singing the easy tunes…“la cage,” my poem

singing the easy tunes…“la cage,” my poem

I’ve seen other creatures…

 

 

la cage

 

I could be wrong,

I think I’m a bird.

 

It’s hard to put it into words

   ‘cause I can’t talk

      in exactly the way

         the big creature does.

 

The creature can’t sing, of course,

I’ve sung the easy tunes

   so many times,

but all I hear from the creature

   is “la la la”

      and “mmmh mmmh,”

without a speck of joy.

 

The creature gives me food,

although the seeds are really old

   and the bugs are already dead!

and nectar?

oh well, I’ll keep waiting…

 

The hairy thing that barks

   doesn’t jump up any more,

I stopped being scared.

It’s a good thing I’m up so high!

 

I did get to fly once

   when the creature

      forgot to shut the little door,

but I didn’t go far,

my little arms got tired,

then I moved around three times

   and then the creature grabbed me—

it didn’t hurt—

and now I’m back inside.

 

I can see through the wall,

the sun is sometimes bright,

the sticks with greenish things

   go up and down,

and back and forth,

I’ve seen other creatures

   that sort of look like me,

I heard one sing my song.

 

A while ago, when it was dark

   I think I had a thought…

I’m sitting here… 

I can’t remember it.

 

December 7, 2024

“la cage” was inspired by “A Caged Bird” by Sarah Orne Jewett (1849-1909)

excerpt:

“High at the window in her cage

    The old canary flits and sings,

  Nor sees across the curtain pass

     The shadow of a swallow’s wings.”

*   *   *   *   *   *

My poetry. Copyright © Richard Carl Subber 2025 All rights reserved.

 

Book review: Shantung Compound

They didn’t care so much

   about each other…

by Langdon Gilkey

click here

In other words: Poems for your eyes and ears with 64 free verse and haiku poems,
and the rest of my poetry books are for sale on Amazon (paperback and Kindle)
and free in Kindle Unlimited, search Amazon for “Richard Carl Subber”

 

Your comments are welcome—tell me what you’re thinking.

*   *   *   *   *   *

“before it’s light…”…my poem

“before it’s light…”…my poem

one more round…

 

 

before it’s light…

 

It’s not quite day,

and I haven’t completely

   shrugged sleep from my thoughts,

 

I’m thinking this is the short time,

this is “get started” time,

this is the gossamer moment

   for pulling on the bright shirt

      and welcoming one more day,

one more morning,

one more round of life,

one more chance

   to get it mostly right,

 

I’m thinking nothing new here,

just like yesterday,

do good things,

get ready for tomorrow.

 

October 2, 2024

 

…waiting for breakfast at Easter’s Country Kitchen, Hingham, MA

 

Published in Creative Inspirations, Jan-Feb 2025 issue

*   *   *   *   *   *

My poetry. Copyright © Richard Carl Subber 2025 All rights reserved.

 

Book review: Hag-Seed

by Margaret Atwood…it ain’t Shakespeare

click here

Seeing far: Selected poems with 47 free verse and haiku poems,
and the rest of my poetry books are for sale on Amazon (paperback and Kindle)
and free in Kindle Unlimited, search Amazon for “Richard Carl Subber”

 

Your comments are welcome—tell me what you’re thinking.

*   *   *   *   *   *

a noisy monster…“It was red,” my poem

a noisy monster…“It was red,” my poem

the horses lost their jobs

 

 

It was red

 

What’s left are the last thin hunks

   of that heroic red machine,

planted in the front field,

not going anywhere,

still pointed to its last destination.

 

This is a marvel of machine,

a completely rusted spectacle of progress,

form invites quick memories

   of function…

 

It doesn’t tempt the kids,

there are no pedals to push,

the big seat is too high

   and it’s too rough for bouncing,

and it’s too far from the thick rusty wheel

   with no horn,

the big rugged tractor tires

   turned one last time

      when the moon and the stars

         and the sun were younger.

 

Once it was a noisy monster,

the farmer called the thing “Bab,”

it scared the horses who lost their jobs,

it scattered the goats and the hens,

the pigs went rooting

   on the other side of the barn.

 

Old farmers remember their first ride

   on their magic new machines

      that chugged everywhere, pulled anything,

each tractor needed its own tool box,

half metal stuff, half mystery stuff,

and the farmers knew

   how to keep them going,

and they knew the secret kick

   that finished many repair jobs.

