To Persist Through the Murkiness of Days

Smoky haze invades

battling with life-giving energy

to persist through the murkiness of days.

Fire devours all in its path

Soot remnants disperse on the winds

Smoky haze invades

Through an apocalyptic numbness

an orange orb pulsates

battling with life giving energy 

It does not succumb

but shines hope

to persist through the murkiness of days.

The past few days the skies where I live have been taken over by the smoke from the wildfires in Canada. It just hangs in the air making everything murky. As soon as you walk out of your door, the smell of fire fills your nose. The sun does not shine but you can still see it in the sky. It is an orange orb of brightness in a huge expanse of gray. It will not let the smoky haze obliterate it. It is a reminder that this murkiness will pass and our days will be lit by its light again. Just hanging in the sky it offers hope.

I realize that I am experiencing nothing compared to the people who are living near the fires and directly dealing with its destruction. My thoughts and prayers are with you. 

Poetry form: Cascade 

Magical Medicine for My Soul

 

Dear Mother Nature,

I just wanted to express 

my thanks to you 

for the constant care you wrap around me.

Your fresh air cleanses my body

as I release stress and anxiety into your winds.

Your beautiful blooming flowers

color my world diminishing the gray gloom of my mind.

That absolutely glorious sun

energizes me with its life-giving powers.

Your flowing waters create cascading melodies

washing calm into my being.

Thank you for offering all of yourself to me so unselfishly.

Being in your presence

is magical medicine for  my soul.

I certainly don't say it enough- 

so THANK YOU.

With great love,

Your child- Cathy

I was reminded this weekend about the power of nature. Spending time in the sun amongst beautiful flowers with a warm fresh breeze tickling my face, just washed away the tenseness of the past week. My whole spirit feels so different than it did a day or two ago. I have always known that being outdoors is my comfort place. So I am expressing my gratitude to Mother Nature for all that she provides for me. 

Poetry Form: Epistolary Poem -a poem that reads as a letter

Subtly Proclaiming

Blossoms rivered through the leaves of green

flowing blue through the weave of trees

cresting in bells of beauty

so subtly proclaiming 

a welcome to Spring

waiting to be

noticed by

human

eyes.

This morning I took a walk along a trail at the perfect time. The bluebells were in full bloom! As I rounded a curve in the trail, a sea of blue stood before me. The bells were spread as far as I could see creating a river of blue amongst the leaves of green. It was purely beautiful! I paused a moment to take it all in. 

A little farther down the trail, I came across a fairy door at the base of a tree trunk. It made me wonder if this space was really a garden cared for by fairies. There did seem to be something magical in the hush of the sunlight illuminating these blue beauties. 

Poetry form: Nonet

9 lines with each line decreasing by 1 syllable from 9 to 1. 

Photo credit: my husband, Greg, took the 1st photo in the post.

Mother Nature's Melancholy

As morning edged out night

the sky gripped tightly

the billowy gray blanket

of Mother Nature's continued melancholy

as a few tears

trickled,

then

escalated

to sobs of sadness,

pattered back down to

a mist of glumness

day, after day, after day, after day, after day, after day.

When will Mother Nature let the light of hope shine again?

We are on a 5 day of streak of clouds and rain. It is starting to feel like the gloominess will never leave. Morning- gray   Afternoon- gray    Evening- gray   

The only change is the amount of rain that may accompany the gray- mist, sprinkle, rain, downpour. Everyday just feels the same. 

May has arrived and I know I am waiting for the sun and its warmth. When will Mother Nature's let the sun shine through?  Honestly, I am hoping the forecast is correct and it will be nothing but sun in 2 days. Fingers-crossed!

Filling My Rising to My Rest

our sun rising through cotton candy sky

dew drops glistening along blades of grass

birds announcing the arrival of a new day

- Oh the beauty of an earthen morn!

white puffs peppering the cerulean sky

sunflowers heads seeking the light 

bees dancing their way from bloom to bloom

- Oh the beauty of an earthen noon!

sunset masterpiece fading to periwinkle

wind whispering a lullaby

rabbits grabbing grass mouthful by mouthful

-Oh the beauty of an earthen twilight!

blackness glittering with infinite stars

fireflies decorating with yellow bursts of light

rest filling the moments with silence

-Oh, the beauty of an earthen night!

Filling my rising to my rest with your beauty, 

thank you Earth.

This poem was written to a prompt from Solace and Connection by Leigh Anne Eck, http://adayinthelifeof19b.blogspot.com/2023/04/solace-connection-4.html to write a poem about the beauty of the earth. I tried to capture the small bits of beauty that fill my days. I am so grateful that moments of beauty exist all day long. 

