Jan 2nd 1830 hours

Uncategorized 1 Minute

Written for anotherkatewilson’s hour prompt

After dinner we saddle up the dog 
and walk out into thickness that’s just above tepid
stroking it with our fingers
watching the blush melt into the grey

horizon like a promise.  Yesterday I 
walked with Amy Winehouse, her hardships
pressed into my ears like lightbulbs
but today I’m only here for the cricket talk

of my children’s voices and the soft suffering
of the air as I surge through it. We sing “the ants
go marching” and I ask them how many legs
but the dog makes to tangle up mine

leash like a rip cord.  And then the light 
falls from the west like a shaft through an open door 
and a man with a stick bangs his way towards
us and my son has his arm protectively 

around my waist, beneath the slipped halo
of flies, and our feet coordinate, good as a centipede
My daughter giggles at the dog’s running gait

and we tuck the future in like a pillow in a bed
believing, just for the moment, egg sure.

Published by abigfatcanofworms

We all walk in the dark. But if we hold hands, perhaps the dark won't be as scary.

Published

28 thoughts on “Jan 2nd 1830 hours”

      1. Excited to see you at the Word Garden (this is Shay/Fireblossom in my WP clothing) but when i followed your link it just went to your home page so I checked your most recent post. Love the poem and the vivid, original imagery, but if you wrote for the Word list prompt, i can’t find it. it is a specific prompt, not an open link. If you did write for it, please fix the link or contact me at fireblossom32@gmail.com if you need help with it. I’d be happy to help. As for following my blog, it’s frustrating that Blogger removed the “follow this blog” widget some while back. All I can suggest is to stop by periodically.

        –Shay

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Okay, well, unfortunately I’m going to have to delete your link, since you didn’t actually do the prompt. Please feel free to link again of you do write for the list. Cheers.

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Sure. Thanks. Sorry I randomly joined to the link in one of my many efforts to figure out how to link my blog to yours in some way. Thanks for both your messages. How often do you supply the list of words?

        Liked by 1 person

      4. Normally it goes up sometime on Wednesday afternoons, but this week i am leaving the Procol Harum list up for an extra week cos very few people saw it so close to Christmas. I look forward to seeing you again and visiting your blog! Happy writing!

        Liked by 1 person

      5. So go to your Reader view in WP, then to the right where it says “Following / Manage”, click on Manage. Then where it says “Search or enter URL to follow…” paste in http://fireblossom-wordgarden.blogspot.com/ You should then see “Follow…” below the search box. Click on that. It will alert you when anything is posted. You can’t “like” or comment through WP, but you can know when there is activity.

        Liked by 1 person

      7. OK! I went into ChatGPT and uploaded this poem of mine:

        http://qbit.blog/2022/02/12/the-firepossum/

        Then I asked it “What should abigfatcanofworms and fireblossom do to link up”

        It modified the poem as follows:

        Abigfatcanofworms, take note:
        the firepossum is a mythic beast
        that rises in flames like the Phoenix
        from ashes of suburban malls in Arizona.

        Fireblossom, listen up:
        the firepossum is the familiar of muses
        who blow into the mouths of the owls
        like feathered ocarinas
        tuned to the key of see?

        Like

      9. Qbit is off his chain again lol. He’s clearly assuming that you know my Blogger handle is Fireblossom. Beyond that, I cannot explain qbit, he is a unique phenomenon. (and i am glad he found a way to link up! I have added you at coalblack’s, too.)

        Liked by 1 person

      10. thanks Shay! qbit invited me to join your word list group. That’s how I found you in the first place. I am so glad of his help and invitation. I think I followed you at coalblack but I will double check.

        Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks, Kate. And sorry I haven’t participated more. Seem to be having a real go-slow on the poetry. By the way, we lost a chook today. Her eggs had been almost shell-less and then she stopped laying and just seemed to fade away. Anyway, we’re thinking of getting a couple more chooks. We were wondering if we could buy them from your children?

      Like

      Reply

      1. I don’t know what would cause that. We almost lost chicks to a goanna yesterday, which was a first. Harriet heard clanking from the backyard and there was a goanna trying to break into the cage the older chicks are in!
        I’m sure the kids would love to sell you some chicks, and I’ll make sure they give you a discount. 😉 Their ad is here: https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/lyneham/livestock/araucana-and-easter-egger-chicks-blue-and-green-egg-layers/1305587046
        Not yet listed in the ad are Araucanas hatching at the moment, 4 so far and 4 more pipped.

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Have a great time out bush! We had 11 Araucanas hatch altogether! 🙂 We now have more than 20 chickens in the living room… and there are more due in a couple of days. Sure you don’t want a dozen? 😀

        Liked by 1 person

      4. Ha ha. Just asked my Mum if she wants me to rear any for her. Her flock is down to 3 but she doesn’t have time to raise them with Dad needing chemo in Canberra every couple of weeks.

        Like

      6. Sorry to hear about your Dad 😦
        We have many chicks… definitely cheaper if you want a bunch. The kids are running two incubators, and there are more due to hatch in a day or so from the other one too.

        Liked by 1 person

  7. “…beneath the slipped halo
    of flies, and our feet coordinate, good as a centipede
    My daughter giggles at the dog’s running gait

    and we tuck the future in like a pillow in a bed
    believing, just for the moment, egg sure.”

    This whole section is so beautiful, Worms! 🙂 But love the atmosphere of the whole thing.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

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