Holiday Notes

"I'm sorry it fell off the sleigh
It will be delivered in about
Ten days"
Love Santa
"Your head was just to heavy
For me
So tomorrow you'll find
Your tooth money"
Love TF
Wait, let's not forget
When EB
Held closed the door
Then did flee
And when little girls
Woke with tangled hair
We blamed the
Tangle Fairy
For playing there
Traditions of magic
And silliness
Fill our memory
Treasure chest

Offered for Peggy's prompt at poetryjaam.blogspot.com  All true--notes and imagination by yours truly (don't tell!) and things that my now grown up children laugh about every holiday.  Long live the magic :-)

Gifted

Each word
A hand extended
A smile given
An insight shared
A piece of self bared
A connection
An inspiration
And like a child
At Christmas
I believe
And delight
In the light
Of  each word

This is offered for Poetry Jam poetryjaam.blogspot.com for Mary's prompt to write about gifts.  I immediately thought of all the comments on my poetry and all the poems that the poetry community shares.  These are true gifts--they lift my spirits, inspire me, and keep me writing.  Thank you for keeping the light on.  :-)

Fresh Faced

It hit
Face
First
Filled me
From inhale
To fingernail
Fresh breeze
Gluttony
Straight up
Off the sea
One more rea-
son
I'll never
Live
Salt free

This poem has been spilled on the bar at OLN dVersePoets.com.  Had a rare day when the sun was out, the wind died down and I dined on some of the most delicious fresh ocean air, ever :-)  Cheers!

Free Verse

Please
No aa bb cc's
Nor ee dd's
My eyes will glaze
I'll maybe drool
With flashbacks
Of Algebra, high school
Not visions of
Lovely poetry
And that's why
I gotta keep my
Verses free

A quick ditty for the prompt at Poetic Asides to write a poem with the title "Free ____."  I was reading a book on writing poetry by Mary Oliver and she was talking about patterns of aa bb cc--never been able to wrap my brain around that--an old Algebra injury...also shared with an early thankful toast at the bar for OLN with dversepoetry.com-- Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

A Lasting Memory

A Beautiful photo of Canyon De Chelly (pronounced Day Shay) by Peggy Goetz

Cottonwood flurries
Settled in drifts
Sunrise glow
Shimmered on cliffs
Canyon wren trill
The magic still
Makes me smile

This is offered for Peggy's prompt at Poetry Jam poetryjaam.blogspot.com to write a poem 20 words or less, about "last." Her beautiful photo of Canyon De Chelly reminded me of a wonderful childhood memory..the last time that I was there, couldn't squeeze in how amazing it smelled, fresh stream, green willow...and the old Native American who stopped by our campsite selling hand beaded juniper seed necklaces, I still have it :-). Happy Weekend everyone!

Sometimes It Takes A Hammer

On a back road singing
Windows down
Breeze blowing
Broken by siren
Flashing lights, tears
Late to work
Almost fired
Woke and couldn't
Open mouth
Teeth impacted, pulled
Came home and fell
Into a dark hole
With no ladder
All boxes for
Perfect, happy life checked
But
Not happy
Divorce
Nearly hospitalized
With bronchitis
Two car accidents
One botched burglary
Before
She saw the light
Through the cracks
Shoved Perfect to the curb
Disappointed her parents
Quit her job
Started law school
Met her soul mate
And realized she'd rather go naked than
Wear the coat the world made for her*

This is written for the prompt from Mary at Poetry Jam poetryjaam.blogspot.com with quotes from the book Two or Three things I Know for Sure by Dorothy Allison-- Dorothy's quotes spoke to me so strongly that I used one of them for the last two lines of my poem.  The other quote that spoke to me (and made me laugh) is "that change, when it comes cracks everything open."   Yes, it does...and sometimes you have to have cracks to see the light.. That was quite a year :-)  So here's to cracks and wearing what makes us happy ;-)  

Well Armed

Just two
Will do
Size "Me"
Please
A chest press
Squeeze
Out with sad
Air
In with glad
A warm shoulder
Too
Marked
"You...
belong here"
Just firm enough to
Hold the weight of my
Day
And let it fly
Away on a sigh
With a heart
That beats
Peace
Against my cheek

This was for Laurie's prompt at Poetry Jam poetryjaam.blogspot.com to write about what brings us comfort. However, due to mobile posting--technical difficulties, it didn't post and so I decided to share it with my friends at Poets United--Poetry Pantry poetryblogroll.blogspot.com-- I love hugs they are always comforting--however my husband's hugs are healing--he can squeeze the sad right out of me :-)   I've missed everyone these past two weeks.  Hugs to everyone!

