Showing posts with label poetry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label poetry. Show all posts

Friday, December 20, 2019

Power Down for Christmas

My last day at the computer,
before the holidays
and I'm still scheduling posts
completely in a daze

I've made cookies, trimmed trees,
bought presents, and more,
but there's still wrapping, and baking,
and cheese to eat galore!

I'll never get to eat it
if I don't finish up soon,
but I'm powering through on hopes
that Christmas day I can sleep until noon!

One more tweet on twitter
and some witty Facebook quips to fine tune.
I'll be present with my children
I swear no Insta-posts of cranberry spoons!


Thursday, December 19, 2019

Christmas breathing...

A Christmas Breath

I am trying to breathe.
with days intent to race.
time - ever fleeting
Hours stripped to seconds double-paced

My mental list reams off the rails
even as tasks tick,
tick, tick
and the clock steals another minute - curtailed

breathe
just breathe
see the silver
grasp the linings with wispy fingers

my dervish whirls away
on sweet-laced cookie dreams
as I dance through to Christmas
on eggnog and mulled wine streams

Sleep divine people
Peace beautiful friends
May the spirit of the season
keep you going until New Year's end...

Monday, April 1, 2019

DAY 1: Stream of Consciousness

words educate injustice questioning my place here
white skin hurts
mirrors on history show us
water be damned fingers broken heart of stone drop
hear the name
again

prayers aren't enough social divide to remember
face the chant
bleed into past present future
forget remember at the table more than hand wringing
money puke mouth
give

dance mother earth lecture tells the story
listen for you
place babies label guilt own
tears added to sky aunties uncle arrows claw truth
more stories told
shame

