Friend Ships

Friend ships often
Sail shifting seas
You see them
Then they sail
Out of sight
And yet those
Gossamer lines of love
Memories, linger
The way she turned
The steering wheel
Underhand,
And tossed water
Into the air to delight
In the drops
Snapshots in the mind
A reflection, a grin
But most missed
The flow of conversation
Constant, joyful laughter
And now two decades
Later
Over a cup of tea
The ships meet
Those lines of love
Link into heart moorings
Like so many years
Ago and the words
And laughter flow
Hearts set free
To sail on the
Sea of Happy

This was written for the prompt of Happiness at Poetry Jam poetryjaam.blogspot.com, and for the prompt of Changes and Turns at dversepoets.com and shared with the Poetry Pantry at Poets United poetry blogroll.blogspot.com.  It was inspired by a recent visit to CA, where I got to reconnect with on of my best friends from high school.  We'd lost touch for about 20 years and then found each other on FB.  After hello and a hug, we started talking-like no time had passed at all.  :-)   Also on this New Year's Eve I'd like to share a toast with all of you

There are good ships
And there are wood ships
And there are ships that
Sail the sea
But the best ships
Are friendships
And may they
Always be

Thank you all for your kindness, support and laughter--Happy New Year!!

Looking Up

Peach flavored translucence

With a side of light

Ethereal in its emptiness

Until

A flock of winged silhouettes

Appear

Like cut outs

From the evening sky

Puzzle pieces shifting

High on the morning breeze

A vision broken

When the sun reaches out

And reveals their true colors

This is written for the prompt from Poetry Jam poetryjaam.blogspot.com, who invites us to take a walk and write about what we see. The dogs and I saw this vision this morning. Here in Florida it always looks to me like the birds are pieces of the sky that somehow fell out of the aerial jigsaw :-) Also, shared with the wonderful Open Link Night at dversepoets.com

Super Man

Caring is a given

Not a question for this man

Mother, Father, Aunt

Cared for them all until

He did not have the strength

Then visited twice a day

Brought pastellitos for the staff

A little sweet insurance for extra care

Was the constant for his grandchildren

Because caring is a given

No question, that every day

He picked them up from school

Took care of them if they were sick

While their power career parents climbed ladders

Got raises and worked late

He made the nietos cafe con leche, and listened to their stories

And when more family came from Cuba

Everyone else put up the money, but he housed them

Because caring is a given

Even when they stayed past welcome

And their daughter left them there

He fed them, drove them, called rescue

And made the funeral plans

Now his sweetheart of sixty years

Can no longer care for herself

No break, yet no complaint

Because caring is a given

And the circle of life spins

What was given is returned

Beloved and surrounded by

All his family, every day

Full of caring,

Given with gratitude

This is written for Poetry Jam's poetryjaam.blogspot.com prompt to write about a good person; And for dverse poets-another form that took on a form of it's own—kinda a quatern; dversepoets.com; and for Poets United Poetry Pantry poetryblogroll.blogspot.com This is dedicated to my father-in-law who is one of the most genuinely good people I know. His life has been that of a caregiver, and he has shouldered it with love, and patience for the past thirty years. It amazes me. And the best part is to see how much love surrounds him. His children are always there for him, he does not want for anything, daily phone calls too, plus—every Saturday is breakfast with his daughter's family and every Sunday it's dinner with us. His grandkids call him every day, help him care for his wife, give him haircuts, and take him out to lunch every week. * pastellitos are Cuban pastries; *nietos is spanish for grandchildren :-)

I Believe

In Santa

The Easter Bunny

And Tooth Fairy

How could I not?

They all were me!

This was written for the prompt to write about make believe and fantasy, from last week at Poetry Jam poetryjaam.blogspot.com (yes, I am that behind).  And I do believe! These gift givers are traditions passed from parent to parent for years and years. Of course they exist, all you have to do is look at that wide-eyed happy expression of a small child.  Wonder is the best magic of all.  Also, sharing this with Open Link Night at dversepoets.com where everyone believes in something :-)

Mary and Me

I was prepared to love her

Better than anyone

Ever, ever, ever

Loved a sister

Never

Fight like other sisters

We

Were going to be

Perfectly happy

Except it took

A while

(Okay, an eternity)

To me

Finally

At eight years to her three

We Hoppity-hopped

And read

Shared nightmares and

A bed

Barbies, Candy Land, coloring books,

Backseat buddies, side by side

For every trip we took

Till I moved three thousand

Miles away

Now we have phone calls

Instead of Barbie play

Dealing with grown up fears

Laughing, not hiding tears

And that little girl prepared to

Love and to be sweet

Is so happy to find that sister love

Travels a two way street

This was written for the Sibling Revelry prompt at Poetic Bloomings, about my sister Mary, who is one of the best people I know and who can make me laugh, no matter what; the Preparation prompt at Dverse Poets (excellent prompt, Mary!) dversepoets.com and the Poetry Pantry and Poets United poetryblogroll.blogspot.com where I'm stopping by to share a poem and a snack. 

