His PLEAS fell on deaf ears. “You are so dang SLICK,” she tartly replied, “You remind me of a SLOTH, covered in slimy green moss.”

Georg’ann

THINK hazardous to BATHE
in waters dotted with FROTH.
Chemicals to clean CLOTH dirty
In heavy air, people move like SLOTH.

Heather

I DREAM of flying. And in my dream, I have FLOWN past the woods and above the meadow. I count the fence POSTS, like a trail of breadcrumbs. I am now near the water, trying not to land in the BOGGY wetlands at the edge. I reach for the BOUGH of an oak tree, mid-way up the tree. Pulling myself up into the tree, I climb until I can turn my face to the stars. Peaceful, I sit and await the dawn.

Georg’ann

In for a penny, in for a POUND. Jumped right in, disregarding how TOUGH it might actually be. Floating fast, hit an intense ROUGH patch, the rapids tossing me to and fro. Almost got knocked out by a low hanging BOUGH.

Heather

The PLANE flies to
MOUNT Blanc
In a TWINK, in a blink
We will be there
No STING, no pain
On this trip!

Georg’ann

Fall festivals, a time for FRESH, hot popcorn nice and SALTY. Served with apple cider slow cooked with spices in a large STOCK pot. As seasons change once again and winter comes, popcorn becomes a treat for the birds when threaded on a STRING with cranberries.

Heather

Her last visit to the beauty shop left her QUITE SHORN. She left feeling SASSY and ready to sizzle and SCALD the world

Georg’ann

When I first WROTE her, I had no QUALM. Now that the missive has been sent I wonder if I SHALL find myself in water so hot it will SCALD.

Heather

MOUSE, mouse where do you run?
To the DOWNS, to the downs, away from the towns.
Are you SOOTY?
Aye, for my fur is grey
Are you SOGGY?
Nay, for my house is dry!

Georg’ann

As the curtain fell the audience sat in the dark, a moment of QUIET before the first BRAVO was exclaimed from one of the upper boxes. SPOOK and SONNY’s tale played well on the large stage. The set design and costumes exquisitely detailed. I wrapped my own pashmina more closely around my shoulders for warmth as I watched the boys on stage struggle in their SOGGY scenes.

Heather

“‘Tis me ma’s STAWS for the fair,” said the Scotsman as he POSED as if for a picture, his cow-LICKS catching the sunlight, on this BRISK fall day in the Highlands.

Georg’ann

Oh dear, such a SHAME about the potted posies. We hadn’t expected a FROST. Though baking some apple CRISP will comfort followed by a BRISK walk under the vivid blue sky.

Heather

I ADMIT it:
I am a BEAST!

Georg’ann

The WHOLE document was put together STRIP by shredded strip. By handing over the pieces, the secretary gave TACIT agreement related to the AUDIT, though she’d never ADMIT it explicitly.

Heather

I pulled the CAMEO off the dresser, memories of my DEARS.
Who will be BRAVE this time?
The GRAPE cluster hangs by the window GRATE.

Georg’ann

A CRAFT made of TRASH might include using a rusted furnace GRATE as a garden trellis

Heather

Like a MOVIE, my dream seems to FLOAT as the wind BLOWS. Alas, the CLOCK tells me it is time to face the world. What GLORY there is in the day? None… Can I not go back to dreams?

Georg’ann

A DAISY makes a gloomy day more MERRY.
It’s a simple blossom, not much GLORY.

Heather

Down the street they went,
Seven children in all with
The LEAST SPRAT
Bringing up the rear
Seven pairs of SABOT shoes,
Mama a SAINT and Papa
Full of good news

Georg’ann

Gliding, almost as if hovering, above the dance floor. She moved with GRACE, as always. Once back in the dressing room she fell FAINT. The hour was late, breakfast had been long ago and the PAINT fumes of the recently redone theater were strong. Martha, a SAINT of an assistant, caught her and then guided her to the light meal waiting.

Heather

She WEARS her boots
To climb to the AERIE
Where eagles nest
And falcons soar
“Let me REMAP my way down,”
She declares from on high
“I seek new ways,
New paths.
No mere RECAP for me.”

Georg’ann

We all feared he would SPOIL the PRANK with his darting eyes and fidgety hands. But he kept it together, the CAPER was successfully executed. The RECAP brought amusement for years to come.

Heather

The little MOUSE
Began to GLARE
And stamp his tiny feet
“We are not ALIKE,”
He fumed at the big rat.

Georg’ann

While the green of the beans changed hue in the STEAM, softening the taste, she began a slow DANCE inspired by the softly falling snow, wondered on the structure of each FLAKE. Were any two ALIKE struck her as an odd notion to ponder in the presence of such delight.

Heather

I will take my LUMPS
And keep trying to extend my REACH.
For it takes more than a TRICE
To make the world nice

Georg’ann

Look how big it’s GROWN, why I expect the PRICE to be TRICE.
So nice to be eaten with rice.

Heather

I wish to help her heal, but Her LARGE eyes were MOIST with tears.
Her heart shattered into too many pieces to COUNT,
How can we begin to mend, to set aside any DOUBT?

