Five Poems by Jeannie E. Roberts

 

The Ethereal Effect, Stirred, Not Shaken

—a villanelle

Martinis are made with vermouth and gin—

a cocktail served in an iconic glass.

The magic arrives where green olives grin.

 

Its conical shape with tall stem’s a win—

a drink silhouette with style and sass.

Martinis are made with vermouth and gin.

 

The first sip may stir you, tingle your skin—

though the luster may evanesce, alas.

The magic arrives where green olives grin.

 

Juniper infused, as if long lost kin—

my dendrophile-dad drank them with class.

Martinis are made with vermouth and gin.

 

Its pine flavour prompts an internal spin—

moves one to forests and meadowlike grass.

The magic arrives where green olives grin.

 

Clear spirits glide amid whispers, not din—

airborne, they buoy above the morass.

Martinis are made with vermouth and gin.

The magic arrives where green olives grin.

 

The Wilderness of Survival

 —after the painting Young Boy Feeding Rabbits by John Bradley, 1831

 

Beneath the deck,

the resident cottontail tends to her litter.

The latticework conceals the hollow,

serves as protection.

Overhead, a hawk circles

as a fox stirs in the overgrown curtilage.

Nearby, a bull snake awaits the prospect

of a leporid lunch.

The thought of harm

prompts my maternal instincts.

Still, what safeguards can I offer

to the scamper of innocence?

The term survival of the fittest

rarely applies to bunnies.

If only safety flanked the wild rabbit.

Domestic breeds like the Rex

and English Spot maintain assured lives,

where yellow brick roads lead to castles,

blue skies, and humane treatment.

If only safety flanked the Ukrainian people.

I see their fear as they flee below ground,

drop into a wilderness of bomb shelters.

When will Putin release his grip,

restore the peace, return the flag,

the blue and yellow colours of freedom?

I wonder, is it possible for the fittest survivors

to be fit with the omnipresent lens of benevolence.

 

Sacred Moments with the Flowers in My Garden—

Joy Shared with My Son and His Girlfriend

 

They biked over bearing flowers,

a bouquet picked from her mother’s garden—

 

An array of Phlox, Coreopsis, Rudbeckia, and Echinacea

were thoughtfully displayed

 

within an aqua-coloured mason jar. I placed the floral

arrangement on the table, near the couch.

 

After an exchange of hugs and conversation,

we biked together, explored the area of my youth,

 

rode down W. River Parkway, past the fancy homes,

headed toward the Midtown Greenway,

 

stopped at a taqueria, pedalled to Powderhorn Park,

where we sat beneath a crabapple tree.

 

Beyond the hill, Spanish resounded as soccer coaches

gave guidance—

 

The resonance evoked memories of Mexico City,

experiences that reshaped my being.

 

The next morning, synchronicity graced the living room,

rendered a coincidence between

 

the bouquet and my son’s 1^st grade painting—

Hanging on the wall, like a smile

 

orchestrated by the universe, his yellow Rudbeckia

beamed within a blue vase.

 

The past echoes, holds loving reminders, strengthens

the now. We are petals,

 

each lifting our sacred expressions, bearing flowers,

bestowing gifts.

 

Viceroys Visit a Villanelle of V’s

 

Verse vaults to voice the value of v’s

Volunteers avail their vital finesse

Nouns invite verbs in a villanelle weave

 

To envision vast vistas evokes peace

The enlivener vivifies life’s quest

Verse vaults to voice the value of v’s 

 

Vapors of Vinca versify the breeze

Vicia, V. sativa, viva la vetch 

Nouns invite verbs in a villanelle weave

 

Voles venerate the vicissitude of bees 

Vegans avoid victuals à la flesh

Verse vaults to voice the value of v’s 

 

Viceroys vanish midst the verdure of leaves

L. archippus visits verdancy to rest

Nouns invite verbs in a villanelle weave

 

Vaccines vary to validate our needs

Vaccinators vanquish the virus with zest  

Verse vaults to voice the value of v’s 

Nouns invite verbs in a villanelle weave

 

Water, It Animates Life Wherever It Flows

—a villanelle

 

It animates life wherever it flows,

is home to frogs, a habitat for fish,

dihydrogen monoxide, H₂0.

 

The body requires its presence to grow.   

As if an elixir or assured wish,

it animates life wherever it flows.

 

Internally drenched, awash head to toe,

humans are vessels, a natural dish

of dihydrogen monoxide, H₂0.

 

It entertains swimmers, those on the go,

quenches our thirst, bedews as if kiss.

It animates life wherever it flows.

 

It is vital to wren, robin, and crow,

weeps for protection, a helping-hands-list,

dihydrogen monoxide, H₂0.

 

Let us leap into action, steal the show,

be Adam’s-ale-aides, guardians of bliss.

It animates life wherever it flows,

dihydrogen monoxide, H₂0.

Jeannie E. Roberts has authored seven books, five poetry collections and two illustrated children's books. Her most recent collection, As If Labyrinth - Pandemic Inspired Poems, was released in 2021 by Kelsay Books. Her work appears in numerous publications and anthologies. She’s an award-winning artist and poet, a Best of the Net nominee, and a poetry editor of the online literary magazine Halfway Down the Stairs. She finds peace outdoors, listening to birds, identifying plants, noticing Earth’s beauty while practicing gratitude along the way.