Today I’d like to challenge you to write a poem in the style of Kay Ryan, whose poems tend to be short and snappy – with a lot of rhyme and sound play. They also have a deceptive simplicity about them, like proverbs or aphorisms. Once you’ve read a few, you’ll see what I mean. Here’s her “Token Loss,” “Blue China Doorknob,” “Houdini,” and “Crustacean Island.”

My poem for the day, ‘Home’

How something
so small-
smaller 
than a grain
of rice
can grow 
so tall-
taller
than the Eiffle
tower and
look so unfeeling
but, be a 'home'
to those in danger
the eggs of 
coho salmons
and marbled murrelets
is a wonder- 
as wondrous
as the height 
of emotions
a small word
like 'home'
can trigger
in a person
who is 
in a land
away from home.

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P.S. This poem is based on a photograph my sister sent me of her standing
in front of a redwood tree. Apparently, the giant redwood trees grow 
from seeds that are no more than the size of a tomato seed. Their roots
provide a habitat for the eggs of coho salmons and their top branches
a home for the murrelets.