Reflected In You

Reflected in you
I see a lovely combination
Of parental DNA
(not that I'm partial or anything)
I see hope and fear
Mine and yours
Mistakes, too
Mine and yours
But mostly I see
Proof of heaven
Like the first time
I held you, uncovered those
Ten perfect toes
And incredibly long fingers
Long before I knew
How much you would make me
Laugh out loud, gnash my teeth
Glow with love
The minute your eyes met mine
I was a gone girl


This poem is for the prompt at Poetry Jam poetryjaam.blogspot.com  where Mary gave us the incredibly fun prompt of writing a poem using the title of one of New York Times Best Sellers; The title is from "Reflected In You" by Sylvia Day, a story of fiction; and I included two other titles, just for fun (and I couldn't pick just one) "Proof of Heaven" by Eben Alexander-nonfiction; and "Gone Girl" by Gillian Flynn, a mystery.  This is also for the prompt at Poets United, poetryblogroll.blogspot.com where we are asked to write about a gift that gave me a happy heart, what popped into my head was when I called my mom to let her know she was going to be a grandma--all she could say was "Oh!Oh!Oh!"  My boys and my stepdaugher are the best gifts I've ever been given.  And I'm sharing this poem with Open Link Night where gifts are always welcome  dversepoets.com   :-) Happy Thanksgiving everyone--I'm thankful for all of you!! 

Bailing on Barnum

If the circus was a class field trip
Guess who lost their permission slip?
That would be me
Conveniently,
Pink crushed into a couch crevasse
Because, alas
While I loved the horses, and trapeze
Clowns did not, please
Me
Nor did tired, sad elephants
Chained and dressed
Not for success
Stuck in a single line
With whips that snapped and whined
Or tigers snarling and then sent
To stand on silly stools to repent
Plus the scent of pacyhderm poo
Ewwwww
Instead,
Let's find a mountaintop
Maybe a meadow where we'll flop
And make a circus of clouds that fly
Above our heads in the sky

This poem is for Poem a Day prompt 14 by Catherine Lee write a "stuck" poem; and for the creative folks at Poetry Jam who invite us to write about the circus at poetryjaam.blogspot.com
Sorry, I really did/do avoid the circus, it always made me sad.  But the big top of a mountain?  Happy!!

A Handy Recipe

Dear World,

Hate needs to go.  Therefore, I have invented a "hate elimination process." Please follow these simple instructions:

Look at both hands,
See the pads on your fingers, the lines, the scars
Everyone has these, EveryOne
Remember this
Then place the left hand over the right,
Press both on top of your heart
And joyfully proclaim "Hate Begone, Love Live On!"

If you still feel hatred brewing, Kindly repeat this process, until the glow of love grows in your chest.  It may feel a little warm, this is part of the normal settling process.

And if you believe this recipe is a little weak, feel free to order my new "Love Paint," which is equal parts chocolate and bliss.

It's easy make yourself:

First melt your favorite chocolate,
Next, dip in a finger (preferably your index),
Then, stick that chocolate coated finger slowly into your mouth
Close your eyes and smile
Feel free to repeat this process until you are full of love (and chocolate)

My apologies in advance to anyone who is allergic to chocolate, or who just plain doesn't like it.  Feel free to substitute your own favorite flavor--jelly, brandy, marshmallow creme...This is another mishmash of prompts from Poetic Asides Poem A Day;  Write a poem about an invention-Jane Shlensky; Write two poems, one a letter poem and the second a recipe poem-from Mike Grove.  Also, offered up for dversepoets.com, open link night where love is served every day.  :-)

Poetic Ketchup

Cold Thanks

William, I forgive you for

Eating my plums

Your words satiated my

Hunger in exactly

The right way

But couldn't you have left

Just one?

C'est La Vie

When he's gone I'll

Send

A single text to

Me

“c'est la vie”

Life will not be

Empty

In fact I'll have

More tea

And a cup less

Of misery

Which will

Bring me

Joie de vivre

When he's gone

I'll be free

To sip life

Slowly

Still trying to keep up with the poem a day challenge--and then I decided to roll nearly all of them into one.  The first poem is a combination of the prompt of  Day 6 Left and Right poem -Walt; and Day 8 talk back to a dead poet, from Daniel Ari. I love the poem "This Is Just to Say" by William Carlos Williams http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15535  If you've never read, it do something nice for yourself and click on the link.  "Cold Thanks" is the reply to that poem.  And the second poem, I have combined the following prompts: Day 5 Write a text poem-Amanda Laughtland;; Day 7 Circular poem-  Eleanore;  Day 9 When he's gone--Sally Jadlow; Day 10  Use a foreign word in the title of  the poem--Linda Hofke;  And, I'm also sharing this with the lovely poets at Poets United Poetry Pantry!  poetryblogroll@blogspot.com Enjoy :-)

Just Beneath Reality

The sea is the color of bliss

Trees greet you with a kiss

The ground is as soft as drowsy

There's no such word as “lousy”

Mosquitoes, no-seeums and houseflies

Sing harmony in violet skies

Stars play seek and hide

Every time you go outside

You can be any shape you choose

And calories help you lose

Peace rains every day

Children laugh and parents play

While the highest priority

Belongs to words in poetry

Seasonal Humor

The little boy said,

“Daddy, I don't want to put my coat on.”

