The Poetry Marathon

Beautiful swan floating gracefully by
Dancing softly like the winds of spring
Your joy and your candor, incredibly spry
The weight of the world on your wing
You pass by with ease and no cares in the sight
So strong in your humility
For though you are tired, your heart takes to flight
To unburden fragility

Beautiful swan swimming ‘neath the night sky
Enlightened by the strawberry moon
You never let a moment’s grace pass you by
For you know that all things could end soon
Life’s few guarantees and so many regrets
Could leave your heart bitter and cold
But instead you push onward, the safest of bets
Because you’re both brave and bold

Beautiful swan I admire you so
I long for your quaint dignity
Your remarkable prowess through each ebb and flow
Shall ever speak volumes to me
I long to be like you, more agile and free
Passing by with no cares to be seen
For maybe one day, more like you, I will be
More poised, hopeful and serene

I awake to find a ghost in view
And jump when it looks at me
A familiar face forms
One I have forgotten
It has been so long
I am teary
My heart smiles
My world
Dad

A splash on the canvas of yellow and green
A leaf or a flower or some evergreen
A sign of the springtime or maybe of Fall
Or maybe not any of the seasons at all

From the side, could it be a goldfish in a plant
Or maybe a bug? It could be an ant.
Oh! Art is subjective, a sight to behold
Its limits are definitely left here untold

For what you may see in the same, I may not
And neither would be wrong in the imagery sought
For this is the beauty of art as a whole
Where one sees a person, another a knoll
A beautiful picture left out on display
For whomever views it to see their own way
Where colors and imagery, shading and light
Fill up someone’s heart with uncanny delight

The sun set over the mountain range
Its beauty shone brightly atop the snow
Could this be a sign of seasonal change  –
This deeply mesmerizing glow

Its beauty shone brightly atop the snow
A bright ball of light midst a chilly façade
This deeply mesmerizing glow
Worthy of one’s wonder and to be deeply awed

A bright ball of light midst a chilly façade
A sign from the heavens of hope in the air
Worthy of one’s wonder and to be deeply awed
A beautiful answer to an unspoken prayer

A sign from the heavens of hope in the air
Not something outlandish or seemingly strange
A beautiful answer to an unspoken prayer
The sun set over the mountain range

Soft and cuddly, warm and sweet
The nicest puppy you’ll ever meet
With big black ears and a wet cherry nose
She follows my daughter wherever she goes
She cuddles and licks with the greatest of ease
She wags her long tail as big as you please
She is the best friend that a young child could know
And as years go forward, their dear love will grow
A girl and her puppy, growing up together
They’ll be the best of friends in all kinds of weather
As both become bigger, they’ll be more mature
But I have no doubt that their love will endure
One day, time will fade, as time so must do
Their days in the sun and the shade will be through
But kept in a girl’s memory, her first childhood pet
Whose love was so pure she could not forget

On a summer evening, I gathered a raincoat and jars in which to catch frogs
Steam from my breath, out in the humid air, helped me to uncover a great mystery
As I breathed, I noticed moisture accumulating on a foreign object in the dirt
Nestled within the tomatoes, about an inch or two beneath the surface, I found a bottle, stuck between a couple of rocks
I used my elbow to push the bottle to the surface, forcing the rocks out the way. As I looked inside, I noticed the bottle contained a note. Upon examining further, the note was clearly composed by children, even if of age. It was a confession.

“It is 1942…” The letter began. “We, Phileas Ford and Phoebe Galewitz, our love peculating in anticipation for the future, hide this bottle in case we are found. You see, I, Phileas, am German. Phoebe is a Jew. It is too dangerous for us to be as one here. If you find this bottle, chances are, we have either been caught and killed or we have escaped, free to love one another someplace else. We just wanted someone to hear our story, to know that we lived and loved each other very much. Thank you and be blessed.”

