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Richbee's avatar

Awake with the feeling that we wait patiently for the tide to recede. For this is time well spent breathing the salt sea air.

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Sharron Bassano's avatar

Mmmm. Yes.

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Kate Henry's avatar

Sounds like a do-nothing day. I don't have much use for clocks. I try not to make appointments for anything. A day-worth is close enough. Feed my kitties, gather seeds from the garden, watch them bloom. Barn swallows dive bomb the neighbor's cat. Hummers gulp from their feeders. There is enough doing to do just to watch the light change.

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Sharron Bassano's avatar

Sounds ideal, Kate. You plan it that way, I know.

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Kim Smyth's avatar

That was beautiful, Sharon. I'd love to learn to write poetry like that!

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Sharron Bassano's avatar

Sonnets are a bit "mathematical" for me, but it was an interesting exercise, making all the words and thoughts fit. Glad you liked it, Kim.

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Jim Cummings's avatar

Beautiful Sharron. Both versions. Sonnet is an especially challenging form but you have pulled it off wonderfully.

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Sharron Bassano's avatar

Thank you, Jim, for reading it again. I hope your summer is going well in the southland there.

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K.C. Knouse's avatar

I liked them both. The fifty- worder was snappier. Both appropriate for a lazy weekend read.

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Sharron Bassano's avatar

Thank you, Cousin. The subject was lazy enough, for sure. I have become a master napper in my old age -- whether in the sun or in the arm chair. Instant snooze-fest.

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K.C. Knouse's avatar

Me, too.

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Jim J Wilsky's avatar

Sharron, you painted a vivid picture with words. To me, that's what clicks for stories, poems, sonnets or in any written form. Well done. - Jim

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Sharron Bassano's avatar

Thank you, Jim. Your story that takes place on the airport shuttle train was absolutely chilling. You always make me want to be a better writer.

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Justin Deming's avatar

Both versions are lovely, Sharron. The writing is captivating and picturesque!

Thank you for mentioning me, as well. 🙏

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Sharron Bassano's avatar

Thank you,, Justin, for all you do to promote creative fiction to help showcase other writers. You are a most generous man.

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Sharon Hudson's avatar

Outstanding, Sharron..both versions! They are both written beautifully! I’d love to learn this style of poetry…I know it’s difficult, but yours is lovely.

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Sharron Bassano's avatar

Thank you,my sweetheart. I look forward to seeing what comes out of the Gopher Farm tomorrow.

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Chloe Hope's avatar

Sharron, this is absolutely gorgeous!!

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Sharron Bassano's avatar

Goodness, Chloe! Thank you so much for stopping by over here at Leaves. I imagine your inbox is bursting! I am honored you took the time to read my poems and honored by your comment.

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Sue Cauhape's avatar

The cadence of your sonnet evolved into a very Shapespearean syntax and choice of words and phrases. Even the voice of Dylan Thomas seeped through a couple of times. I love how you took the essence for the 50-word version.

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Sharron Bassano's avatar

Oh, thank you, Sue. The sonnet form is quite strict in its prescribed number of syllables per line, lines per verse, rhyming pattern, etc. It is like putting together a puzzle. Intriguing to do once. Probably only once...

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Sue Cauhape's avatar

Yeah, I did one for a poetry class ... once.

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Sharron Bassano's avatar

I’d like to see that.

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Sue Cauhape's avatar

Here's a sneak peak of the sonnet that I'll post with a story about wildlife shelters:

Sonnet to Samantha

Samantha rubs against her wooden den

then springs to lay upon its private roof

where she can hide and watch the barred rock hen

that pecks so close. This cat, aloof,

can crouch or fly from ground to tree.

Her stealth is freshly handed down from just

one generation caught from being free

to this fenced yard of cramped and soiled dust.

But though she’s housed by man and nightly fed

the simple bones and giblets of a bird,

a bit of prey that’s handed to her dead,

she bares her fangs, then squeaks a greeting word

to one who comes to scratch her cougar chin

and touch the patient wild one within.

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Sharron Bassano's avatar

Wow Wow Wow!

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James Ron's avatar

I think this is very good. I hope this is not your last. I've been sun-swooned before. Quite nice.

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Sharron Bassano's avatar

Yeah. California. My entire childhood was sun-swooned - like a lizard on a rock.

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Yael Gelardin's avatar

Being old and decrepit, I don’t remember if I read those before. I am not an expert on sonnets. What I know is that I liked what I read. Thank you, Sharron.

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Sharron Bassano's avatar

Hey… most of my friends are old and decrepit! Everything is always brand new to us. ha ha ha.

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Daniel O’Donnell's avatar

Lovely Sharron. Anywhere by the water is a good place to be 🙂

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Sharron Bassano's avatar

I have to agree. I think the worst summer I ever experienced was land-locked in the state of North Dakota. Thought I would lose my mind.

I'll tell you though, the coast of California is not the same AT ALL as the coast of Maine. Maine's coast is akin to Scotland. California is more like the riviera of northern Italy.

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Daniel O’Donnell's avatar

I’ve always wanted to visit Maine. Seems like my kind of place. Plus, my favourite author used to live there, so if it can inspire him ….. 😁

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Mark VanLaeys's avatar

I think the rays of hope are still there for as the tide goes out deserting us, another one comes in to lift and renew us.

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Sharron Bassano's avatar

Thank you, Mark, for providing the balance here. In these days when you are desperately trying to find your own balance, you still reach out to others. You are a special man.

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Mark VanLaeys's avatar

. . . and you Sharon are so very kind .

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Jill CampbellMason's avatar

That sun-swooned cat knows something!! It turns up not only in your sonnet, but your 50 words...it's my 3 words of the day...

Ahh, but if only I were forever sun-swooned...

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Sharron Bassano's avatar

Not much sun back there in the woods where you live?

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Jill CampbellMason's avatar

At our Canadian Cabin, there is not much time to swoon. But if there isn’t lots of sun, our solar panels wouldn’t work.

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