February 4-10, 2002: Carol Sircoulomb

Bio (auto)

I have been writing about 4 1/2 years I still am a novice but love most forms of poetry I have had a sijo published in The Art of Haiku 2000, Haibun in Nightingale Poems and Haiku in Ezines Arrabella Arachnid, Interactive Photo Haiku, World Haiku Review Zimmerzine, Prairie Poetry, Transparent Words, Caught in the Net, Poetry Super Highway, and Images Inscript I have won Charnwood Arts Mini words Competition 2000 in Haiku, and commended in Charnwood Arts Mini Lives competition in 2001 I am a professional photographer, wife, mother, grandmother, potter, sculptor, gardener and zookeeper to 2 dogs 4 cats, 2 rats, a cockatiel and a tank of guppies

The following work is Copyright © 2002, and owned by Carol Sircoulomb and may not be distributed or reprinted in any form whatsover without written permission from the author.

Haiku Kansas autumn leaves blow up and down a hard wind bassett hound how your helicopter tail swings the baby fuzzy slipper a kitten purrs soft old bed ice on the pond water hyacinth wilted crystals Many Road The heat is making the road waver ahead the road I follow is marked I think On the road to Rome I walk over rough stones laid many centuries ago marked with shrines to bid me safe travel and help me find my way I turn by smooth round rocks stacked into pyramid shapes coming from Lake Superior stacked by some ancient tribesman to guide me safely from harm A straight road steel bridges with massive girders billboards advertising Lucky Strikes small town grain elevators stinky town’s with their oil refineries the road sign Route 81 guided my parents to both sets of grandparents and safe warm arms the road I travel now is marked I think by yellow arches Wordless The muse left this week she went on vacation to see beauty leaving me alone wishing for inspiration my own genius writing the wonderful words all in vane nothing silence Tetractys breasts sagging in old age he holds them tight forty years of warmth and security Maude I asked the man with the tiger cub if he knew Ray the wild old guy who raised lions on a buffalo ranch he said yup Did ya know he died I asked Yup His son Robert took the place over I visited him a while back He talks like the old man now nonstop the man said I asked what of Maude oh she died a while back after Ray My mind went to Maude oh what relief no more pain for her I met her leg the first time I went to visit Ray it was on top of the dryer my daughter whispered did you see the leg after I had finished using the bathroom and mom what about the smell did ya hold your breath We had gone to talk art with the old man but talked lions and buffalo most of the afternoon the second time we went to visit we met Maude in her wheel chair and the house smelled ok The lion cubs no longer lived in her basement she told us Her legs were so swollen and blue one amputated laying on sheep skin she would not talk much it was Rays story not hers we wanted I wanted hers She told me Ray would travel she would stay home and tend the Kids watch after the animals like whenever he would go judge buffalo or to the Artic circle on the dog sleds Thats all of my life the Ranch, kids and Ray I never wanted to do anything else