Funny PAD 18-2

 

Zebra Zoomies

 

We walked through a park

where the animals were

used to people.

 

A dazzle of zebras ran toward us.

When we were about to get nervous,

they stopped a few yards away.

 

Except the little ones zipped

around the adult zebras in circles.

Zebra zoomies.

Funny PAD 18-1

 Feeding Baby Elephants

 

At the elephant orphanage

the greedy baby elephants ran out,

eager to devour the big bottles of milk.

Some of them trumpeted their displeasure

when their bottle was empty.

 

A bystander asked what kind of milk they drank.

The keeper said, “They had to design a formula,

to be as close to elephant mama’s milk as possible,

because, it’s hard to milk an elephant.”

I wonder if someone actually tried.

Risk PAD 17-3

 

I didn’t think of the risk

when I put my water bottle in the tub

with my passport and vaccination record.

Risk PAD 17-2

 Risky Business

 

Hippos are dangerous,

more so than sharks,

or any other animal,

besides the mosquito.

 

Forty people attacked, fourteen died

in Lake Naivasha

in one year,

mostly fishermen.

 

I pictured them out

in their little motor boats,

like the ones we were in,

which made me nervous.

 

Hippos can stay underwater

for a long time, often sleeping.

They can sneak up on a boat,

knock it over and drown their victim.

 

When I saw the way

the fisherman actually fished,

I understood why it was so risky.

They had no boats.

 

They waded out waist deep

and spread out their nets

right along the banks

in the hippos’ territory.

When we cruised the lake,

we came upon a large hippo

resting on the bank.

Our driver kept his distance.

 

But from that angle we could see

what a kayaker couldn’t see.

He was headed for the spot

closest to the hippo.

 

Angrily, the huge hippo stood,

snorted and charged toward the kayak.

Just a warning, though. He stopped

letting the kayaker zip by.

 

Our guide watching, said,

“Hippos don’t like it

when you invade their territory.”

Yah, you think?

Risk PAD 17-1

 Risk

 

Traveling involves some risk

with flights, disease,

wild animals, mosquitoes.

Relying on an unfamiliar driver.

Zipping through heavy traffic.

Eating and drinking foreign foods.

 

But staying home also is a risk –

all the things to learn and experience,

not learned or experienced.

Panel PAD 16-3

 Nanyuki

 

Visited Nanyuki, Kenya today.

A common sight there as well as in Nairobi:

rows of makeshift stands lining the streets

made of sticks with corrugated metal panels,

tattered beach umbrellas or worn tarps for rooves

where they sell their fruits, veggies, crafts,

second-hand items, just about anything.

We even passed stands selling coffins

and some of them were pink.  

What’s remarkable to me is that most people

dress the same way we do in casual clothes

jeans, tees, or dresses, even in

the slums and poorer neighborhoods,

clean though handwashed,

few own washing machines,

poor but maintaining self-respect.

Panel PAD 16-2

 Kenyan Grade School

 

Visited a school in Nanyuki, Kenya

where they made their own yarn

and weavings to support themselves.

Lovely panels of woven wool

dyed from various plants and bugs

with beautiful African designs.

 

The kids sang for us,

hugged us and loved touching our hair

which they found so different

from their own.

 

Couldn’t fit anything in my suitcase

but I got their card.

 

I would love to support this good work.

Panel PAD 16-1

 Tour Group Panel

 

If we formed a panel of our tour group

and asked what our favorite part was

we’d be hard pressed to decide

seeing elephants, lions, gazelles,

wart hogs, hyenas, zebras, giraffes,

elands, cape buffalo, impalas, etc,

plus visiting a school, hugging the kids,

watching a bead-making demonstration,

dancing with the workers,

making our own bead necklaces,

petting a tame rhinoceros,

feeding a giraffe, with still more to come.

Thoughtful/Thoughtless PAD 15-3

 Thoughtful Turned Thoughtless

 

Why does the staff

put coffee in our tents

when they know critters

like to get into it?

After two tents got raided

by some stinky critters,

be they baboons or hyraxes,

we’re all returning our coffee.

Thoughtful/Thoughtless PAD 15-2

 Hot Water

 

At breakfast, I ordered tea.

I was drinking mine

and a lady poured my tea into her cup.

I must have looked startled

or offended or something.

She asked me if it was tea for the whole table.

I told her I had ordered it.

Turns out, it really was for the whole table.

I regretted not being more gracious.

Why couldn’t I just offer her

what I thought was my tea?

I could always get more hot water.

Thoughtful/Thoughtless PAD 15-1

 A Workshop Plus

 

Today, on our Kenya tour

we made necklaces.