When You Least Expect It

Its easy to miss
The steady hiss
Of gases poison-
Us
Grief, Anger, Helplessness
Fill the skin
Till it becomes thin-
ner
Explosion sudden potent
Creates a vacuum
Sucks the air out of
The room,
Her lungs and heart
Escaping barely in-
tact
Return to darkness
And confusion
Shun of reconciliation
Moving through the day
Fragments of soul shattered
Clatter re-
Mind her of sorrow
Another night
Collapsing on her pillow
Yet, familiar fingers seek
And find
Intertwine
With cheek pressed to cheek
Warm breath whispers
Love, Apology
Tears soften broken edges
Allow her to
Stitch together the pieces
With a thread of hope

This is written for Poetry Pantry at Poets United, poetryblogrollblogspot.com. A bit of the dark side this week, but as MLK said  "Everything that is done in the world is done by hope" and as the Beatles say "All you need is love" :-). Wishing everyone a healthy dose of both this week.

A Week of Stumbles

Little toes press to tippy toe walk
Moving before we can talk
Never seeing those dangers that stalk
Our steps, making us stumble
Falter, yet keep us humble
Years, tears, we reach and fumble
Seek joy, make sense of life's jumble

This is offered for Mary's prompt about steps--poetry jam--poetryjaam.blogspot.com; and for Poetic Bloomings form challenge to write a Saraband--really how could I resist that? And for dversepoets.com who are honoring fellow poet Dave King, who passed away this week and I'm honoring my friend's son who at 19,  passed away last week after an inspirational life--he was born with a defect in his liver and survived 5 liver transplants.  Sigh.  Cherish the days and the people you love--I cherish all of you :-)

It Remains To Be Seen

My hands wished to
Draw a leaf
Not words, with a pencil
No color, just graphite
Like a "B" or "2B"
Soft, to smudge
And glide
Not scratch the paper
I was striving for lush
Instead shadows eluded me
And I got bones
A leaf skeleton
It's not really finished
But I am
Finished
With the drawing
For now

For now
The drawing is finished
But, I am not really finished
It's a leaf skeleton
I got bones
Instead of shadows
That eluded me
I was striving for lush
Not to scratch the paper
And glide, soft to smudge
Like a "B" or "2B"
No color just graphite
A pencil, not words
To draw a leaf
Like my hands wished

This is offered for Laurie's intriguing prompt at poetry jam, poetryjaam.blogspot.com, to write a poems and then rewrite it "backwards". I love cycles and refrains so I really wanted to do this.  I think I like the backwards version better (figures...).  Based on a true story, happened today.... 

The Fight to Write

As
Soon as I
Finish
Washing this pan
So
I can stir fry these vegetables
That
I bought while grocery shopping
And
Take those socks out of the dryer
So
I can put on my tennis shoes
And
Walk the dogs
And
Then do 20 minutes on the Elliptical
So
I stay healthy
And
Can go to work
So
That the electric bill gets paid
And
My laptop has power
So
I can write this poem

This is offered for the "Battle" prompt from Peggy at Poetry Jam poetryjaam.blogspot.com and for Joe at OLN where he asked us about (snort, guffaw, choke) "balance" at dVersePoets.com.  It's an every day battle for me, finding time to write.  The happy news (for me) is that I have been able to manage at least one day a week. :-)

Loved Not Lost

Put me deep into
Wilderness
Let me lose myself
Digress
And be inspired
By Bryce's sandstone spires
Yosemite's glacier
Carvings, sing
Sea songs
With the Pt. Reyes surf pounding
Out a backbeat
In front of me
Give me the Keys to drift
Lazy in aquamarine
While the full moon reflects
A path of peace
Across the twilight sea

This is offered for Mary's fun "Lost" prompt at poetryjaam.blogspot.com and for Kim at Poets United poetryblogroll.blogspot.com who asked us to write about places we love.  And those are places where I lose my burdens and find myself again--:-)

The Philosophy Of Broken Bonds

Decay
That can shred a fingertip
FE-
Eling  slick when coated
But naked
A sliver drops
Skin sheds, flakes,
The mind chases itself
A stray black kitten
Trying to catch its tail
Seeking the ending
Or the beginning?
We circle our answers
And our wagons
Hope for safety
Yet know that
There's always oxidation
Those elements that
Betray us
The bonds snap when
There's something more
Attractive -
Positive or
Negative
That we can
Hitch our wagons to

This is offered for Laurie's prompt at Poetry Jam poetryjaam.blogspot.com. to write about rust and texture. (FE is the periodic table symbol for iron)  A very late night mindflow poem, not my usual flavor, but a little variety...don't want to get staid and...rusty :-)

B is 4

B is for birthday cake and
Brian EVERywhere
A virtual comment ninja
He must warp time
It's the only way he could be
At every website I see
EVery singLe One
Faster than a speeding mouse
Click, he's there
Able to write every day
And visit everyone too
It's magic, it's talent
And I thank you

It's Brian's birthday dversepoets.com and he challenged us to write a 55 word story/poem. I think this is more like a greeting card... it's the thought that counts right?

