Littles

 

Colleen Chesebro has invited all Tanka Tuesday participants to pen a SPECIFIC FORM of SYLLABIC POETRY this week. She has chosen the Japanese IMAYO poem, with the subject being a BIRD. Here is a memory from my childhood…

We had a pair of finches – Java Temple Birds

Named them Bruno and Brunette – the perfect couple

They would sing to each other – their distinctive song

They took care of each other – we took care of them

©2023 Annette Rochelle Aben

https://wordcraftpoetry.com/2023/07/18/tankatuesday-weekly-poetry-challenge-no-329-7-18-23-specific-form/

flashlights for reading

Brave a summer storm

From under a blanket fort

Huddling with friends

Lots of soft comfy pillows

And snack foods to see you through

©2020 Annette Rochelle Aben

Bed Fellows

A little girl needed a room of her own, especially when her siblings closest in age, were all boys. She was given the space off the bathroom. A space normally used for storage. Besides, she could lock the door. She could find privacy there.

She didn’t mind sleeping on an old mattress, covered in quilts. There was a bare light bulb hanging from the ceiling, so she could read. She gladly traded the feel of the mice running across her legs at night over her father’s demands. She chose to sleep in mouse turds rather than her own blood.

 Written for Charli Mills’ 99 word flash fiction challenge for March 7, 2019. A story about MICE. 

crowning glory

When she was a kid

Mother made her wear a bowl

When she cut her hair

Her friends called her helmet head

She learned to love hats instead

©2018 Annette Rochelle Aben

some yum

Did you lick beaters

When your mother made icing

For a birthday cake

Did you make shortbread

Baked with cinnamon sugar

Leftover pie dough

Put on an apron

Take a whiff of yesterday

Taste bud time machine

©2017 Annette Rochelle Aben