"Following the Zigzagging Jetlagged"

"Following
the Zigzagging
Jetlagged"

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Following
the zigzagging
jetlagged

blazing
their own
travails

hinting
at locating
Atlantis

as archeology
fanatics
speed reading
NatGeo mags
at the Radisson

ring with daffodils
and sprays
of Narcissus
after checking
into The Hilton
with the hashtag:
"atthemoxy"

beneath exposed
columns
sitting atop
polished concrete
at the Godfrey

sipping scalding coffee
whisked from the airport
that morning a la,
"hail-a-cab-and-scare-
up-a-crash-pad" app...

" Unconscious Imagery "

" Unconscious Imagery "

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Unconscious imagery
chance encounterings
quivering with feeling
while waiting for the scream

with eyes open wide
childlike theoretical sides
winged sirens stiletto flies
parasites of spiders

painful bites facts of life
as aspects of style
less easily defined
minus divine intervention

hung above the bed
erotic content
dizzying descent
mythical dimension


tendrils of memory
eyespotted hind wings
spined bodies
laterally striped
plumose antennae...

"Kla-ga Kla-ga Kla-ga"

" Kla-ga Kla-ga Kla-ga "

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

"Kla-ga
kla-ga
kla-ga"
orange
legs
white
tail


eel grass
soft "rronk"
weak call,
"aw-aw"
muffled,
"haw-haw
haw-haw"

color morphs
green-winged
blue-winged
redheaded
ring-necked
greater
and lesser

salt water
fresh
head crest
spectacled
bufflehead
tawny yellow
black-bellied
nesting...

" Stepping Back "

" Stepping Back "

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Stepping back
after nearly
missing half
of the once
magical

having lost
richness
and power
becoming
washed out
having gone up
the water spout

now feeling
down
in the mouth
post
finale

while frantically
flapping
white wing bars
and frenetically
mimicking
squeaky peeps
in a series

dwelling in dense
suburban shrubbery
yellow rumped
slurred upwards

all along bordering
tidewaters
repeatedly warbling
oh so mournfully...

"Buddha's Bedroom"

" Buddha's Bedroom "

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Buddha's bedroom
needles and scales
reduced surface areas
exposed to the air
with quick glances
but by no means at random

being spaced exactly
yet on the other hand
seemingly haphazardly
after facing attack
by firebrands
along torched paths

increased chances
via compression
and expansion
black wattle tanbark

mallards
swans
tidal flocks
whooping
trumpetting
flying Vs

honking
whistling
harlequins
amongst
coots
loons
and
smews...

" Reassessing the Lesser"

" Reassessing the Lesser "

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Reassessing the lesser
prompting flurries of events

dreamy resonance
in colored pencil

too young to object
to retrospectives
for digital docents

amplifying questions
like, "Who? What?
When? Where?"
and sometimes, "Why?"

as zipper pulls
for emergent butterflies
wings spread widely
across sunny sills
post winter mid spring...

"Like a Bullfrog in the Shamrocks"

"Like a Bullfrog
in the Shamrocks"

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Like a bullfrog
in the shamrocks
yet a little less esoteric

unveiled in seconds
priced to sell well
like performance
schedules upended
by an evanescent,
" POOF!" via
"Vogue-y" ringtones
with volumes set on' "low"

during the rustling and buzzing
of a selfie hunt resulting
in a kind of comeuppance
from quickening shutter
clicks by bobbing and weaving
pseudo purposefully
post nostalgic wranglings

teeming with zest
all at once having been
pulled together unintentionally...

"Re-writing Re-wiring"

" Re-writing Re-wiring "

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Re-writing re-wiring
within our beguilingly
wireless guises

displayed upon gazing
while grazing
beneath canopies
of dark locust trees

becoming crowned
with blazing yellow leaves
quavering prior to release

bucking during felling
back cut undercut
justly a cut above
our growth rings
as resins swelling
to the highest
moisture levels

entering in and out
of each and every
dead end
hedging our bets
after attesting
to the regenerative
labyrinthal epi-center
of our perpetual selves...

"Hoofing"...

" Hoofing "

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Hoofing all the way through
to the lavishly new beautifully
poised bowing and curtsying
as devotees of the big silver screen with bootstrappy pedigree like a "Mustang Sally"
with her feet planted firmly
on the ground after wiping
weepy eyes ever since 1965...

"Deep Powerful Wingbeats"

" Deep Powerful Wingbeats "

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Deep powerful wingbeats
occurring casually
once nearly extinct

calling a weak, "aw-aw"
dipping and dabbling
fresh and brackish

straggling across borders
short whistling calls
upon coming ashore

much paler
perching on forked branches
crab apple American ash

widely planted
favorable habitats
clear advantages

nutrients water
canopies of leaves
releasing seeds

forces of gravity
life-giving
infant trees...

"Burrowing Deep into a Mountain"

"Burrowing Deep
into a Mountain"

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Burrowing deep
into a mountain
of quartz and slate

back to normal behavior
spotting planes
setting off debates

facing greater
pistils and stamens
both dry and saline

spirally arranged leaves
often secretory
exuding water
and calcium salts

fused to form toothed tubes
splitting open longitudinally
stigmas and ovaries

hooking closely commonly grown within relatively
well-known colossal enclosures
the most notable being oak...

