Big Sky Buckeye

A writer's journey continues

Bewitching Storm

Posted on February 10, 2021 by bigskybuckeye

Nasty winter gale approaching

Forecast broadcasting storm warning

Heavy snow, high winds, Arctic cold

Village alarms sound by morning

Life transcends to total frenzy

Salt trucks loaded, very much ready

Snow plow crews set for night’s work

Village life scrambling, unsteady

Packed grocery stores in chaos

Hurried, panic-filled shopping carts

Shelves urgently growing empty

Village pace quickens beating hearts

Students anticipate closings

Looking forward, lazy “Snow Day”

No classes, no books, no lessons

Village hunkers down, people pray

Winter storm “Tabitha” churning

Pondering, bewitching blizzard

Overnight fury passes on

Village eluding storm’s wizard

The Weather Channel has been naming winter storms in America since 2012-2013. You may have picked up the connection between the “bewitching” blizzard and the name of the storm “Tabitha.” Tabitha is one of the available winter storm names for the 2020-2021 winter. Tabitha is also the daughter of Samantha (Elizabeth Montgomery) on the successful American sitcom “Bewitched” from 1964-1972.

Winter’s Repose

Posted on January 20, 2021 by bigskybuckeye

**Photo by Luca Chiandoni on Pexels.com**

Winter’s white blanket covers frozen land

Sheltering nature’s glory until spring

Arctic-fed winds seem to blow from glaciers

Sleeping quietly, life conceals its zing

Northernmost Great Lakes transform skies to gray

Flying above, geese enjoy winter’s fling

Small ponds reflect from thick, icy mirrors

Pausing all around, boldness waits for spring

Ancient trees appear to wait in repose

Ignoring life’s deep freeze, buds holding out

Nature’s winter rest, preparing for spring

Arriving tonight, snowstorm’s final shout

Never to worry, winter fades away

Coming on schedule, spring colors each day

**Photo by Matthias Cooper on Pexels.com**

Under the Big Sky

Posted on December 10, 2020 by bigskybuckeye

**Looking westward toward southwestern Montana’s Tobacco Root Mountains, with the Madison River flowing through the valley below.**

God’s creation under the Big Sky

Treasured landscape covers this vast land

Immense prairies flow into mountains

Few places on earth looking this grand

Rugged backbone of the continent

Chiseled spine of the Rocky Mountains

Stray mountain ranges dotting the plains

Cascading streams flowing as fountains

Three distinct rivers form its headwaters

Mighty, boundless Missouri River

Eastward, collecting the Yellowstone

Precious mountain rains move downriver

White-tail and mule deer camp in thickets

Pronghorns graze in the midst of grasslands

Mountain valleys gather elk and bears

Ducks and geese pilot into wetlands

Frequently titled the Treasure State

Montana shines under its Big Sky

People flocking to witness its gems

You just might meet a Buckeye nearby

**Montana’s Yellowstone River continues its eastward journey, eventually flowing into the Missouri River.**

I could probably write something about my native state of Montana every day. It will always be a very special place to me. Watch out, you just might run into a Buckeye returning to the Big Sky.

Endless Images (Haiku Series #108)

Posted on November 20, 2020 by bigskybuckeye

Departing

Precious moments live

One fallen leaf at a time—

Autumn passes by

Waiting

Barren and quiet

Sleeping during winter’s cold—

Trees rest, chilling out

Comforting

Heavy, humid air

Wind wringing out the water—

Pleasantness arrives

Monday Memories: Pre-Dawn Splendor

Posted on November 16, 2020 by bigskybuckeye

This poem was inspired from an early morning walk in a neighborhood. The walk began in the darkness of the pre-dawn and finished with the rising sun.

