word 

My house you'd have to 

ask, the little lady knows 

Does he use now and then 

or is it regular 

Little lady is the 

apple of my soft heart 

She can do no harm 

to this old hardboiled egg 

So the lady responds 

for me, knows my innards 

 

I'm hoping she will say 

it's "Sweetheart" with a smile 

 _ _ _ 

 - Poem Copyright, Jimmiehov 2024, All Rights Reserved 

 - Photo Copyright, Jimmiehov 2021, URL

 - I am linked with Rosemary for Friday Writing #126 at  

   https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/

where she has asked 

"us to write about to write a poem or story (or a few) in only 160 characters including title and spaces. (If you choose to write more than one, please put them all in one post and make sure that collectively they don't exceed our 369 word limit.) (or use) one of our favorite words."  Mine, for this 'us' is "Sweetheart".

 - Note" This is the number 2003 of 'poems' labeled or called as such I've posted here since the first, in 2006.  Some I forgot to label.  

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Questions -- a Poem for NaPoWriMo 2024 Day 25

   Art: Bree & Dreamweaver Coat by Lisa Graham

  Happiness and White Lies

Bumped into a thought provoker today 

What makes you happy, bunch of queries 

Answers may tell us, what is it really 

I wasn't worried very much at all 

I'm a happy guy, questionnaire can find 

Proust Questionnaire shows my desires 

One question got my attention, liars, 

"What do I think about telling white lies?" 

I've always believed in them, they're okay 

Okay if it's minor and doesn't hurt  

Probably like Santa, Easter Bunny,  

and help young kids enjoy their holidays 

What if your date, could be a steady gal 

She's a minor but tells you adult age 

Very serious, then you find her age 

Run, run quickly!  Tell her mom? Have a choice?   

That is more than a white lie, pure trouble 

She looked older, you fell for it, but now?

Hurtful to break but strictly illegal 

Prison can beckon, truth you should have known 

Could it be different if she's expecting 

That happens quite often, marriage might quell 

Got to let the chips fall, hope for the best 

Lawyer might help; minor fell for your car 

 _ _ _ 

 - Poen Copyright, Jimmiehov 2024, All Rights Reserved 

 - I am linked with Magaly for Friday Writing #124 at  

   https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/

where I am opting out of her prompt plan of using at least three of the five words she has chosen.  I like writing for those kinds of assignments

 - I am also linked with NaPoWriMo 2024 Day 25 (the 35 questions are listed here) 

    https://www.napowrimo.net/day-twenty-five-10/ 

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What Can Plants Do? -- for Friday Writings #121 and for NaPoWriMo Day Five

A Plant Race

“Youth is the gift of nature, 

but age is a work of art.” 

said Stanislaw Jerzy Lec 

Saying can't apply to plants 

I'm showing you how right now 

To my backyard flowerings 

First, the youth hasn't a chance 

Gardener sprays with weeds 

Baby days they wilt and die 

Most of the rest try real hard 

Try really hard to bloom first 

Two left to race to the end 

After the freezes red roses 

bloomed few weeks after the freeze 

Oleanders not 'til months 

Race is on, what is there left 

Only the two are left that count 

Canna Lily and Irises 

Canna Lily won, two weeks 

Despite being cut to ground 

And rabbits chewing their ears 

Irises lived through the cold 

Alive and green they grew tall 

Second place and settle for pretties 

For writing age counts for naught 

The Irises were some from 

the landscape of former house 

Built 26 years ago    

_ _ _ 

 - Photos and Poem Copyright, Jimmiehov 2024, All Rights Reserved 

 - I am linked with Magaly, host of Friday Writings # 121 at 

   https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/?m=1

 - Magaly has invited "us to write poetry or prose inspired by the following quote: 'Youth is the gift of nature, but age is a work of art.' ~ Stanislaw Jerzy Lec" -- I used this saying for my first line  

 - The poem is also for NaPoWriMo Day 5 (National Poem Writing Month).  It seems with many other duties also, this year I will not be writing for every day of the month.  

 - NaPoWriMo is here, https://www.napowrimo.net/

 - NaPoWriMo Day Five is here, https://www.napowrimo.net/day-five-11/

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My Cow - a Haibun for Friday Writings

Imagine a Brown Swiss Milk Cow, brown in color, with the same features as my FFA, Future Farmers of America, project for my junior and senior Ag activity and class. We took her home from a calf auction when she was small, just a few months old.  

That was for my sophomore year, I fed and cared for her, she was a pretty young heifer at summer break time. By graduation time next spring she was a good Milk Cow.  We separated her from her little calf the day it was born, and she joined our small Milk Herd.   

 All school FFA animals at our school must have been named.   I  named her Brownie.  

Baby to mama 

One short year boviens become 

A good investment

[Picture of a cow like mine, Brown Swiss]

_ _ _ 

 -  Haibun Prose Poem Copyright, 2024 Jimmiehov, All Rights Reserved 

 - I'm linked with Rosemary at Friday Writings #120, read her instructions here, 

  https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/?m=1 

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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, 

  https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/?m=1 

 - 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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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 **

* https://jimmiehov.blogspot.com/search?q=leprechaun and 

   https://jimmiehov6.blogspot.com/2014/11/leprechaun-love-imaginary-garden.html 

** 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 

     https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/?m=1 

   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, 

https://jimmiehov6.blogspot.com/search?q=Pi&m=1 

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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 

     https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/?m=1 

  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 

  https://dversepoets.com/2024/02/19/quadrille-195-dont-touch-that-dial-stay-and-write-a-poem/

 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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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 

        https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/?m=1 

 -  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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