Tuesday, October 13, 2020

More than Three

 



image by Glenn Buttkus

More than Three


“Three can keep a secret, if two of them are dead.”

--Benjamin Franklin.


Center mass, between the eyes--

an important aspect of gator hunting

midst the humid dangers of the swamp.


When a person gives a damn,

often they join a crowd of protestors, 

peacefully, until a shot rings out.


One stares for a minute

at a forest of pink pines

with purple pine cones.


I don’t think I’m being pushy

if I want to see the Milky Way

when I’m lucky to get a clear night sky.


My wife completely rocks hats.

She has several she’d never trade.

Her love for hats will never vanish.


I had to gulp and gasp, 

staring at my left hand,

still sticky with her blood.


Something I will never quench,

is my love for a larch forest,

and my fascination with great rivers. 


I now longer can remain quiet.

I need to feed the bears,

and let loose the sack of copperheads.



Glenn Buttkus


Posted over at d'Verse Poet's Pub

12 comments:

Lucy said...

I love how you took on this prompt, and as always, your wordsmithing is incredible. The phrases just pop out at you, it's hard to look away from each image that forms from your words. It's inspiring and I am amazed at the poetic prose you create. It's unique!

Merril D. Smith said...

This is dark and quite a unique take on the prompt. More than three indeed!

sarah said...

Ha ha! You really went for it. I love your contrasts here, and the sudden swings from dark to light and back again.

JadeLi said...

Glenn, after reading your poem, I have to echo what you said about mine with dread between the lines. When I hear of unleashing the copperheads and feeding the bears and blood on your hands, how can I not? I love the interesting array of images you brought forth.

Sanaa Rizvi said...

The transition from light to dark and vice versa is richly woven, Glenn. I love the poignancy with which this poem is penned 💝

Grace said...

You did it all Glenn. This is my favorite part:

Something I will never quench,

is my love for a larch forest,

and my fascination with great rivers.

Ingrid said...

This is great - talk about taking the prompt and running with it! My favourite stanzas are the one about your wife's love for hats followed by your blood on her hand! I hope this is just inspired by Halloween and not real life...

Kim M. Russell said...

Wow, Glenn, you’ve got all the threes! I know nothing of gator hunting, but I’ll take your word for it. And what’s wrong with being pushy when it comes to the Milky Way – I don’t know about you, but we don’t get that many clear night skies at the moment. The last stanza made me grin.

Mary Hood said...

This is a great poem for "not settling". I do hope the blood verse is only your poetic muse talking.

indybev said...

What a tollercoaster of a poem! From gator hunting to the Milky Way to your wife's blood on your hand, I was gulping and gasping right along with you! Very clever word mastery ... as always.

lynn__ said...

Disturbingly well-written, Glenn!

brudberg said...

Oh I love how you did it, ao many great and fun poems... but those copperheads scared me a bit.