true palette

what if we could convince the purples that the blues

that are not trying to steal the chroma, the vibrant pigment which is the joy

of themselves or the vivacity of what they have drawn life

but that powers that want, for their own wealth in being,

disharmonies to remain as they are

perpetuate ancient lies so the fear of ‘not enough’ fuels ‘I better get mine’

what if the truth of abundance were to tinge pale hues , allowing

purples, blues, greens, oranges–all to recognize themselves

as vital, nuanced shades of the whole palette of beauty

haiku april ninth

sunshine not always

warmth as on spring days testing

winter or summer

laughing at Nature

i chuckle at how the bobcat cub saunters

through my back yard as though it were his

though he never offers to split the property tax bill

but my amusement is short-lived as i remember

Mother Nature’s taxes are matters

of life and death

haiku

that which we allow

pulls at our dreative core

taxing what is best

osprey spring

osprey male alone, perched atop their pole

waiting, spying, swooping

lifting to refine their nest from years ago, waiting

and now she’s come, his mate

the nest their focus, with joy times smuggled

speaking softly their language of love and devotion

before demanding chicks

take up their summer days in feeding and protecting

a pair, a team vital, to each other

and to the survival of the osprey race

seeds of cosmos

farmer friends sent seeds from their last year’s

cosmos flowers

in thank you for small gifts for their wedding

cosmos are so lovely, pink and white, delicate

lacy leaves as fragile as love

as enduring as devotion

despite

her wondrous laughter

telling of family gathering

honoring their loss

befriend us

rare the times when we are gentle with ourselves

seeing each other as worthy or respect and forgiveness

we seldom admit we, too, may be given

the honor of being seen for who we are

croaking of spring

unsung, it struggles early

to lift through soil, mulch of dead leaves

glistening frost to prick at winter

with slender green point

which pushes itself upright

unfolds as yellow, pink or purple-blue

crocus

unknowing

unknowing

how much we don’t know we don’t know

how frightening to get caught up

in situations that assume we understand

but we do not

blessed are those who have friends

or loved ones near to help us learn

what is needful

do nothing

work behind the scenes

is the hardest to justify

to those who have never

been so charged

do not know the effort

thought and care involved

and take for granted

rare publisher

i met our publisher in lunch and joyous conversation

Charles Portolano has reached out and given

to so many of our Writers in the Grove

in print in his beautiful The Avocet nature poetry quarterly chapbooks

and on-line in his weekly collections

Charles, our feisty and insightful “Sicilian from New York”

has created a unique attitude in the publishing world

by deliberately fostering community among poets

recognizing needs and finding ways to give special attention

where he knows it would not come naturally

it is my privilege to know Charles in person, now, too

            mjNordgren  2/24/2022  Scottsdale, Arizona

layers of desert color

hillside layered colors

hillside layered colors: beige, brown, gray

red-orange streaked with salt or gypsum white

sparkling with mica

now tinted green with spring’s intrepid coming of life

each layer years centuries, millennia, eons deep

most horizontal, some tilted from vertical as though whole

mountains were heaved upward awkwardly

another spring season in the succession of time

so vast it is beyond my comprehension

      mjNordgren  2/22/2022  Scottsdale, Arizona 

Calico Hills, Red Rock Canyon, Nevada

watercolor on paper, mjN Feb. 2022

red rock canyon

red rock canyon, nevada

 wild burro nibbling on scant gray-green

among unkempt cacti

in front of layered mountains, tumble-textured rises

and calico hills vibrant with orange, beige

gypsum white, scab-blood, iron red

grizzled brown, dotted green

and haunted by startling, deep-shadow black

 mj

sibilant sounds

shepherding

shifting

shadowing

slithering

shushing

silence

Reader comments: “Ooew! Conjures up all kinds of images…delinitely feelings.”

“I really like thisssss”

blame un-game

wrestling with pique over restrictions

and weariness of exile

mumbling, fretting, whining among ourselves

deciding we are put upon and liking victimhood

we attack

but who - in a pandemic - deserves to be blamed?

love in abundance

ah, the love in abundance

in this family

generation upon generation giving in support

through tough times

traveling inconvenient miles in difficult conditions

to be there when needed

to see the hurting re-created in warmth

and laughter

(im)balance

(im)balance

balance—so easy when young,

strong and unscarred

by the tricks and tempests

by which life distorts us

and once twisted

how difficult to move

with ease and grace

of mind or body

old age should be venerated

not ridiculed for its off-balance quirks

if only to acknowledge the pain endured

to be able to function at all

                                    mjNordgren  2/2/2022  N

ebony morning

ebony morning

as dawn’s colors

struggle to seep and ooze

between dark clouds

to allow the beginning

of our day

no longer quite ebony

the western hills of Portland and Cascade Range as i look east

rain in darkness

heart-drumming rain

confides the terror

of its fall

to the metal roof

oddly comforting

the sleepy people below