Author Archives: Maggie C

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About Maggie C

Stained glass artist, writer, respecter of life.

Speechless Thursday

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“On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart’s desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.”

~ H. L. Mencken (1880-1956)

As yet I cannot comprehend 
     the ills that have been ordained,
          nor how they came to be,
               nor how anyone justifies these creeds.

As yet I cannot see a way
to fight these ills that threaten me,      
     that threaten us,
          and our children
               and their children,
and this innocent Earth
     with the bounty she so selflessly shares
          while we systematically poison her.

As yet I cannot rightly communicate
my utter, utter dismay.

So for today
     as I struggle to comprehend,
         as I struggle for words,
              as I struggle to fathom a response,

I will honor my speechlessness
     and I will weep.

Five poems, five lines, five syllables

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ONE
osprey standing proud
wind-ruffled feathers
sharp beak, sharp talons
sharp eyes watch for prey
owning this river

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TWO
most call you a weed
I see a flower
most would destroy you
I pick your seed head
make a wish and blow

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THREE
I wish I could feel
the stories you’ve lived
touch your rough ridges
ascertain your truths
splinters withstanding

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FOUR
february lull
deserted branches
streets stripped of traffic
evergreen signals
drive us into spring

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FIVE
skating on thin ice
isn’t as dire as
it’s cracked up to be
if the ice holds, it’s
icing on the cake

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The Daily Post Discover Challenge: Numbers

Through My Eyes

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This rather large creature showed up on my deck the other day. I’m not a big fan of creepy-looking bugs, so I was none too pleased to see it lounging there in the sun as if waiting for me to fetch an iced tea and a straw.

“Would you like your tea with a squish of lemon?”

“Uh… did you say ‘squish’?” The creature eyed me nervously. Or at least I think it did. With those shimmering eyes it’s hard to tell where it may have been looking.

“Did I? That must have been a swat. A slap. Er, I mean a slip. What I meant to say  was a ‘slice’ of lemon.”

The creature shifted from one foot to the other. To the other… to the other…

“Everyone thinks my kind are terrible, and they just want us dead. Okay, so we suck blood. And spread diseases. And harm livestock.”

“And your point is?” I paused, boot in mid-air just inches above the creature’s head.

“Just try to see the world through my eyes.”

“Through your eyes?” I bent down to study the gleaming, striped, colorful shields that I assumed were the creature’s eyes.

“Yes. Look deeeeep into my eyes.” The creature began to sway back and forth. “You’re getting sleeeeepy….”

I could barely keep my head up. I just wanted to lay down and rest.

“When I count to ten, you’ll see things as I do.”

“You can count to ten? But you’re just a bug!”

“One… two… ”

I tried to blink, to turn away, but I couldn’t. The creature’s voice droned on.

“Eight… nine… ten! Now look at me and tell me what you see.”

I flicked my wings and shuffled my six feet.

“Wow! Words cannot describe!” I marveled. “But you know what? I suddenly have a thirst for blood.”

“Great! Let’s go find another unsuspecting human!”

And with that, we buzzed away into the sunny, blue sky.

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JNW’s Halloween Challenge: creature

Under the Full Moon

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We all know that seemingly ordinary folks turn into werewolves during full moons, right? Well, they’re not the only ones to transform.

Take my seemingly innocent dog Chules for example. He loves to go out and explore in the moonlight.

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But sometimes… he morphs into:

a charging bear

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or a lone wolf

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howling at the moon

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or maybe a rearing stallion

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or a zombie!

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Scariest of all is when he turns into

a hyena!

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Fortunately, once the full moon begins to wane, he turns back into his lovable self.

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What creatures do you see when you venture out on a full moon?

The Daily Press weekly photo challenge: Transmogrify
JNW’s Halloween Challenge: Full Moon

Graveyard by Day

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Clatsop Plains Pioneer Cemetery (est. 1846) in Clatsop County, Oregon USA

I grew up playing (respectfully) in this cemetery. It doesn’t look too scary now, but as a child, I had all sorts of imaginings about what might be lurking in the trees, or about stumbling across — or into — a sunken grave, or hearing otherworldly rustlings and voices just behind me.

And while it looks innocent enough by day, you still won’t find me going there after dark.

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JNW’s Halloween Challenge: Graveyard.