Dad pointed at the gray clouds outside and replied gently,

“You see son, it's winter out side and for every season there is a change.”

Two poems offered up today, one decidedly lame humor, however, sometimes I have to go where the pun goddess points me—for “Change of Seasons” at Poetry Jam poetryjaam.blogspot.com--Peggy's beautiful photos deserve better.  Love that shot of Hawaii and California!  And, Day 4 of Poem a day challenge at Poetic Asides, the lovely, talented and warm Marie Elena asks us to write a poem using the phrase "Just beneath ________"  Though I have to give some credit to Lewis Carroll and  S.E. Ingraham--I've always loved "Jabberwocky" and Sharon wrote a really cool fantasy poem at http://www.pyrokinection.com, got my jabber juices going...

And for the dverse poets at the bar for Open Link Night, where jabbering is welcome :-)  dversepoets.com

A Fearful Fib

I
Fear
Loss of
Family
Home, mobility
Above all, loss of memory
Becoming a burden to everyone who loves me

This is written for day 3 of Poetic Asides Poem a Day challenge, where Joshua Gray asks us to write a poem that scares you--so I took fear and ran with it.  This form is a fibonacci or (fib), though this poem is truth.  My sense of humor still intact :-)

Luna-sea (Dona Nobis Pacem)

We held our
Breaths the balance
Seemed so fragile
Caught between
Sunset and Moonrise
Orange to the west
Dissolved to darkness
While orange in the
East grew
An enormous
Moon balloon
Filled the horizon
And threw its
Light across the
Sea
An amber invitation
To the sky
It was
Awe
Full

Written for the second day of PAD, prompt from the talented Khara House to write about a full moon.  This is a true story. An incredible harvest moon that seemed to send an invitation across the sea.  Also shared with the wonderful poets at Poets United Poetry Pantry poetryblogroll.blogspot.com  And just found out about Blog 4 Peace so I'm linking this to that as well--Peace!!

Flame On

Match me

Catch me

Strike that

Tender tinder

And with hot

Breath grow

That flame

Never, ever

Blow it

Out

Do you know what today is? It's the first day of the Poem A Day challenge at Poetic Asides, with our master of poetry and prompts Robert (not Bob) Brewer! The man who got me writing poems again with his first April Poem A Day challenge, five (yes, that's five) years ago. Stop in for some great poetry reads or join the fun at http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/poetic-asides Today's prompt is “Matches” from the lovely Mariya Koleva!!

Stable Ground

Somewhere between

Eight and nine

It hit

My heart swelled

With it

And anything

Equine

Had to, HaD To,

HAD TO

Be mine

Six years later

Finally

Heard that nicker

Just for me

And was never able

To stray from

The stable

In overalls

We

Cleaned stalls

Cleaned leather

Learned how to tie a

Tether

Brushed our horses

Raced in the pasture

Or just laid like sacks

Across those broad

Sun-warmed backs

And became one

With our obsession

Years (many)

Later, my heart

Still stirs at a soft

Nicker

For me, heaven will be

Filled with hay and a whinny

This posted for the prompt at Poetic Bloomings where they ask us to write about our favorite hang-outs when we were growing up. For me that was the stable—loved horses then, love them now—some things never change. We lived there, loving every scent, chore and of course the horses. Heaven. Also, for Tash and all the wonderful poets at Open Link Night—might not be typical Halloween fare, but horses did and always will bewitch me :-) dversepoets.com and this is a stretch, however, this horse-filled life was definitely a choice that overrode pretty much every other extracurricular activity in my teen years, and one that I'm forever thankful to have had--for the prompt “choices” at Poetryjaam.blogspot.com

Love That Beat

Play some
Bass drum
Rim tap
Cow bell
Bass guitar
Honky tonk
Bee bop
Rock and roll
R & B
Chattanooga
Choo choo
Disco
Salsa, too
Any thumping
Beat will do
Rhythm
Starts at my toes
Stead-i-ly
It grows
Bounce, shake
Shimmy
Spin
Every atom
Joins in
Twist, shout
Let it out
Its the best
Way to be
De-liri-ous-ly
Happy!

Thank you to Dani at Poetry Jam poetryjaam.blogspot.com for inviting us to write about what we love, including dancing. Also dancing at the Open Link Night, with the fabulous Claudia, dversepoets.com, and with the incomparable  Sherry, at Poets United who did me the honor of an interview :-)  poetry roll.blogspot.com (have to scroll to Monday 10/22) Dancing has always been my happy place. From the Twist the Jerk, and the Monkey while we danced to the Beatles and Stones, in my parent's den, to washing dishes, or in my car (yes, that's me singing and shimmying at the stop light) the best way I know to shake off the blues and find my smile :-)   PS tried to give this poem a beat, feel free to tap your feet...

