27 January 2014

Lamppost # 12



Orange wing parrots occupy the golden apple trees in flocks,
clock the time as late afternoon.
Soon Carl returns from his garden,
warden of recalcitrant cush cush, dasheen and yams.

I am in my daughter's yard watching the evening unfold.
Bold fruit bats swoop for ripe bananas and mangoes.
Tangles of sweet leaf vine with fuscia blooms climb the avocado tree,
peewah spills red fruit, adds to the rush of colors amid the green

seen by all who pass: calathea, anthurium, bougainvillea, 
heliconia, orchid, croton and rose.
Close by, tanagers, thrushes, bananaquits and bell bird
spread evening song along with toucans' one- note chant.

Lanterns shine the pink and red of tall Hawaiian torches,
catch last vestiges of light as sun drops behind Morne Bleu Range.
Change descends quickly from day to night in the tropics,
marks the tallest trees to stand as sentinel protectors in the dark:

pommerac, rambutan, papaya and jamoon.
Moon's sliver sets, this month's second new moon,
attunes me to the yard's unambiguous heliograph of diversity, rich,
which sustains all life within its bounds and gives me strict instruction.

Written in the rain forest of Trinidad in my daughter's yard for open link Monday on Imaginary Gardens with Real Toads. Her address is Lamppost # 12 in her village. The format of linked rhyme was suggested by Hedgewitch and brought back by Margaret on Jan. 20. It rhymes the first word of each line with the last word of the previous line.


24 comments:

  1. What a fabulous setting. It really lends itself to rich word choices. I like this linked rhyme format, too.

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    1. It's an amazing setting- and I only described part of just her yard.

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  2. It sounds simply beautiful and serene. Thank you for taking me into the rainforest with you. :-)

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    1. Lots of rain but lush as a result. Glad to have you visit!

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  3. Does your daughter have a spare bedroom? I'm on my way. Beautiful!

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    1. I'm staying in it! But folks come here from all over for the raw beauty.

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  4. This is just luscious, Mary, and the chained rhyme is very understated yet gives a lot of resonance to the fullness of the words. It sounds like a very beautiful place.

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    1. Thanks, Hedge, I enjoyed working with the chained rhyme.

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  5. What a beautiful visit to your daughter's. And the words and names used added so much richness!

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    1. I've made it a point this year to get the names of the birds, trees and flowers in the yard.

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  6. very nice...wonderful descriptions and the longer lines hide the chained rhyme very nicely, but it still there giving a nice movement throughout...

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  7. Beautiful imagery. Felt like I was there.

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  8. that sounds a bit like paradise you know....all that abundant nature and fruits and beauty...so beautiful

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    1. Yes, abundant is a good word to describe this yard. Abundant and diverse flora leads to abundant and diverse fauna.

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  9. What a lovely setting. So much beauty of nature all around you there. I wanna come. (smiles)

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  10. What a cool form, linked rhyme. Thank you for sharing the litany of what surrounds you there in T & T, of things I only dream about, although we did have our share when we lived in Pasadena ... not quite a rain forest, but there were exotic plants and birds. I'll never forget seeing parrots in the palm trees.

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    1. It struck me when I was sitting in the yard that the forests rich diversity was right around me. The parrots come each evening in great numbers, especially when the golden apple tree is bearing.

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  11. Wow, such beautiful language. Lovely! k .

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