Happy Poetry Friday!
Thanks to Mary Lee Hahn, I was inspired to read the work of Kate Baer. Kate’s poems have been described as those you would share with you mother, your sister, your friends. This week I read her poem “Some Nights” in What Kind of Woman. It begins like this:
Some nights she walks out to the
driveway where the lilacs bloom and
lies down on the warm pavement even
though the neighbors will see and wonder
what kind of woman does such things….
When I’m stuck and can’t get started writing, I often borrow a structure, a phrase, or a word from an author I admire. In this case, I borrowed Kate’s phrase (which also happens to be her title) “some nights.” Lately we’ve had an array of wildlife, mostly deer, visit our backyard at night, so it didn’t take long for that phrase to get me started:
Some Nights…
the deer wander
through the brush
over the fence
into the backyard.
They are still,
alert to danger
with bright eyes reflections
of the moon.
After a while, they venture closer
munch morning glories
hostas
my favorite red geraniums.
They leave a calling card
as if the pruned plants aren’t enough.
Some nights I’m lucky enough to catch them.
I watch and wonder
about the space we share,
the give and take of nature’s bounty.
Draft, 2023RoseCappelli
Matt has the roundup today at Radio, Rhythm & Rhyme where he is celebrating the publication of his newest picture book poem The Thing to Remember about Stargazing, illustrated by Sonia Maria Luce Possentini and published by Tilbury House. Be sure to stop by for lots of poetry goodness.
Imagine the Possibilities 
Your poem creates a clear image. No deer in my yard, but we used to see them occasionally in my parent’s yard. I can picture the deer as you wrote- still, alert to danger, with bright eyes reflections of the moon. There is a rhythm to the lines
“munch morning glories
hostas
my favorite red geraniums”
…I could follow them around the yard.
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Thanks, Diane.
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Yay! I’m so glad you enjoyed Kate Baer’s poetry AND found inspiration for yours there. Luckily, the prolific deer in our neighborhood haven’t leapt our back fence to nibble my favorite plants. Out front under the oak, it’s a different matter. I’m not really waging war, but I am finding some plants I love that they don’t, such as balloon flower and hellebores. Our neighbor’s burr oak is a favorite deer buffet — you can hear them crunching all the way across the street!
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Thanks again, Mary Lee. Bonus – Kate Baer is from a small town in PA not far from where I grew up.
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I know the feeling, Rose, at once wishing to drive them away and try sheer awe for the beauty of wildlife. If only they understood boundaries! I love how you captured the tension in your poem.
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Thanks, Patricia!
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Rose, the lines: They leave a calling card/as if the pruned plants aren’t enough,
made me laugh out loud! We have a similar struggle with deer who love to eat arborvitae.
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We have deer come through here all the time, so your poem resonated with me, Rose. Very nice!
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I feel as if I’ve taken a lovely night walk among your deer. Appreciations for being inspired by both Mary Lee & Kate Baer. With Kate’s poem I smile to think about
the lilac-loving woman’s expression of her delight.
Our night land visitors are armadillo, raccoon, opposum & in the skies, owls. That we know of . . .
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Thank you!
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Vivid and evocative images in your poem, Rose. Since we have deer sightings too, really enjoyed your poem!
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Thanks, Jama!
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Oh I can sure relate to this! Hostas–also known as the deer’s salad bar. Drives me nuts! Mine make it until July and then the deer decimate them.
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You wrote: “When I’m stuck and can’t get started writing, I often borrow a structure, a phrase, or a word from an author I admire” and I say, what a GREAT idea!!!
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Thanks, Anastasia!
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Just read Marcie’s post, also deer related but not as pretty, Rose. Your ending is provocative and just nice, too. We are all one! Happy Birthday week!
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How lovely, those ‘bright eyes reflections / of the moon’. So much said in so few words. I do hope they keep their nibbles to a minimum. (And leave their calling cards in appropriate places!🤭)
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Rose, I love the give and take–the way you matter-of-factly accept their calling cards and “pruned plants.” Although, even your “favorite red geraniums”! Yes, we can share nature’s bounty. Wonderful poem. I love Kate Baer.
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Roae, this is such a finely-observed event scene. I especially love “Some nights” through “the space we share.” Such a perfect, quiet moment
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I really love this, Rose! Your poem makes me wish I could be there with you watching for those deer.
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Thanks, Linda.
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Rose, like Marcie you have a deer eating flowers’ issue. Me too! I never catch them in the act, though. I like the flow of your poem. Pruned plants is a great set of words. My gardener showed me the remains of the top of my plant after the deer ate chomped it off. Happy fall writing.
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