A Morning Bath #WordsMatter #WhenItRains

Sep 7, 2019 | Poetry, Writing

Oh, that silly squirrel! He preens –
Peering through the window-screens
and making funny faces.

Nose-to-nose, cross-eyed, we stare –
neither one of us would dare,
if not for glass and wire mesh.

What’s drawn the would-be burglar here?
It’s rare to see his face so near…
Ah! Raindrops in an upturned pan!

An upside-down rice cooker insert holding a bit of water for parched birds, squirrels, lizards, and such.The view looking out from my kitchen window. There's a small green anole (lizard) in the little "pond" atop the overturned rice cooker.

Yes, when it rains, my little friend
Returns once more to garden’s end
To scold a tiny wizened gnome

Guarding acorns near his home.
That faithful little man won’t roam
But poorly keeps squirrel’s secrets.

A wizened little garden gnome that has seen better days. He's fiercely guarding the vegetable garden where the squirrel likes to bury his acorns and peanuts.A wider view of the garden, showing a live oak, a wooden bench, and in the background, the vegetable garden guarded by the old gnome.


This is my contribution to the second installment of the #WordsMatter Blog Hop. The prompt for September is ‘when it rains’.

Do visit FantasticFeathers’s take on the prompt, in which Mahathi shares her thoughts on rain, both gentle and violent: When it Rains.. #WordsMatter. Then read Unishta’s post at Mumbai on a High: When it rains #WordsMatter – a short story of disillusionment and hope.

And, Jahir C., I do hope you enjoy this little update on the garden gnome. He’s still there, faithfully tending to the basil, hot peppers, mint, and tomatoes. Thank you for your recommendation for the WP VR – 360 Panorama and virtual tour creator for WordPress plug-in as a replacement for the outdated one I had been using for a Gnome’s-Eye View of My Herb Garden – your plug-in works beautifully!

Holly Jahangiri

Holly Jahangiri is the author of Trockle, illustrated by Jordan Vinyard; A Puppy, Not a Guppy, illustrated by Ryan Shaw; and the newest release: A New Leaf for Lyle, illustrated by Carrie Salazar. She draws inspiration from her family, from her own childhood adventures (some of which only happened in her overactive imagination), and from readers both young and young-at-heart. She lives in Houston, Texas, with her husband, J.J., whose love and encouragement make writing books twice the fun.

56 Comments

  1. Leo

    Not sure which I love more, the poem or the pics (esp. the garden gnome) 🙂 Could imagine the scene of the squirrel scolding the gnome 😉

    Reply
    • Holly Jahangiri

      This really happened. (At least the part about the squirrel stare-down and me figuring out that it was due to there being a source of water, there!)

      Reply
  2. Leo

    Not sure which I love more, the poem or the pics (esp. the garden gnome) 🙂 Could imagine the scene of the squirrel scolding the gnome 😉

    Reply
    • Holly Jahangiri

      This really happened. (At least the part about the squirrel stare-down and me figuring out that it was due to there being a source of water, there!)

      Reply
  3. Kala Ravi

    That was such a delightful poem Holly! You have a lovely backyard garden!

    Reply
  4. Kala Ravi

    That was such a delightful poem Holly! You have a lovely backyard garden!

    Reply
  5. Obsessivemom

    That image of a squirrel and a cross-eyed you made me smile this morning. Your gnome reminds me of Big Ears from the Noddy books by enid Blyton.

    Reply
  6. Obsessivemom

    That image of a squirrel and a cross-eyed you made me smile this morning. Your gnome reminds me of Big Ears from the Noddy books by enid Blyton.

    Reply
  7. Unishta

    Pure delight . I could just imagine you stalking this little creature as it scampered in your garden.

    Reply
    • Holly Jahangiri

      Hah! Running from the squirrel, more likely. He’s a little prankster. Likes to scold me and pelt me with peanuts and acorns sometimes.

