85. Shruti Krishna Sareen's "Crafty Witchery", in response to Catherin J Pascal Dunk's "The most beloved"

My goddess has two huge poppies
in her juda--- one flaming red, the other,
a passionate purple. They offset
her jet-black tresses. The poppies
complement the wickedness of this witch. 
She is weird. She is also whimsical.
Your goddess might want to be wary of her. 
She wears a nose ring. And earrings.
On her dark arm, she has a tattoo.
Her eyes underlined with kajal as black as her hair.
She has cold, unsmiling lips, and a piercing stare
fierce as the sun, which bores into your goddess
with shattering intensity, as if in search of her soul. 

84. Jessica Perini's 'Dendrosphere dreams' for Catherin J Pascal Dunk

Photo by Jessica Perini 2025

dendrosphere dreams 

by Jessica Perini

Could we just make a rule —

Let’s be kind
Let’s stop
 with the self promotion 
Take a minute
to —
Honestly 
Wholeheartedly 
Openmindedly 
Not-yet-taking-a-breath-for-the-next-sentence —
Listen

What I would give for a moment
of an active ear
satelliting my way
A thousand bucks
An endless loop of thanks
A tear for sure
Idk
A lot

No one teaches
such a valuable skill
Except the 
birds
heads cocked
for the inching of ants 
And 
the tree trunks
in their standing 
Stock still
Leaves
motioning bare intent
in subtle breeze

They know listening
Their trunks
a large bark of ear
pressed to the wind 

83. Jake Dennis's Garden Haiku invitation for S. E. Dennis

Thank you Kit for the invitation to this garden and to Cathy Stirling for the prompt to contribute. On the theme of gardens and childhood, my haiku from Steliana Voicu's Enchanted Garden: 

after school she finds

the frog in the garden

no longer there

- Jake Dennis @PoetOfJazz

First published as “Haiku” in Right Way Down and Other Poems, edited by Sally Murphy and Rebecca M. Newman, Alphabet Soup Books and Fremantle Press, Australia, 2024, 108. Reprinted as “after school she finds” in Enchanted Garden, edited by Steliana Voicu, Issue 7: Moments in the Garden, Romania, April 2024. Republished in Dennis, Jake. ‘Gone’ QPoetry, edited by Sandra Makaresz, #20, Queensland Writers Centre, South Brisbane, 2024. 

S. E. Dennis you create beautiful artworks and poetry that make me smile. I am always excited to read your latest poem or see your newest painting. Let's meet in the garden :).