Sand
and water
on my feet
tide going out
coming in again
as I walk a shell line
or wade in knee deep
caught in a clouded sky
between heaven and earth
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dVerse prompt on place. I think the beach will always be my place.
Diani Beach
dverse
Kilimanjaro
In space in time I sit thousands of feet above the sea May Sarton
There are many who have come to my three peaks. Shira is my easiest at 13,140 feet, Kibo my highest at 19,340 (highest peak in Africa) and Mawenzi at 16,893. It is not a technical climb but rather a feat of endurance and determination. Do not get altitude sickness or you will fail.
Hemingway camped at my feet. His interest was in hunting and taking trophy, not in climbing me. Hans Meyer and Ludwig Purtscheller were the first Europeans to my summit in 1889. Yohani Kinyala Lauwo, a native, and declared member of this summit party, did my summit three times before WWI, once without shoes.
On a clear day you can see my snows from miles away. Come and see my mountain of whiteness. Come and strive for my highest summit Uhuru Peak, Freedom Peak in Kiswahili.
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dVerse prompt to use May Sarton quote in flash fiction. This is flash historical fiction with Kilimanjaro speaking.
Safari
I went to Mombasa
I did not see rain
there is drought in Amboseli
elephants are dying
wildebeests zebras Maasai giraffe
🦒🐘🦒🐘🦒🐘🦒🐘🦒🐘🦒🐘
I went to Maasai land
I did not see a bow
only spears and panga
arrows used to kill
when the loins attack
🐆🐆🐆🐆🐆🐆🐆🐆🐆🐆🐆
I went to Maasai Mara
to see the wildlife
thunderstorms on the horizon
got wet in the landrover
viewed a perfect rainbow
🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈
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dVerse prompt to use a threesome. My choice is rain, bow and rainbow.
Baobab
I stopped by the side of the road
witness to a baobab
mighty in age and stature—
to behold such a tree
leaves me gasping
as some have been uprooted
for export
left caged in Kilifi
subject now to law
please protect the baobabs
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dVerse quadrille using the word gasp. I have wanted to see a baobab and this one was fine. In November 2022 export of eight huge baobabs was stopped by the Kenyan government. Now they wait in cages.
One Day
Who would think that one day I would be marching to Rule, Britannia with other wazungu, one Indian and a Kenyan. We sweat together, smile and laugh in a cheerful atmosphere of aerobic exercise.
Outside the matatus and tuk tuks drive on, delivering workers and school children under the tropical sky and half-moon.
on a veranda
wait for the rainy season
to fall on us all
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dVerse prompt to write a haibun and use of the word half-moon
Swimming
Hold air like water
float
traverse skyward
in a dream
unbroken
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dVerse prompt on AI. This picture came out of an AI program at the Dali Museum in St Petersburg. My childhood dream of swimming in air was typed into the program and this picture was created by AI.
Perfect Gift
My daughter questions me about her birth. Did you rip or tear? The color of hair? What did daddy do? The memories are vague and conflicting, compromised with age but still the stories are told.
How the milk came hard, filling the tit and your little lips found the nipple. You were a happy baby, puffed cheeks and budgy legs. Not a crier. A perfect gift!
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dVerse prompt on receiving a gift.
Newborn
My grandbaby held my right pointer finger while she was sleeping. Her little digits wrapped around and then she squeezed and she is only one week old and already trying to lift her head. She held my finger for at least an hour while I rocked her in the giraffe chair. I wanted her to wake up so we could play. I wanted to sing Winnie the Pooh to her and read her a story.
When you are so small it is hard to get your pajamas to fit right. They keep riding up under your chin and I keep pulling them down, trying to adjust the bootie footed legs of the pajamas. It is possible to protect your chin from any chafing of a poor fit. What will we do tomorrow when your pjs fit perfectly?
listen little heart
count each breath in this moment
sneeze burp hiccup smile
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dVerse prompt to write a haibun and use the word heart
Together
Oh to be able to taste again
I have forgotten what breakfast tastes like
In the sunlight
Hard to tell which part of the body is singing
Too cute
I search the day for pretty words
Coffee coffee buzzbuzzbuzz
So it is settled
This is how the end comes
It is as hot as Texas
There is something about a Queen
I sleep deeply under the strawberry moon
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dVerse prompt to take first line of first poem written in each month of 2022. I wasn’t very prolific this year so had to snitch a couple of lines.
Lost Poem
It was obvious
I was never there
accusations
were that I was
since I was not lost
found my way around
knew the depth
of a verse
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Italics are titles of podcasts in this prompt from dVerse
wordshophop 