Pre-dawn light slowly brightens the dark sky

Encouraging the night to salute its good-bye

Night’s closing remnants offer one concluding look

Winking back, crescent moon appears, like a hook

Crisp, cool air reposes its gentle hand

Rising sun will shortly warm the land

Morning dew moistens the grassy, green meadows

Frolicking rabbits chase each other in the shadows

Pungent odor permeates the pre-dawn air

Marking its territory, a skunk doesn’t care

Multitudes of birds announce the coming day

Sending out a chorus of joyful songs of praise

Deer graze in lush fields for a moment longer

Eating tender, green shoots to grow stronger

No human eyes have awakened quite yet

Sleeping in a cabin, seems like a sure bet

Nature wakes up to the arrival of summer daylight

Presenting God’s creation, with abundant delight

Using Our ABC’s (Tautogram Series #1)

Posted on November 6, 2020 by bigskybuckeye

Agony

Another airport

Airplane’s absent arrival—

Audible anguish

**Photo by Daria Shevtsova on Pexels.com**

Bold

Beauty beckoning

Bouncy, boundless bonanza—

Bubbling brook below

**Photo by Nashwan Guherzi on Pexels.com**

Crafted

Creative chaos

Curious colossus climbs—

Construction conceives

A tautogram is text in which all words start with the same letter. Historically, most tautograms are written in poetic form. The above tautograms are written in the Japanese-inspired style of Haiku.

Boundless Nature (Haiku Series #105)

Posted on November 3, 2020 by bigskybuckeye

Endless

Gentle breeze blowing

Autumn leaves fluttering down—

Fading memories

Relief

Pollen count drops low

Refreshing air we now breathe—

Morning rains arrive

Hiding

Morning’s early dawn

Fog blankets each creek and pond—

What mysteries wait?

**Photo by Johannes Plenio on Pexels.com**

Winter’s Playfulness

Posted on October 31, 2020 by bigskybuckeye

Quiet autumn afternoon croons

Turning crystal white much too soon

Tree’s colorful, festive heart breaks

Collecting endless white snowflakes

Guarded weather forecast tonight

Predicting quickest shot of white

Overnight, all signals splinter

Transforming autumn into winter

Morning arrives, sharing delight

Witnessing a land, white and bright

Massive neighborhood tree now frowns

Missing some branches, crashing down

Silence broken, machines at play

Blowing heavy, wet snow away

Others working as busy bees

Shoveling sidewalk paths, now free

Laughter punctuates winter’s air

Watching children, playing in pairs

City avenues filling with cars

Sliding and crashing, near and far

Winter’s sense of humor snowballs

Spoiling autumn’s last curtain call

But wait, a few days down the road

Coming back, fall’s last episode

Days numbered, autumn’s final turn

Waiting for winter’s cold return

**Photo by Victoria Borodinova on Pexels.com**

Cleansing Rain

Posted on October 21, 2020 by bigskybuckeye

Autumn rains lasting for days

Covering the land with mist

Cleansing under cloudy haze

Rising pollen, now dismissed

Harvest pausing, farmers wait

Parking soybeans, left to take

Drying cornstalks, know their fate

Standing ready, combines brake

Creeks filling, slowly at first

Running water, sent ahead

Suspending reservoirs’ thirst

Pausing for now, winter’s dread

Nature’s perfect cycle breathes

Singing praises to the Lord

Watching as autumn unsheathes

Waking when spring comes aboard

**Photo by Michael Fischer on Pexels.com**

Nature’s Trademarks (Elfchen Series #31)

Posted on October 16, 2020 by bigskybuckeye

Concert

Wind

Blowing chimes

Hearing musical notes

Nature’s symphony plays again

Flawlessly

Anticipation

Forest

Autumn’s arrival

Colorful landscape beckons

Cascading leaves quickly flee

Transformation

**Photo by Harrison Haines on Pexels.com**

Waking Up

Wintertime

Skiers delight

Let it snow!

Mountaintop covered powder white

Paradise

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Departing

Waiting

Comforting

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Agony

Bold

Crafted

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Endless

Relief

Hiding

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Concert

Anticipation

Waking Up

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