Moon Kisses

Whispers of the wild

                Shadow-child

                     Tip-toed barefoot

                        Sharp cold granite

                                  Peak just to kiss

                                     The soft white cheek

                                                     Of the moon

I guess this is my week to be slightly off the beaten path of prompts or direction. Have to say, this is not where this poem was headed originally, but sometimes you just have to go with it.  The flow of words is supposed flow like a moonbeam...  This is just to say, thank you for the prompts at Poetry Jam (Shadows-Love those! Thank you Peggy) poetryjaam.blogspot.com; Poets United (Wolf), but actually that's where I got my beginning line—thank you Ella, my muse was enchanted! Poetryblogroll.blogspot.com and for the inspiring and generous Brian who's tending bar for Open Link night at dversepoets.com

Sun Salutation

Go slow

Ease into the day

Sunlight does not hurry

Each beam slightly

Brighter

It takes time to

Help the sky remember

Its colors

No rush

They will come

A slow blush on water blue

Hurried greetings

Offend

A nuclear fusion of effort

Colored the clouds

Just so

Face the light

And fully embrace

The day

Thought this might be fitting since tomorrow is Monday and we'll all be rushing around.  Came to me while walking the dog one morning.  The sunrise deserves its due (dew?).  This is posted for all the lovely people at Poetry Pantry--where Poets United invite us to share  poetryblogroll.blogspot.com

Battle Lost

My bed's a planet

Let me stay in it

Peaceful in orbit

And leave the horror

No, not the snorer

The beckoning door

Where the evil grows

Never ever slows

Ignoring the snows

And chortles at me

While I spray with glee

Poison chemically

(and organically)

Sigh, futility

Next weekend I'll see

New sprouts creepily

Spreading on the deck

My life is a wreck

There's just no respect

From this chlorophyllic dreck

This was supposed to be a Englyn (3 lines 7 syllables, yet somehow 5 stuck in my head—so it's not, seven, it's 5, and I had to add that line at the end to make sense--but it was a valiant attempt, so I'm linking to dversepoets.com) also in response to Poetic Asides take a line and use it—“my bed is a planet” (kinda made me think of “plant” so I went with that...) and last but certainly not least, a poem in response to poetryjam's “Monster” prompt poetryjaam.blogspot.com Whew!! Weeds in my pavers are definitely monstrous, I refuse to use the even more evil herbicides, however, those weeds are definitely laughing at me, and I shudder to think of the masses of roots that are just waiting to take over...

The Cracker Jack Creed

Crack life open
And find the surprise
Inside
Dab a little behind your
Ears
Stick it in your pocket
In a locket
But don't lock it
Up
Hang it on key chain
Let it swing
Sprinkle some in
Your salad
Or in a
Champagne glass
Sip it, splash it
Wear it
Share it
Smear it on bifocals
Or binoculars
To improve the view
Slide some in your
Shoe
You never know
What a little surprise
Will do

This was written for the Wacky Wednesday prompt at Poets United but I was too late to link there-- so I'm sharing it as part of the Poetry Pantry post instead.  poetryroll.blogspot.com
Inspired by Ella's introduction to SARK http://planetsark.com/ who writes wonderful words, like "Keep surprise close at hand"  :-)   The spark for this poem.

Above All Else

Above me I love the sky
Below me I love the sea
Around me I love my friends
On my face I love a smile
In my belly I love a laugh
In my ears A Beatles tune
In my nose Wafts of fresh baked (anything)
In my hand A glass of wine
At my waist My husband’s arm
Under my feet A sandy beach
There’s too much in life
To enjoy and see
To love one thing exclusively

This was written for a prompt at Poetic Bloomings to write a poem for one thing I loved to do "above all else"--couldn't do "one thing" and this poem was the result. Received a "Bloom" in recognition of my creativity. And since Time's been short lately I'm sharing it with you and my fellow poets at dvsersepoets.com, where it's open link night! Anything goes :-) 

Sunny Side Of the Street

She wants to help

Every day

Sending ray upon ray

Of her

A sunny disposition

And now a scientific

Proposition

Take her positive energy

And make a road

That

Powers the car

(if it's electric)

The nation

And makes refuse

Use-

Ful

Can it be reality?

Maybe

It's up to you and me

(watch the movie...)

This is so unbelievably cool!  They have a prototype, they have an FB page too.  Are there issues? Sure. But just the concept, the idea that this could be, is pretty doggone thrilling!!  I love the wonder of it.  Deep breath, feel the wonder?!  Yes, I knew you would :-)

So Thank you to Poetry Jam for the inspiration--write a poem that is for didactic (interesting teaching) purpose.  poetryjaam.blogspot.com  Also for open link night at dversepoets.com

Rain Drop Doo Wop

Walking has a rhythm, the gortex rain jacket crunching against my shorts, follows that beat, in a crunching-swish way, and the streams of water--falling, falling, falling from the clouds-sky, from the tree-branches-needles-leaves, hitting my head, my arms, my dog, my legs, the ground.

But what do I see? I see the streams of water—falling, falling, falling onto the surface of the ponds and splashing, bouncing back, makes me think of music, drums, a piano. Rhythm. The challenge, wrap up that memory, soak it, turn it, tweak it—put it into words that move, that make you feel the music, the beat, the staccato, the mambo, the splash-dance of waterplay across a still surface, a surface that yields, in explosive sprays. How to trap this wonder, let loose my muse and paint with words, just the right words, that put you into this moment, this raincoat, with me while the rain falls, falls, falls while the clouds thunder and laugh at my feeble attempts to capture magic with words.

