May 26, 2025

Green Marvel (Acronita fallax)

Night light a bit too bright

Misguided moth settles on the screen

Night flight, viburnum bite

Interrupted by the porch light scene

Black and white fringe delights

Bordering a mint-chocolate-chip green

Moss-like during daylight

Bulb out! Return to woodland canteen.


A naturette poem.

A form I invented to celebrate tiny bits of nature.

Rhyme, lines and syllables are:

6AA, 9B, 6CC, 9B, 6DD, 9B, 6EE, 9B

This one is inspired by my love of and curiosity for moths. And what lands on the screen door on those warm evenings when I leave the porch light on.

April 2, 2024

Snow fleas (a type of springtail insect with an antifreeze like protein that makes it more tolerant of cold than other insects) on the melting snow along a trail

Snow Fleas


Melting snow where trees grow

Reveals more than long soggy trails

Antifreeze-filled snow fleas

More precisely known as springtails

Numbers grow, blacken snow

As they jump from the dampened trails

Harmless things, have no wings

Warm snowy days reveal springtails.


Naturette Poem. A poetry form I invented to write about a tiny detail of nature. 

The 8-line poem has the following rhyme scheme and syllable count:

6AA

8B

6CC

8B

6DD

8B

6EE

8B

April 1, 2024

Sanguinaria canadensis (Bloodroot)
a spring ephemeral.

Bloodroot


Under trees, through soil heave

Tender little buds folded tight

Leaves hug stem, as this gem

Opens into the warm sunlight

Natural birth, close to earth

Revealing petals of pure white

On display, just a day

early spring woodland delight


Naturette Poem. A poetry form I invented to write about a tiny detail of nature. 

The 8-line poem has the following rhyme scheme and syllable count:

6AA

8B

6CC

8B

6DD

8B

6EE

8B

April 30, 2020

A common blue violet blooms in the crack of a boulder.

Success(ion)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A seed lands, crack expands

Roots making life from hard rock

Water feeds new plant needs

In the shade of a great hemlock

Boulder becomes mineral crumbs

Roots, rock, rain in wedlock

Through sun and storms new soil forms

The tale of a forest epoch.

——————————————————

A Naturette Poem. A poetry form I invented to write about a tiny detail of nature.

The 8-line poem has the following rhyme scheme and syllable count:

6AA

8B

6CC

8B

6DD

8B

6EE

8B

February 20, 2020

Dots dashes spots splashes

Patterns of Morse code for the bees

Moths and flies fly from skies

Descending from up in the trees

Finding sweet nectar treat

At the tail end of winter freeze

Early blooms fragrant fumes

Wake insects from their winter zzzz


Naturette Poem

8 lines with the following syllable count and rhyme scheme about small finds in nature.

6AA

8B

6CC

8B

6DD

8B

6EE

8B

February 20, 2020

Lichens

A pale green glossy sheen

With some rough patches here and there

Foliose, Fruticose

Living symbols of good clean air

Dwell on boles and phone poles

Employing support anywhere

Algal fused with fungal

Look for them nearly everywhere

_______________________________________

Naturette

8 lines with the following rhyme scheme and (syllable count) about small finds in nature.

AA(6)

B (8)

CC (6)

B (8)

DD (6)

B (8)

EE (6)

B (8)

January 8, 2020

Liquidambar styraciflua

_____________________________________

Snow boots near spiky fruits

Seeds far from the capsules by now

Dropped in turds spread by birds

Away from the blades of a plow

Just the shell where it fell

After tumbling from a bough

debris under a tree

But still helping with life somehow

_____________________________________

Invented poetic form

Naturette

8 lines with the following rhyme scheme and (syllable count) about small finds in nature.

AA(6)

B (8)

CC (6)

B (8)

DD (6)

B (8)

EE (6)

B (8)