"Where Ranges Overlap"

" Where Ranges Overlap "

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Where ranges overlap
rounded borders of bare skin
subtle differences

flocks seen flying
in untidy wavering lines
often gliding high overhead

yellowish chins grayish bills
deep red characteristic lips
excreting milky liquid

pollen grains
shed into space
swollen nodes
coastal outgrowths
ovaries embryos rockrose...

"Life Under a Cloud"

" Life Under a Cloud "

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Life under a cloud
living within an art house
constantly draped in white satin
unabashedly being kept intact
well into the hereafter
heavy handedly
held in limbo
in the crosshairs
aiming at nowhere
willed to unknown heirs
appearing daily as overcast...

"Drawing Listeners"

" Drawing Listeners "

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Drawing listeners cryptically
with crisp beats
methodically and cerebrally

alluding to seemingly upbeat
experiences simultaneously
irritating and ingratiating

while streaking both
vertically and horizontally
as galloping drumbeats

veering standoffishly
via embracing backbeats
in minor keys sung lavishly
with telepathic ease...

"Can Be Distinguished"

"Can Be Distinguished"

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Can be distinguished
indeterminately
becoming separate
in maturity

numerous minute seeds
being dispersed
in under stories
of temperate regions

nasal fluting veeries
white bellies gray flanks
vague eye rings

grey cheeked
common in breeding
fruiting trees...

"Sharp Dry Chips"

" Sharp Dry Chips "

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Sharp dry, "chips"
very rare visitors
unmusical reminiscences

calling infrequently
high squeaky
clear, "seek" "seek" "seek"

given repeatedly
in search
of flowers and feeders

slower wing beats
squealing
rising in pitch

becoming
more retiring
plunging, "Go fish!"...

"Honoring the Unusual"

" Honoring the Unusual "

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Honoring the unusual
versus the truly unique
eclectically seeking curiosities

being seduced by subtlety
as opposed to ill-conceived
pageantry while weaving
down unseemly side streets
for the mission society
in spiky high heels

nasturtiums hanging
from balconies
guests trickling in
needing to be seen

torn between callings
cut from the same cloth
post divorce and great loss...

"Admiring Eyes"

" Admiring Eyes "

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Admiring eyes
persuasively placed
as sensationally
hazy halos
varying in tone

while blocking
out the cold
for heirs
to the throne

turning out
and clicking back
in a gangly reaction
to a spidery grace
off stage

succinct pacing
scintillating
sinuous shapes

retaining the diamond
jack-nine-eight
and the diamond
queen-seven
plus a spade
replete with earthy pliés...

"Lesson No. 1: Doing Well"

" Lesson No. 1: Doing Well "

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Lesson No. 1: doing well
as our smallest herons
with distinctively long necks
that can be extended
yet are usually held coiled
while crouching in dense reeds

singing descendingly
recouping best musical
both choppily and smoothly
like buzzing buntings
perching in dense mesquite

varied plain and drab
higher faster great-tailed
grackles overlapping
habitats postures shared
becoming all too rare...

" Not Shown Here "

" Not Shown Here "

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Not shown here
flimsy platforms
on horizontal branches
with wings clapping

rapidly rattling
barking quacking
prey available

wooded areas
aromatic bearing
irritating hairs

boat-shaped halves
shoot details
squarely upstanding...

"Hairs Bristles Scales"

" Hairs Bristles Scales "

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Hairs bristles scales
shrubby garden plants
stigmatic branching

compact to lax
opposite pairs
band tailed
very pale
light and airy

smooth billed
groove billed
musical cuckoos

running smoothly
feeding on caterpillars
rapidly gleaned from leaves...

" Standing Still "

" Standing Still "

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Standing still
bill clattering
nesting colonies

seizing fish
open bills
gulping

grayish overall
standing tall
lower croaks

fertile stamens
floral adaptations
pollinating agents

birds bats ants
subfamilies
Gondwanaland...

" Frog-Bit "

" Frog-Bit "

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Frog-bit
splitting
floating

tilting
needle-like
bills

sharp, "pleeks"
repeated
incessantly

breeding
and non-
breeding

still ponds
muddy bottoms
outcropping...

"Corollas Opening Out"

" Corollas Opening Out "

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Corollas opening out
with coiled anthers
as used in aperitifs

most importantly
evolving separately
asymmetrically

gradually thickening
through abrasion
and bleaching

becoming particularly
obvious in spring
grating rasping

rarely hovering
picking prey
seen singly
ring-billed
laughing...

" On Habitat "

" On Habitat "

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

On habitat mute
trumpetting tundra
fulvous muscovy
rhythmic puffing
tree cavities
acorns seeds
white bellies
thin squeaky
penetrating squeals
wings whistling
higher pitches
commencing hissing...

" Rare Visitors "

" Rare Visitors "

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Rare visitors
feeding
mainly on squid
plus small fish

fairly strong
long pointed
obvious
white collars

arcing in light winds
during spring
along warm Gulf Streams

flying buoyantly
generally silently
weaving wing beats

passing through quickly
descending whinnies
and bleats when feeding...

