tune up for Earth Day . . .

. . . by sampling this week's Montage from The Haiku Foundation.  The topic this time around is The Good Earth, featuring work by Paul O. Williams, Marian Olson,  and Paul MacNeil. 

As usual, this exercise in comparative haiku has been edited by Allan Burns (a fellow Colorado haiku poet!).  I continue to find this weekly offering to be an excellent -- and time-effective -- way of expanding my knowledge of contemporary haiku.

a non-earthly start for Earth Day

syndicated posted this information last Friday, but I thought I'd save it for a last-minute cosmic treat and/or poem inspiration. 

Very early tomorrow morning (April 22nd), an unusual conjunction of Venus and the  waning crescent moon may be enhanced by the Lyrid meteor shower!    As viewed in some parts of the world, the Moon will pass directly in front of Venus, causing Venus to "vanish."

Read all the details here, and set your alarm -- the Lyrid shower (if it puts in an appearance) is best viewed in the darker predawn hours.   People in Western parts of North America are most likely to see Venus do its disappearing act.