Cut Outs

At dusk
Shoulders pressed against
The creased bark of an oak tree
We
Become a singularity
No longer 3D
Simple cut outs
Against the sky
Arms branching
Toes rooted
In the softness
Of the night

This is offered for OLN at dversepoets.com.  My science background won't let me just leave the misuse of singularity alone.. It was a fun word to play with, as in "becoming one with the tree"..clearly not really a singularity ;-)    Inspired by warm summer nights when you notice how the light can shift reality. :-)

Sweet Nothings

Billions of voices
Rise into the stratosphere
Yet in that thin air
They all disappear
The cries, speeches,
Laughter, shrieks
Stretch, flatten into
Mere wisps floating in
The abyss of dark space
Perhaps a star or comet
Might snag a vowel
Or consonant and keep it
Hanging by its stem or
Snuggled in its orbit
Humming sweet nothings
In harmony
With the uni-verse

A poem prompted by Mary's invitation at Poetry Jam poetryjaam.blogspot.com to write a poem inspired by Simon and Garfunkel's "Sounds of Silence" a song that has always inspired me with it's amazing words "like silent raindrops fell"  but always left me with a sense of deep sadness "ten thousand people...people writing songs that voices never shared..."   So, started in one direction ended up in another...:-)  Enjoy!

Some Days I just Wonder

Wonderwoman!

Able to jump three weeks of laundry

In a single bound

Grocery shop, make meals

And scream without a sound

Help with homework

Help find sneakers

Help clean messes

Help wipe tears

Help at school

And Help keep peace

Won't someone

Help her, please?

For Poetry Jam at poetryjaam.blogspot.com, Brian asked us to write about a superhero—flashed back to when the kids were small and my man and I were working 60 hours, barely finding time to breathe. Plus, I've always loved that name “Wonderwoman” :-)

Sky Secrets

The sky split
And spilt
All the secret flavors
It had been holding
Flowing
Streams of peach, tangerine
Persimmon
Across the hori(sun)
Then released a golden glowing drop
Of honey
That splashed into the sea
Leaving a rosy sky
Lavender clouds
And the taste of delight
On our tongues

Hope y'all aren't tired of sunsets ;-)--this was another prompt from the beach inspired month at Poetic Bloomings to write about a sunset.  Also shared with OLN at dversepoets.com where the sun never sets ...both photos are by yours truly, feel free to share

The Spaces Inbetween

Paint me a mosaic
Shadowed wavelets in a row
In the spaces inbetween
The sun's afterglow
Make it molten flow-
ing
Copper, silver sheet
Then slip it here
Inside my heart
Where it can softly
Beat

This is offered for Poets United Poetry Pantry poetryblogroll.blogspot.com where I swim with and am inspired by my fellow poets, and Poetic Bloomings prompt of "waves" a month of beach related poems, come splash around :-)  PS I took the photo on an evening in Florida Bay, loved the patterns and molten feel of it

Mr. Hot Stuff

Half-closed eyes

See me, sear me

Then the walk

Samba slide

Confident glide

Makes me too hot

To be quenched by anything

But a cool dip into you

Peggy at Poetry Jam poetryjaam.blogspot.com asked us to write about something hot.  Summer here is inspiration enough, but a recent trip to Napa with my husband won out...happy weekend everyone!

Sanderlings

Blue, blue, blue
beat, beat, beat
scurry, scurry, scurry
Of tiny, tiny feet

Moving in and out and out and in
And in and out again
Like a winged accordion
Playing tidal rhythm
Beat, beat, beat
With their tiny, tiny feet

This is offered for Mary's bird prompt at Poetry Jam poetryjaam.blogspot.com and for Poetic Bloomings "A Day at the Beach" to write an abstract poem which means (loosely) it's more about sound than meaning of words. Flock behavior fascinates me and Sanderlings always make me smile the way they race along the tidal edge together.  Enjoy!

With A Cherry on Top

Make it deep and dark
Creamy soft
Enough
To dip a digit
In and swirl
A whirl of pleasure
And anticipation
At my fingertip

This is offered up for Alan's delicious prompt at poetryjaam.blogspot.com about glorious ice cream confections and "what would you top with a cherry?"  Melted chocolate, chocolate frosting, chocolate mousse, ganache--you get the idea..short and sweet.  Enjoy!

