It’s Poetry Friday and it’s hosted this week by Catherine at READING TO THE CORE. Thank you for hosting! Be sure to stop by.
This week I am posting a poem from a prompt offered by the Poetry Sisters. The prompt was to write an etheree about summer or about foresight.
An Etheree is a poetic form. It is ten lines long. The first line is one syllable and each subsequent line increases by one syllable.
When I heard of the summer 7/24 reopening of the National Zoo in Washington D.C. I thought I’d write about that, a place where children might learn about nature and animals safely during the pandemic. Everyone above six must wear a face mask, and those from 2-6 recommended but optional. What will the animals think?
SUMMER 2020 AT THE ZOO A macaw is painted red. Tiger hides behind bold black stripes. Pandas wear spectacles, while the elephants blend in. This year when the zoo is open, animals, resting in cool shadows, might puzzle over camouflaged people. © Janice Scully 2020
I just want to note that today was the funeral and celebration of the life of Congressman John Lewis.
May he rest in peace and may his important human rights work be continued everywhere in America till it’s complete. Listen to President Obama’s eulogy here.
Stay well everyone!
I love your evocative etheree about what the animals must think about the ‘camouflaged people’, Janice. I think we’d be surprised if we could read the animals’ minds. Thanks for giving a shout out to John Lewis, RIP, and for the link to President Obama’s eulogy. Tears in my eyes for multiple reasons…
How clever of you to imagine what the animals will think of the “camouflaged people” who come to visit. Your etheree makes me want to take a trip to the zoo!
What a playful etheree! What WILL those animals think? Ha! I watched much of the funeral yesterday. What a giant we have lost. We have lost so much.
I’ve so enjoyed the etherees spun by all the Sisters – it’s a challenging but rewarding form. You managed to give a tiny but vivid virtual tour of the zoo, the animals somehow freer than we are. What WILL they think of us camouflaged people? “Puzzle” is just the right word … your poem is a treasure, Janice.
-Fran
This is so clever, Janice–love it and the calm feeling it gives me. Thanks for writing along with us! Also, just a note that when you join in a roundup or share on Twitter (so glad you did!), you might want to link to your exact post instead of just your website. So https://janicescully.com/a-summer-etheree/ instead of just https://janicescully.com/. That way, people who come across the link in the future will still be able to find the specific poem you’re referencing instead of just getting to your site and seeing whatever you have posted most recently.
Thank you, thank you for telling me that! Of course.
“Camouflaged people,” indeed! Cute & thoughtful poem, Janice.
Thank you. I sometimes have trouble posting on you blog. I hope some comments are getting through. I am always glad to see the many things you are doing.:)
Good idea to write about the animals Janice–and a fun reversal take on who’s revealing themselves and who’s hiding. I especially like your, “Pandas wear spectacles,” thanks!