Look Upward

Look Upward

Look upward to the mountains
it is there where love lives
if you look skyward will find it
have faith in tomorrow and embrace humanity
as you walk the winding path

Know that you head in the right direction
Never lose faith in tomorrow
Even if the peak is obscured by clouds
it is there in the distance and each moment
you walk is precious and personal

and your journey will be rewarded
with vision of ultimate love.


This poem is written for dVerse Poetics where we are writing 'summit poetry.'
Thanks, Lynn, for the prompt.

Spring Haibun

"How many many things

they call to mind -

these cherry blossoms."

--Basho

Spring Haibun

To me, spring is the most beautiful season of the year.  It is the season of

rebirth, greening, new life.  This year I will try to savor each day of the season, 

noting the differences from one day to another.  Taking nothing for granted.

A few blades of grass, a few buds on a tree, the return of the birds who had gone 

south in fall.  I will pay attention to all and celebrate each sign of rebirth.

Spring, for me, is a reflective season.  It fills me with much happiness as well 

as a tinge of sadness.  I wonder, as I see the blossoms of spring, how many more 

springs I will enjoy.  I hear the clock ticking. There is no denying  that there have 

been more  springs in my past than there will be in my future.  But I do not want to 

concentrate on that.   I want to enjoy and celebrate life  and love and joy. I want to 

raise my arms to the sky and say to the universe, "I am so happy to be alive."  

Spring is in the air

cherry blossoms bloom and die

I enjoy each one.

This is written for Kanzensakura's prompt for dVerse "Haibun Monday."  She presents  haiku by Basso and Issa for us to launch our Haibun from!  It really made me think about spring!

Happiness Floats

Happiness Floats

No matter what - happiness floats
above - though evil tries to rise
through forces that seek joy's demise

birds of spring still trill their high notes
green buds rise before eager eyes
as all begin to don spring coats

evil cannot deter sunrise
no matter what - happiness floats.



This is written for Poets United Poetry Pantry & also is
a second contribution to  dVerse Meeting the Bar where Victoria 
introduced the 'octain refrain.'  I am also submitting it to dVerse Open
Link as I am not feeling well enough to write a new poem today.
We cannot let forces of evil win!

The World Today

Donald Trump Arizona Rally

The World Today

Anger lurks in the world today
politicians breed angry fear
raise their voices for all to hear

inciting violence they prey
on the dark side as they misguide
to gain votes as they lead astray

the sane can only shed a tear
anger lurks in the world today.

This was written for dVerse Meeting the Bar where Victoria is
introducing the 'octain refrain.'  There are two tercets and a 
couplet, eight syllables per line, middle stanza having midline rhyme,
first line repeated at the end!  

Pompous Peacock

Pompous Peacock

There he stands
pompus peacock parleying
amidst
an ostentation of peacocks
strutting, squawking
proudly for all to see

before
a gaggle of gaping geese
and a party of jawing jays
mouths open
feathers flying
squawking and clawing.....

.....while
overhead a flight of doves
proceeding quietly  north
in search of peace.

This is written for dVerse Poetics: Poetry is For the Birds.  Take a look at the prompt, and join in!

Some Days

Some Days

Some days the words pass me by
like a New York taxi when it rains
like the bus that doesn't stop at the corner
like a business connection gone sour
like a phone call ignored

I wave and wave, beckon
the words look the other way
     kick rocks along the shore
     laugh in my face
     run in the opposite direction
     but I must live in hope that

maybe the mailman will deliver them tomorrow
maybe I'll find them in the little boat on the pond
or maybe I will just wait until they appear
growing in spring's garden sometime soon.

This is written for Poets United Poetry Pantry!

In Prayer

Young Woman Praying Besides Baby's Cradle - 1864

In Prayer

Do you see the look on her face

when she folds her hands

and prays over her sleeping child?

There is no doubt that

each prayerful mother is

one of God's special saints.

This is written for dVerse Poetics where the prompt is "hands"
and also for Wednesday's Poets United Midweek Motif
where the prompt is "saints/saintliness."

