January 7, 2016
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Owls in Winter
January 7, 2016, Prescott- This is a short ditty, in honour of a friend’s Winter, 2016 Scavenger Hunt. (You realize this means I may do two posts a day, for the near future. )
Eyes doing a two-seventy
Surveying the snowscape
for signs that a small, gray meal
might attempt an escape.
Silly raptor,
the meals are all underground
Safe and warm,
in their nests nicely bound.
What is left for an owl to do,
but let out a plaintive
“HOO, HOO,HOO, HOO”?
Comments (6)
Indeed! Love the poem. I know owls swoop down and get ducks on ponds at night and chickens in trees, I think, because it seems like the only explanation for missing fowl. Poor baby ducks. We've seen cranes, some kind of fish, probably bass, cats and misc. assorted skunks, possums and the like run away with them. Just sucks to be a duck. Then the hunters come along and shoot the mamas and papas. Bleh. Life can be a trial!
Can you list the prompts for the scavenger hunt? perhaps we might be inclined to try some of them too. Ty. What are the rules?
I remember on 'old' Xanga, there used to be a couple groups who did photo prompts and we could write anything we were inspired by them (I liked those), another woman would write a first sentence to churn our creative juices, and others chose single words, encouraging poetry only rather than prose.
Nicely done! Is this a Leah scavenger hunt? If so I'll have to go look and see if I can participate too!
@mcbery: @Crystalinne: @murisopsis: This was given me by mcbradley. I don't know if it came from Leah. Anyway: Scavenger Hunt, Winter 2016 ( can be subject, title, literally, conceptually, as metaphor, merely incorporated in details, used thematically, used as inspiration, but should use all elements from that prompt one way or another. Technically. Just let your mind wander between them- it will come to you
) ( I am doing them in order for the first time ever, but there is no actual rule about it) ( because there are no rules) ( except for maybe do something you love, every day.)
an owl.
a bonnet, pudding, alligator, stone, oboe, mermaid
A doctor, a lost recipe, church.
a herpetologist, obscure records, coffee, broken glasses.
winter planets and constellations.
love letter, werewolves, taxi service, lost key, fish sticks.
Everlastings
strange noises, wax paper, narcolepsy, gold fish, red head.
Hibernation
vivisection, ants, Scandinavia, horseshoe, susurration
Things that shouldn’t be discussed in present company
happiness, beet root, angels, tacks, noose
first kiss, a planet, a type of plant, bread crumbs
conch shell, a memory, pending failure, root beer.
portrait of the artist as ______________
contains a line from 18th century poetry
wet sheets, fire, corvids, milk
garden shed, moon, antlers,
mild, ochre, bulb, tail, scale
sonnet, astronaut, cheese, glitter, karaoke
gin, delicate, hook, basset hound, pearls, hibiscus
contains a line from a famous diarist.
tea, tiger, night, train, television, tie
tower, kettle, hawk, charm, cotton
Contains a quote from a notable convicted felon.
stag, crown, high beams, pin, reckless
thumb, thistle, whistle, blizzard, canned peaches, bell
contains a line from a National Geographic
algebra, lip, chalk, music, hair, eyelash, storm
hamster, ornamental grass, Tokyo, phone book, popcorn machine
ice fishing, sock, coyote, magazines, deception
embryo, kangaroos, peat, bones, blister, ring
conceptual art
con-artist, puberty, spider venom, Cheetos.
contains a line from WebMD.com
oil, dog fish, huevos rancheros, estranged sibling, pocket knife
something that happened in first grade, a Winnebago, a rocket kit.
heron, billiards, locket, guitar pick, promise, scar
contains a line from a Bob Dylan song.
rain dance, microscope, mercury, road trip, beef jerky
contains a line from a historical document
mystery, flannel, honey, long-distance romance, elm leaf
bergamont, denim, elevated, keening, millipede, going dutch
contains line from the label on a house-hold product
comic books, poison ivy, chain, fire pit, tooth
Flight of the Bumble Bee, blue eye shadow, garage door, wiener dog
ganache, cancellation, magnifying lens, unmentionable sex toy, birds
hypoglycemic, tarragon, mountains, fleas, stitches, Dear John
contains a line from a utility bill.
tadpoles, anniversary, pin prick, bbq sauce, teleportation, geneology
blood oranges
contains a line from a short story written in 1957.
treasure map, turkey vultures, dodge pick up, mosaic, port-a-potty
fork, cockroach, iceberg, tendril, regret
Northern lights, prehensile, love in all its forms, dish soap
chain saw, archipelago, tandem, rabbit, emerald
phobias
an ornithologist, bad jokes, erector set, cormorant, Elvis
folk musician, cabbage, elk, fortified, mystified, terrified.
Emu, lunatic, drone, missing, Hank Williams, music box
fur trader, damsel fly, okra, true love’s kiss, organ donation
Contains a line from a pet care manual.
secretion, ambulance, dahlia, gale, Job, tassles
hula dancer, subway, harpoon, faith, Moscato
botany
beautician, spaceship, hot dogs, Fig Newtons, The Grateful Dead
pirates, foil, needle, turpentine, wigs, garden gnome
contains a line from a movie starring Anthony Hopkins.
alchemy
orchard, denial, ember, last call, insomnia, pigeons.
I don't know McBradley, nor Leah, but I know you, and I thank you for posting the prompts. It will make the enjoyment of your inspired posts that much more, knowing what the inspiration was.
It sure is a lot of them offered, and so shall keep those so inclined to take on the challenge busy for awhile. Perhaps I shall also look into trying it myself.
@Crystalinne: You might give some of them a shot. It often is amazing what comes from them.