wordsfromanneli

January 18, 2026
by wordsfromanneli 13 Comments

The Root Cellar

Perhaps it’s not quite like a fridge, but it was a cool place to store the potatoes, turnips, carrots, beets, and squash.

*Disclaimer – This is not my root cellar but it was on land where I was visiting. The poem is purely fictional (although probably possible).

“Go

Bring back

Potatoes,

Carrots, and squash.

The wicker basket

Is handy to carry

Everything.” — “But, Mom,” I whined,

“It’s so dark in there, and there’s bugs!”

“Nonsense! The bugs are more scared of you.”

Off I went … and of course, I proved her wrong.

January 16, 2026
by wordsfromanneli 25 Comments

You want me to what?

To get up and move?

To get off my butt

And to get in the groove?

A cow hand today

Has no need of a horse,

His ride needs no hay,

It’s a quad ride, of course.

Just fill it with gas

And go roaring around,

No cattle will sass,

And to follow, they’re bound.

There’s always a stray cow

That has to be got,

But magically, ends somehow

In the cow lot.

January 14, 2026
by wordsfromanneli 30 Comments

Hawk!

Warnings

are shouted.

Bird seeds are served,

but not for me; still,

hunger motivates me.

Unsuspecting songbirds feed,

inadvertently becoming

my prey, providing me with fresh meat.

Yes! Bird feeders — the balance of nature.

*****

Thanks to Linda for her help with etherees, a poetry form I had not yet tried. Any future tips appreciated. Check it out here:

An Earthy Etheree

January 12, 2026
by wordsfromanneli 26 Comments

This bird is named for its amazing tailfeathers which resemble a lyre, a U-shaped, harp-like instrument. Unfortunately, the video only shows glimpses of the tailfeathers – but the main feature of the clip is to show the mimicry the lyrebird is capable of. They have been heard mimicking other birds, as well as copying sounds like sirens, dogs barking, and even cameras clicking. What a variety!

The video was taken by my friends who visited Australia recently. Lyrebirds are rather shy so this was a lucky capture.

Please turn up the volume for the best results.

January 10, 2026
by wordsfromanneli 23 Comments

Free Lunch

Hungry?

Table is set

Who says there’s no free lunch?

Suet for me and seeds for you

Just right.

P.S. I just figured out why poets are encouraged to write cinquains. It’s to make sure they don’t ramble on too much.

Five lines with 2, 4, 6, 8, and 2 syllables respectively.

January 8, 2026
by wordsfromanneli 38 Comments

Polar Bear Swim

Anyone for a swim? Actually, some people did go in for a Polar Bear swim on January 1.

But there are crazy people in all parts of the world. This limerick is for all those crazy people who went into the freezing water that day and froze their buns off.

*** I did not post a photo of those “brave”? swimmers here.

There once was a man who was dim,

And went for a wintery swim,

He said, “I’m not whiny,

Except that my hiney,

Is paying the price for my whim.”

January 6, 2026
by wordsfromanneli 21 Comments

Uncertainty

Sun or snow, or rain with breezes,

This is how the weather teases.

Life is full of twists and turnings,

Playing havoc with our yearnings.

January 4, 2026
by wordsfromanneli 21 Comments

Bath Time

The Missus says for my New Year’s resolution, I should have a bath.

All right! I’ll show her I’m a tough guy. Just because it’s freezing…. I’ll take it like a man.

Krrrrrrikey! What was I thinking?!

That’s enough of that. If she doesn’t like it, she can just smell me later.

January 2, 2026
by wordsfromanneli 43 Comments

Crispin’s Dining Room

While pruning one of our yew trees, I reached in towards the center, groping for the branch to cut, and felt a bird’s nest, obviously left there late last spring. Hesitantly, I checked for leftover unhatched eggs or dead chicks before I would throw the nest away.

The “eggs” I found in the nest were all cracked open, but they sure looked like hazelnut shells to me.

“Aha! Crispin the Squirrel has been here. I hope he only found the nest after the baby birds had flown.” I reasoned that the hazelnuts would not have been ripe until late fall, and the baby birds would have flown in the spring, so I didn’t think too badly of Crispin for making himself at home in this new dining room of his.