I sat in awe of their strength and my freedom. We live in a world of prejudices still, so much said about love and those still, to this day, being judged for whom they choose to love when all we are asked in this world is to love and be loved. In 2021, there are still so many prejudices among races, genders, religions, etc. They existed both then and now. And to think of this, I feel sad. For as long as time has gone on and for as far as society has come, there’s still so far to go.

I can only hope Phileas and Phoebe’s love brought them strength, regardless of their outcome, because in the end, love truly is all we have and all we can take with us when we leave this earth. Maybe one day, everyone will be free to live however and love whomever they choose. I can only pray that will happen but wonder how many more bottles buried in the dirt will it take?

When everything seems hopeless and fraught in great despair
And you’re left with much to question with life crumbling everywhere
You may be left to ponder, as you question where to turn
O’er that sacred place of solace, where you’ll find that peace you yearn
Is it there over yonder, just beyond the line of trees
Or maybe looking westward nestled near the honeybees
Or maybe even sideways for a different kind of view
Where oh where on earth you’ll find it – that place uniquely you
Will you find it in the flowers, nestled in the budding blooms
Will peace find you within them and their happy fragrant fumes
Or will you find much comfort as your head turns towards the sky
And you see the passing bluebird, singing you its lullaby
Only you can know these answers and what shall help you best
When it comes to consolation in the times when you’re most stressed
But, of this, I am certain, after all the ground I’ve crossed
With my feet so firmly planted, the land knows you when you’re lost
Walking barefoot across farmland, with the grass tickling my feet
I can say, for me, there’s comfort and I’m grounded, calm, complete
I’m reminded how I’ve suffered, but by day’s end, I am still
And am strong enough to conquer, all the things left to His will
So whenever you feel hopeless and fraught in a deep despair
Try planting yourself firmly to the earth and find some comfort there
Take a moment to remember and reflect on mountains crossed
For the land shall always knows you, even when you’re feeling lost

Knees trembling
Heavy breath
Eyes staring
As I make my way towards my future
On the air, a hint of scented roses
As I smile nervously at the crowd of onlookers staring
As I pass
All friends and family, gathered to witness
The start of forever
Certainly some are watching
From above
As raindrops kiss my forehead
From billowed clouds on high
Soon, I will stop before my beloved
Our hands will join, before our two lives do
And then, as one, we will make our own way
Towards the beginning of forever

I am writing this note
A missive, I guess
To say I’ll be leaving tomorrow
My time has now passed
It’s over and done
And there aren’t minutes left here to borrow
I gave you my all, all my time and tears
My best and my worst, left here bare
And all I have left for the gist of these years
Are harsh memories of woe and despair

I’m grateful you taught me about life and love
I thank you for that, don’t ask why
For there was a time we were hand and glove
But all good things in life must die
We have run our course
And when I look ahead
I see a future that looks bright
I wish you the best and am glad you were mine
Even if breaking up just feels right

And so, I’ll conclude by just saying this
I hope that you’ll move on in stride
That you’ll walk a path filled with promise and hope
And make the most of this ride
For it is now time for me to check out
So I will not stand in your way
As you go your way, I’ll gladly go mine
We’re done, thanks and have a nice day

“After all tomorrow is another day.” – Margaret Mitchell, Gone with the Wind (1936)

After all, tomorrow is another day
This day’s trials are passed
While on this day, the struggle’s real
Have faith it will not last
For each new dawn is a new chance
To start over once more
So slumber deep with hope in sight
That only good’s in store

While yes, we only have the now
And tomorrow may spark fear
The trials that you’ve survived this day –
Each one has brought you here
You’ve overcome this day! Congrats!
Be gentle with your mind
You’re stronger than you were before
So leave the past behind

Go forward in your slumber, deep
Have dreams of what can be
Keep peaceful thoughts in mind and sleep
Knowing that you are free
Of all this day’s trouble abound
Nothing’s left in your way
Reflect upon the courage you’ve found
After all, tomorrow is another day