Time Passage #poetry

Wright Brother Memorial

I stood on the edge of the universe

stars within my grasp

reach for them I did

I never thought to ask

nudging my fingertips

a velvety lamb’s ear

in an old forgotten grotto

nature knows she is here

In the expanse of a gallery

the paint is still fresh

though the paintings are old

where I had my first test

hand-picked stone lined path

each flower has a name

crunch of  gravel so familiar

tho I am no longer the same

This place harkens to her footsteps

welcomes me anew

tho time has passed

memories like morning dew

I was taught from before I was able to talk the value of the elderly, the importance of honor, and the lessons I could learn if I listened closely. I am sad for a generation that places so little value for those past a certain age. Because of this attitude, there are lessons unlearned/ history unheard.

There is more reality than metaphor in this poem and a gratitude beyond expression that I hold for those who taught me to reach for the stars.

I’m also sharing a link to rewrite of a fictionalized story of an elderly patient – here

The prompt from Poets United Midweek Motif – “Choose an Elder to honor in a poem…”

First Dream #newyear #haiku

 

Lost in the snow

cherry petal path

dreams of home

 

 Hatsuyume is the Japanese word for the first dream had in the new year and that is our prompt at Carpe Diem Haiku Kai “First Dream”

Once… #martinlutherking #poetry

…There were men who dreamed

and spoke of life

like it mattered

color was something you mixed

and children held hands

innocence gathered

…There were steps and leaps

made on the moon

heroes wore khaki uniforms

still made on a loom

and children held hands

while the wind blew

…A flag fluttered in the breeze

no matter the colors

a people saluted

and were proud and believed

and children held hands

knowing the truth

Once there was a vision

equal wasn’t a math sign

people one – red white and blue

who lived for right and wrong

and children held hands

and with crayons they drew

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”
― Martin Luther King Jr., A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches

 

One man cannot change a people but his dreams can ignite a beginning!

Winter Dreams in Color #haiku #holiday #poem

This week I love to challenge you all a bit more to write a short chained poem with a maximum of eight stanza following the classical rules (5-7-5; 7-7; 5-7-5; 7-7; 5-7-5; 7-7; 5-7-5; 7-7) and your last stanza (classically called “ageku”) has to close the chain by associating on the first stanza. Of course you don’t need to use the classical syllables count, but that’s up to you.
Not an easy task I think, but therefore I give you all 24 hours instead of 18 hours … So you have to write a chained poem (Renga) of maximum eight (8) stanza inspired on the image and the prompt WINTER WONDERLAND within 24 hours.

My eyes open

crystals lace eyelashes

the world is white

I fold back winter’s blanket

I am warmed by the sight

*

Reaching in a dream

entranced by small set of prints

walking on sugar

ballerina takes my hand

I am dressed like a swan

*

Effortless we sail

glassy waters before us

I drop a feather

red beauty falls to earth

contrast against my white world

*

Light is the breeze

feather and red petal dance

nature’s pas de deux

my eyes flutter closed

echos long a wonderland song

The Red Ballet Shoes are from Deviant Art

Today’s prompt from Kristjaan at Chevrefeuille’s Carpe Diem is a complicated but fun one for the season.

I also celebrate this my 1700th post at Word Press!!!

 

 

 

 

 

Castle #haiku #poetry #photography

 

a place to dream

fields catch the whispers of spring

castles in the sky

*

set upon a hill

eagle’s keen eyed defense

memories under stone

Photography of Castles in England and Wales

The prompt at Chevrefeuille’s Carpe Diem Haiku Kai – Castles

Follow Your Dreams #amwriting #dpchallenge #poetry

 

So many stars

up in the sky

which do you chose 

to follow, climb high

how many dreamers

give reason why

they strive as they reach

future in their eyes

so many stars

you must grasp at one

for when all is over

you felt you had won

never be satiated

for a chair by a stream

grasp for the heavens

never stop at one dream

The DP daily challenge is what advice do you wish someone had given you one, two, ten years ago? “Powerful Suggestion.”

An Ode to Hope #atozchallenge #poetry #photography

If only

there was a rainbow

at the end of every storm

rather than a tender heart

torn adrift, forlorn

*

If  Only

there was sunshine 

to greet with each new day

instead of  endless tears

washing banks of hope away

***

If Only

I within your arms

ta hield against the cold

breaking shadow’s  greying spell

that’s what’s been foretold 

*

If only I imagine

a warm and moonlit night

your sunshiny kiss

dispels the  lingering cold

of a wintry frosty mist

***

I can only

dream pink petal snow

brushing against my face

soothing all the sadness

not leaving any trace

*

I’ll only

close my sleepy eyes

ruefully hope and pray

to see your smile

joyous rainbow in any day

********

The Ode: A formal, often ceremonious lyric poem that addresses and often celebrates a person, place, thing, or idea. Its stanza forms vary.

The odes of the English Romantic poets vary in stanza form. They often address an intense emotion at the onset of a personal crisis  or celebrate an object or image that leads to revelation. (Information gathered from Poetry Foundation)

Traditionaally each stanza is 10 lines ( I ended up breaking mine down).

****

 

Stone Cold #poetry #pen

you whispered a story

deep in my ear

things

I’d rather not ever hear

*

fantasy

a bow about my heart

had screamed and tugged

torn me  all apart

*

Imagined I

dark beasts and worlds

spiraling  flames

that burned and curled

*

now the very thing

I dreamed

was the place I awakened

in a frightful scream

*

leave me not

no more alone

for in this grey reality

I awoke a stone

Please join me today at Pen of the Damned where my prose  grew from this poem.

Awaken Me #poetry #photography

I lay here

cold and solitary

life passes by

I too inert to cry

*

Free once

to laugh and sing

 formed of sinew and bone

I now a mindless stone

*

“Where do you go?”

I call as they pass

you eddy and whirr

I dream to  momentarily stir

*

no use

I never can drift

with a meaningless sigh

once again I close my eyes

*

This poem is symbolic of my blogging state today. I am frozen and for some unknown reason can’t change a post I needed to reschedule. So I, like the stone, watch the words go by and I have little control.

Dream Worthy #King #haiku #photography

In the beginning

a world created

“it was good”

*

slander, hate, murder

light of perfection turned off

dark haze

*

silent words believed

held close to the heart

centuries old

*

written in stone

read in eyes young and old

carried by a wave

*

hands of time

seasons move along

many share a dream

*

Dr. King was a visionary who saw the world the way God had created it. Men were brothers with each other; there was no enmity. King had a dream to see wrongs righted. We celebrate this great man whose vision was given by God.

Sharing with Carpe Diem “Use a quote”

Poets United Equality in memory of Dr. King