Word-Bird presents...
Two Poems
by Fliss

 

                                    ​​​​The Loon in June​

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                   There was once a most musical loon,
                   and he always sang sweetest in June;
                   through his pointed grey beak
                   he would yodel and shriek,
                   to the stars and the strawberry moon.

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W.-B.’s notes: “This little limerick was published in The Dirigible Balloon in June 2025; our thanks, as always, to Editor Jonathan Humble. The common loon (shown in the photograph) is in fact not especially common in our local park, but we have enjoyed a few delightful sightings. Here, loons are known as divers, and this type is the great northern diver. It is fun for everyone to see the loon dive and try to guess where he or she might surface each time!“

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Hot Date

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​                    The terrace had been Luc’s idea. Yes!,
                    she’d readily agreed. He loved the view
                    across the sea. She had the perfect dress
                    (she hoped), the orange silk – and throws! The hue
                    of all her auburn hair would be divine
                    amidst the crimson, ochre. Midday came,
                    and she began to decorate, align
                    then realign. The sun-god watched, aflame,
                    enticed her into breaking from her tasks
                    and settling slowly on the silken seat;
                    his rays caress her as she blooms and basks…
                    and starts to burn. She can’t resist the heat.
                    The hours blaze on. She’s on the brink of fire.
                    The sun-god laughs and rises higher, higher.

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W.-B.’s notes: “Our thanks this time go to Editor Loretta Luzajic of The Ekphrastic Review, who kindly published the sonnet on 30th June 2023, I note from our records. Today, we have just emerged from a heatwave, so the poem seems apt for the season. Fliss has resembled the lady in the famous painting insofar as she is ginger and has been sleeping a lot. I recall that the sinister nature of the sonnet came as a surprise while she was writing it; in retrospect, this occurred most likely because she had recently written an ekphrastic poem inspired by an illustration of Monsieur Valdemar, a character in a short story by Edgar Allan Poe. Anyone familiar with the story will be aware that it does not end well!

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“Happily, however, Loretta also published that second submitted poem, ‘Endmatter’, on 19th June 2023, for which we are very grateful. We take a keen interest in ekphrastic writing.”

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Fliss

We do indeed, W.-B., and many thanks for your notes there! Let’s think cool and comfortable thoughts now, as we end by thanking all the poets in this issue for their wonderful contributions this month. Thanks also to our readers for their ongoing interest in metrical matters! All being well, we’ll be back on 1st July. And just before we close, let’s wish John Isbell an early Happy Birthday for the 25th! Or, as W.-B. prefers it, Happy Bird-day (^v^)

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Until next time, loons and laughter!

Fliss x

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Image of loon from Wikipedia, A Great Northern Loon (2011) by John Picken

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