Train— Horns blaring. Brakes screeching. Last Stop!
The Last Stop? A restaurant. Gotcha!
A friend and I dined at this quaint restaurant, “The Last Stop”, aptly named as it’s located at one of the last stops on a NY city subway line.
The Septolet is a poem consisting of seven lines containing fourteen words with a break in between the two parts. Both parts deal with the same thought and create a picture.
She’s America’s largest cat Iconic symbol of Power Beauty Freedom Resilience Grace Yet she’s being eradicated from our world, her world Steadily and deliberately hunted Her habitats threatened by loss, fragmentation Overhunting of what’s her prey leaves her less to partake, she strays In territories of people, there’s conflict she looses limb and life, she dies
Today she roars her message of conservation and protection Across the globe she parades She sits at the seat where world leaders gather She bids them welcome to their 77th session The General Assembly of the United Nations Called to action with artistic glow Life imitating art She brings her cause front and center for the world’s attention Do you see her? Will you save her? The Jaguar Parade
Jaguar Parade NYC 2022, organized by Artery, is an open-air art exhibition of forty jaguar sculptures designed by global artists, now taking over the streets of New York at the same time that the 77th United Nations General Assembly convenes to spread a pressing message—it’s time to act for jaguars. Also contributing to Ragtag Daily Prompt— the word is glow.
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She’s lights flashing She’s noise reverberating She’s drama unfolding She’s concrete buildings She’s yellow cabs hailing She’s never sleeping She’s New York, New York
She’s 5th Avenue Models and agents Fashionistas and designers She’s Broadway Musicians and poets Actors and directors She’s Park Avenue Cathedrals and parks High rises and skyscrapers She’s New York, New York
She’s renaissance Harlem She’s boogie-down Bronx She’s classy Manhattan She’s pizza She’s hotdogs She’s street meat She’s inspiration She’s convenience She’s excitement She’s New York, New York
She’s contrasting She’s empowering She’s dream-making She’s mesmerizing She’s fascinating She’s captivating She’s New York, New York
There she was—perched precariously, as squirrels often do. She was maneuvering her way across a black unevenly-spiked fence in a quaint little garden off the Brooklyn promenade.
She’s poised. Graceful in her moves. Tail elongated she floats about with seamless acrobatics atop this fence.
I stayed a non-threatening distance away to capture as much of the action without scaring her and forcing a retreat into the protective layers of the tree’s plush foliage. So, with my trusty iPhone I zoom in for a shot that will appear as though I’m in close proximity to this cute little creature of the wild.
She seemed content with me in her space and so I moved in, slow step by slow step. Camera still aimed directly at her. And that’s when she did it …
… she nestled herself between two spikes at the fence’s apex; wrapped her tail around the central/biggest spike while settling her hind legs on the narrow bar of the fence; she then raised up on her hind legs, lifted her front legs even higher and gently placed her paws inches off the rail. Once in position she stared directly into the lens with a confident and proud demeanor as if to say, “I’m all that and I’m ready for my shot”.
I was ready. Click. Got it!
Others walking by who saw this 10-seconds exhibition unfolding—which felt more like a full-length fashion shoot—joined in my exclamations of pure joy.
I have a feeling she’s done this before! Don’t you?!
This was such a splendiferous nature experience. It gave me a heart smile. Let’s be kinder to Mother Nature. She apportions her joys equally to all. Let’s appreciate her more, be gentle with her offerings for she totally rocks!!
Noise, light, smoke Exploding overhead Colored flames and sparks Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, silver, goldShooting up, spiraling around, drifting down Displays varying in size and designFireworks light up the New York sky New York, once the epicenter of the Covid-19 pandemic reopens in grandeur
Paint in Ode to
NEW YORK CITY!
NEW YORK IS BACK!!!
You may like this tribute to NY written while she was paralyzed and completely locked down by Covid-19.
Beforeword: Like many living in NY, I came from elsewhere. Despite all her big city woes, NYC does grow on you. You may love her or hate her but whatever your relationship with the City, you gotta admit—it’s a pretty amazing place. Right now under Covid-19, she looks and feels nothing like her usual self, but she’ll bounce back, and bounce back better, ‘cause she’s got bouncebackability!!!
NYC through my camera lens (under Covid-19 & #BLM protest art)
NEW YORK 🌃
She’s lights flashing She’s noise reverberating She’s drama unfolding She’s concrete buildings She’s yellow cabs hailing She’s never sleeping She’s New York
NEW YORK 🌃
She’s 5th Avenue Models and agents Fashionistas and designers She’s Broadway Musicians and poets Actors and directors She’s Park Avenue Cathedrals and parks High rises and skyscrapers She’s New York
NEW YORK 🌃
She’s contrasting She’s empowering She’s dream-making She’s mesmerizing She’s fascinating She’s captivating She’s New York
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A collection of writing by Dominic Riccitello — intimate conversations, personal essays, and poetic reflections on relationships, loss, and self-discovery.
Poems & More 