Second Living Bay Sweetwater @ home

And now, an original holiday poem and machinima for any of you who think that the frenzy of Christmas has swallowed up the Spirit of Giving. LOL

A SCOLDING FROM MOM
by Bay Sweetwater

In a marsh near where I live IRL, wild white pelicans come to roost. Their visits are almost magical, and never predictable. They are there one day and gone the next. I happened upon them a couple weeks ago and when I went back to see them the next day, sure enough, they were gone. They always fill me with awe and longing. Here’s a picture of them and a poem I wrote while watching them.

I’ll Fly With Wild Pelicans
by Bay Sweetwater

I’ll fly with wild white pelicans o’er the sea
Til my love rides the falling leaves to me.
O amber tree, lay down your blanket gold
So my love sleeping there won’t feel the cold.

The drumming of the rain on corrugated tin
Still echoes in the shed we sheltered in.
It’s empty now, except for squirrels and mice,
And emerald shadows fleeing from the sunrise.

O wandering leaves, come back; take me along.
Fly me to a summer far from autumn’s song.
Bygone pelicans, return; fly me away with you,
To southern skies, in shades of endless blue.

– September, 2010

There’s something about autumn that brings out sadness, isn’t there? I’m so blue today and don’t know why. Maybe it’s because it’s my rez day. Two years. Where has the time flown? Anyway, that’s where my poem below came from — and then my machinima below that. Sadness can be beautiful sometimes.

GONE AUTUMN

Wind and chimney smoke, and winter closing in

I was thinking of a woman in whose arms I wished I’d been

Through falling leaves, her house was just ahead,

But on her door she’d hung a sign that read:

Gone autumn,

I’ll be back around real soon.

P.S. Maybe some sunny day in June.

I’d seen her in the grocery, close to tears.

Just touched her hand politely, happy to be near.

I asked her could I help, she shook her head.

So much pain, and so much wasn’t said.

Been thinking of the things I wish I’d told her

And would my arms be big enough to hold her?

She’s flown, just like the geese this time of year.

My heart is close behind, oh, close behind her.

It’s a small town, and the news soon got around

She found a home cross-state and settled down.

I got myself a map, I’m sure I’ll find her

My heart is close behind, oh close behind her.

Gone autumn.

I’ll be back around real soon.

P.S. Maybe some sunny day in June.

– Bay Sweetwater, September 2010

Here is some "Sweet Scenery" - but no wind blowing!

My little limerick won third place in the Elf Circle’s recent limerick contest! It was so proud of itself. Poems are rarely even read anymore, let alone given prizes!  I was so pleased and honored. The contest was part of EC’s “Elf Liberation” celebration June 27-July 4  marking its fourth anniversary in Second Life. The theme was “sweet” and each avatar could submit one limerick.

Elf Circle is huge, almost 1,900 members now, spread out over 80 sims. It’s full of amazingly talented creatures of all kinds, including human, of course- LOL! Elf Circle honors its poets and storytellers and has writing contests every now and then so members get to try their hand at writing and see what everyone else is writing. It’s fun, and I’ve found it gives creativity a real boost. Voting is usually by popular vote on voting boards. Here’s my third-place limerick:

Here’s the second-place limerick, by Lillia Harbour. Lillia is also Elf Circle’s current “Master Storyteller” after winning EC’s 2010 main writing competition at the beginning of the year. Here’s her limerick: