Summer 2020

The sun burns hot, but there’s a breeze

in the yard I can hear the hum of the bees.

The ocean, it never is very far away

the sun is shining, here I want to stay.

**

Temperatures are hot, the air, it sings

We know already what the next day brings

more blue skies, more light and sun

Southern California is home and fun.

**

This summer things are different though

the danger is omnipresent, that we know.

But still, I need the sunshine and the air

I’ll go outside and I take care.

**

The sunsets still are so one-of-a-kind

I have a hard time to get them off my mind.

The colors, the clouds, and the palm trees

swaying in the summer breeze.

**

And even when the times are hard

when we are in crisis and hold up our guard

There’s still the beauty of nature to roam

outside our window, in our hearts, we call it home.

*****

(Copyright: Aurora Jean Alexander, July 2020)

Picture Courtesy of Google.com

 

A Small Hunting Friend – A Riddle

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I’m gorgeous, and I’m useful, colorful and small

even though my feet are short, I’m still good at brawl.

My main food is insects, small reptiles, mammals, and more

from carrion I keep away, I prefer a wider soar.

**

I’m unusually fast in moving, the wind carries me around

When I hunt, I’m very silent, but when I court, I make my sound.

I’m known to be quite talkative, my cry can be heard from far

to every student of ornithology, I’m a famous star.

**

We are migratory fowl, in fall we are moving South

we spend the winter in Central America where we live in routh.

Back home up north ’till Canada, we return to breed our young

we sing, we dance, and so we court, we all act as sprung.

**

We breed in caves, in old trees, and sometimes we use a nest

but to be honest, we don’t like to build, nestboxes are the best.

There we raise a couple youngsters, sometimes they’re also more

normal it is we have six babies, but rarely only four.

**

I mentioned we are useful to many farmers in the countryside

we hunt vermin, critters, insects on their ground from far and wide.

we protect the crop with what we eat and they love our call

That’s why they love us hunting there, even though we’re only small.

**

From Canada to Texas we are widely known and often seen

we’re not endangered, that is good, and we have never been.

I know it’s hard to guess my identity and that’s the game

That’s why I’ll tell you – American Kestrel – that’s my name.

*****

(Copyright: Aurora Jean Alexander, May 2020)

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Picture courtesy of: https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/american-kestrel

 

A Trace Of Danger In The Mountains – A Riddle

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I am death on four paws

I have no smell and no race

My food is meat in the raws

I’m not betrayed by a trace.

**

I’m not in danger to go extinct

My color protects me in every case

I solely live on my own instinct

I have a territory, not a personal space.

**

I’m a silent lethal danger,

I’m always hidden and calm

I can’t be discovered by some stranger

when I approach you, say your last psalm.

**

My prey is often bigger than me

but I’m smart and I’m strong

Your size it can’t save you, you’d see

don’t believe to outrun me, you are dead wrong.

**

I do exist from Canada in the North

through the Americans all the way

in the Andes in the south and so forth

where I am I always find my prey.

**

I’m gorgeous and secret I sneak on silent sole,

respect me, I’m hidden and I don’t feel shame

I’m not by many names, but I’m no evil soul

Call me Moutain Lion, Puma or Cougar – and it is my name.

*****

(Copyright: Aurora Jean Alexander, February 2020)

Picture courtesy of ThePressDemocrat.com

 

Winter 2020

Gray it is, the sky above

what we need are scarf and glove.

Boots are a necessary thing

we can barely talk and sure not sing.

**

It’s wintertime, the world is white

a gush of wind feels like a bite.

Snow is falling, romantic to behold

but in truth it is heavy and cold.

**

Danger lies in the cold air

snow is wayward, that I swear.

cold and wet turns into ice

snow beauty comes with a high price.

**

Many people enjoy the glory in white

skiing, iceskating, snowboarding are right.

But carelessness turn into cries and moans

screams, tears and too often broken bones.

**

Avalanches, rockfalls, accidents and drives

every winter cost numerous lives.

Not many respect the white snow’s cold breath

as dangerous, uncontrollable death.

**

But if we’re careful and observe the line

we can read on the very next warning sign.