Grit and Bold-her

Boulders tumble crash
Crumble into substrata
Sends daisies rooting for joy

Seger me like a rock
Stone some Brown Sugar baby
Shake, swing, rockin' on-no rocker
For me ever

Offered for the rock-in prompt offered by Peggy at poetryjaam.blogspot.com. There were so many ways I wanted to go with this! and then Sam at dVersePoets.com solved the problem with a sedoka. As usual I stretched the rules a little:-)  In case you don't know Bob Seger here's a link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIPfNFdXqI8 (Like a Rock)    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=691r2DDdWn4 (Old Time Rock and Roll)

Flame On

A leaf-
Sickle shaped
Two curls apically
Unfurl to be

Feathered fans, pinnately
And in between
The green
Buds that burst
Into flame
Growing, glowing
Day by day
Creating a blazing crown
Temporary In rain or breeze
Flowers flee
Then layer the ground
A flaming tapestry

Offered for Mary's wonderful prompt about one of my favorite things--Flowers!  poetryjaam.blogspot.com  Right now is Poinciana or Flamboyant blooming season.  Its spectacular, a canopy of brilliant red, yellow and orange.  Also shared on the shelf of Poetry Pantry at Poets United poetryblogroll.blogspot.com. Have a blooming wonderful week :-)

Best Birthday Present

He let me hang
On his tall, lean frame
Long enough to
Press my face into
His soft T-shirt
And feel the hard muscle
Beneath
Long enough to
Connect Heart to heart
And block
The tears attempting escape
To release and meet his eyes
With a smile
In the kitchen
Words crossed his lips
That six months ago
Would never have formed In his brain
"I envy the space in your kitchen"
The visit brief
He was heading to his
Brother's apartment
A night of video games
And Taco Bell
At the door, a quick squeeze
From me
But, he held on
Long enough
To let me know
He missed me too

My youngest came home from college for my birthday.  Haven't seen him in six months. It was wonderful--he's doing well and doing dishes without being told ;-). Offered at the OLN where we're to toasting 100 weeks! 

Wish You Were Here

Dear Sara,

Having a Wonderful Time!

The food in Italy-sublime

And Norway-your cousin Hans-sweet

New Zealand climbed peaks, saw sheep

Spain loving the tapas and wine

Costa Rica, had a blast on the zip line

Rode great rapids in North Carolina

Now Virgin Islands digging my toes in sugar sand and
Amazed at the turquoise hue of the sea

Don't you wish you were me?

Written for Poetry Jam at poetryjaam.blogspot.com where Laurie invites us to go on vacation! (in 15 lines or less) and OLN at dversepoets.com This is my bucket list--enjoyed by some fictional character, thought it would be a fun way to twist the prompt. Happy Days :-)

Two Words

Etymology
Good bye from godbwye (1570s), itself a contraction of God be with ye (late 14c.), influenced by good day, good evening

If it doesn't fit
Or causes me strife
Shortens my life
Those two words
Come easily
But to those I
Love and hold dear
I'm loathe to either
Say or hear
Those two words

Thought I might get inspired by the etymology, (love that stuff) but didn't happen...amazing how much emotion is in those two words! And then there's  kids saying goodbye to classes :-) Whooo Hooo!  Written for the prompt of "Goodbye" at Poetry Jam poetryjaam.blogspot.com and shared with Poetry Pantry at Poets United poetry blogroll.blogspot.com 

Soul Full

Ruby red slippers

Will get you home

Shiny glass slippers

Get you a throne

But lately I find

A closed toe shoe

Puts me into a bind

My feet demand

The open air

Perhaps soft grass and sand

Untie those laces

Forget the traces

Of propriety

Loosen your clothes

Wriggle your toes

And be barefootin' free

For Peggy's foot-stompin' prompt to write about shoes at Poetry Jam poetryjaam.blogspot.com, at first there was no spark or idea, probably because I'm happiest in bare feet, or if I must, sandals. Then Dorothy and Cinderella came to the rescue :-) Have a Great Weekend!!

Stardust Memories

If the night is crystal clear
Lie back
And try to hear
The empty thoughts
Between the matter
Exploded and exposed
Flung like a spangled net
Sparkling in the sky
Mirror the twinkling
In your eyes
And remember
That you are
A star

Hello! I have been missing all of you and your poetry.  Life is finally settling back to normal, or this new variation of it.  Written for Poetry Jam where Mary invited us to write about crystals-and posted one of my very favorite songs :-)  poetryjaam.blogspot.com and for Poetry Pantry poetry blogroll.blogspot.com originally inspired by Kim's Wednesday prompt about our place in the universe, but couldn't get there before link closed.  Star thoughts courtesy of Neil Degrasse Tyson, and my son who made me listen to Neil's talk about why we are all linked to stars.  A lovely thought.