I was recently asked about writing prose--always been intrigued, but never tried--so here it is my first attempt.  I think.  Brooke Horvath's poem “Definition” says a prose poem should be...”not too short and not too long, somewhere between a snort and a song.”  I think I snorted.

Written for the Poetry Pantry at Poets United poetryblogroll.blogspot.com  

 

C-Bond

 IBM Research scientists imaged the bond order and length of individual carbon-carbon bonds in C60

 C the bond
Look closely
Atomic force microscopy

We be C-

Based
From the C
Connected, bonded
You and me
Microscopically
Globally
No matter
What our thoughts
May be
You C?

This discovery fill me with awe and glee.  I mean, it is the coolest thing ever!!  An actual photo of the bonds in a carbon atom--how amazing is that? We can take a photo of atomic bonds--mind blowing really.  All those years looking at and drawing carbon bonds, with hydrogen, etc. yawn--and now a real picture of it!!  Also, just reinforces my belief, we're all part of the same stuff, time for all us peoples to get along.  Happy bonding!!  Inspired by the prompt at poetryjaam.blogspot.com, to look closely.

Keyless

He knows

Can almost feel the release

Hear the soft thud

As the fob and key

Fall into his son's hand

“I fell asleep at the stoplight”

He confesses to the office staff

But not to me

He knows

They'll tell me

He always shifts into neutral

Just

In

Case

But that doesn't make it safe

He knows

Freedom is a key

That fits in the ignition

A simple turn

Of events

No one wants to think it

Or say it

But

He knows

Written for Open Link night at dversepoets.com  Didn't intend to go to the dark side, but sometimes, life just takes you there, and the only key to escape is you gotta write a poem...

Doilies

Credit Artwork by Vicki Sheehan

Title:  Collage - Original Mixed Media Art - Golden Threads

Dark shiny table tops

Soft white lace

Home décor contrasted

Like the hard-working men

And soft-spoken women

Who sat on the chesterfield

Sipping Manhattans

Smoking Tareytons

While little girls

Pressed, scrubbed clean

Sat, lips sealed

Hands folded, and watched

The scene, memorized

Lipstick, gestures

The magic of smoke rings

Never knowing that they

Were learning an era

Not an eventuality

Written for Poets United at poetryblogroll.blogspot.com who invite you to write about a mystery and timeworn memories--with inspiration from the works of Vicki Sheehan-visual artist

The lace in this piece of art reminded me of the doilies my grandma (Norwegian) used to put on all her polished dark wood end tables and side tables.  The intricacies always fascinated me, just like her ability to blow perfect smoke rings.  I will never know why she called a "couch" a "chesterfield" because I never thought to ask, it just was...

Really?

It might have been the broad shoulders

Maybe the Roman nose

Or winning grin

And taller than me

Sat behind me in Spanish class

Was so dreamy

Felt a little chemistry

Then Mono hit me--two weeks

Tossed and turned in fever, sure

That I'd lost my chance

Instead, the day I returned

He asked me to the Homecoming Dance

In shock, I squeaked a “yes”

And he answered, “Really?”

As they say, the rest...

Was typical high school romance

Doomed before it's through

But for that single moment

It was a dream come true

Written for the prompt, “Moment that impacted you” for poetryjaam.blogspot.com; Openlink night at dversepoets.com and Poetic Bloomings prompt #72—first love

This was the first true love, took a few more frogs before I figured things out, but as they say, you never forget your “first” :-)

Otta Be Autumn

No shades of leafy reds

                         Are seen

                              In the land of perpetual

                                                            Green

No yellows, oranges

                         Or gold

                                Where people flee

                                           To escape
                                                      The Cold

No winey scent, or frosty chill

                          No leaves to rake

                                          Or cookies to

                                                          Bake

                  (it's too darn hot, for goodness sake)

Just hurricane season

                         And humidity

                                       Happy trees

                                              But wistful Me

Thanks to the inspiration from Think Tank Thursday #103 at Poets United poetryblogroll.blogspot.com

And unfortunately, true.  Used to live where we had a fabulous Autumn, and I love every little bit of it, from the brisk breeze, scent of rotting leaves, frosty edged hedges, colorful trees, even the skeletal remains after every leaf dropped--all beautiful and fond memories.  Sigh--cheers to everyone who is entering this magical time. :-)

Shades of Summer

Sunlight slipped
Through
Oak trees
Weaving beam and branch
To paint gray
Picnic table planks
With shadow leaves
While the breeze
Tickled my neck
Whispering
Secrets
Only I could hear


Sharing with Openlink Night at dversepoets.com; this poem was also recently published at the amazingly cool online poetry mag http://www.jellyfishwhispers.com  A.J. Huffman, editor and phenomenal poet.  Check it out!  Submissions are open :-)

Letters Illuminated

Dear Stars,

Thank you for giving me humility and awe. For lighting the vast shadow of limitless space. For inspiring sparkling thoughts and diamond sprinkled analogies.

For showing us the way, when we are lost at sea, or on land, for never wavering in your brilliant constancy.

I love your constellations, the way you spin your galaxies just so. Some people might say you're too hot tempered, but I think you're super, nova or not.

Yet, most of all, I wanted to thank you for giving everyone here at planet blue a place to hang our wishes, even when you fall.

