(never been to Hawaii)
(never even imagined being there until now)
Waves must sing delicious on volcanic island shores,
projecting ocean mantra into foam against the stone.
But technology encroaches roads with parasitic people,
beaches swarming, merging masses, leaving splashes
of anxiety in my quiet Montana mind.
In Montana, a stellar sense of solitude
urges road trips over Bridger Canyon Drive,
where clover’s sweetness inundates my senses,
and paints ditches with its hues.
At the summit of the highway,
just past the road to Brackett Creek,
I stop and smudge the four directions.
Burning sweet grass, ancient blessings
that linger in my hair.
Dropping down out of the Bridgers,
Montana’s high plains start to show.
Rising in a sea of quivering prairie grasses
the Crazies kiss the sky, this is what I think
is meant by candy for the eye.
Crazy Mountains – B. Warren
Inquisitive seedlings of imagination take root.
Years ago, a fleet of Mizquicks landed in the Crazy Mountains
they feasted on its craggy peaks. The minerals activated wild
hallucinations that made the Mizquicks laugh. They mined
the rocks with picks, not unlike our own, put them on their ship,
and flew back home to Zortan, where other Mizquicks dine
on compost rich fecundity, and peaks do not exist.
In the off chance they return,
I’ve left maps with arrows from Montana to Hawaii
on the top of Crazy Peak.
Brenda Warren 2013
Well that was an interesting journey. I used a list of 12 words from The Sunday Whirl, and Miz Quickly’s prompt for day 7 of NaPoWriMo. Her prompt asked us to combine sense and place. Quickly says, “include a place you’ve never been, a place you know well, and a place fictional or imaginary. For each place, appeal to a different pair of senses . . . Do be specific. Beautiful, delicious, loud: nice words, but fuzzy.”
This was a fun exercise. I do think the break (picture) in the poem would be a nice place to stop. Then again, it was fun to envision the Mizquicks’ eating habits. 😉
undercaws 
Great poem and love pictire too. Love the Mizquicks . I wonder if they were the one that put the dent in 10th TARDIS. lol
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Brenda, wonderful Wordle this week – inspired so many unique responses. Your reference to “smudging the four directions” and then “burning sweet grass, ancient blessings
that linger in my hair,” reminds me of the years I spent with Zuni friends in SoCal, who hipped me to sweat lodges, burning sage, and the Directions. That word “smudge,” BTW, was one of the most difficult to incorporate for many; yours was straight to the source! Amy
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Smudging your holy ground—and yourself—with sweet grass is the only appropriate thing to do!
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Somehow knew you’d understand.
🙂
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I would choose empty, quiet, and un-technical..not heard of mizquicks..shall look up! 😉 love the lucky 7 black cat..
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Really nicely and smoothly done. A fine work.
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Love your header picture, btw.
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Made an enjoyable trip to places that I have only read about, and one day would love to go to that alien land, since the Mizquicks laugh.and are intelligent too 😀
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Gosh well done with the prompts. I’ve only ever managed that with photo prompts. Loved the fun poem Brenda. I’ve been in love with Montana since I did a project about the state in grade school and Hawaii since about then as well. Love your aliens and think of them as rock munching little green goblin thingies. 🙂
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Here goes…………..nice analogy with the last best place on Earth and the last best island on Earth…….or so I’m told to think. Do you imagine when your people emerge on the island following your directions they will be disappointed as you are?
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I think the Mizquicks will find volcanic rock quite tasty. Thanks for your visit!
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Okay, gonna try again. Love your journeys and especially the Mizquicks. Have always loved the mountains, so you can’t go wrong for me. Thanks Brenda,
Elizabeth
http://soulsmusic.wordpress.com/
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Thanks Elizabeth. This drive is one of my favorites, ever.
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I don’t think the misquicks would thank you for the directions to Hawaii. When I talk to the mountains I like to be alone. Your task however was completed with distinction.
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Thanks OE. I appreciate your support each week and am happy that you are writing at The Sunday Whirl.
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Great combination of the prompts! I don’t think I could even attempt the second prompt!
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I thought it would be harder than it was…the wordle words drove it. Thanks for your support.
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Hmmm, are we all a bunch of misfit, Mizquicks. I like this. If there could be a warm beach on the boarder of Montana…Well I kind of like my little corner in SW, Pennsylvania. Spent a week on Maui. But you know how that saying goes….There’s no place like home.
Thanks for your visit…glad you enjoyed ‘Recall’.
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Yup… no place like home. It’s where the heart is, that part’s true, too.
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Gorgeous, GORGEOUS.
Especially love:
“Waves must sing delicious”
and
“smudge the four directions” (Let’s always, always do that!)
Excellent.
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Thank you, De. Yes, lets!
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I like what you did, what a wonderful journey, even Hawaii, where you say you have never been, yet you described it, as I remember it!
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Thank you, Annell. I prefer to vacation in remote areas with no people. But I’ve seen movies and pictures. It’s nice to know my imagination is on track. 🙂
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Combined prompts, wow! Both pieces are great, Brenda. How are you holding up after the first week? Me, I am beat.
Pamela
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Today was fun. I spent a lot of time reading poetry, graded some papers. A day to hunker down. Wish I had a few more. The “busy”ness is about to ensue again tomorrow.
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Those mountains are the backdrop of such a big country that anything seems possible…
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Agreed. Thanks Stan.
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Given a choice between Hawaii and Montana, I’d take Montana. I’ve been to both, Montana wins;
not even a contest.
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Thanks for sharing your opinion, I’m with you there 100%.
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Warm and bright and crazy. I’d vacation there.
Hey, if you want a poet’s Hawaii, I’ve been reading Garrett Hongo. I’m betting you would like him.
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Thanks for sharing your thoughts, and Hongo’s name. I’ll check out his work.
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Brilliant! You combined those 2 prompts well and came up with a prizewinner! Loved: “smudge the four directions.”
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