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Background image: QWERTY by Jeff Stven

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Apples (Macintosh)
Bathtub (claw-footed)
Cushion (sofa)
Doll (baby, fully-clothed except for socks and shoes)
Eyeglasses (tortoiseshell frame)
Fedora (size 7 3/8)
Galosh (left foot only)
Hymnal (Presbyterian)
Icebox (sliced bologna and half a pound of butter inside)
Jacket (child’s, red)
Knob (brass, door attached)
Life preserver (with survivor)
Milkcan (empty)
Nightstick (wrist strap missing)
Oilskin (and sou’wester)
Portrait (unidentified, 1700s?)
Quahog basket (no quahogs)
Rubber ball (black)
Staircase (minus banister)
Toddler (on shingled roof fragment)
Ukelele (strings intact)
Vacuum cleaner (electric cord frayed)
Window (six paned, with and without glass)
X-ing sign (railroad)
Yacht (her mast broken)
Zwieback (one box, unopened)

© Diane Mayr, all rights reserved.

Please note: this was written a decade ago, but I'm including it by request. It was written about the Great New England Hurricane of 1938.

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My full post is here.
Carol Varsalona

Air conditioning during heat spells

Beach days by the sea
Camp Wonderopolis

Dog days of August

Exercise outdoors

Fresh fruit from the market

Gardens of vibrant-colored flowers

Hikes with family

Ice cream under indigo skies

July 4th celebration

Kites flying at the beach

Lip-smacking summer corn

Melons that are ripe

Nature trails to walk

Ocean waves roaring

Picnic at Westbury Gardens

Quiet times listening to nature

Reading at the beach

Summer Poem Swap: #1, #3, #5

Trip to Cape May

Umbrellas in the rain

Vacationing with family

Watermelon tasting

eXploring "life living" moments

Yoga practice

Zen music

© CVarsalona, 2017

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Rhythm Ride: A Road through the Motown Sound
by Andrea Davis Pinkney (Roaring Book Press, 2015)

A greeting on the groove (intro)
Because my uh-huh keeps us pumping on the way (1)
Called Mo-town (3)

Detroit is a place that pulsates with possibility (8)
Every day a boy or girl showed up at Hittsville, ready… (30)
Fans were coming to Motown’s music through buying records. (43)
Gold record … needs to sell 500,000 copies or more. (35)

Heart and soul harmony (2)…HITSVILLE U.S.A (25)
It was 1959. The year this Groove started to make some smooth moves. (27)

…..
Review by reader & music lover, Linda Mitchell

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Abecedarian: Abby & Callan – Tree to be...

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Abecedarian: Abby & Callan – Tree to be...

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Abby sprawled on the bed,
as thoughts wafted adrift in her head,
bemused at how she would fill her day
bereft of friends. Some holiday!
Callan slouched through the door –
slumped on the floor.
‘D’ya think they’d let us
drive the ol’ dunger – get us
escape from nowhere,
even if it’s just around … here and there?’
‘Forget it,’ Abby groaned,
‘Fat chance of anything fun,’ she moaned.
‘Grandma’s house is so boring, and she
gets all uptight and uppity.
How she imagines we’re going to get hurt –
her hovering ever alert …
It’s driving me insane!
I’d rather live and bear the pain.’
‘Just for another two days, Abbs. No
jape. Things’ll settle when we’re home, you know.’
‘Kinda too late by then,’ Abby said –
Kicking the end of her bed.
‘Lucky us. Let loose right in time for school.
Like that’s so cool.’
Memory tickled and Abby stilled …
‘Maybe I’ve got an idea,’ she whispered, thrilled.
‘Never say,’ Callan praised,
nudging his sis, eyebrows raised
‘Out with it. What’s
on your mind. I hope you’ve got lots
planned because I’m in!’
Possibilities were explored therein.
Quiet voices.
Quick words exploring choices.
Rather than risk being busted they
relocated outside. ‘What do you say?’
‘So long as no-one gets hurt
something tells me they won’t kick up dirt.’
They wandered along the dusty track,
talking it all out, before heading back.
Under the old fig tree, Callan paused, peered
up, inspecting thickly muscled branches that disappeared …
Vaulting into the canopy, Callan looked down from his
vantage point. ‘C’mon up, Abby. This is
what we’ve been imagining, only better by far!’
‘Wait for me,’ Abby grunted, scrambling up, ‘Ah,’
Excitement was thick. ‘Don’t slip!’ Callan warned, ‘Or you’ll be
X-rayed and in a cast so fast – and pity help me!’
‘You see if you can stop me now,
Yes, I’m free as a bird on a bough.’
‘Zilch can touch us,’ Callan smiled, ‘This is our
zone. Tree to be… The fun starts now!’