 

Progressive Poem 2023 Continues... Day 20

 

                                                        Photo credit: Margaret Simon, Reflections on the Teche.

The Progressive Poem tradition was started by author Irene Latham. It is now under the inspired helm of Margaret Simon who has organized the event during the last few years. A poem is passed from blog to blog each day in April. Each line is contributed by a different author. The only stipulation is that it is written for children. By the end of the month, a poem completed by thirty individuals awaits us all. Thank you, Irene and Margaret, for your inspiration to create the Progressive Poem and continue its tradition during National Poetry Month. This is my first year participating and am honored to add my line to the poem. I have so enjoyed watching its creation day by day.

The poem thus far:

Suddenly everything fell into place
like raindrops hitting soil and sinking in.
 
When morning first poked me, I’d wished it away
my mind in the mist, muddled, confused.
 
Was this a dream or reality, rousing my response?
The sun surged, urging me to join in its rising,
 
Rising like a crystal ball reflecting on morning dew.
I jumped out of bed, ready to explore the day.
 
My feet pull me outside and into the garden
Where lilies and bees weave…but wait! What’s that?
 
A bevy of bunnies jart and dart and play in the clover. 
A dog barks and flash, the bunderstorm is over.
 
I breathe-brave, quiet. Like a seed,
as the day, foretold in my dream, ventured upon me. 
 
Sunbeams guided me to the gate overgrown with wisteria
where I spotted the note tied to the gate.                                                                                                

As I reached the gnarled gate, pollen floated like fairy dust into my face. Aaah Choo! 

Enter, if you must. We’ve been waiting for you.

Not giving the curious note a thought, I pushed the gate open and ran through. 

Stopped in my tracks, eyes wide in awe- can this really be true? (my line)

Process: Carol Labuzzetta added the excitement of bursting through the gate. I thought about the idea of revealing who was waiting but felt it was a bit to early to answer that. Nothing was popping into my mind as to who or what would be waiting so instead I decided to write about how it felt at the first moment of seeing it. 

This poem continues tomorrow with Sarah Grace Tuttle at  https://www.sarahgracetuttle.com/blog.

Progressive Poem Schedule

April 1 Mary Lee Hahn, Another Year of Reading
April 2 Heidi Mordhorst, My Juicy Little Universe
April 3 Tabatha, The Opposite of Indifference
April 4 Buffy Silverman
April 5 Rose Cappelli, Imagine the Possibilities
April 6 Donna Smith, Mainely Write
April 7 Margaret Simon, Reflections on the Teche
April 8 Leigh Anne, A Day in the Life
April 9 Linda Mitchell, A Word Edgewise
April 10 Denise Krebs, Dare to Care
April 11 Emma Roller, Penguins and Poems
April 12 Dave Roller, Leap Of Dave 
April 13 Irene Latham Live You Poem 
April 14 Janice Scully, Salt City Verse
April 15 Jone Rush MacCulloch
April 16 Linda Baie TeacherDance
April 17 Carol Varsalona, Beyond Literacy Link
April 18 Marcie Atkins
April 19 Carol Labuzzetta at The Apples in My Orchard 
April 20 Cathy Hutter, Poeturescapes
April 21 Sarah Grace Tuttle at Sarah Grace Tuttle’s Blog, 
April 22 Marilyn Garcia
April 23 Catherine at Reading to the Core
April 24 Janet Fagal, hosted by Tabatha, The Opposite of Indifference
April 25 Ruth, There is no Such Thing as a God-Forsaken Town
April 26 Patricia J. Franz, Reverie
April 27 Theresa Gaughan, Theresa’s Teaching Tidbits
April 28 Karin Fisher-Golton, Still in Awe Blog
April 29 Karen Eastlund, Karen’s Got a Blog
April 30 Michelle Kogan Illustration, Painting, and Writing

 

 

Waiting to Unfold

Pale pink petals waiting to unfold

playing hide-n-seek in a grove of trees 

with blossoms of magenta bold

Pale pink petals waiting to unfold

the Springtime magic they behold

their beauty and fragrance sure do please

Pale pink petals waiting to unfold

playing hide-n-seek in a copse of trees.

Last weekend was absolute perfection in my area. It was sunny and 80! So my husband had I had a lovely picnic at the park under gorgeous blooming trees. The scent of magnolias filled the air. It felt like fairies had cast their Springtime magic on the world. The air had a buzz of energy about it.

The photos I took to capture this Spring beauty fueled the Triolet poem above. A triolet is an 8 line poem. It is small and powerful.

Here is the format:

1: original line

2: original line

3: original line – end word rhymes with line 1 end word

4: repeat line 1

5: original line – end word rhymes with line 1 end word

6: original line – end word rhymes with line 2 end word

7: repeat line 1

8: repeat line 2