Be Free

Fumbling with attachments
Bumbling blood relations
Makes you dread kin
When they inspire
Such ire
A blood feud?
Dude--
Let it R.I.P.
In spite of the sting
From pulling
Free
Do it quickly
Sometimes that's
How it has
To be

Not biographical, just my evil twin muse tiring of a month of daily visits to the hospital and rehab.  Fortunately we are finally seeing some light. Offered up for Trifecta challenge of writing about blood as in "kin"  http://www.trifectawritingchallenge.com at and for Laurie's bee-utiful prompt at Poetry Jam poetryjaam.blogspot.com

Wayward Sun

Beautiful beamer

Send a streamer

Help us to piece

To seize

These days

Rays us

Beyond these clouds

Of  hopelessness

This mess

Melt the fight

Show us the light

The way

To a brighter day

A very timely prompt for me, and society, from Poetry Jam, "Carry On"  (whoops, just found out that was last week! However, this week is "Soak" and this is a sun soaked poem, so I'm sharing it with the wonder-ful poets at poetryjaam.blogspot.com--My mind automatically went to the song by Kansas--"Carry On My Wayward Son". Hence the title :-)  Enjoy, hope that it lightens your heart a bit <3

Washed Away

Blow some soft rain

My way

Drip into

My soul

Smooth the edges

Blur the consequences

Leave the taste of nothing

On my tongue

Two weeks ago my father-in-law fell, hard-broke a lot of bones and has been hospitalized—recovering now. He's a strong guy, and recovering well—but days in hospitals and staring mortality in the face, wrings my heart out. The rains of the tropics—warm and soft, starting up now—feel like hope, and made me think of washing all this emotion away...

So-not (a sonnet)

I suck at sonnets, a fact--nearly a law

The rhythm's off the subject wrong

My fellows grunt a hearty guffaw

At the herky jerky writing stumbling along

A poem alas, to make women swoon

Or at least give rise to smile

Makes me appear instead a buffoon

And the woman promptly revile

Each word, phrase, and feeble attempt

To woo, with phrase elegant

Results in words, at best unkempt

I should be able, but I can't

Magic I have for love and fun

But for sonnets, I have none

It's true, I do, suck at sonnets. However, it seemed the perfect time to write one in the voice of a fictional character (I pictured some sonnet-challenged boy fairy in A Midsummer Night's Dream) thanks to Peggy's wonderful prompt at Poetry Jam poetryjaam.blogspot.com and the sonnet for Day 11 of Poetic Asides (yes, I am Very behind) :-)

In Case of Broken ___

In Case of Broken Dreams
Open case
Tie each piece
Gently, tenderly
To a colorful kite tail
And release

In Case of Broken Window
Run!!

In Case of Broken Ground
Scoop a soft space
Place
Seeds, fragrant is best
Water well
And rest

The Poetic Asides Poem A Day prompt yesterday was "In Case of ____"  the prompt today is to write a Broken poem--they just seemed to fit so well together (irony, broken and fitting, or maybe not...)  These were like chips, couldn't write just one ;-)  Enjoy!

. Shared with Poets United Poetry Pantry where dreams have a happy home poetryblogroll.blogspot.com

Pocket Poems

Unchecked

Pockets are meant

For storing

Not keeping

Do not blame me

When your keys go

Missing

As the resident goddess of laundry, I have little—no patience for people who don't check their pockets before chucking their clothes in the basket.   Shared with Poetry Jam, where Laurie inspired us with pockets full of poetry poetryjaam.blogspot.com  and also sharing with pockets of poets at dversepoets.com OLN :-)

Feline the Blank

Feline exclamation

Vegetable combination

Popular in the Depression

Fun alliteration

But

Unclear why it's suffering

Yes I was/am a huge fan of Looney Tunes and Tweety Bird, loved how he said “putty tat” :-) Poetic Asides prompt--suffering

Two Days

String Together a Sevenling

String words

Together in a

Tercet, no, two

With a single

Punchline ending

About almost anything

That's how you write a Sevenling

Two prompts in one—write a Sevenling form poem and write an instructional poem ;-) Enjoy.

(Wrote the Sevenling this way before I saw the second prompt—Serendipity!) :-)

Unbalanced

She dances on the edges

Hunts recognition

Wishes for popularity

But actually

Senses, if wishes

Were granted

She'd become the hunted

Don't know where this came from—channeling teen angst--Poetic Asides prompt, write a poem with hunts and hunted...

Poetry Overload

Hold Onto Iron Knee

Sculpt me a man

Brawn's what I want

No, not marble

May sway some

Sculpted calf, thigh

(sigh)

But I want my man

Molded in fire

Polished and gleaming

(get my meaning?)

Very very late in my postings—behind in my poem a day—this was written for day 4 Poem a Day, prompt “Hold Onto ____) and then I saw that dversepoets.com was writing about irony...and, wordplay took over—can you find the word with double-meaning?

