Cheetah Speed [Lyric Poem]

Photograph of a Cheetah taken at the Mysore Zoo in Karnataka, India.
Swiftly sprints the slender Cheetah,
running smoothly as Velveeta.
But right now it can't rouse its feet-ah,
and slogs just like a Walmart Greet-ah.

Meerkat Lecture [Lyric Poem]

Meerkats: Taken at the Mysore Zoo in Karnataka, India.
Please allow me a conjecture:
One Meerkat stood to give lecture,
But as with me, as a pupil,
Other Meerkats lacked the scruple
To make a show of listening,
Finding the walls more interesting.

Mimicry [Senryū]

Gray (Hanuman) Langur on a road barrier on the Lal Tibba Road.
Hanuman Langur
mimics a lounging housecat;
then paws at nothing.

Solo? [Haiku]

Photograph of an egret flying over the Gomti River in Lucknow, Madhya Pradesh, India.
solo bird flies
over sprawling waters
with upside down mate.

Ducks in a Bunch [Haiku]

Waterfowl on Rudrasagar Lake in Melaghar, India.
clustered armada
of ducks drift across
open water.

DAILY PHOTO: Macaque Family

Family of macaque monkeys on Gudibande Hill in Karnataka, India.
Baby macaque monkey on the rocks atop of Gudibande Hill.
A family of macaque monkeys on Gudibande Fort in the state of Karnataka in India.

Safety First [Haiku]

Two turtles on a rock surrounded by water.
stony fortress,
moated: turtle stretches neck
out to sniff the air.

Acorn [Senryū]

A squirrel in New Orleans' City Park, eating an acorn on a power pole.
startled squirrel drops
its nut; so sad for it, but
we all get a tree.

Mobile Home [Common Meter]

Turtle exits its hiding place
beneath a rotten log.
Its shell snags on that old, dead wood
he drags the log along.
Does he know that he's double-shelled?
He seems so unaware.
When he breaks free, he gains no speed --
just crawls on like he don't care.

Quiet Bayou [Haiku]

Taken in the Pearl River bayou near Slidell, Louisiana.
quiet bayou:
the odd bird flutters
limb to lonely limb.