Christmas Poem

The picture for this poem was found on the internet and I did NOT do the poetry. This poem was written by a Marine.

Kitten In A Huff

Today’s photo of a kitten and a blackbird was found on the internet. It does appear to be a real photo, not photo opted, because the shadows appear to be so real. 

Dog's "OMG" Ride

The photo for today’s poem has been around e-mail circles for a while. The determined look on the lady’s face and the fear in the eyes of the hapless rider are priceless! Every time it came to me, I had to chuckle.

Bickering Birds

We can all thank Ben for this unique photograph. When I received his  email  with this photo atached, I knew at first glance that there had to be a story hidden in the scene.

Cactus Flower

Having lived in Arizona since 1960, I’ve had lots of exposure to the desert critters and plant life.  A major portion of our plants are cacti and they contribute greatly to our unique landscape.

It is a surprise to some that cacti have flowers, It’s probably safe to say that all cacti have flowers; some bloom only at night.

The Hedgehog Cactus, found in the Phoenix area, is a daytime bloomer. Its lovely flowers add color to our desert in the spring months. The photo for today’s poem was taken along the trail just east of Shaw Buttes Mountain in North Phoenix. . . . .

                            
I’d sure like to find that no-good guy
That suggested “Hedgehog” as my name
Got a moment? Let me tell you why
He should humbly bow his head in shame

Do I look like a pig? Not hardly!
Yet he called me one just the same
And I sure don’t look like a Harley!
It’s just not right, but hog is in my name?

That’s only half the story I have to tell
Do I look like a well-trimmed shrub?
That part of my name is a joke as well
The name “hedgehog” is really a snub!

Every spring when my flowers do bloom,
My critter friends gather around for a view
With a fragrant aroma like sweet perfume,
Wouldn’t “Desert Rose” sound better to you?

***********

Stuff:  According to Wikipedia cactus can be singular or plural; similar to the words fish or deer. However, other acceptable plurals are cacti and cactuses.

Guard Dog

Time to lighten up alittle with my poems. Enjoy the short poem that I found hidden in the scene.

Final Inspection

A special tribute to our veterans . . . . Veteran’s Day.

Originally called Armistice Day, officially ending World War 1 ….. Nov 11^th at 11:00 AM in 1918. Thank you, veterans!

Homeward Bound

The setting for today’s poem is a typical small village in France with its cobble-stone walkways.

The elderly gentleman and the unique lighting add the emotions needed to stir-up my literary desires. In my mind, a story unfolded and this poem evolved. . . . . . enjoy!

The man hobbles with trusty cane

Obviously in deep-felt-pain

Substance in left hand, support in his right

He struggles forward, with goal in sight

His frame shows the hardships felt

From the book-of-life he’s been dealt

Yet he walks with his head held high

An occasional eye raised to the sky

With heavenly strength raining down

He’s sure to make it across town

To an anxious family that’s awaiting

And a birthday they’ll be celebrating!

* * * * * * * * * * *

Today’s photo-credit goes to Kristin of French Word-a-Day. You might remember her. It was her photo that inspired the poem, “Le Paysan”. She has ambitiously set out to publish her next book and she plans to do it in just 21 days. Want to help her? Check out the link above and join in the editing.

Lonesome and Then Some

The photo for today’s poem was found among the many pictures in Google Image. My first impression of the photo was

Pillow Dog

The photo for today's poem has been going around the Internet recently and perhaps many of you have seen it. There's not too much doubt  as to what happened prior to the time when the photo was taken. The picture tells it all.

The Ranch Mystery

Today's poem was written for a painting found on the Internet. I have received copies of the painting several times by email.

The Role Model

This poem highlights an important quality that can help shape the character of a youthful individual . . . . . The Role Model.

Barrel on the Rocks

Over the years I’ve done lots of desert hiking, both on trails and cross-country. One of the more common cacti found in the desert around Phoenix, AZ is the barrel cactus.