Then snow and winter, no matter what clime

can be to all of us, a wonderful time.

*****

(Copyright: Aurora Jean Alexander, December 2019)

Picture courtesy of: https://www.yourhealth.net.au/

A Strong F(r)iend – A Riddle

 

---

I have four legs but I got no tail

I’m strong and square, not a bit frail.

I got huge, I mean, enormous paws

and no nails I got – no, I got claws!

**

Even though I walk on four

I can also stand on two – no more.

It’s always good for showing off

I look even worse, and hard and tough!

**

I’m a loner, no herd, no pack

I can sleep on my stomach and on my back

I’m a hunter, but still I’m omnivore

I can mutter, grummle, hum and roar.

**

There are many sorts of our kind

We all are dangerous, of the same mind.

We might look cuddly, that is said

but don’t trust us for a second, or you’ll be dead.

**

Science has proven, after lots of to probe

You can find us all over the round globe

From far South American to all up North

where I’m roaming back and forth.

**

We show up in different size

in many colors also quite disguise.

Brown and black, with spectacles and white hair

Yes, you’re right – I am the bear!

*****

(Copyright, Aurora Jean Alexander, December 2019)

Truly Grateful – A Poem For Thanksgiving 2019

For many things I’m grateful,

one of them is health

I don’t need to leave it fateful

health to me means wealth.

**

Part of being wealthy is family and friends

having a home is also great to me

It’s important that love never ends

and that I’m truly safe and free.

**

So many people don’t have anything to eat

They barely have water and the bit they have is unclean

Where I live in nature is giving and still neat

I have clothes to wear and the grass is green.

**

I’m grateful for my education for the chances given to me

I’m thankful I can travel in planes and in my car

How glad I am that I have music, I can hear and I can see

that I have my dreams, moon and sun and wind and star.

**

Life has given me so much to thank for

civilization, technology, a home and pets

what else do I need, what to I want more?

I am lucky, with me and my three cats.

**

It’s time for saying prayers

to be thankful and feeling blessed

And to send our thanks to the One

and see them properly addressed.

*****

(Copyright: Aurora Jean Alexander, November 2019)

 

Picture courtesy of Klusster.com

 

 

5th Halloween Poem Contest – And The Winners Are…

Picture courtesy of https://northernnatalcourier.co.za

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Picture courtesy of: http://preventioncdnndg.org/

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The jury has decided!

Today I’m writing representing the Jury of the 5th Halloween Poem Contest 2019.

The winners of the contest are:

Halloween by Donna Matthews

Don’t let them in by MacKenzie Tastan

The Witching Hour by Valerie Cruz

(The winners are listed in order of their submissions)

Thank you so much for your amazing poems, winners! You will get an email today.
______________________________________________

Our three winners of the contest can choose one of the offered e-books.

Signed Paperbacks with a T-Shirt of Hiding from the Light – OR – Winter’s Ghost – OR – The Painting written by Raymond Walker
E-book of A Horse by Any Other Name: A Doctor Butterbaugh Mystery – OR – E-book of A Girl and Her Dog: A Short Story – OR – At the End of the Rainbow – OR – What you wished for, written by Sherry Perkins
E-book of “Soul Taker” – OR – ‘Sundance‘ written by Aurora Jean Alexander

CONGRATULATIONS!

It was a difficult decision for the jury. But we had a lot of fun and want to thank all poets for their wonderful poems.

______________________________________________

Thank you, Raymond Walker and Sherry Perkins for their jury work and offering one of their books to the winners. I appreciate your help and support!

---

Now, please permit me a word on my own account:

The Halloween-Poem Contest has brought us all a lot of work and fun and many wonderful Halloween poems, showing how much talent there is around.

However, it also showed us, with this year having the lowest number of participants, that our poets have shown all their skills within the Halloween theme. 

After five years of organizing the Annual Halloween-Poem Contest and hosting it on ‘Writer’s Treasure Chest,’ I think it is time for something new.

It was five years of fun and I wanted to thank everyone, all participants, and in particular all jury members from the first to the last contest, for making this a wonderful experience for me! Thanks so much for all your work, your help, your support – and the wonderful books you offered as prizes in the five years! You all are amazing, not only as authors but also as wonderful friends!

