Tuesday, August 31, 2010

gift me your soul


I am a lover of love.
every rhapsodist
holds secrets of virtue
to defy all pretense

my desire
is possession
of every touch
and adulation:
gift me your
soul

as I portend
the love between
me and the
eternal
you.




Poem © 2010 by R. Burnett Baker
Photo © 2008 by R. Burnett Baker


Sunday, August 29, 2010

Magpie Tales Photo Prompt 29: When Home Is Just A Memory

what once was home


from a hedgerow I hesitated and gazed
at darkened windows and door shut
to what once was home;

should I knock and tell my tale of how
I lived, laughed, cried, loved, and
whispered memories within those walls,

or quietly walk the lane back to the road
letting pine needles and leaves fall softly
over the garden?


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

Saturday, August 28, 2010



sky red


my mind
is fire;
my sky
red;

my
eye suffers
half the face
of wisdom.







Poem © 2010 by R. Burnett Baker
Photo © 2005 by R. Burnett Baker
Photo of Tian Tan Buddha, Lantau Island, Hong Kong taken by R. Baker, 2005.


Sunday, August 22, 2010


full heat


summer in full heat
tempered by quiet rain -

a hint of autumn's color
crashes 'round my feet
as did your gentle words
of unrequited
love.






Poem © 2005 by R. Burnett Baker
Photo © 2005 by R. Burnett Baker



Saturday, August 21, 2010

crows


as a boy
in south Texas
I heard crows
cawing through
tree branches
only in
autumn.

now in mid-life
I hear crows
cawing in bright
summer
heat.

is
autumn
upon me
so soon?



Poem © 2010 by R. Burnett Baker
Photo "Crow 103" by photographer/media artist Meggan Gould.
Series of crow photos taken while Ms. Gould was living in
Mumbai (Bombay), India.
http://www.meggangould.net/index.htm

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Magpie Tales Photo Prompt Twenty-Eight


tickling bathwater


feet in a river;
a face in an opened window;
toes tickling bathwater.

all elements of risk,
measurements of confidence
before diving
into
life.


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


open sky


in
the
forest
one
tree
seeks
another
path,

heartened
by
open
sky.





Poem © 2010 by R. Burnett Baker
Photo © 2010 by R. Burnett Baker
Photo taken by R. Baker in Redwood National and State Parks, California, 2003.


path below



light
defines a
church tower.

the road below
shadowed by
trees.







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

Monday, August 16, 2010

Poetry of the Absurd

We wonder why our youth can't spell.
We wonder why our youth are behind in math.
We wonder why Johnny can't read.

And we wonder why aliens don't try to contact us?

At least this shop is hiring. No spelling,
adding, or reading required.

Sign on a shop window, Queen Street West, Toronto, Ontario.
Photo © 2010 by R. Burnett Baker



Thursday, August 12, 2010

Magpie Tales Photo Prompt Twenty-Seven


beyond youth


brown spots appear,
my bones steely cold,
joints threaded
like rusted
iron.

beneath patina skin
water flows,
and I sip life
another
day.






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

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Magpie Tales Photo Prompt Twenty-Six: Having a bit of fun with this one!





tin man


as rain seizes
the empty tin man

the forest claims
a rusty water
can.









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



Tuesday, August 3, 2010

An Eye Opener



Today Willow posted an interesting piece about the mustache. It reminded me of those years when just about every male had one. You know, the '70's and '80's. http://willowmanor.blogspot.com/

During my last trip to Texas, I happened upon my old, long expired Texas Driver's License. I had completely forgotten about it, and no wonder: I had that damn '70's porn star mustache, and MY EYES WERE CLOSED!! YES! And the Texas Department of Public Safety let me keep that license. It tickles me, but it also just blows my tiny little mind!

Now I haven't lived in Texas for many many years. I was overseas in Asia, Northern Africa, and the Middle East for a long time. I don't really talk like a Texan. But damn if something doesn't always pop up to perpetuate those stereotypes about Texans and Texas.

Well, I snapped a quickie cell phone photo of that license, so pardon the blurry image. But I find it amusing and decided to share. So here it is.... Can't you just hear ZZ Top blaring on the car radio?

drive me
drive me
drive me crazy!

let me
close my eyes, ossifer,
so you'll know
it's really
me!





Rick Baker
Rochester, NY
August 4, 2010

Sunday, August 1, 2010

Microfiction Monday

Below is my first attempt at telling a story in 140 characters or less based on a photo prompt. Courtesy of Susan at http://www.stonyriver.ie/.

Repeatedly she nagged, "Fix the roof!"
Many Sundays passed and that became
the least of her worries.