      Reply
  8. Unishta

    Pure delight . I could just imagine you stalking this little creature as it scampered in your garden.

    Reply
    • Holly Jahangiri

      Hah! Running from the squirrel, more likely. He’s a little prankster. Likes to scold me and pelt me with peanuts and acorns sometimes.

      Reply
  9. Shubhra Rastogi

    The pictures and the poem … both are so captivating. The poem is beautiful and the pictures are going well with it.

    Reply
  10. Shubhra Rastogi

    The pictures and the poem … both are so captivating. The poem is beautiful and the pictures are going well with it.

    Reply
  11. Anamika Agnihotri

    The squirrel tale continues from last month’s prompt ‘outside the window’. I enjoyed reading that one and I enjoyed the squirrel returning to scold your garden gnome. What fun it must be to watch the squirrel talking to the gnome figure. That bench in the sunshine is inviting.

    Reply
  12. Anamika Agnihotri

    The squirrel tale continues from last month’s prompt ‘outside the window’. I enjoyed reading that one and I enjoyed the squirrel returning to scold your garden gnome. What fun it must be to watch the squirrel talking to the gnome figure. That bench in the sunshine is inviting.

    Reply
  13. Sulekha Rawat

    The gnome looks kind and sweet. The squirrel sounds naughty 🙂 Loved reading your poem and the pictures are lovely too.

    Reply
  14. Sulekha Rawat

    The gnome looks kind and sweet. The squirrel sounds naughty 🙂 Loved reading your poem and the pictures are lovely too.

    Reply
  15. Rajlakshmi

    this is such a delightful read. I haven’t seen a squirrel in years. We don’t have them in Australia.

    Reply
    • Holly Jahangiri

      Thank you, Rajlakshmi. I’ll bet you’d trade a whole squirrel invasion for some of the critters you DO have, there! I would love to visit Australia, but there are so many types of wildlife there that will KILL you without batting an eye – your spiders are the stuff of my nightmares. 😉

      Reply
  16. Rajlakshmi

    this is such a delightful read. I haven’t seen a squirrel in years. We don’t have them in Australia.

    Reply
    • Holly Jahangiri

      Thank you, Rajlakshmi. I’ll bet you’d trade a whole squirrel invasion for some of the critters you DO have, there! I would love to visit Australia, but there are so many types of wildlife there that will KILL you without batting an eye – your spiders are the stuff of my nightmares. 😉

      Reply
  17. Rajlakshmi

    this is such a delightful read. I haven’t seen a squirrel in years. We don’t have them in Australia. 🙂

    Reply
  18. Rajlakshmi

    this is such a delightful read. I haven’t seen a squirrel in years. We don’t have them in Australia. 🙂

    Reply
  19. Suha Vijay

    I was really imagining the squirrel’s faces. Loved the poem

    Reply
    • Holly Jahangiri

      Oh, they are funny up close, especially when they’re yawning or chewing on something. I do wish I’d grabbed the camera, but was moving so slowly so as not to scare him off.

      Reply
  20. Suha Vijay

    I was really imagining the squirrel’s faces. Loved the poem

    Reply
    • Holly Jahangiri

      Oh, they are funny up close, especially when they’re yawning or chewing on something. I do wish I’d grabbed the camera, but was moving so slowly so as not to scare him off.

      Reply
  21. Mahati ramya adivishnu

    You have given us a good view of your garden, squirrels and gnomes with this poem. It’s good to see squirrels make faces from window.

    Reply
  22. Mahati ramya adivishnu

    You have given us a good view of your garden, squirrels and gnomes with this poem. It’s good to see squirrels make faces from window.

    Reply
  23. Shalzmojo

    The squirrel scolding the gnome has got to be the sweetest thing about this poem; enjoyed reading it and wondering if this really happened in your garden Holly!

    Reply
  24. Shalzmojo

    The squirrel scolding the gnome has got to be the sweetest thing about this poem; enjoyed reading it and wondering if this really happened in your garden Holly!