" A Pictorial Guide "

" A Pictorial Guide "

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

A pictorial guide
alternate
or sometimes
opposite
with simple margins

occasionally solitary
usually tubular
free or fused
from sea level
up to 4,000 meters

highly valued
by beekeepers
with shoots and leaves
used as animal feed
sometimes winged
breaking into seeds
nectar secreted...

" Hazels and Hornbeams"

" Hazels and Hornbeams "

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Hazels and hornbeams
families of trees
single seeded

often winged
in cool temperate regions
while imitating mahogany

" pup-waay-pop-pop "
in small coveys
and patches of cover

dense brushy
white underwings
soaring ivory gulls

mewing high whistling
slightly trilled
spotted wing tips

albino species
exhibiting dusky faces
black eyes and legs...

" Completely Revised "

" Completely Revised "

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Completely revised
rare species added
to tropical habitats

black oystercatchers
American avocets
loud twisted yelps

oceans' edges
groupings of several
weedy nests

associated with godwits
monotonous, "wik wik"
more intense, "KLIK KLIK"

more common in winter
solitarily foraging
gathering in flocks...

"Oleander & Milkweed Family"

"Oleander and Milkweed Family"

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Oleander
and milkweed
family

twisted
overlapping
guide rails
on the undersides

clip like
trumpet vines
widespread
wet or dry

red dyes
woody climbers
landmark guides

pursuing flying
as showy juveniles
like olive-sided tyrants

becoming well defined
buoyant and agile
ash-throated
dusky capped
flycatchers...

" Long Before "

" Long Before "

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Long before
ricochetting off
sassy pep talks

atop mock ups
of Hercules Beetles
while pushing up
striped student sleeves

mimicking static electricity
feeling immense relief
from increased understanding
of carrion-smelling plants
and tracked urine trails

as modus operandi
for flowers and raptors
replete with strategic trappings of intelligence gathering

after tacking sails
across water hazards
of clammy bivalves
kept at bay...

" Slight of Hand "

" Slight of Hand "

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Slight of hand
whiplash fast
shortly thereafter
becoming uncannily apt
as fully imagined
hallways that dazzle
with quilt-patterned amalgams

blended and melding
gingham velvet
innocence decadence
in animatronic platinum
black half masks
of paper and canvas
just short of parody
never having gotten there...

" Glittering Backdrops "

" Glittering Backdrops "

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Glittering backdrops
tapping into backlots
and side allies
of street-savvy half lives

feeling scattered
after smatterings
of extravagance
as revisionist
fairy tales
turned deadpan

after razzmatazz
and forefathers
antics go flat
like selectively lavish
adaptive claptrap
a little hip and a little square
remixed by families
in mashups of main characters...

" Rife with Surprises "

" Rife with Surprises "

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Rife with surprises
in a revival
from grief to whimsy

vernal instincts
from past
period pieces

emerging
as sudden
bursts of speed

happening
without warning
requiring subtlety
and modernist
tendencies

hearing touching
countermelodies
sequencing
in floral leaves...

" Inseparable "

" Inseparable "

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Inseparable
revved up
by matters
of merit
and
admiring
attention

given to
the hot
and heavy
while making
perfect sense

like cause
and effect
generally
helped
by collective
realms
of incredible
recollections

daubed
by dollops
of the re-
markable
outside
the clock

rockin' on
hitting
the mark
as "believe it,
or not"...

"Appearing on the Brink"

" Appearing on the Brink "

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Appearing on the brink
with tensions in between
an illusion of peace
and a final agreement

tantalizingly within reach
after falling into retreat
rapturously unseen
implicitly left whispering
secretive possibilities
involving cruel histories

at the expense of intrigue
psychological underpinnings
from tear-stained stories
as yet to be performed
within ions of subatomic loss
kept well above board...

" Mending Ties "

" Mending Ties "

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Mending ties
while attempting to hide
unauthorized siphoning
of big ideas
by maintaining clarity
as a relocated "O.K.'er"
in the making
during a high-octane
reawakening of double takes
being recalibrated
by taking fill-in-the-blank
final exam papers...

" In Keeping "

" In Keeping "

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

In keeping
with our original spirit
thin skinned

ugly old
yet still playing
significant roles

of sustenance and love
in any which way
like following generations
from particular times and places

making extremely rare
hands-on contact
after taking a stand

becoming hard
to pick and handle
while thinking of grafting
our growing habits on any scale

like carefully balanced demands
being given half a chance
from just about anywhere

being cottled
in heirloom baskets
as harvested pears

in orchard farm stands
along shallow towpaths
dug in the past...

"Finding Subtle Signs"

" Finding Subtle Signs "

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Finding subtle signs
becoming preoccupied
while letting the curious decide
by tapping into hives

striving to glamorize
cross-pollinated lives
synthesizing honeycomb styles

getting direct light
like adapted varieties
yielding sweetness and acidity

saving seeds
via outsourcing genes
for plant breeding
and research trees

after changing the thinking
from previous eras
in newly formed peaches
grown historically...