Morning of July 22, 2023

Mona Lisa —

the smile i saved

for him

~Mona Bedi

watermelon

seed-spitting contest

I win against myself

~Jennifer Gurney

VFW Post

the soccer game on its TV

USA vs. Vietnam

~John J. Dunphy

Essential

Essence, every word to count -

though scattered seed may germinate -

is it broadcast, plants for judge,

ore vein embedded, mind if will?

A waste of shame when spirit cedes,

a rhythm method, rhyme enforced,

when concentrate distilled, required,

the alchemy, requited smith.

~Stephen Kingsnorth

morning yoga

a row of red ants

under the mat

~Bidyut Prabha Gantayat

stone wall

small painful crevice

 Hornets nest

 ~Steve Van Allen

saying it as it is a mosquito’s buzz

~Mona Bedi

the sons she never had lost love

~Mona Bedi

light drizzle letting go of all chaos

~Mona Bedi