Two Dog Night

Had one dog

Added one more

One for the floor

Plus one at my feet

Sweet

True—got two, a big hairy (husky mix) dog and small fluffy (not shedding thank you!) dog—both rescues. Love multiplied, not just added and laughter too-- Poem A Day-Write a “Plus” poem

Stamp It

No more missives

Stationery

Perfect pen between

My fingers

Tip-tap send

Email, tweet or FB

That's the only post

For me

Never thought I'd see the day. I passionately loved pens and stationery. Would spend so much time selecting the perfect pen to write. And now, I'm fully in the electronic age. Use pens to scribble, not “write.” sigh. Do love the ease of it all, though. Poem a Day, write a “Post” poem

Light Hunting

The sun creeps
Up
Silent
On kitten toes
Stalks
The darkness
Spooks and
Spills a ray
Along the horizon
Waits for songbirds
To ease solitude
Then leaps
Into the pines


Day three (Whee!) of Poetic Asides--writing a tentative poem.  Several false starts, but I think this one is fun :-)  Just for grins, I'm sharing with Poets United, where Kim has offered up "body" never thought about so many types--and since I used a kitten analogy to em-body the sun, I'm sharing there too poetryblogroll.blogspot.com

Dark Matter

Called to say,

“I'm taking a break”

She didn't know

(or maybe she did)

The break was more

Than meta-

Physical-a crack

In the glass round his

Heart

Vitreous anticipation

Shimmer to shatter

Tried to be light

In vain

The dark discovers

Deception

Day 2 of Poem A Day with Robert Brewer-Poetic Asides; also offered for the prompt from Alan who had some rocking music, with great lyrics-Crack in the Castle of Glass, at Poetry Jam poetryjaam.blogspot.com

A Two-fer

Line and Sink-her

A

Wareness

A

Wariness

Of

Re-

Lation

Ships

Sail me

A

Way

From

In

Sanity

He and Me-MT

Space

In this place

Peace

We can breathe

Each other's

Thoughts

And only have

To clean

Up our own

Messes

I'm participating in Poem A Day, where all my poetic bliss started, at Poetic Asides and Robert Brewer who first threw out that challenge and for whom I am forever thankful.  The prompt today is:

New Arrivals--the first poem, inspired by my tendency to be too trusting, and the second inspired by my husband's and my fledgling empty nest status ;-)    Enjoy!

Past, Future, Present

By H. N. Vinas

We always seem to live in the future and the past

When the past is something to be learned from

Not held on to

And the future is coming at us

At an exponential rate

Let's just live in the present

Enjoy, improve, and love

The very moment

We are in

Because

We are luckier than

We think we are

To be here

In this moment

In this point of time

Than we realize

A little guest blogging today--My oldest son loves quotes--he showed this to me the other day and I thought it was something he'd gotten from the internet--then he told me he'd written it for a friend who was feeling down!  Well, color me "Proud Mama!"  So, I had to share. ;-)  This is offered for Poets United Poetry Pantry, where every poem is a present.

License to Love

Sun setting
On me and the day
Focused on HOME
When a license plate
Appears ahead
GDBLSU
Smile replaces
A grim line
Joy peeks out
Who
Is driving this
Message?
A car that's lost
It's gloss
Model type
Intrepid
(of course)
And the intrepid
Messenger?
Guessing a teen
Most likely female
No
A beautiful man
Mahogany statue
Focused forward
Perfect angles
and planes on his face
Smooth, burnished
Reflecting setting sun
His window down
I reach to press the
Button
Open my window
Speak across the space
"Bless You Too!"
But the light has
Changed and
I
Must turn
Away
(still smiling)

Of course true story--I can't make this stuff up--I love that when people put love on their license plates. Pulls me out of my "DRIVE" mode and makes me smile.  This is offered for Poetry Jam, where Peggy asks us write about "reflections" poetryjaam.blogspot.com, thank you Peggy!! and also was going to be offered to Poets United where Kim had suggested for Wednesday a reaction, but I missed the deadline, However, I'm going to take a stretch here, since this was inspired by an object, to link up with Dversepoets (because I love y'all) and go with positive capability, because that's the way I like to roll, at  dversepoets.com--BLSU all :-)

A Stone's Throw

Frustrat-

ion

From no cooperat-

ion

A continuing obligat-

ion

Of your business

A lodestone

That's never unloaded

The end may be

A stone's throw

Away

But the wait

Holds you down

Nose to the grindstone

This is thanks to De from Whimsygizmo, who suggested that I might "rock" this prompt from Trifecta http://www.trifectawritingchallenge.com/ (making a little pun there, De?) ;-)  Also sharing this (Sunday) with a place that I definitely share some chemistry Poets United poetryblogroll.blogspot.com  The prompt is to write a 33 word poem using the word "stone" they chose stone from the third element in the periodic table "Lithium," hence my fun with the word "ion."  Unfortunately, based on true frustration--we have our own business, my husband's been out of town for 4 days and right when he landed and was about to come home, (where I was waiting with wine and hopes of relaxing outside) crisis struck and he had to go to the office--sigh.  However, there's always a bright side, I had time to write a poem! :-) P.S. Sunday, got my wine, hubby and sunset fix (not necessarily in that order...)