A tall, well-dressed lady

with broad facial features

and beautiful deep, black skin

told us about her school

and how the ladies

kept it going by making beads

out of paper from calendars,

Atlas covers, and whatever.

It’s called quilling.

We strung an assortment of lovely beads

into a pattern on fishing line.

A young assistant came around

and helped us attach the clasp.

As a final touch, she helped us

put on our necklaces,

a warm and thoughtful gesture.

The necklace is a keeper.

Blank story 14-3

 Baboon Story

 

This morning, the tour guide related a story

of baboons breaking into a tent

getting into coffee

and scattering it about.

She called it, “Being babooned.”

We laughed at that.

This evening it happened

to a person in our tour group.

We’re not laughing now.

Blank Story PAD 14-2

 Same Old Story

 

Where did I put my cell phone?

Or name tag

Or camera

Or binoculars

Or glasses

Or wallet

Or on and on it goes.

While traveling

we’re always losing something,

Making us crazy.

It’s all okay as long as we eventually

find our way back home.

Blank Story PAD 14-1

 The Bamboozled Story

 

The twelve of us

went into a Kenyan souvenir shop

where you barter for a price.

The huge building was filled

with beautiful work.

Some left feeling like they got a good deal,

and some of us felt somewhat bamboozled.

But how do you judge the value of art?

Ekphrastic PAD 13-3

 What’s Up with the Bushbaby?

 

The giraffe, the monkey, the elephant,

the warthog, the zebra, the wildebeest,

all thought Bushbaby was shy

when they wanted him to come out and play.

 

Turns out Bushbaby

liked to play and do fun things,

but was nocturnal.

He thanked the owl

for “seeing him deep in the night,

when nobody else could.”

 

Yes, as an introvert,

I appreciate that kind of people, too.  

 

Based on Don’t Be Shy Bushbaby by Avril van der Merwe

 

 

 

 

 

Ekphrastic PAD 13-2

 Christmas Ornament Souvenir

 

Mary and Joseph,

handmade of woven jute,

kneel down

holding baby Jesus,

their featureless faces formed

of knots of brown string,

 

Mary wears a dull white robe

and Joseph’s garment,

appears a little more decorative

in a woven pattern of rust, browns and golds.

 

Joseph’s long jute arm hugs Mary

while his other hand holds a wire shepherd’s staff.

A white wire star stands above them.

They’re mounted on a round piece of wood.

 

I liked this creative Christmas ornament

in an artist’s shop in Kenya,

but the more I look at it the more I like it.

Most representations of them

don’t show them kneeling like this does.

 

This piece will not only remind me

of my trip to Kenya

but also of a precious couple

and their even more precious Son.

 

Ekphrastic PAD 13-1

  

Multi-colored Beads

 

Visited a bead factory in Kenya.

Heard about how the women form beads from clay

fire them in a kiln three times in different stages,

and hand paint each one.

Learned how they take pride in earning

a living for their families

by making something beautiful.

Listened to them sing out in hearty, skilled voices

and watched them dance with enthusiasm

as a special greeting for their visitors.

Held back the tears at the loveliness

and danced along with them.

 

 

animal Poetic Blooming

 

The Rothschild giraffe

Snatches a pellet from my fingers

With its long gray tongue

How to Blank old prompt

 

How to Take a Great Selfie

 

Hold up camera in one hand.

With the other, hold a food pellet

between finger and thumb.

Let Rothschild giraffe

put its huge head over your shoulder

and snatch the pellet with its long gray tongue.

Snap the selfie.

If that fails, have the tour guide take it.

Animal Poetic Bloomings

 

Rothschild Giraffes of Kenya

 

Beautiful Rothschild Giraffes

deserve their rock-star status

at the Giraffe Centre.

 

Brown and cream patched coat,

white socks

and very long gray tongue.

 

They develop a rhythm

of scooping up food pellets with their tongue

from one tourist to the next and back.

 

Hold a pellet up for a selfie

as it places its giant head

over your shoulder to snatch a snack.

 

Snacks don’t spoil their meals, though.

They eat 145 pounds of acacia leaves a day

to keep their very tall bodies going.

 

Beautiful, beautiful animals.

Future PAD 12-3

 

The future           

Filled with surprises

Maybe not

It will come

Yes, here, there or in the air

What will future hold?

Future PAD 12-2

 

First Day in Nairobi

 

Streets and underpasses,

(with few traffic lights)

filled with people selling odds

an ends flowers, fruit, veggies,

toys, pictures, just about anything,

mini cars and motorcycles zipping by,

tall trellises replacing foliage loss

from highways and bridges.