Their sponge-like interior enables them to store water when it’s rainy for use later during the long dry spells. It’s interesting to note that barrel cactus tends to lean toward the south so if you’re lost in the desert on a cloudy day, you can always find the direction south.

The barrel cactus featured in today’s picture was found near the Shaw Buttes Trail in North Phoenix and as the poem relates, it has been befriended by mankind….. Enjoy!

                                                                                 

We had some heavy rains awhile ago

So I filled up with water from head to toe

Standing tall, body erect, crown held high

Ready for that blazing hot sun up in the sky

In summer, this desert is a very hostile place

It’s hot, dusty and windy; moisture - not a trace

Without any water, what’s a poor critter to do?

Find a barrel cactus and chew, chew, chew!

A weathered old jackrabbit was the first

Chewing at my side, he satisfied his thirst

More came, a steady stream, day and night

I’m glad I had the chance to satisfy their plight

Notice the gaping wound on my right side

It’s ugly; it’s deep and impossible to hide

Thanks to the caring souls who came around

Using stones, they kept my body off the ground

                                                                       Poem and Photo by Herm Meyer

 P.S. Today on the 21st of January, 2014, I went on a desert hike and passed this cactus. 

        It is alive and   well!

        With my GPS, I documented the location as Latitude = 33.593082; 

         Longitude = -112.075763 and Altitude = 412 meters 

         (Accuracy is 5 meters).

Cool Hot Dog

In the southwestern part of the United States this past summer has been very severe! When the first day of fall arrived this past week, it was a welcome event. However, here in Phoenix, we are still getting daytime temperatures over 100 degrees.

Man and Boy

One never knows when, or where from, the next idea for a poem will be found. Recently I met up an e-mail friend when she and her husband came to town to visit relatives. In the course of the conversation, my friend mentioned a photo she had seen of a man and a boy that she liked very much.

“Heroes” Poem Update

When I first saw the cemetery photo with the eagle perched on one of the gravestones I was emotionally moved. Little did I know that the photo would become famous overnight and attract worldwide attention!  After I wrote my poem and posted it on this blog, I did some research. I found an article, written by Jon Tevlin of the Star Tribune, which gave the details of the photo along with the photographer name. Here is a link to that article:

           http://www.startribune.com/local/124543223.html#

Mr. Tevlin has since published an update which tells of the mounting interest for the photo. Here is the link to that update:

          http://www.startribune.com/local/127347018.html#

In the update, it was mentioned that someone had written a poem based on the photo. Do you want to guess who that person was? I did send Mr. Tevlin a copy of my poem.

Stay tuned for more developments on this story. . . . . . .

Heroes

Recently I received an e-mail containing an awesome photograph of a National Cemetery scene. The theme of the photo expressed so much emotion that my eyes filled with tears as I viewed it.

Le Paysan

The title of today’s poem, Le Paysan, is French for “peasant.”  In France, a peasant is treated with dignity and is respected as a fellow worker.  The photo that prompted my poem was taken by Kristin Espinasse, a writer and photographer extraordinaire.  The picture was part of a story she wrote on her blog, French Word-A-Day. Going to Kristin's website and reading her story will help you understand what my poem is trying to say.

Patient Dog

This photograph was received by email a while back and certainly has a story to tell. Patience, compassion, sharing and understanding are all descriptors that come to mind. Possibly mankind might take a lesson from this wise old hound dog.

  

Hey, critter. Yes you. What’s the deal?
You sneak in here and steal my meal!

Of all God’s creatures that could share my lunch
It seems I’ve been dealt the worst of the bunch

When it comes to patience, I’m a winner
If I weren’t, would I let you eat my dinner?

Past encounters with your kind tells me to stay
At a very safe distance; let you have his way

Although you look like a cute and fuzzy kitty
Your concealed weapon gets used without pity

So I’ll just let you eat like a slobbering hog
Guess that is why I’m called a “Watch Dog”!