tomorrow strength together cedar smudge own it
see the totem
equal parts grief reconciliation stand
leaves touch bodies bend dance beat drum house pain
change turn amend
forgive


~~~

Words. A collection of them. Random, but somehow formed into a stream of consciousness based upon listening to this year's Massey Lectures. Punctuation isn't part of the game, as I tackle Day 1 of April's 30 Days of Writing Challenge

7 words
3 words
5 words
9 words
3 words
1 word
(repeat)

Wednesday, February 14, 2018

The Love Poems of Rumi

Happy Valentine's Day! What better day than today to take a look at Rumi's love poetry, as translated by Nader Khalili. The folks at the Quarto Books were kind enough to send me a copy of this beautiful book of poetry to review. Today I share it with you.

Love Poems


The Love Poems of Rumi; as translated by Nader Khalili, © 2015, Wellfleet Press

Reviewing a book of poetry is a tricky thing. Poetry is personally subjective. It is full of emotions, personal reflections, and poetic turns of phrase that spring forth from a poet's heart. Who is a critic to call it good or bad?

Such is my challenge.

Add to that, the fact that this is a translation from Rumi's works, and the prospect is daunting at best. Sure, I can comment on the artistic license that Nader takes in not including any capitalization or punctuation [Do I attribute that to Nader or Rumi? I would think Nader, as Rumi wrote in Persian, which is a whole different alphabet. Nader offers the English, therefore makes his call on translation and interpretation]

Regardless, I personally find 'i' distracting from the poetry as a whole. I want to correct the text every time I see the lower case letter. My sritique, but certainly not enough to take away my pleasure in these poems. If anything, I suspect we are to put less stock in 'i' the self, versus the bigger concept of capital L Love. Love is so much bigger than mere i in the grand scheme of things.

So perhaps we should delve into the text then, as Love is certainly the theme of the poetry inside the ornate pages of this book. Translation aside, the words of Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī are enough to sweep anyone away with their beautiful and heartbreaking prose that reaches through the ages. For despite the fact that Rumi lived from 1207-1273, I am sure that many can relate to these universal feelings we ache from; the pathos of Love.
anyone who is not in love
cannot be as light as a soul
like moon and stars
cannot be orbiting restlessly
hear it from me
as the final word
a flag can never dance
with no air and no wind
I would be remiss, if I did not share
some of the beautiful murals
found within the pages of the book
Ah, do we not all dream of the mythical ideal of love to give us air to breathe and stars in the sky. It is love that makes it so...
love is
a mirror
you see nothing
but your reflection
you see nothing
but your real face
Should we seek outside ourselves to find this love though? Reading this and several other poems leads me to conclude the answer is not necessarily so. It can be found within and without. Love is joy and suffering. It is a journey we are privileged to be a part of.

Wise council fair Rumi. Thank you for these interpretations Khalili.

But lest we give up on earthly love, and the boundless challenges that come with it, there are still many lines which offer hope to those still looking for love this Valentine's Day. The journey may be long and hard, but Master Rumi suggests the path is necessary and infinitely worth it. Khalili gathers these thoughts together and counters them in subsequent pages, but the message rings out throughout—Love is...

There are so many more lovely images, but I will share these last lines for auspicious lovers to be today. May you find your sweetheart friends! I have many more poems to ponder, as I wander along my own journey towards Love.
this heart will one day
find you a sweetheart
this soul will one day
take you to the beloved
seize your pain as a blessing
your pain will one day
lead you to healing

Tuesday, January 23, 2018

illusion


I scribe illusion
from the truths inside of me
who would believe them
...


* inspired from a prompt from Colleen's Weekly Tanka Tuesday
I used synonyms for #write and #myth

Monday, October 24, 2016

tissue paper hands

If I squeeze too tight
tissue paper hands will tear
my dying vigil
your forehead's stress lines
passed to survivors

In memory of my grandmother, Margaret McLeod
RIP

Wednesday, October 12, 2016

Measure

Daily updates
from my phone
no change...
no change...
never any change;
but the worst is in store.

Three, the number of 
weeks one can live without food...
You have been going on eight months.
No solids have passed your lips.
No voluntary movements towards fork or spoon.
How does a body survive on memory alone?

Three, the number of 
days one can live without water...
You stopped drinking two months ago.
Occasionally thirst will get the better of you
and a dixie cup can be coaxed between lips;
that third day must be the charm.

The number of spilled tears
counted in family;
children, grandchildren, great grandchildren.
The amount of sweat equity 
counted in people;
nurses, doctors, support staff.

This is what a life comes down to
at the end of a day;
measuring tears, sips and breathes
until they all run dry,
but today's update:
about the same...

Monday, April 18, 2016

bloom


on this spring day
the flowers bloom
birds return
and life renews

the hollow space
inside my heart
tears a little bit
gets blown apart

so many days
dark winter knew
silent as the grave
left feeling blue

shall i own them now
or cast pall aside
blossoms burst to life
time for joy's stride

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

violet blush


sweet blush of my cheeks
hope blossoms eternally
our renewal sings
~


Monday, March 7, 2016

winter moss


breathing  in  the  moment
I walk purposeful with soul
world encompassing
late winter sparkles
hints of green life
here I stand
touched by a gift
for my eyes
~


Thursday, January 14, 2016

frost touches


I'm
waiting
for the day
when the frost melts
and sweet life unfurls,
bursts magically forth
from my cold, tight
embrace.

I'm waiting...
to embrace magic
frost touches
furled life
melted
love
cold

wait
today is
life, sweet
blooming buds
melting heart
Magic...

Tuesday, January 5, 2016

Steps

A New Year
a new day...
More of the same, like days gone by?
~ hoping for more I pray.

Prayers are good and fine,
but actions beget more.
It's time to take life in mine own hands
and create a path to explore.

Idle steps lead nowhere fast;
if I want to find life and pep
the route to this door, this trail
starts today in my chosen step

So walk along, I wander;
my route mine to choose.
This year, a year of purpose
peace and happiness—the goal, to not abuse

What path have you set yourself on in 2016?



Tuesday, December 1, 2015

sky



dreaming of the sky
just a few rungs higher up
my infinity

Thursday, November 19, 2015

Foreshadow


wind blows snows follow
wan November furlough
winter foreshadow
~


Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Remember Them


Children's voices 
raised in song.
No words uttered
to interrupt the psalm.

Poppies placed
row upon row.
Honour, respect;
all remembered by those.

The men and women
who gave their lives,
a fight for freedom
with battle cries.

My children's voices
I proudly hear,
today remember
and hold your memories dear.

We thank you all
who have served in courage
without sacrifices bold
our world discouraged.

Today 
our children 
solemn sing
to you a gift
their offering.

Thank you
We Remember
~




Thursday, October 8, 2015

Autumn

Autumn's tender rays
whisper of summer's last days
fleeting memory



Friday, August 28, 2015

Fire


Fire burns bright
in anticipation
of future
endeavours

I fan the flames
of my intended success
with hope and 
enthusiasm

the challenge;
to keep adding the fuel,
to believe in
me

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

walls

I  am
the beautiful girl
that people look back 
on  remembering
the sweet pieces
of a heart 
which
sur-
vived
only by 
being tucked 
behind a windowless wall
they don't remember 
helping to build
but i do



Tuesday, July 14, 2015

missing home

Until we parted
I didn't know what home was
the feel
rhythm, sway and dance
of us two
moving as one
thoughts started by you
and caught in my head
shared as only we can.
A gift.

Do you think ...
oh yes!
Should we try ...
always worth it, aye.

two sets of eyes
in unison
capture the world
as one

I didn't know I missed your
jokes, jaunts and joy
til the pauses
filled up with your breath
no longer embraced me
with your glance 

you are home

I need no roof to tell me that
you are where my comfort lies
you are where I smile and cry
you are all up to the skies
I wish the world could compromise
and give us a bigger piece of it

alas
the only answer is 
to hold out
for our tomorrows
and hope
that our hearts survive

Home
I will see you soon
~

sunset on the road



Monday, June 15, 2015

Luck


You know it's going to be a good day when you get this in the mail—a good luck coin. It came with a book too. Next up on the TBR pile is July and the Single Heart by Vi Zetterwall.

~
rub for luck
in life and love
soon great riches
will fall from above
~

I've got my fingers crossed and will keep my new talisman close by,
just in case...

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