In a Wink

He flashed

A wink

That ellipti-

Call

Promise of a kiss

or More

Shaft of passion

Refracts

Tracks straight to my

Heart

Strong and sure

Don't ever want

a Cure

This was written for the prompt at Poetry Jam, poetryjaam.blogspot.com to write about a prism, and for Kim's prompt to write about a cure at Poets United poetryroll.blogspot.com, had a great idea to write about curing hatred, but then my husband winked at me, and here we are. Never been able to resist his winks. ;-) Also shared with dversepoets.com Open Link Night, where winking is encouraged.

Bubbling In Spaces

Artist Ken Waterstreet

Sparkling prismatic puffs
Breathe out and make magic
No logic just
Reflections, rainbows
And a grin
Blown into existence
Holding space
Like dancing leap
And then
Pop!
Dissolving into
Nothing

This poem is for Poetry Jam poetryjaam.blogspot.com who asked us to write a poem about logic, there is no logic to how blowing bubbles appeals to any age--it's magic! And Poets United who asked for a poem about patterns. poetryblogspot.blogspot.com Bubbles create wonderful patterns.  This is a painting by a friend of mine--he was also my high school art teacher.  His paintings are amazing, lush and wonderful.  Check him out at  http://www.sdgallery.com/catalogs/waterstreet/2006/index.htm

Where The Heart Is

The pink hibiscus tree
Was so small
And now it's not
There
At all
Instead brick
That glows in
Pink time
Painted on the
Pavers and pond
Spread by setting sun
So thick feels
Like you can breathe
It in
Star gazing
Fish catching
Friends laughing
Watching
Trees and children
Grow towards the sky
Or just the wind
Shaping smiles on the pond
Dorothy had it right
Home is Oz-some

Okay, so she didn't say that :-)  Was in my head when I woke up this morning and it made me laugh, hope you get a grin from it too. 25 years in one place, nearly all of it renovated by now (except that one bathroom off the kitchen...). Love looking out the kitchen window at the pond (photo is my view).  We were married here, tons of kid birthdays, etc. Lots of memories, and 3 hurricanes where the landscape was debris, and not so pretty.  Mary at dversepoets, dversepoets.com asked us to describe one of our favorite places and this is definitely one of mine. Also shared with my friends at Poets United Poetry Pantry, poertryroll.blogspot.com.

Lover's Leap

Perhaps I felt

The fractures

Fault-rumble

And when he

Got that job offer

Three thousand miles

From everything/one

I loved

Closed my eyes

And leapt

Tried to

Keep together

But not enough

Of me survived

The trip

This is tale of sacrifice for commitment-my naïve move to Florida from the Golden State of California, for my then husband, thinking things would be fine—left best job, best friends, best weather for worst job, no friends and awful weather. But I stayed, because I did eventually find love...(and a good job and good friends...) offered up for the prompt of Sacrifice at Poetry Jam poetryjaam.blogspot.com, Laurie's first night (yay Laurie!) and for prompt of Committed at Poets United (yay Kim!) (felt like I should be committed after I moved to FL) poetryblogroll.blogspot.com and also shared with OLN at dversepoets.com where we are all committed to sharing :-)

Yes I Am

They said

You acted like a kid

I laughed and answered

Yes, I did!

I want to live joyously

I’ll oooh and ahhh

Frequently

I’ll laugh out loud

And

Skip and play

No matter what

Other people say

I’ll lick my fingers

If they’re sweet

And smile at everyone

I meet

I’ll hug my friends

Squeeze them tight

And shout in delight

At the stars at night

I’ll spin spin spin spin

Till I’m dizzy and fall

And not care

What anyone thinks

At all

This is offered for Poetic Bloomings where they asked us to write a silly poem--it was supposed to be for a child, but hey, we all are children at heart!...and for Poetry Jam poetryjaam.blogspot.com where Mary asked us to write a "yes or no" poem :-) The answer is Yes!! and...for a shot of Yes at the bar with dversepoets at dversepoets.com Open Link Night-Cheers!

Second Thoughts

Magnificent Photo by Peggy Goetz

I,
have tasted the wind
And pounded wild grass
Into submission
And heard a frisky mare
Next to my pen
While finishing my oats ration
You think you want to
Saddle me?
Think again...