    Reply
  25. Keerthi Vydyula

    I could literally imagine you peeping through the glass window and following its trail time to time. I had such experience but without the glass window in between. By the way you have a lovely backyard.

    Reply
  26. Keerthi Vydyula

    I could literally imagine you peeping through the glass window and following its trail time to time. I had such experience but without the glass window in between. By the way you have a lovely backyard.

    Reply
  27. Menaka Bharathi

    Your backyard garden is very beautiful. Squirrels and gnomes – lovely duo!

    Reply
    • Holly Jahangiri

      Thank you! It is a lovely back yard, and that is largely due to my husband’s efforts. I’m a lousy gardener!

      Reply
  28. Menaka Bharathi

    Your backyard garden is very beautiful. Squirrels and gnomes – lovely duo!

    Reply
    • Holly Jahangiri

      Thank you! It is a lovely back yard, and that is largely due to my husband’s efforts. I’m a lousy gardener!

      Reply
  29. MeenalSonal

    Squirrel is so agile creature and it so difficult to take a snap of it. Loved your take on the prompt.

    Reply
    • Holly Jahangiri

      Yes, most of my squirrel pictures turn out looking like blurry gray knobs on the side of a tree. Much easier to capture them in words!

      Reply
  30. MeenalSonal

    Squirrel is so agile creature and it so difficult to take a snap of it. Loved your take on the prompt.

    Reply
    • Holly Jahangiri

      Yes, most of my squirrel pictures turn out looking like blurry gray knobs on the side of a tree. Much easier to capture them in words!

      Reply
  31. Anagha Yatin

    Such a light, refreshing take on the prompt! I believe the little gnome is growing old and hence cant keep his secrets. The furry friend has all the rights to give him earful…
    Loved it!

    Reply
  32. Anagha Yatin

    Such a light, refreshing take on the prompt! I believe the little gnome is growing old and hence cant keep his secrets. The furry friend has all the rights to give him earful…
    Loved it!

    Reply
  33. Esha M Dutta

    Such a delightful poem, Holly! Loved your take on the prompt. Agree with Anamika about the bench—it is so inviting!
    P.S. I’d love to have a garden (complete with the squirrels and the gnome!) someday.

    Reply
  34. Esha M Dutta

    Such a delightful poem, Holly! Loved your take on the prompt. Agree with Anamika about the bench—it is so inviting!
    P.S. I’d love to have a garden (complete with the squirrels and the gnome!) someday.

    Reply
  35. Parul Thakur

    What a pretty place. I love how vibrant that looks. So cute. Thank you Holly for sharing this lovely poem and the happy vibes with #WordsMatter.

    Reply
  36. Parul Thakur

    What a pretty place. I love how vibrant that looks. So cute. Thank you Holly for sharing this lovely poem and the happy vibes with #WordsMatter.

    Reply
  37. Sunita Saldhana

    I can just see it all happening. We have a whole family of squirrels running around some fallen trees in the compound. I love watching them scamper over the logs and play .

    Reply
  38. Sunita Saldhana

    I can just see it all happening. We have a whole family of squirrels running around some fallen trees in the compound. I love watching them scamper over the logs and play .

    Reply
  39. Corinne Rodrigues

    Sweet! I’d love to visit your lovely garden someday! I know one little boy who will love to play there! Wishing you all many happy days in it.

    Reply
  40. Corinne Rodrigues

    Sweet! I’d love to visit your lovely garden someday! I know one little boy who will love to play there! Wishing you all many happy days in it.

    Reply
  41. Apeksha Rao

    Oh that’s a naughty squirrel! Loved that garden gnome, though. We have squirrels running all over our balconies, too, and I could so relate to your poem.

    Reply
  42. Apeksha Rao

    Oh that’s a naughty squirrel! Loved that garden gnome, though. We have squirrels running all over our balconies, too, and I could so relate to your poem.

    Reply

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