 

This rig’s driver never used

   a couple of the rods

      and a few of the knobby connectors,

and he never wondered

   why he didn’t know

      what they were for.

 

The spectral farmer in baggy overalls

   who starts to fill the tank each night

      always struggles with the cap,

and always decides to wait…

 

October 27, 2024

*   *   *   *   *   *

My poetry. Copyright © Richard Carl Subber 2025 All rights reserved.

 

Book review: Shakespeare’s Wife

Germaine Greer just went overboard a bit…

click here

My first name was rain: A dreamery of poems with 53 free verse and haiku poems,
and the rest of my poetry books are for sale on Amazon (paperback and Kindle)
and free in Kindle Unlimited, search Amazon for “Richard Carl Subber”

 

Your comments are welcome—tell me what you’re thinking.

*   *   *   *   *   *

the tree, you, the artist…“morph,” my poem

the tree, you, the artist…“morph,” my poem

transitions

 

 

morph

 

Another leaf drops from the tree.

Watch it skittering down.

The next leaf will fall

   to another bare spot,

a new herald of the new season.

 

Like you, the tree is changing—

 

Was it your self who saw

   the first leaf fall?

Is it the same tree now,

as afternoon begins?

 

Yon artist arrays a new canvas

   on her gear,

she sets the first one aside, in view,

she thinks to paint the tree again

   with more autumnal hues,

she swabs her brush

   and makes a bobbing leaf,

intent on making it real—

 

The tree gives up the leaf she saw,

a new bird perches on the highest twig,

when will she know

   that she’s painting a different tree?

will she know that her other self

   was the painter in the morning?

 

November 3, 2024

*   *   *   *   *   *

My poetry. Copyright © Richard Carl Subber 2025 All rights reserved.

 

In other words: Poems for your eyes and ears with 64 free verse and haiku poems,
and the rest of my poetry books are for sale on Amazon (paperback and Kindle)
and free in Kindle Unlimited, search Amazon for “Richard Carl Subber”

 

Your comments are welcome—tell me what you’re thinking.

*   *   *   *   *   *

“…walk on fire for you…”…”Blaze,” my love poem

“…walk on fire for you…”…”Blaze,” my love poem

listen to Melissa sing it

 

 

Blaze

 

It’s easy to be in love.

There is no burden in loving.

Deep love is simplest joy,

   delicate love cannot be bound.

The singing is so free,

   and the eager truth is clear:

I can walk on fire for you,

   each next step so easy…

 

July 13, 2021

Inspired by Melissa Etheridge singing “I’m the Only One”

 

…for my dearest one

 

My poem “Blaze” was published in my fifth collection of 53 poems, My first name was rain: A dreamery of poems.

You can buy it on Amazon (paperback and Kindle),

or get it free in Kindle Unlimited, search for “Richard Carl Subber”

*   *   *   *   *   *

My poetry. Copyright © Richard Carl Subber 2025 All rights reserved.

 

Book review: Shawshank Redemption

A world I do not want to know…

by Stephen King

click here

My first name was rain: A dreamery of poems with 53 free verse and haiku poems,
and the rest of my poetry books are for sale on Amazon (paperback and Kindle)
and free in Kindle Unlimited, search Amazon for “Richard Carl Subber”

 

Your comments are welcome—tell me what you’re thinking.

*   *   *   *   *   *

The Book of Days…part xlvii

The Book of Days…part xlvii

The Book of Days

 

The dawn’s early light can be pleasure enough for the whole day.

There are words enough to tell the story of “the temptation of day to come.”

It is my delight to write some of them for your delectation.

 

 

Moon mission

 

Spectral moon,

solitaire in the night sky,

your dirty face,

your bright edge—

the cavemen looked at you,

and wondered.

 

August 21, 2024

*   *   *   *   *   *

My poetry. Copyright © Richard Carl Subber 2025 All rights reserved.

 

Old Friends (book review)

Tracy Kidder tells truth about old age…

click here

Writing Rainbows: Poems for Grown-Ups with 59 free verse and haiku poems,
and the rest of my poetry books are for sale on Amazon (paperback and Kindle)
and free in Kindle Unlimited, search Amazon for “Richard Carl Subber”

 

Your comments are welcome—tell me what you’re thinking.

*   *   *   *   *   *

Pin It on Pinterest