When It’s Summer

Ladybugs fold August’s

red heat under wings

crawl to shade, to edge

of creek, calm cadence

carves silence, caresses

perfect rhythm of green

heartbeat, deep in soil.

Procession begins on birch

branch, ladybugs mingle in sun

glow on bruised trunk, on wild

leaves stormed, hearts lifted

by the loud fingertip, eclipses,

heavy shadow of human existence.

____________________________

Closure with Flying Birds

They’ve spoken to my father

and bring back news.

He’s well. 

Sun shines in the garden where I sit.

Birds fly to me, ask

for a message for my father. 

I offer a poem.

I inhale scent of his shirt in the wake

of their wings. The flying birds told

him his scent is now mine too. 

I follow the track of flying birds.

I scatter seeds.

___________________

Worshipper

Lips glistening like brown sugar crystals

cheekbones angled like red rhubarb

stalks in your garden, you sit,

godmother, in all of your beauty,

amber skin, silver hair braided

at your breasts.

Your glow, scented ginger fingernails,

lifting soil from fertile slumber,

physicality of you not minding sun

forever seated

buddha among yucca.

_________________________

After Sixteen Days of Drought

Green blade of grass craves dew.

Praying mantis prays

above parched roots, gardener curses

brittle stalks, rabbit circles wired fence.

Splitting purple vine crawls up

shed, faded red legumes collapse left.

Gray clouds pregnant with rain.

Drought suckles at trickle

of reservoir, as slight drizzle drifts

teases soil. Black pebbles sizzle.

Ancient ochre moss peels off bark. 

Shrinking nightshades lose the night.

Children dressed in white, feet

stomp dust in rain dance,

voices shout rain song.

Mother hums harvest lullaby.

Clouds burst silver rain, soaking pods,

mud pies in dishes on playground.

Rabbit sneaks through hole

in garden fence. Girl’s pink

tongue gathers splashes

from rain, plum-colored lips

moistened. Soon impatient boy

will pluck budding edible blossoms

to the crowing laughter of emerald

feathered roosters.  Pebbles vanish

below flowing river. Gardener smiles

at orange abundance, mother tosses

cherry red tomatoes in her mouth.

Infant latches for her milk.

Green blade of grass grateful.

Praying mantis legs bless roots.

_________________________

Takin’ It Easy by Jerrice J Baptiste

This morning, I sit

legs folded like the Jade Buddha.

My cup of chai tea rests on the table

at my reach. I put pen to blank page.

Inhale scent of chai slowly,

making its way into nostrils.

Transported to a friend’s kitchen

with many objects in red on her shrine.

Taste of spices on tongue,

cinnamon & clove return with joy.

I sip until end of morning light

dancing on walls. Then, I approach you!

Jerrice J Baptiste is an artist, poet, educator and author of nine books, Her watercolor drawings on paper have been accepted or forthcoming in MER, Synchronized Chaos, Saugerties Shout Out, Las Laguna Art Gallery exhibit in California, Spirit Fire Review, Jerry Jazz Musician Magazine. Jerrice has presented her art work at The Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY, in June 2025. She’s been featured as a solo artist at the Cairo Public Library in Cairo NY, in an art exhibit at The Mountaintop Library in Tannersville NY in August-September 2025, and also a solo Exotic Birds Collection on January-February 2026 at Mountain Top Library, She participated in an art show called Shout Out Saugerties, NY.  Her most recent poetry book Coral in The Diaspora is published by Abode Press (August 2024). She is well published in Artemis Journal, The Yale Review, Mantis and hundreds of others. Jerrice’s collaborative songwriting and poems are featured on the Grammy nominated album: Many Hands Family Music for Haiti. She teaches Authentic Poetry workshops in The Catskills, NY.