The Same Moon

The Same Moon

And when she went to bed she gazed out her window, knowing
that as she looked at the moon, he could see the same moon
out of his window on the other side of the world.  And she felt
a connection with what once was as she wondered if he ever
thought of her now that they were so far away.  And as she shed a tear,
she pondered if he knew how much  she  missed him.  Wondered if he cared.
Or if he had simply moved on  with no regrets, with no glance back.

in the cloudless sky
moon connects or disconnects
as the case may be

This is written for dVerse Poets Haibun Monday #9 - where the prompt was 'the moon.'

You Know I Love You

You Know I Love You

You know I love you
or perhaps you don't know.

You each have idiosyncrasies
but they are part of who you are.

Violet, you are the most dependent
but you are also the most distant.

Tulip, you seem the most confident
but you are most easily hurt.

Basil, you are the most personable
but your voice is way too loud.

I tell you that I love you
with my words and actions.

And I cannot imagine how I will feel
when we have to say good-bye.

I try not to think of time passing
I cannot think you will leave.

You know I love you
or perhaps you don't know.


This poem is inspired by Sherry Blue Sky's Everything I Never Told You.  I think Sherry and I both love our dogs, but I think the relationship Sherry had with Pup is unparalleled!  Sherry published a book called Blue Sky Moments. (Ask her about it.)  Thanks, Sherry

Young Man's Plight

Young Man's Plight

He does not really want to stay

But on his porch he submissively sits

he would rather find a way to play

than be forced to live by creative wits

when nothing in his existence fits

he’d rather think all life a comedy

and gaze about at all that flits

to determine how each avoids tragedy

as he can easily discern a lying eye

though he may be shiftless he is smart

and no one will ever see him cry

nor see the pain within his heart

or hear the sound of his silent moan

when he feels lifeless as a stone.

The above poem is a Bouts-Rimés written for dVerse Meeting the Bar.

The challenge was to use these 14 words in order as the end words of the lines:

stay, sits, play, wits, fits, comedy, flits, tragedy, eye, smart, cry, heart, moan, stone. 

Any Given Year

Any Given Year

So much of any year is flammable
dreams appear, ignite and turn to ash
love affairs combust, burn bright, sizzle, fizzle
peaceful villages reduced to ashes
arsonists conflagrate in darkness
lightning strikes forests, lifeblood choked.

So much of any year is flammable
pages turn while diaries burn
marshmallows blacken before they blaze
political passion burns red hot
tempers smolder, then combust
what is it that fans the flame?

We burn our bridges and don't look back
blaze through days if they were infinite
never mind the losses left in the wake
so much of any year is flammable.

This poem was written for my prompt at dVerse Poetics.  We had to choose ONE line from the poem "Burning the Old Year" by Naomi Shihab Nye to launch a completely NEW poem. The line I chose was the very FIRST line - "So much of any year is flammable."

Chagrin

Chagrin

It is with chagrin
such a charming grin
appeal will wear thin
but if perchance he will win
we'll have to  take it on the chin
as he'll  become the kingpin
and set all in a spin
bring on somber violin
hell will soon begin.

This is written for dVerse 
where the Quadrille prompt is "grin."

I Try to Understand

I Try to Understand

I try to understand what people do
the way they view life
the jobs they choose
the paths they walk
the conversations they have
the way they view death
why they vote as they do.

I try to understand what people do
the way they cock their hat
the way they turn the page
the poems they write
the secrets they keep
the lies that they tell
why they vote as they do.

I try to understand what people do
the way they shake a hand
the friends they make
the car they drive
the food they eat
the dreams they share
why they vote as they do.

This poem is written for / shared with dVerse Open Link.

The Gift

Source

The Gift

A flower was offered to me
unexpectedly
and as I hold it in my hand
I stand
singled out amidst the crowd
so proud
I want to cheer aloud
I am happy that you noticed me
and that this flower came from thee
unexpectedly I stand so proud.

This poem was written in the Ovillejo form (check it out).
It is submitted to Poets United Midweek Motif where we
had to begin a poem with the lines "A flower was offered to me..."
The prompt will go live on Wednesday.