Long may you shine.

Love,

-Sara

For the “Write a Letter” prompt at Poetry Jam poetryjaam.blogspot.com and for Open Link Night at the bar of dversepoets.com Happy hour indeed :-)

Field of Dreaming

Didn't intend to

Spend twenty-five years

In the outfield

Hands at my sides

Hope penciled onto, fading

From the weathered palm of my glove

Waiting

For a dream

Then, a sun scorched day

Sight blocked by light

Heard the swing

The rush of air

Reached up, up

Tendons to the point

Of tearing

It landed

Light as my favorite song

A dream

And all I had to do

Was reach

Written for the wonderful prompt "Dream Catcher"  at Poets United poetryblogroll.blogspot.com  Couldn't resist the baseball analogy--eventhough it was a sport that eluded me skill-wise :-)

Drow Semag

Any word scramble

     Is like dangl

                     -ing

A treat to bat

         and swing

For the claws of

         my intellect

       Simply

Irresist

          -ible

Written for the prompt "Games" at Poetry Jam  poetryjaam.blogspot.com

And thanks to my great poetic friend De for the inspiration to dangle my words :-)

The Red Door

A nut brown ranch house
With a Red door

Ivy curving in the eaves

Marigolds, tulips and crocuses

In the garden

A huge fruitless (thank goodness)

Mulberry tree in the back yard

Perfect for climbing

(if you could reach that one lower branch)

There was a playhouse, too

(a shed taken over by a sisterly coup)

Cherished wall to wall

Avocado green carpet
(we were the last to get wall-to-wall)

Three bedrooms
In grade school, mine was heaven
Lavender, with bright pink furniture;
High school soothed with blue, 
Homework with the radio blasting
Reading with the radio blasting
(transistor mind you, so cool!)
Vinyl dinette, four seats perfect for
The four of us
And a yellow and green kitchen
That always smelled amazing
(Except on "liver" nights)

Safe inside, cozy-excepting sibling screeches

Outside a cold war

(“Better dead, than red”)

Whispered loud enough

For kids to hear

A Commie had snuck in

With a red door

I'm dating myself here (besides wall-to-wall carpeting, transistor radio), but back in sixties red was a pretty inflammatory color, usually meant your were a Communist sympathizer—but my mom just liked red. Of course it didn't help that my parents were liberal teachers, wearing bell bottoms and long hair, who'd infiltrated a conservative compound of neighbors. :-) But that's what fences and hedges are for...

Written for Poetic Bloomings #67, describe your home prompt, and dverse poets at dversepoets.com open link night

Booked

My nose has always been
In
A book
And writing one
Seemed simple
In
Theory it is
In
Practice it's not
Wrote two novels
Too many
My nose has always been
In
A book
But
My heart has always been
In
Poetry

This was written for the prompt at Think Tank Thursday at Poets United  to write about the book you're reading. I am chain reader of romantic comedy. And in deep admiration of authors who can write and revise ad nauseum until the story is ready to publish.  If you want names of good romantic comedy, let me know and I'll give you a list.  Also love Sharon Creech, and The Secret Life of Bees and ...

Night Light

Speeding car at night
No headlights
Yet, enlightening

One call
Friends picked up
The pieces
With love, without judgment

As if the moon had
Split and shot
A beam that

Pierced terror
Released peace

Shining on a
Simple word
Love

Written for the "What are your values?" prompt at Poetry Jam  poetryjaam.blogspot.com and for Open Link Night a dverspoets.com

True story--not me driving, fortunately it was emotional pieces--not pieces of me. At the time was completely stressed about 3 tests in one day--it was an epiphany--or being smacked upside the head with something I'd known all along--the big stuff in life is love/friends/family.  Everything else is relative.

Encompassing

Forget true north
Truly too cold
Head south, wade in
Tropically toasted seas
Balance that little
Disk with needle tilting
In your palm
Outstretched towards the horizon
When the sun and sky conspire
To paint the world pink
Let your lashes kiss your cheeks
Breathe in the simmering stillness
Release the compass,
When you hear it splash
Listen to the dot-dot-dash of your heart
It's the only instrument you need

This is for the compass prompt at Poets United poetry blogroll.blogspot.com

Sound Sleep

Sing me a song
Tuned to bliss
The subtle notes of
Wavelets lapping
On a sailboat keel
So I can rock and sway

In time with drip-drop
Patter on palms
And the see-saw swish-scritch
Of fronds swinging in
Rhythm with a balmy breeze
So I can sway and rock

With the light years of
Crystal whispers
Streaming from the
Infinite sea of space
So I can sway and sleep
Soundly

Written for the prompt to write sound poem for Think Tank Thursday at Poets United poetry blogroll.blogspot.com

Beaten Not Stirred

If you leave without word or
Reason and believe
It's a kinder way to part
There may be an organ in your chest
But it will never be a heart

Written for the prompt of "Betrayal" at Poetic Bloomings   --Note: I looked up the etymology of the word "betray" (was considering riffing on being a tray)--it's (be-tradere) "be-traitor"  Then I got to wondering about "portray"  different tra-latin ending "trahere"..meaning "to draw"  tray interesting?

