Sunday, February 28, 2010

Magpie Tales Photo Prompt Week Three

Willow has provided her weekly photo prompt.  I was a bit stumped, or weighted down, if you will by this one!  So after a couple of days I wrote the following poem (almost a limerick) just for fun.  Thanks again, Willow!

the fisherman 



in a rusted toolbox lay a weight,
ringlet empty, pitted face. 

just one kilo lump I found, 
two point two it gave in pounds. 

neatly tied on nylon line
I cast it heavy just one time.

splashing loudly in the lake 
the too too heavy leaded weight 

sank more quickly than I could wish, 
broke the line 
and killed 
a fish! 


Poem © 2010 by R. Burnett Baker 
Photo courtesy of "Willow" from Magpie Tales blog. 

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

centuries ago 



you wrote of 
longing for 
ancient beauty
and brick roads...

for thousand year-old 
buildings teeming 
with life...

about being seduced by
understated gentility 
and finding your 
fit there. 

back in the 
mundane of daily effort
you talk of sharing your 
wanderlust sensibilities 
with a soul 
like yours...

you tell your tales 
having never noticed 
the thousand year-old 
window to my soul 
that opened to you 

centuries 
ago. 


Poem © 2010 by R. Burnett Baker 
Photo © 2005 by R. Burnett Baker 
Photo taken by R. Baker.  A window at Eastman House, Rochester, NY 2005. 

Monday, February 22, 2010

Weekly Magpie Tales


From Magpie Tales linked below, Willow has offered her weekly photo for those of us who tell tales, write stories, or find poetry in everyday life.  My contribution follows.  I encourage you all to visit her link and read the stories of others who have carried that matchbox in their imaginations!

Thank you, Willow! 

Rick Baker 
February 22, 2010
Rochester, NY 


cigarette and passions



with one strike
I lit your cigarette 
and our passions.

along cobbled lanes 
we feigned Bogie and Bacall

as Hotel Bratislava
slept aflame.

Danube waters 
roiling near 
could never dampen 
this matchbox of 
burning 
desire. 


Poem © 2010 by R. Burnett Baker 
Photo courtesy of Willow at Magpie Tales




Sunday, February 21, 2010

floor to wall 



cast from 
floor to 
wall,

I'm defined 
in gray 
by 
sunlit 
shadows.






Poem © 2010 by R. Burnett Baker 
Photo © 2010 by R. Burnett Baker 
Photo taken by R. Baker February 21, 2010 at the Greece Mall, Greece, NY. 

yawning winter


prison bars of ice:

with sunrise 
begins a 
yawning winter 
thaw. 



Poem © 2010 by R. Burnett Baker 
Photo © 2010 by R. Burnett Baker 

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

The photo above comes from "willow" who is posting photographs each week on her blog and encouraging anyone to write a short story or poem about it.  Her blog is "magpie tales", and it's listed on my blog list below my profile. You will find links to other writers and bloggers there, and will no doubt find some wonderful writing, art and photography for your enjoyment. Below is my small contribution of poetry for her photograph. 


face with no name 



a wreath of glory 
embossed its face
with no name to 
claim victory: 

a chalice ready to 
be palled with pride 

yet poured 
over and again 

with 
humility. 



Poem ©  2010 by R. Burnett Baker


Sunday, February 14, 2010


 heart



heart 
upon heart
in simple embrace
held for a moment lingering in space 
one felt for an instant 
this was the start of 
a moment embraced
heart upon 
heart.


Poem © 2005  by R. Burnett Baker 

Thursday, February 4, 2010

spring reflected 


I saw spring 
reflected in a 
pond 

trees bare 
on water's 
edge.














Poem © 2010 by R. Burnett Baker 
Photo © 2010 by R. Burnett Baker 
Cell phone photo taken by R. Baker February 3, 2010 at the Baker Farm, Shepherd, Texas. 









live oak green 



as if to 
live forever 

a live oak 
green 
yields nothing 
to the 
seasons. 



Poem © 2010 by R. Burnett Baker 
Photo © 2010 by R. Burnett Baker 
Cell phone photo taken  by R. Baker February 2, 2010 on the Baker Farm, Shepherd, Texas. 




nothing above 



calmly silent
morning came

no breeze
or singing bird

clouds gray
to blanket 
the sky

nothing above 
could see 
me 
stir. 


Poem © 2010 by R. Burnett Baker 
Photo © 2004 by R. Burnett Baker 
Photo of overcast sky in eastern Taiwan taken by R. Baker, 2004.