© Kathryn Apel – All rights reserved.

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Abecedarian: An Xcellent Xcuse to Xpound

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Abecedarian: An Xcellent Xcuse to Xpound

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Ask me the goal. (I will xplain.)
Berate me for pursuing it. (I will xpand my argument.)
Celebrate if I achieve it. (...I'll be so xcited!)
Don't smirk, giggle, or
Emit guffaws. (Xempt yourself from such inanities!)
Frown not, either. (You will be xpelled!)
Give me your complete attention. (No xpense other than time is required.)
Hear me! (Let the xplications begin!)
I (me, on xhibit for all to see, and, judge)
Just came up with this brilliant, but slightly
Kooky idea of
Lavishly and lovingly lauding (okay, xceedingly hyperbolic) a
Minor (xcruciatingly so),
Neglected (xhaustingly so), letter, which is
Overpowered constantly by a certain vowel.
Peculiarly xtroverted, this cruciform marks spots and is
Quintessential to communication, yet is
Relegated to playing second fiddle to the xcessively bloviated letter E!
Surely
This cannot go
Undenied or unquestioned! (Xposure is necessary!)
Verily,
We must embrace the letter X. (And render xtraneous vowels xtinct.)
X! All by its lonesome self--no
Yielding to the call of that xtra E.
Zip, nada, nothing, but X! The xceptional letter.

© Diane Mayr, all rights reserved.

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A long time ago, you know,
Before it was yesterday, I
Chanced to spy a
Dinosaur duo, Abecedasaurs,
Enormously in my way;
Frightened by their
Giant teeth,
Hoping to be
Ignored and free, I
Jumped aside and
Knelt behind
Ledges and a tree; they
Meandered down the winding path
Not finding me, but
Ogling oceans of Vaccinium Corymbosum -
Plump indigo patch; sweet, wild batch to savagely snatch;
Quivering, quaking, with unquiet wrath, they
Ran roaring,
Stampeding, stomping,
Tyrannically tromping; such an
Uncalled for uncongenial rant; an ugly,
Vociferous and vicious
Way to greet blueberries, that
Xenial plant;
Yet I was grateful to see that dynamic duo
Zealously, gleefully, zip past me en route to you, oh!

by Donna JT Smith

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African wild dogs sing with birds
Cats stalk dragonflies
Every pond teems with fish
The gerbil finds a hole
Impalas jump up and down
The King cobra slithers over leaves
The monkeys are nosy
The Owl pounces
Quails run amuck

The sun begins to set
Time, unfazed, vacant,
Watches,
The eXcitement of yawns,
Zzzzzzzzzz.

By Angelique Pacheco

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an Abecedarian Badinage

Annabeth bakes cupcakes

and decorates energetically

with full, generous handfuls of

ivory irises and jasmine jimmies,

knee-deep in kernels of

lemon lusciousness and

mouth-watering nuggets

of orange-spiced peppermint,

in her queenly realm, both

sanctum and treasure trove,

until, unceremoniously,

she vanishes with

a winsome werewolf

named Xavier Xanadu,

yeoman of yak-zombies.

Copyright 2017 Brenda Davis Harsham

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Apple budded branches
Carried crated crunch
Delicious doses
Enriching eating
Food feeding frenzy
Golden goodness grown
Healthy hearty harvest

Poem by Jessica Bigi

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Arggghhh arringa!
Blimeyblinger bellaboo,
criminycracker,
drattadringo dudderroo.

Eurekagingha?
Fibby finger?
Goodie-golly,
hot-hoorazah, hooroo!

Imma know-now,
jumpin’ jeepers.
Kakabooya?
Lordy lewdy, laddie loo!

