Colleen at Wordcraft poetry suggested this prompt today: to write a syllabic poem about what you see out of your window.
The gardener and I were driving on the freeway in western Arizona yesterday, and I saw something unusual: two sheep were picking their way down the mountainside out in the “middle of nowhere.” So I wrote a tanka in the car.
My tanka topic is Scene Through a Car Window:
A hawk flies above
saguaro-studded mountains
in yellow blossom
as two bighorn sheep descend,
their coronas glinting light.
This image at Pexels looks very similar to where I saw the sheep except that they were walking down a fairly steep mountain. And right now the brittlebush is in full bright yellow bloom. At first I thought they were goats because they were so graceful and agile amidst the shrub and rocks. But their large curved horns seem to indicate that they were bighorn sheep (although slender for bighorns).
I read another review for my Red Riding Hood chapbook Our Wolves: https://abookishwayoflife.blogspot.com/2023/03/our-wolves-by-luanne-castle.html?fbclid=IwAR0XL2jnDa_2NyGcAFdKXUCgjcWr8zJl0LWwxtuvRP17kV98y6CBZyekO2E
What a lovely tanka, Luanne! You certainly capture beauty and movement in the desert.
Plus it’s pleasing to see so many well-deserved raves for your chapbook, “Our Wolves.” 🐺
Thank you! I just read that Arizona has about 6,000 wild bighorn sheep and that they are a rare sight. I started to cry!
Incredible tanka Luanne! 🙂 i am looking fwd to ur poetry book as well
Thank you so much , Jade. So I guess this was a rare sighting of wild bighorns!
This scene looks so similar to where we lived in Arizona, Luanne. You captured the beauty of the area with perfect details. I only saw bighorn sheep in Montana. What a sight! 💜
Thank you, Colleen! I think this photo looks so Arizona-ey! I know I was really blessed to see those sheep, but didn’t realize how much until I googled them and saw how rare it is to see them!
For sure! They are very unusual!
Great poem! Always love when I see rate animals.
*rare – oops
Thank you so much! Oh me, too. Actually I always like seeing any animals, but to see such rare ones was really something.
I love your through a car window tanka! (I’ve been writing through a car window haiku). Congratulations on your Bookish review!
Oh, I’m so glad you like it. And what a coincidence about the poems, Liz! I am always sad about flashing by the views so fast, but then up close I may never have seen those sheep. And thank you!
You’re most welcome, Luanne!
Oh, bighorn sheep sightings are such a treat! You’ve written a delightful tanka about it.
Thank you, Eilene! Such a treat! I am still so happy about it, two days later.
A memorable moment beautifully depicted
Thank you, Derrick. it was pretty thrilling!
Such a wonderful sight and beautifully captured, Luanne.
Thank you, Merril! I am still excited about seeing them!
You’re welcome!
Your pictures takes me back to my visit to Arizona this past summer! <3 Your tanka is fantastic! Well done, Luanne!
Yvette M Calleiro 🙂
http://yvettemcalleiro.blogspot.com
Thank you, Yvette! Arizona has such a distinctive look, I think!
So full of light!
Thanks for stopping by and reading, Jane!
How lovely to see unexpected treasure!
Lovely tanka
Oh, thank you so much!
Wow! I love your poem! You certainly captured a beautiful view through your car window!!!
Thank you so much, Linda! It was such a sight!
Photography and poetry are so much about being in the right place at the right time. This came together very well, Luanne.
Thank you so much.
What a fabulous description of your view.
Thank you, Robbie!