Good Bye Halloween-Poem Contest. It was great.

A. J. Alexander

Back To Fall

As soon as it’s November
the pumpkins will be gone
the skeletons are in the attic
free of ghosts is our lawn.

**

For a moment there is silence
in peace, our life can stay
for just one small and little moment
before the next big holiday.

**

Enjoy the break and get your strength
you will need it you will see.
Go for walks enjoy the season
be relaxed, and smile, feel free.

**

But first of all, before the break
We need to work and take a beat
to get us through the pumpkin time
and play the trick or treat!

*****

(Copyright: Aurora Jean Alexander, October 2019)

5th Halloween Poem Contest – 4th And Last Group Of Submitted Poems —

Picture courtesy of http://preventioncdnndg.org/

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Please respect each authors’ and poets’ copyright. The rights remain with the writers. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without expressed and written permission from each of the poems author’s is strictly prohibited and violates copyright laws in the country you are reading this work in as well as in the country you are trying to re-publish this work in. – Aurora Jean Alexander

---

The Witching Hour

by

Valerie Cruz

When willows arch their backs in reverence,
bowing toward the earth below.
When evening breezes messenger the coming of the moon’s pale glow.

When night birds telegraph their omens,
fresh from lunar heights, foretold and hearth sides showcase flames emblazoned,
burnished embers edged in gold.

From deep in silent, grassy places sodden with late-evening air.
Ambivalent to strange embraces,
lilies bring their buds to bear.

Amidst the stony tributaries built to those no sound may reach.
To evidence impermanence,
engraved with lessons, yet to teach.

Here begets the Witching Hour, slivered apex of the night.
All at once, begun and ended,
metaphor for mortal plight.

Taunts all life with fear and splendor,
dreams of flying, long since lost.
Tempts the grave with memories tender.
Glimpse the light, whatever cost.

Coiled within the misty shadow,
serpentine and poised to strike, lay the horrid reckoning
feared by both chaste and foul alike.

---

Graveyard Speed Dating

by

Chris Meredith

The cold and misty air contains a deathly musk
A stench that hovers over the graves
Stirring from the ground of depth
Lost souls looking upwards to be saved

Bony hands clutch their invitation
Tight to their skeletal chest
They hope to attract a new dead mate
One they can touch and maybe caress

Darkness is their familiar friend
As they sit beside their first date
Beauty is in the socket of the beholder
As a specialty, their head rotates

Stripped of flesh and brains
They now judge on spirit alone
They talk about previous lives
And reminisce about earthly homes

The church bell sounds its tune
Its time to swap around
The truth is they will never find new love
While they all sleep six feet underground

---

NIGHTMARES

by

Agnieszka Filipek

1.

it’s night
the avenues burning
in moonlight
the death of a child
jumping
from a roof

horses with iron hooves
pulling the corpse
the skull slamming
on the curb
ghouls fighting
over the remains

dawn startled
escaping into the trees
and his coat
caught by rain
dragging
blooded

2.

finding
my mauled body
damp in a ditch
darkness
stretches its arms
threatens to embrace

even my kitten of hope
is falling off
the fence
and a roadside scarecrow
is gouging out
his eyes

3.

I cannot sleep
close my wet eyes
with your hand
with your lips cover
the gates of nightmares
sit beside me

---

 

5th Halloween Poem Contest – 1 Day Left – Hurry Up!

Picture courtesy of http://preventioncdnndg.org/

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Deadline for the contest is

October 31, 2019 – 9 pm Pacific Time

Hurry up!

Every author and poet are invited to participate and deliver a “Halloween-Poem” to my email address:

aurorajean.alexander@aol.com

together with their picture and a link to their website, a social media account or blog

• Your poem needs a Halloween theme.
• Your poem needs a minimum of 99 words.
• Your poem has to be delivered to my email address between October 10 and Halloween, October 31, 2019, at 9 pm Pacific Time.
• Your poem has to be delivered together with your picture and a link to your blog/page.
• Please avoid violence, bad language, and sexual content within the poems. It would be disqualified.

Thank you very much for participating and making it very hard for the jury to decide on the winners!