And shared on Open Link Night with at dversepoets.com  Great party y'all!  :-)

Sweet Stuff

Mysterious food tickled me
Spun sugar and rock candy
Pink fluff with a melty crunch
And edible crystals I couldn't munch

Only lick, suck and spin
Till fragments crumbled and fell in
To and on my eager tongue
It took forever to eat just one
(In hindsight, a benefit
Many more would've made me sick)

The squeal of voices and machine
Spinning rides that turned me green
I played and explored the fair with vigor
But, truthfully--I was there for the sugar

Written for the carnival prompt at Poets United

Les is More

A childhood lived in the
Bright, high intensity
Of De-Light
Earth was to be
Explored, experienced
Climb the cliffs, sniff the air
A mountain lake of snow melt
No tip of toe--whole body leap!
Swerving off roads to
Grab binocs
Reach for Petersen's tattered bird guide
Back-seat impaired we strained
To see
The magic he saw
Every plant, insect, animal
Bird, fish, canyon, cloud
Had a name, a story
And was gilded in awe
Our vision forever altered
Life was a sea of wonder
Don't hesitate
Jump in with
Both feet and
Eyes wide open

Offered to dVerse poets open link night http://dversepoets.com/  Happy Anniversary!

This poem is dedicated to my inspiring dad, who's name happens to be "Les"

Smoke Gets in Your Eyes

The Paris sun so bright
The sky perfect azure
The sidewalk cafe
Magnifique!
Croissants had
Just been served
Then wafting through
The air
Came something
Not so sweet
Parisian patrons
Puffing smoke
While we tried
To eat

Just one of those things the brochures and romantic movies don't show you---the romantic sidewalk cafes are also where everyone smokes...

From the prompt at Dverse poets--celebrate Bastille day and write about something French
dversepoets.com

Snow Colored Memories

White is not colorless
Every flake a
Melting memory
Fire-red thrill
Flying downhill
Bubble gum pink giddy
Tumble, spill, iced adrenaline
Stepping into solitude
Twilight blue peace
Among snow coated trees
Lift your face
And be graced
With frosty feathered tickles
A thousand cloud kisses
Exhale the fog that cloaks
Your heart
Inhale crisp clear joy

Written for "Think Tank Thursday" at Poets United  poetryblogroll.blogspot.com

Growing up snow was a treat, a weekend trip--didn't have to live in it day to day.  Still is a hit of bliss to feel flakes melt on my face.

Another Reason To Celebrate!

Today's the day my poem was published in Errant Parent!

Come check it out:-)


http://www.errantparent.com/poems/to-wake-a-teenage-boy.html

CPO "Chief Princess Officer"

Cinderella was
My fave
Even if she was
A slave
Evil was doomed
To lose
And Cindy got
Amazing  shoes
Only now I've
Time to reconsider
I'd say,
"Cindy, screw
The slipper"
Go after glass
Ceilings instead
Don't use your feet
Use your head
And
Don't let fairies
Limit you
It's your life
There's no curfew

For the prompt" Fractured Fairy Tales" at Poets United

Mooed

Just cause I'm
Big and sweet
Don't treat me like a
Piece of meat
Or keep me pregnant
Perpetually
To take my milk
Mechanically
Feed me corn I
Can't digest
Make me live
Knee deep in waste
Twenty deep crammed
Shoulder to tail
Swarming flies
In my eyes
Besides inhumane
And unjust
It's udderly
Ridiculous


For the "Mood" prompt at Poetry Jam poetryjaam.blogspot.com

Re-lease

At first you don't notice
Cells that slip free
Their nuclei of fear
What people think
Sink below your radar
Next soul suckers
Are released
Let those lampreys
Loose you don't have
The juice to make
Everything all better
Anymore
Heart soars
Levity leaves a
Cavity within and
A sprout
Sunflower,tender leaves
Capped in shell
Swells, casts off
Pretention, convention
Protection, shuns the
Darkness
Faces, races and
Embraces
The light


Written for the prompt "Labyrinth " at Think Tank Thursday # 102 Poets United

Heart of Hearing

Waking, shaking in the
Soon-to-be-sister-in-law's bed
Words resonating in
Her head, chest
"DO NOT MARRY HIM"
Heart thumping
Tongue thick
Lips tucked tight
Flight imminent
Then
Ignorant of calamity
Door opens and her betrothed
Shoots a smile of delight
Her brain stomps
The rebel edict
Lips curl, automatic
Faux happy
And her gut churns acid disgust
Days and weeks the battle
Ensues, heart beating
The brain, until the ace
Is drawn and played
"No one else will love you."
Chills her through
And she succumbs
White-dressed and smiling
She says "I do"
And four years later,
"I won't"
Lessons learned
The hard way through
Heart knows what
The brain don't
And the amygdala lies, too

PS  Happy ending--listened to Heart, found soulmate--married 24 years, 2 wonderful sons and an amazing stepdaughter, plus Max the Wonderdog who chases my latest mistake (never should have fed the ducks, but that's another poem)

From the "Mistake" prompt at poetryjaam.blogspot.com,  would have liked to have written a poem that went along with Sinatra's words-- "Mistakes, I've had a few, but then again too few to mention..." but that would have been a mistake...