Man-oh-maybe?
Nibbly, nehbbly.
Ollieoompah
peachey-poo.

Quizzeyquankah?
Righteyroorah!
Sloppasinga?
Toddletongy-choochoo!

Umbelparsnips!
Vellovinkers?
Wanglebriznew?
Xylerxappereedo?

Yungerstangme?
Zipperzamper, zizoo!

— Buffy Silverman

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Ascending
beyond clouds
determined eagles fly,
gathering high intent.

Jeopardy, karma, life
might not observe peace.

Quietly
raptors sweep
toward uneasy victims.

Watch,
examine
your
zeniths.

— Damon Dean, SevenAcreSky

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cast down each frozen fear,
gently guide hate to
imagine justice,

know less,
maintain the magic of
noticing,

never neglect nuance,
or offerings that open
precious qualities-
rare and shared- thank unlucky, uphill
vexing winds that wing
yesterday's yardstick to
zero.

Tabatha Yeatts

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Avians Bustling,
Congregate,
Dazzling Eyes;
Feathered Gymnasts Hover
Inviting Jetting Kin;
Lilting Melodies - Nearly Operatic;
Pulsing Quills Spread
Traversing Undulating Valleys,
Windswept Xings;
Yawing,
Zooming

© Donna JT Smith, 2017

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Angry bears +
cranky deer +
edgy ferrets +
gloomy hippos +
irritable jaguars +
knavish llamas +
moody newts +
obnoxious penguins +
quarrelsome rhinos +
slovenly toucans +
unpleasant voles +
whiny X-ray tetras =
YUCKY ZOO!

© Suzy Levinson 2017

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Albatross
Binoculars
Bluebird
Bobolink
Cardinal
Chickadee
Crow

Duck
Eagle
Eggs
Finch
Flicker
Goose
Gull

Hawk
Hummingbird
Ibis
Jay
Kingfisher
Lark
Loon

Mockingbird
Nest
Nuthatch
Owl
Pelican
Quail
Robin

Sandpiper
Sparrow
Swan
Turkey
Vireo
Warbler
Wren

Karen Eastlund
2017

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A
Boy
Can
Dream of an
Enchanting journey into a
Foreign land holding opportunities. A
Girl can
Have this same dream. Together they
Imagine small, sparkling
Jewels of hope that they
Kindle lovingly.
Later, their family
Moved across mountains and oceans
Never reconsidering their
Objective. Many years
Pass, quietly, then
Quickly–their dream
Revolts, running red in rivers
Streaming with anguish and
Turmoil. Turn back this
U.S. unyielding, uncaring, re-
Volting attack on children,
Who’ve lived, and given back to the U. S. of A.
ReeXamine this action before
You close this dark door, and subdue your
Zealous indifference to others–embrace DACA and Dreamers!

© 2017 Michelle Kogan

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A burning candle dares envelop
Fiery glowing hopes ignite
Justice, kinship, liberation
Maverick's necessary oblique plight
Quintessential restoration
Steadied torches unified
Vanguard's wildfires- xeno's yearning
Zealousness applied

Janie Lazo 2017

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Appalling breast cancer diagnosis
Daughter edgy, frightened.
Ghastly, harrowing information.
Just knowing love
means new optimism, promise.
Quintessential romance,
supportive templar.
Uttering veritable wish —
X-rays yield
zero additional beastly cells.

© 2017 Rosi Hollinbeck. All rights reserved.

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diaphanous

ethereal

ephemeral eventide falls

gossamer gilded
hues illuminated

jewel-toned kingdom:
lake mist nestles
over pines
quiet
russet and saffron trees

Rebekah Hoeft

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A cowgirl Sue, and her
Big bay horse, Blue,
Clip-clopped, Clip-clopped
Down stone roads, of course
Entering Santa
Fe.  "Let's go
Guzzle a gallon of sarsaparilla
Here at the Lone Branch Saloon," said Sue.
"I think that's a great idea," said Blue.  "It's
Just  what we should do."    "Any one
Know Dead Eye Dick?  We're
Looking for that
Mean Horse Thief," asked Sue.
Nobody moved.  The poker game stopped.  No
One even sighed, until a
Polite cowboy, who was
Quiet and shy
Replied,
"Sue, we ran Dead Eye Dick out of our
Town--that's what we cowboys do, and
Unless you're looking for a fight, the
Vultures will show you
Where Dead Eyed Dick died.
X my heart, that ain't no lie.  In peace
You're welcome here.  The score now stands
Zip for Dead Eye Dick-- Town, plus two.

