Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Beaches and other warm places

Greetings!  Today's double poem post was inspired by two different photographic images: one picture, courtesy of Magpie Tales, is of an old house in the wintertime (and the poem is in the form Monchielle Stanza); the other picture, courtesy of Sis/Few Miles is of footprints left behind, at least for a while, on a beach (and is a 5/7/5 Haiku.)


walking by the surf...
wondering if starfish stroll
underneath the waves


 




Old Mister Brown

Old Mister Brown lived there –
that house with yellow eaves.
Each morning, he’d go out
to buy a quart of milk.
He’d greet me, “So, Old Trout…”

Old Mister Brown lived there –
that house with shingles green.
Each day at two, he’d go
to play chess in the park.
He’d greet me, “Yes, hello.”

Old Mr. Brown lived there –
that house with weathered stairs.
Each night as twilight fell,
he watch as I’d pass by.
He’d greet me, “Hope you’re swell.”

Old Mister Brown lived there –
that house with winter’d trees.
He does not come outside
for friends or milk or chess,
but not because he died…

…he and a lady friend moved to Florida, which is where they now reside.

39 comments:

  1. I say, good for old Mister Browne!

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  2. I got to quite like Mister Browne, there.
    Lovely words. Enjoyed them.

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  3. RJ, a nice story about Mister Browne.
    Wise choice on his part getting out
    of the chilly weather.

    Pamela

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  4. Yeah, Pamela. Right about now, Florida does sound kind of nice, Brrrr....

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  5. Haiku - I wonder that too!

    Old Mister Brown - after this winter I want to join him! Great Magpie

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  6. Thanks, Trellissimo! Endings should be fun, eh?

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  7. What fun, both of them.

    Mister Browne is ok now but what about those starfish?
    have you found if they do?

    I'd tread very lightly on the sand, just in case.

    I feel like I'm going to enjoy following you.

    Check me out too? I'm not always funny, though.

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  8. I see you have an eye for the ridiculous side of life! Great! :)

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  9. Friko - thanks! And yes, I am definitely checking out your site because I like what I see there!

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  10. Jinsky - ridiculous? Moi? hahaha! And thanks!

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  11. Old Ollie - thanks - and indeed he is. (I should be so smart, staying up in FrozenLand!)

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  12. Mr. Brown is quite the character! And I love your wondering about starfish.

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  13. What fun to read both these poems. I like the whimsey of the first and the zinger the set up of the second one. I like how each description of Mr. Brown's house begins each stanza and I think I know what happens but..zinger..he is in Florida..PERFECT!

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  14. Always wondered about the "secret lives" of starfish ... thank you for sharing!

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  15. Old Mister Brown is precious ~~ liked the form all the way through and the unexpected "the end"! :-)

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  16. Well, isn't this clever..and fun in the end..enjoyed this!

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  17. Clever story of Mister Browne! Enjoyed that :)
    And I loved the haiku.

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  18. Nice and interesting!Good for Miter Browne
    Mine:
    http://umaspoembook.blogspot.com/2011/02/experimenting-with-poetry-forms-senryu.html

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  19. I loved it RJ... A great package for me..

    Someone is Special

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  20. Judy - thanks so much! It was fun writing both poems, although for different reasons. But I like that described them with words like whimsy and zinger! ♥

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  21. Becca - thank you so much - for all your sweet comments!

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  22. Uma.a - thank you - and I will be visiting you in just a few...

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  23. Aw...gee! Thank you, Someone is Special!

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  24. Unusual . . a poem with a twist ending.

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  25. What a hoot! Old Mr. Browne's sure a smart one!

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  26. Tumblewords - thanks! And indeed, Old Mr. Brown was quite the smart cookie! ☼

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