Grin and Share It

The following is an unpaid
Public Smile Promotion:


A sprite of sunlight
Rippling on the water
Monarch marionettes
Dipping in and out of
Milkweed flowers
That first sip of champagne
A fizz and shimmer on your tongue
The warm brown eyes of
A happy lab
Yeasty warm bread, melted butter
A smile from a fellow shopper
Erasing your focused frown 
(from trying to choose the least hard melon)
A morning, and evening hug
With a snuggle while you sleep
There's plenty
More, keep 
Thinking...
Celebrate your smiles
Time to up the ante
Kids smile 400 times/day
Adults only twenty


This is from the prompt (thank you Mary!) at Poetryjaam.blogspot.com


Please leave one of your favorite reasons to smile--c'mon get happy! :-)

Not What She Sea-ms

Her liquidity is not in question
Nor her panache
The way she flashes light
Back at the sun
Moods that roll in waves
Or crest for the moon
Storms only thrill her
Splash-dancing crashing with thunder
A body that rocks the world
But, 
Never be lulled by her 
Mirror calm or
Turquoise beauty
A mere tectonic scrape 
Of her belly 
And her wrath is tsunamic

From the "water" prompt at poetryjaam.blogspot.com

In Need of Counseling

Hiking, teaching silly songs
Swimming, hugging
Righting wrongs
Tucking in and story time
Keeping six giggling girls
In line
Laughing at the weekly dance
Sneaking out for moonlit
Romance
Scenes that repeated
From Monday to Sun.
A summer full
Of counselor fun


This could also be titled "Earning College Living Expenses"  you do what you know and I knew camping...
From the prompt to write about "camp" at Poetic Asides

Sanding

Another one of life's
Ironies
Sand creates smoothness
(Except in swimtrunks)
If there are 
Rough patches
Pit paper against patch
Grip it, slide it
Let that grit
Work for you 
Until you can
Find the smooth places
If all else fails
Sand was here
In the beginning
It will be here 
In the end
So pull out that worn
Deck chair
Lean back and wait
Sometimes life is
A Beach




From Open Link night at dversepoets.com  Thx Tash :-)

BIG NEWS!

My poem "How to Wake A Teenage Boy" was just accepted by "Errant Parent" http://www.errantparent.com/

It will be posted on 7/4/12  come celebrate independence and poetry!


Joy--popping out all over...going a little nuts...:-)

Art-ticulate

Nuerons and heartbeat
Compete 
For my words
While Cadmium Blue
And Vermillion pump
Through
Me

Eager fingers dip
Splash, slip, smear
While hips
Sway 
And I hum in the 
Key of joy
Michaelangelo
Leaves me at a loss
For words
But my fingers
Are ready to sing


From the prompt "What does art mean to you?" at Poetry Jam poetryjaam.blogspot.com

Incoming

There is no peace
Only pieces of memories
Like shrapnel stuck
The hearts of those who saw
Friends fall and shatter
And after eighty years
There's still tears
At the memory
Men who gave their limbs,
Their lives
Their hearts, their minds
Freedom....
It isn't free


From the "Memorial" prompt at dversepoets.com

Gone But Not Fur-gotten

Just a quick scratch
On the neck or back
And
Sunlight shares that
There's hundreds of hairs 
With dust motes they sashay
Then they gather and play
Across freshly swept floors
Completely ignor-
ing any efforts to remove,
Reduce or extinguish them
No matter the weapon
There's no win
Once this battle begins
It sticks to the broom
It clogs the vacuum
And someday when
Archaeologists exhume
The remains of this room
What they'll find there
Will be mounds of hair


In response to the "Hairy" prompt from Poetic Asides

For-rest

Just give me a canopy
Needley
Risers that spear the sky
Redwood preferably
Boughs splitting sunlight
Geometrically
Into prisms that carry
Dust motes, sparkly
Add chirps, breezes, sighs
Melody
With a patch of moss
To pillow my head, softly
For-
Resting and testing words
Easily
Like how shadows play
Between the letters
From Z to A
Where I can shake my
Limbs freely
And create
Poet-
Tree

From the prompt "Forest" at poetryjaam.com

WOW

Appropriate, yes?

Turn the word Mom

Upside down and you

Get "Wow"

Wow, you worked full time

Cooked every night

Made our lunches every day

Cleaned, washed, mowed,

Trimmed, sewed

And late into the night

You danced

Because that is what

You taught at the college

But you taught so much 

More

How to bake, cook

Refinish furniture

Load a dishwasher

Pull the weeds

(by the roots or they come right back)

Balance accounts

And spend freely

Sing "She'll be Coming Around the Mountain"

How to, to, to

Do everything and

Still have energy to laugh

At silly jokes,
Wrap us in hugs everlasting

Grimace at messy rooms

And how to always, always, always

Look for silver linings

From the prompt at dversepoets.com Thoughts about Mom

Check out Blogroll--Lara Britt's a genius

Hi Everyone!

Lara Britt took it upon herself to take everyone that participated in MNINB and put them in a series of "blogrolls"

I'm thrilled to be listed in the company of all this amazing talent.  Check out these sites--you'll be glad you did!


http://larabritt.com/2012/05/15/blogroll-poetry-2