Joy Acey

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Across the arroyo
Bouncing in the basin
Coyotes call
Down the dry, rocky wash--
Eerie echoes reach
Far into the
Gully-- yipping and yapping
Hanging on a breeze
In the chill desert air.
Jack rabbits and
Kangaroo rats jumping,
Leaping high
Making little
Noise in the night.
Only the bobcat
Pauses to
Quietly creep before
Racing after rabbit prey, then a
Scream pierces the still silence,
Talons caught
Under the fur , and a
Vulture
Wings over the dark
Xeriscape.
Yellow eyes leave
Zilch, nada, nil behind.

Joy Acey

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Adventure beckons.
Certain daring elfin folk
grab their hats, itching to journey,
kiss their ladies and march north
over perilous, quaking roads.
They search through unknown valleys,
wild with watching woods,
welcome exploits,
exhibit fouling zeal.
Yet excitement wanes
when villains unleash searing revenge.
The quest pales,
objections nag.
Maybe a little knowledge
joined to incomplete heroism
generates fear.
Even daring champions
buckle and abandon.

© Doraine Bennett, 2017

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Adolescent basket case.
Dizzy.
Electrified.
Forget Girlhood!
Henceforth, I’ve jumped –
Kerplunk!
and landed on Maturity,
a new, outrageous planet.
(Quit retching!)
Sweet side-glances.
Saved seats.
Shared straws.
and those texts!
“Ur very wonderful.”
“xoxo”
Except –
Yikes.
…a zit.

Jesse Anna Bornemann

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A blank canvas
dew-damp and dark
Ethereal
fingerlets and fronds of fog
ghost and hover
in insubstantial inky jumbles
a kaleidoscope
of lingering moonshine
and nebulous outlines
a patchwork of quivering
roiling swirls and
tenuous tendrils of undulating
vaporous waves
Wisps of wizardry

Molly Hogan © 2017

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A blubbery cloud dangles
escorted from giant hands.
inside juniper's knitted limbs
magically napped over
painted quails. Resting secluded
topmost unfettered velvet.
Writers eXceptional zenith.

Robyn Campbell

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by J.G. Annino

A bitty bird creature,
darting,
discovers
empty feeder.
Food gone.
Hovers, hovers, hovers.
Human helper, help instantly!
Jaunty keeps looking.
More nourishment needed!
One person
quickly,
quietly,
responds,
rendering
sustenance
to
ultra-vibrant
winsome wonder.

© 2017JanGAnnino

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“Ahem,” said an Alligator,
Biding his time, “This
Creek flows fast and mighty fine.”
Down on the bank is bunch grass to
Eat, It's juicy, sweet,
Fine, tender, and so
Good and green. The
Holopono River has the best bunch grass
I've ever seen. And
Just as the Alligator has another
K-R-U-N-C-H,
'Long swims a river snake looking for lunch.
Monkeys make
Noise in the Bayan trees
Overhead, knowing each of them soon may be dead.
“Please,” said the gator politely, “I'm looking
Quite diligently for a
Reptile for
Supper for me.
That tastes terrific and is
Ultimately filling, a
Very nice dinner.
Would you be willing?” “Can't grant the wish.” Snake
X-ed his eyes, “Here's the deal, it's no surprise,
You won't want me for your next meal, I'm too small.
Zebras make a much better dish.”

Joy Acey

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Away bicycling, careening delight -
everyday freedom gained.
Happily invincible, just-like-that
knowing life means no
ordinary practicalities,
quick rule-making.
Smiles translate unafraid venturing
when X-raying yesterday’s zing.

Linda Baie

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by Carol Varsalona, at:

http://beyondliteracylink.blogspot.com/2017/09/abecedarian-fun.html

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Along the way…

Be yourself.

Collect wonder.

Do good deeds
Every day.