This is offered up for the prompt from Poetry Jam poetryjaam.blogspot.com, where Peggy asks us to write from an animal's point of view and provided this photo that inspired me on the spot! Thank you Peggy :-)

Bird Brain

When you're raised
With the smell of leather case
Snap of latch, and cold, hard metal
Of binoculars
Dog-eared bird books
As company in the back seat
Wonder surrounding all things avian
Is not questioned, it's like breathing

A reflex
To check a flash of feather
Pause and peer
Through light and leaves
Find that bird shape
Check markings and
Mentally file for
Later identification

Though
Most are known
Deposited during decades
Of watching parents point
And classify

Blue jay, Scrub jay, Stellar's jay
Mockingbird, Bushtit,
Yellow rumped warbler,
Tennessee warbler,
Red bellied woodpecker,
Downy Woodpecker,
Red tailed, Red shouldered,
Or Cooper's Hawks

My feet automatically stop
To watch any flock
Fly overhead
Shifting from shadow
To white or color

It's a love forever
Nested in my heart

This is written for the prompt at Poetic Bloomings  poeticbloomings.com  to write about a bird--With parents as birders, that is near impossible.  They are all wonderful to me and every time I see one, it makes my heart lift. Also shared for OLN at dversepoets.com, I'm a bit early, but the early bird....:-)

Cold Truth

Blame it on the
Cold
Or hot chocolate

Arrived at school early
Frozen from the walk
Left for 7-11 and
Hot choc-
olate  (ah!)
Thaw-
ed

Returned on time
But didn't hear the crack
Of the infrac-
tion

Called from class
And was blas-
ted for breaking a rule
I never knew

Lunch break
Serving time
Elbow to elbow
With twenty or so
Fellow
Trouble makers
Rule breakers
In front of Administration
Public humiliation
Was the goal

Instead, learned breaking
Rules
Didn't kill me
Actually fairly arbitrary

Fear of breaking rules
Forever Brok-
en

8th grade there was a rule that once you were on campus you had to stay. Didn't know that:-)  Really was a life changing moment. Even though I'd never done anything wrong, they treated me like I was a "bad kid" which really rankled my sense of injustice-- and then making us stand in a line, was ridiculous--and I didn't die...been breaking rules ever since...thank you to Dani at Poetry Jam poetryjaam.blogspot.com for the excellent prompt to write about breaking rules!

Wind Blown

When the wind

Blows

Through that

Wind-

dow

Sent that

Scent

From long

Ago

Made you

Won-

der, wist-

ful

That

Fist

Full of dreams

Where

Did they go?

A little melon-choly muse today. Got into some wordplay and here's where we ended up. Offered to Poetry Jam for “Danger” with quotes of the danger of not taking chances, and Poets United for Wonder for our favorite place—already wrote about that with my last poem, didn't want to raise your sodium level too high--so slid in a little wondering over lost dreams instead.   

Southern Comfort

Breathe

Slow Southern

Breeze

Sip

Melon-colored

Sunsets

And sleep

Between sheets

Of star-sprinkled

Skies

This is offered for Poetry Pantry--watching the wintry weather, thought I'd offer up a little warmth from the tropics--Enjoy!

Left for Good

Decades of mirrored reflections

My words unworthy

Shattered in a day

A click, a post, a blog

A comment

Twenty-twelve the year

Not good enough

Was left

So I could write

This is offered up for the prompt at Poetry Jam poetryjaam.blogspot.com by Peggy who asks us to write about what was left behind in 2012. This was difficult, almost gave up and then when walking the dogs, realized 2012 was the year I started my blog, started visiting poetry jam, poets united, and dverse poets. Starting a blog was a real leap of faith for me—thank you for helping me to leave “Not Good Enough” behind. Also, tied in a little reflection for the prompt at Wonder Wednesday where Kim asked us to write about reflections. Sometimes the mirror tells lies....

Good Grief

I bought cleaning products

And a coffee maker

Trash bags, toilet paper

Paper towels and

Bath towels

He knew how to clean

Just not with what

Loaded that 16 ft truck

Dad drove it

Mom followed it

For four hours

Until arrived in darkness

Hefted and hauled

Piling boxes, furniture in

His (really?) apartment

Of course he was on

The second floor

Cut himself on the ill-

Maintained door

Down to last and heaviest

Thing, my heart?

No-his mattress

Always thought I'd be

The exception

Glad hearted at the leaving

Instead, heart is grieving

Yet, it's what I wished for

A whole new world

For him to explore

Offered up tonight for Open Link Night at dversepoets.com—true story, Saturday moved my youngest son into his own apartment, where he'll finish school. Loved moving out when I went to school, figured I'd be able to channel that—wrong. Hard to let go and watch the struggle, but so necessary. Hence the title.  Someone hit his car, the water was turned off, the cable doesn't work, the landlord broke promises about internet access, and there was a whole greeting committee of roaches...reality via fire hose. :-) Cheers!