 

At our hotel, taking a nap

after a thirteen-hour flight,

letting family know we made it,

meeting people from our tour group,

eating a delicious dinner,

figuring out the voltage converter and adaptors.

I don’t have to be a prophet to know

that these nine days will go by fast.

Future PAD 12-1

 

In the Near Future

 

In the near future (do not laugh)

I may be kissing a giraffe                         

Or, at least, I may cuddle one

There’s many ways of having fun

 

In the near future, here’s the plan

See a museum, if we can

Out of Africa’s Karen Blixen

There’s many ways of having fun

 

In the near future, here’s the plan

We’ll buy some art that’s African

Or taste a sweet African bun

There’s many ways of having fun

scary PAD 11-3

 Writing a Scary Poem

 

It’s hard to write a scary poem

while I’m trying not to

think of scary things.

 

I have to convince myself

my safari guides

don’t want me to be

gored by a rhino,

mauled by lions

or snapped in half by a hippo

any more than I want to be.

 

And I remind myself

that God is with me

wherever I go whether

Colorado, Arizona, Nebraska,

New York or Kenya.

scary PAD 11-2

 Getting Older

 

My sister and I saying,

“What?” due to hearing loss,

“I’ve forgotten”

due to faulty short-term memory

and exclamations of

“How stupid can I be?”

due to making mistakes

just about anyone could make

are about as scary

as anything we’ll meet

in an African country.

Scary PAD 11-1

 

Taking things

one step at a time

is a lot less scary

than imagination.

struggle PAD 10-3

 

Struggles Not to Mention in Polite Company

 

Made it to New York City,

Then ate chicken parmesan.

Filled the cracks in with dessert.

Barely made it to the john.

 

“Emergency!” I hollered.

Had to make it to the throne.

But my sis and travel mate

had some problems of her own.

 

So, we do have our conflicts,

my dear sister and friend.

Like the case of one bathroom,

things do work out in the end!

struggle PAD 10-2

 

Down and Up

 

I coaxed my suitcase

down my sister’s stairs easily

standing in front of it

and letting it slide down

 with a bump, bump, bump.

 

But at 40 pounds

going upstairs

at 6 AM

was a struggle.

Standing below it

lifting up with

bumps and ummphs.

 

But now it’s turned over

to the airlines

and for about five hours,

it’s their problem.

 

Hope to see it again

in New York.

 

struggle PAD 10-1

 Traveling Eve Struggles

 

A whole day

to get ready 

in Lincoln for our flight.

That’s plenty of time

to tie up loose ends,

I thought.

I had to make a few calls,

repack my bag

and help my sister

take her husband

to respite care.

 

We didn’t expect

her and her husband

being up all night

and him not taking his bath

till morning.

Or the plumber coming

so I couldn’t repack

my stuff in the basement.

Or my having to take a COVID test

because my vaccine

was less than two weeks ago,

and it took about an hour of phone calls

to find someone

that could do it that day.

Or my sister losing her car keys.

Or her forgetting her checkbook

and her driving across town

to get it while I unpacked for him.

 

Somehow, despite our struggles,

 I got my test

and settled her husband in respite.

After a good Mexican meal

we went home and found the keys

in one of her shoes.

And we had a good laugh.

I got packed up.

We played a couple of games.

She got to bed late.

But we made on time

to the Lincoln airport.

 

 

Blank of the blank PAD 9-3

 Words of the Cat in the Hat

 

Writing while traveling

A bit crazy but fun

Feeling like the Cat in the Hat

“But that is not all I can do.”

 

“That is what the cat said,

then he fell on his head.”

 

Hope my writings

don’t end up

like all that stuff

in The Cat in the Hat.

Blank of the Blank PAD 9-2

 Stability of the Soul

 

A lot of things could go wrong

On this challenge we’ve taken

To go half way ‘round the world

My confidence has shaken

 

With Kenya pilots striking

And we’ve heard about the drought

But we are all systems go

It is too late to back out

 

But I’ve a secret weapon

That will keep me sane and whole

Prayer to my precious Savior

Stability of my soul

blank of the blank PAD 9-1

 Last Day of the Nebraska Stay

 

A tossed salad of emotions

Last day of the Nebraska stay

Saying goodbye to one sister

With other sis, we’ll go away

 

We pack and repack suitcases

Attempt to fit everything in

We try to keep nervousness down

Adventure’s about to begin

 

A day to tie up the loose ends

And make sure we’ve got all things done

Tomorrow New York then Kenya

Lord willing, we will have some fun