eric sundin

There! The thud on the porch
paper is brought in by Rose!
It lights her morning’s torch
settling in reading repose

The pose of her nose close
leaning in perfect adjure
reading in morning’s throes
absent acclaim or abjure

Every page she’s scouring
all news vacuumin’
All newsprint devouring
unmatched acumen

As long as it is all prose
it grabs the affection
of our ’suction cup nose’ Rose
Except the sports section

+)
-abjure = formally reject or disavow a formerly held belief
-adjure = to entreat or request earnestly or solemnly
-newsprint = a grade of paper used for newspapers
‘suction cup nose’ = here: Rose’s nose as affixed to the page as if by suction

edited 03/15/22 0820

On raids ever niggling
yet again out on foray
ever jolted, wriggling
heading out among moray

Chasing for conveniency
in hoopla unrestrained
wanting full leniency
to live lives entertained

You contentious consumer
on shopping paths hallow
doggedly without humor
Distracted, stuck callow:

you’re captives of rushing clatter
paying heed to ads’ slick flatter

+)
-moray = family of brightly colored voracious eels, dangerous if provoked; here: ambitious consumers unpleasant if impeded

edited 03/15/26 1640

Is anything found too cloying
these nifty days at all, such
as being outright annoying
or revoltingly too much?

Do they keep grabbing ever more
no longer knowing surfeit?
Is ‘missing out’ what they abhor
fearing that they might forfeit?

So let’s ignore their piercing plaint
following each indulgence
as it’s only through calm restraint
one shall assure abundance

+)
restraint = here: voluntarily restraint

edited 06/05/22 1710

While we have of course already effectively abandoned our children and theirs by not doing anything that would significantly mitigate the climate collapse we are also now limiting erstwhile parent-child interaction. The following scenes have become routine in our very own neighborhood, viz.:

Toddler:

Being pushed along in my stroller
with Mom & her Chum the Smart Phone
a Connectedness Highest Roller
as well Dexterous Texting Clone

Child:

Got to join on a walk
with my Dad & his Smart Phone
as long as I don’t talk
may listen to his Ring Tone

Dog:

Got to ride in my People’s car
watched them turn Cyber Unknowns
drove erratically bizarre
while on GPS and phones

All Three, in unison:

While we weren’t by spilled coffee burnt
got covered by crumbs of scones
Most relieved that these ‘adults’ weren’t
piloting surveillance drones …

edited 7/13/23 1700

Upward in the crackling fire
of human commotion:
heated words flare, float in ire
howling in emotion

Prancingly they spew
ephemeral
through wide open flue
hotly feral

Swooping out like larks
from shades mislaid
burning, zinging sparks
cool off, then fade

Those cruel words of agony
stay seared in our memory
as if galloping cavalry
pounded them to emery

Every regret’s ember
dooms us to remember

edited 10/11/2026 0820

While serious enough CO2
mightily menacing Methane
rarely the subject of ballyhoo
Fearfully we minimize, feign

Lurking, patient Methane
punches way above its weight
Held in human disdain
shall seal humanity’s fate

Our human denial profane
Global warming inexorable
shown by science, nothing arcane
Damage done is irreversible

+)
-Methane = CH4, greenhouse gas 30-80 times more global warming potent than CO2; it’s current & potential release appears severely under reported in the main stream media

edited 11/14/21 1730

Can’t be kind or sentimental
dressed up in our power suit
we must display ‘metal mettle’
empowered to act the brute

Focus on what’s at stake:
To make profits shine
grabbing all we can take
boosts the bottom line!

Swimming with opportunity
while prodded by peer pressure
who can pretend immunity
from turning rabid thresher?

But beware! The greed on Wall Street
is the greed in our own heart
So as we darkly scheme & cheat
ain’t no excuse blame we’re smart

Face when poorly we pay heed
(restraint of course, we dread)
that a heart consumed by greed
won’t stand us in good stead!

+)
-thresher = a large pelagic shark with a whip-like tail used to round up small fish on which it feeds

edited 03/31/24 0820

Daybreak birds of searching screeches
as bleak sunlight softly infuses
soaring beyond treetops’ reaches
eager flock, the new day beseeches

Where night & day intersect
her head, arm lightly rest
as nature, humans affect
on his warm, heaving chest

Not for long: Trust human’s stubborn devotion
harmony to squelch in jarring commotion

edited 09/02/24 1130

Flawless Summer streaming
muffles all human shrillness
we’re awake whilst dreaming
float in shimmering stillness

Movements oneness
Heavens soundless
Warm Earth boundless
Nature wordless

By nature’s glistening surfeit
our mere mortal senses brimmed
Resting now from clawing circuit
having brash presumptions trimmed

edited 07/23/24 0840

Hey, Nose on Screen, waiting to chew
check this nifty ‘winglet’ thing!
They are rarely more than just two
one at the tip of each wing.

Whether of much use those winglets
or the plane a sleek cygnet
whether most pilots wear singlets
or air travel mere figment:

Still heart & soul of air travel
seems the ‘wheeled larder’? Take heart!
No risk in sky to unravel
for here rolls the service cart:

Heavenward passengers scoot!
Of winglets, who gives a hoot?

+)
-winglets = small angled wing tip extensions which provide extra lift, reduce drag & fuel consumption (somewhat)
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=winglets+photos&qpvt=winglets+photos&FORM=IGRE

edited 04/26/22 1740