Find a reason to be
Generous—

Help when you are able.

In life…

Joy, Kindness, and Love
Matter most.

Needing Others
Pulls us together.

Questions
Require listening,

Speaking requires
Thought, and

Understanding, not Violence,
Weathers the storms.

eXplore your horizons—
Your time has come.

Zig,
zag,
and zoom….

© 2017 Michelle Heidenrich Barnes. All rights reserved.

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After her bath,
cavorting diaperless
(ever the fearsome gymnast)
heroically
she imitates Jiminy:

kangaroo-leaping miles
(nearly over her pillow),
quaquaversal,
repeating somersaults,
tumbling up valiantly—

wiggle-limbed X
yelling “ZOOM!”

© Heidi Mordhorst 2001

quaquaversal:  outwards in all directions from a common center

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Marks in the desert sand,
notations of a passerby.
Observers
puzzle,
quibbling theories, until . . .

realization:
snake
trail,
undulating across the desert sand.
Viper, perhaps.

Where is it now?

© 2017 Juanita Havill

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Apples drip from branches
bent low, offering a cool,
crisp taste of fall to three dainty
deer who not so easily
edge away from
forest’s cover and cross the grey
grass at twilight’s hush.
Heed the gloaming’s call to rest and
inhale the evensong.

Kay Jernigan McGriff
http://kaymcgriff.edublogs.org/2017/09/15/poetry-friday-a-taste-of-fall/

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Adorable
bear
cute,
debonair.

Energetic,
fancy-free,
galavanting
happily.

Inconceivable
jeopardy!

kidnapped!
lashed
miserable
numb

Outrage!
Police!
Quickly
release!
Save
this
unfortunate
victim
who
e x i s t s...
...yawn...
zzzzZOO.

Cindy Breedlove

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Astral bodies:
comets,
dwarf planets with
eccentric orbits,
frozen moons,
glowing stars,
haloes of hydrogen and helium
illuminating
jet black space,
kindling wonder,
launching dreams to
mine the mysteries of
nebulous interstellar dust, the
Oort cloud,
pulsing quasars, and
rotating
spiral galaxies
tumbling through the
universe, emitting
visible and invisible
wavelengths of light and
X-rays,
yielding amazement and awe, our
zeal for discovery never-ending.

© Catherine Flynn, 2017

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Acorn squash,
Balsamic brussel sprouts,
Caramelized carrots,
Delicious dishes.
Eggplant tossed in
Fig vinaigrette.
Glazed green beans
Harvested from
Iconic farms.
Julienned Kale with
Lemon zest and
Minced mushrooms
No subtle flavors here.
Onions and Peppers
Quartered, Roasted, and
Served in stews,
To tickle your taste buds.
Unless, you don’t think
Vegetables Will eXcite,
Your dinner crowd.
Zzzzzzzz.

By Kathleen Mazurowski

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Acerbates
Balancing
Cycling
Dairying
Electrotyping
Flying
Gliding
Hooping
Inspiring
Jumping
Kaleidoscope-lighting
Looping
Music
Netting
One-stepping
Pool-balancing
Questa flying
Rings
Spinning Sapience
Teetering
Uno cycling
Venturing
Wire-Walking
X   Y   Z

Poem by Jessica Bigi

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An amazon band-aid
covering deep emptiness.
A façade ground heavy into joints.
Kooky, laughing madness
numbing and obscuring the pain
quaking and rumbling silently through my universe.
Vanishing.
Then walloping in eXtreme yearning . . .
Zero.

© 2017 Maria Marshall

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Autumn brings change and death.
Every Fall, green hastens into a jumbled
kaleidoscope of leaves.
Marking Nature’s order for
peace and quiet,
rest, solitude, and time.
Under vast white eXpanses,
yielding to zephyrs.

© 2017 Maria Marshall

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A peaceful world can
Be--
Caring will make it so.

Dance with
Each other
Face to face; Don’t
Give in to
Hate

Inch by inch we
Join our
Kindred hearts with
Love
Made
Noticeable
Only when
Peace is our
Quest

Resist a hateful
Stance
Tap-tap
Unified
Variations
With
X-steps--
Your own
Zydeco two-step of Peace!

Margaret Simon 2017