Some moments in Utah

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Arches National Park in Utah

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The sun, Colorado River, and me.
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*
Good to be back home to Wyoming. With the Coronavirus
lurking everywhere, needless to say, it was a cautious trip.
I feel fine so far. If this continues for a week, I’d say I am
free of the virus. Thank God. 😊

–Byung A.

Varicose-vein,toothache, the travel

My beautiful picture


Varicose-vein, Toothache, the Travel

 My young-blood used to drive me to dare to do
Something more than my body can take:
Lift heavy things even he barely does,
Mow the steep hill in the back of my house,
Indulging in the pleasure of ceasing the wild things,
Ignoring the groans of the blood vessels in the legs.
As years go by the body rebels.
The vessels have enlarged, bulged in silent cry,
I ignore the brief, sharp pains in the leg.
The broken valves, blood pools in the low,
The legs swell, pregnant with a trouble.
Doc suggests I have a surgery to remove
The ailing veins, before getting worse,
But he can do it after nearly two months,
Meanwhile, the molar starts aching,
Wave of painful years of past
Drowns my head beneath the sea blue.
Antibiotic taken lessens the pain,
But the core is still there.
The dentist will remove it after two months–
One of the inconveniences this pandemic brings.
He wants me to join him in traveling north.
Reluctantly I agree, glimpsing
The blot of a bird in the pale sky.

*

I’m going on a road trip for two weeks.
With my god’s help, everything will be fine. ♫ : )

Stay well, everyone.

Byung A.

 

Rainforest night

image

Rainforest Night
by Andrea Ferrari (aferrari@stmariy.edu.ar)

feeble,
the cabin light mocks
overpowering stars in their blue
but cannot hold more than
two or three rows of ghost trees
lichened white
against the pools of black
beyond
like wells of dark water, hanging

songs of creatures swirl the quiet

a moth golden insists on light
like paper
and hovers as my writing
on the shadows of
the night.

Mending a Near-broken Relatioship

Mending a Near-broken Relationship

requires the cool mind of an artist,
keen eyes of a surgeon,
rightness of a judge.
If this sounds overwhelming,
just pretend to be one.

*

Who has not had a near-broken relationship in their lifetime, whether it is
a friendship or love-relationship? I have had more than once.
I would fix one that I want to keep. Luckily I have a natural knack for it.
I thank my god for that.

©Byung A. Fallgren

 

Ikebana Art

Ikebana Art

is the art of flower arranging. Through contemplation, creativity and discipline, like Ikebana offers the opportunity for observing deeply connecting with our natural world: cultivating the understanding and appreciation of
the natural growth of the plants and flowers and love of nature in all its phase.
The long history of Ikebana can be traced back to the 6th century when Buddhism was introduced into Japan from China and Korea. Monks arranged flowers for alters to honor Buddha. Many schools evolved over the centuries. Currently it is taught and practiced in the worldwide community. –Norma Bradley, artist. (normabradley@gmail.com.)

Outlook-Stocking u

Outlook-six feet p   Outlook-Shadows of   Outlook-Ikebana at

**

Arranged Flowers 

We bloom once
bloom again
in silent songs
only you can hear.

©Byung A. Fallgren

 

 

 

Talking River Review

Talking River Review, Issue 48, Spring 2020 is here.
My poem On the Same Hill first appeared in this issue.
Talking River Review is the magazine for
Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho.  

Subscribe or buy a sample issue at www.lcsc.edu/talkingriver.

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–Byung A.

When the Quarantine Syndrome Sneaks on You

When the Quarantine Syndrome Sneaks on You

Your eyes navigate the gray sea of Internet,
Skimming, yet nothing enters in your head,

As your mind drifts back and forth, past and now,
Trivial matters exaggerate, turbid, fester,

Your wife screams, you go berserk.
You are not alone. Take your family for a walk,

Wave to the passersby, smile or say hello.

© Byung A. Fallgren

Joe Murphy, Linda Holste, (joseph.f.murphy@vanderbilt.edu), Sandhill Crane, Outlook-5mrdstgf

Photo by Joe Murphy, Linda Holste, (joseph.f.murphy@vanderbilt.edu)
Sandhill Crane.

By now, most of people have adapted to the situations the pandemic
has brought, we like to think so. But truth is there are still many people, especially
younger people, are suffering from so called quarantine-syndrome. I’ve seen
some couples go berserk, talking about divorcing, etc.
Older people seemed to adjust to the time better, despite the vulnerability to
the virus–the benefit of aging. Yet, truth is I begin to feel I’ve had enough of this.
Ugh. Can’t wait…till next year…for the vaccine… But we have to do our best to
stay lucid, defeat the pandemic, and keep our home healthy.

 

My true home

My True Home

My pretty ex-wife
wants me back
but my home
is where my kid
lives with his/her loving mom.

*

My thoughts flow, often in fragments,
if I don’t stop it, it goes on nonstop. Above poem
is caught before flitting by. In writing poem you can use
any POV (she, he, it, they, I), disregarding your gender.
I don’t post my best poems. Nor do I post
the worst ones. I do whatever I feel like to.
I limit the time of getting on line so that I can do
other things: gardening, walking, reading, writing,
house chore, etc.

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©Byung A. Fallgren

Santa Clara Review

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SantaClara Review, vol 107 / issue 02, spring 2020 is finally here!
My poem Lady Plumber’s Song first appeared in this issue.
Santa Clara Review is the magazine for Santa Clara University.
You can subscribe or buy a sample issue at: santaclarareview.com.   

–Byung  A.