                                                   Poem by Herm Meyer

Goats on a Log and Nanny in a Log

The picture for today’s poem came from a terrific blog called Southern Fried French hosted by Lynn McBride. Lynn features unique glimpses of French living complete with mouth-watering recipes. Click on the above link and check it out.

By the way

I must say

Its gourmet

All the way

The picture called “Goats on a Log” was part of Lynn’s blog which, on that particular day, discussed goat cheese and some associated recipes. When I showed my poem to a friend of mine, she said, “Why didn’t you say something about the goat inside the log?” So I wrote a second poem called “Nanny in a Log.” Enjoy!



Goats on a Log

Goats on a log in a field of lush green
What kind of story is behind this scene?
A herd of nannies on a make-believe crest
Several are standing, a few are at rest

One might wonder, is this part of a mini caper?
Or a live photo-shoot by the local newspaper
There must be an intriguing story for us to read
Maybe with a prince riding a pure white stead

Alas! There’s no sensational story to behold
It’s just a game to see who’s next to fold
The last one standing fits the bill
To be known by all as “Queen of the Hill”

**************************************

Nanny in a Log

Mary had a little nanny, her coat was white as snow
And everywhere that Mary went, Nanny was sure to go
But Nanny had a favorite spot where sometimes she’d rather be
Like resting in the hollow remains of a long-dead old oak tree

That is her secret little hide-away, a very special place to her
When escaping to her “wooden cave”, like a kitten she would purr
She often was joined by her lady friends who loved to spend their days
Climbing on that old oak log and soaking up the sun’s warming rays

Then came the dreadful day when a major catastrophe struck
And Nanny’s world was shaken with a horrible stroke of luck
Sadly, she’ll never return to that beloved old tree trunk
For it’s now the proud family home of an old and smelly skunk

Homestead



Photo from the Internet

 A hard working, God-fearing, weathered pioneer

Had a dream in his heart for many a year

To homestead on the prairie with his family

Rooted to Mother earth in perfect harmony

The nest-egg they had saved was barely enough

And they knew the road ahead would be rough

But they followed their dream of a brand new start

With the wind at their backs. A prayer in their heart

Fulfilling life’s dream by the sweat of their brow

The home they built still stands there now

Soil was plowed and seeded. They worked long hard hours

But the much needed crop failed . . . There were no showers

Fate was unkind to these hard working souls

They humbly left their dream and many unfilled goals

  Took their meager belongings and some of that dry prairie dirt

A tribute to their effort. A memorial to the hurt.

Poem by Herm Meyer

Note:

One of the things that made the Great Depression so bad is that right in the middle of one of the worst financial crisis in the US's history, there was a drought of epic proportion.The picture above was taken near Dalhart, Texas.

Store Front



     Photo from the Internet

It’s Saturday morning in a small depression-era town
Locals relaxing as the week’s clock is winding down
The day starts with a “Shake and Howdy” as they meet
The work week over; it’s “off the feet and take a seat”
 

With tired bodies aching and sore muscles swelling

The time seems right for some old fashion storytelling

With heart felt emotions the soul-born tales are told

The shopkeeper listens intently as the stories unfold.
 

A world of drama’s etched on those work-weary souls

Touching stories of joy, sadness, dreams and goals

When a weathered five-string banjo appears on the scene

It’s clawhammer-style gospel with singing so serene
 

Eventually, spirits uplifted, each is off to his humble abode

Tomorrow it’s church and thanks for blessings bestowed

Singing “Halleluiah” and “Praise the Lord” with conviction

These humble folks will be praying for God’s benediction
 

                                                              Poem by Herm Meyer

P.S. I just received an email (thanks to Bob KuKrall on 8/23/2014) that had a colorized copy of this photo.....   Enjoy

 

     

WOW! What a terrific job of converting to color.....Herm 

                                                                                     

 Interesting observation. The colorized photo and my B&W are DIFFERENT photos!!!!!

 

Notice the men on the bench......The two on the right have their arms positioned different, the man behind the post is more visible and the guy on the right has his head turned more...