Georg’ann

ARISE! The HOUNDS are ready.
We will find the suspect, there is no DOUBT

Heather

My brow was MOIST with effort,
As I finally TAMED the garden.
Pleased, I bent down to take a refreshing sniff of the THYME

Georg’ann

With POISE & humility, she accepted the GRADE, hers had been heads above the rest.No one else had imagined a culinary THEME, incorporating THYME into an articulation of social class.

Heather

It was VITAL that
We ROUND up the SHEEP
We can can refresh with a bit of BOOZE after

Georg’ann

In a pool of SWEAT
We BROKE the BIOME
Might as well hit the BOOZE

Heather

On a QUEST,
TIMID, yet determined,
I begin the ritual:
TIBIA of a wolf, tooth of a bear,
Chant the words and beware!

Georg’ann

There was little WASTE
THANK you
For the recovery soup
Broken TIBIA will soon be healed.

Heather

It was ROUGH
Going through the MOATS.
I fell on my BOOTY
And felt pretty POTTY
And definitely not LOFTY

Georg’ann

I ran out of STEAM
The route was TOUGH
I thought, what’s the POINT
Must have been DOTTY to attempt
Really kicked my BOOTY
Ride was JOLTY
Failed the pursuit
‘Twas too LOFTY

Heather

Mais oui! Perhaps more than bon:
It was GREAT
It was STEEP
It was the THEME 
Climb every mountain!! 

Georg’ann

The air was MOIST, cool droplets settled on my cheeks. Nature provided the THEME: coastal wandering at dawn.

Heather

A FEAST laid before us
By a DEMON
Despite its HERBY aroma
We were LEERY 
Of taking the first bite!

Georg’ann

Attempts to RAISE our spirits 
Rented a scooter, as was the new TREND. Egads the controls were QUEER. Landed us in the EMERG, WHERE we waited, waited, waited.
To ride again we are LEERY

Heather

Who is that?
She looks FRAIL.
Is she about to CHOKE? 
Oh! I hear “WHOOT!” like an owl, 
Followed by “WHOOP!” like a crane,
And a sassy shake of her head, a flap of her scarf like wings, and away she flies

Georg’ann

A dollop of CREAM
Softens the STING
All the difference 
Whether you WOULD 
WHOOP approval 
Or whisper in pain
Upon choosing the 
chili heat of locals 
who prepare the dish  

Heather

GRATE a fresh nutmeg
Scoop THREE handfuls rose petals
Tuck them into the winding sheet 
And MITER the corners carefully round the head and feet
Prepare the tomb,
INTER the body
Pray for the dead 

Georg’ann

He AROSE, still TIRED. 
Grief exhausts like no ITHER
Though it had been months, it seemed only a moment since he’d had to INTER his beloved.

Heather

The FEAST sprawls across the table
“What are these odd ROUND and LUMPY bits? They sully my repast! 
Into the GULLY they shall be blast!” 

Georg’ann

RAISE a glass
Allow the full bodied red to rest in your MOUTH for a moment. 
We are LUCKY, as if this moment came up from the wishing well, bucket rising with the PULLY. Childhood had too many who chose to BULLY. This picnic, here in the woods with you, washes all that down the fern lined GULLY.  

Heather

Bunnies in the FIELD
Hopping ABOUT on the RACKS
“Don’t CRAMP our style,” they seem to say
I bow to their CHARM, and step away

Georg’ann

Into the opening in the beech tree, the bunny called out “ARISE, it’s time for the PARTY.” Out popped another dapper creature carrying a cheese BOARD. They began to saunter towards a bramble, arm in arm. “Oh what delights and CHARM await us this afternoon.”

Heather

With nary a TRACE of good sense, oblivious to danger, my head full of QUIPS, bon mots, and daydreams,I wander down the trail, in the thick HUMID day, searching for FUNGI and signs of the fairies and gnomes of the woods.

Georg’ann

Next to an opening at the base of a beech tree, I saw a SHAPE. It was not a MOUND, it were a brown BUNNY standing upright, wearing an elegant creamy brown & grey TUNIC, and looking rather like a massive FUNGI itself.

Heather

A woeful choice:
To select a PIECE of paper,
Finding only TAXES and despair
Shuffling through reams, 
I STREW dust MOTES. 
I fear the ONSET of despair

Georg’ann

She carried herself with POISE
Gave no hint of the OMENS
seen in tea leaves
ONSET cannot be reversed 

Heather

I TRUST in the rightness of nature.
From the song of the WHALE, 
To the CHEEP of the tiny wren, 
let me walk not as the CHIEF of all, 
but as a humble human learning as I go

Georg’ann

Beautiful BEAST I adore
constant CHORE, 
the fur & feeding
Tickles my CHEEK with her whiskers
Warm weighted motor 
idles on my chest
All hail the sweet 
CHIEF of this tribe

Heather

To SWEAR
To be AGILE
To wear a BADGE

Nothing prepared her for the difficulty of using a GAUGE on the GAUZE

Georg’ann