On Mud & Lotus [Free Verse]

The saying goes: 
“No mud - no lotus!”

But I can’t help but notice
That the flower is long-stemmed,
Raising it high above the mud.

A tropical newbie,
I used to confuse
Lotuses & Water Lilies.
Then I learned the simplest
Way to distinguish the flowers
(From a distance)
Is that Lily pads
Rest on the water,
While Lotus leafs
Also try to rise
above the muddy water.

I can’t help but wonder whether
Our admiration has made the
Lotus too good for its mud?

DAILY PHOTO: Skyline From the Concrete Beach, Chicago

All or Nothing Limerick

An egg delivery guy from Bangalore: 
2,000 eggs on a scooter, door-to-door.
If his bike ever tipped,
He’d be severely whipped,
For his job was all-or-nothing & nothing more.

Dusky Winter Scene [Haiku]

church at dusk
looks shuttered and vacant, then
door creak, candle flame

DAILY PHOTO: Scenes from Gangtok

Modest Sun [Haiku]

rising sun looms
at first sight; but shrinks
on second glance.

Clipper [Haiku]

jungle butterfly
finds a spotlight
to warm its back.

Moon Cameo [Haiku]

cloudy night walker sees his shadow;
looks up for Moon’s brief showing.

Livestock Rush Hour [Haiku]

horde of livestock 
sprawls puddle-strewn lane
between downpours.

PROMPT: Gifts

Share one of the best gifts you’ve ever received.

As a kid, my first non-hand me down bike, a bright yellow and blue trimmed BMX bike.

Now the really interesting question is whether there was anything special about this gift, or – rather – it came at the height of the appeal of gifts for me, an appeal that faded into adulthood and is virtually nonexistent in the present day. (no pun intended)