The Poetry Marathon

I tire of the blue sky,
overdone simplicity to match
my ritual of morning coffee.

I drift back to when the sun
peaks against the horizon.
Rich hues of reds, oranges,
and pinks dance a purpose
of surrounding my world.

So too do the clouds, on a
glorious summer afternoon.
Is that a sailboat or a pup?
The mind questions everything
with a canvas clothed in vividness.

Time finds a nook for respite,
so precious, these moments of
absolute ease. My soles stomp

against gravel, body steady
as it brushes opposite the
gusts I’ve grown accustomed

to flowing with. Now’s time for
a straight gaze as all I’ve ran
from dashes for my essence.

Hi everyone!

Super excited to be doing my second half marathon this year from Ottawa, Canada. I loved the challenge and learning I got out of this last year and can’t wait to read everyone’s beautiful poems on Saturday 🙂

Maxine

I’ve always been bad at the ending.
It just doesn’t seem to appear.
I run around in circles,
desperate to find calm.
I will carry on.
Today is done.
Tomorrow
will come.
Hope.

(Poem 12 of Half Marathon – WOOT WOOT!!)

twenty minutes to walk to work
I pass by the skyscraper on the corner
not quite my destination just yet
no cloud in the sky
hoping my day is also clear

skipping the storefront
I head straight for the back
greet some coworkers
exchange a good banter

I pull my hair back
at the last possible moment
preferring the freedom
of letting it all down

sourdough fills my nostrils
no complaints on that
as I clock in for another day
selling food to afford food

I spread my stuff
under the till
needing some comforts
to be within reach
as I gulp in
and let out a deep sigh

this is the now

(Poem 11 of Half Marathon)

lights glowing throughout the night
the air feels warm, even at ten below
as the snow cascades down
together we’ll treasure this time,
a gift that may not always be around

we sit by the warm crackling fire,
reading and sharing in the gifts
that are found in this life

(Poem 10 of Half Marathon)

the wind will carry
my soul above the grey cloud
and I will know peace

(Poem 9 of Half Marathon)

Follow me to the pond.
We’ll jump in and savour summer.
Cool skin brings pleasure.
Our eyes wander away
to the wide open meadow.
Lavender a striking dark purple,
having reached peak bloom.
Just like us.
Dry off and stay awhile longer.
We can lie on our backs
in the dry grass
and watch the clouds pass by.
This is all we need to live for.

(Poem 8 of Half Marathon)

Here we are
standing on two sides
of the same dirt road.
Gonna take a day
to wash off all the grit
I get when I see you.
How did this become
my daily dread?

I fear I’ll never know
what it means
to live without.

Let’s walk to the stop sign.
Perhaps a different direction
is all we need.
Perhaps a little luck
is all it takes
to erase this mundane.

(Poem 7 of Half Marathon)

Energy consuming the main drag
at every block I stride through.
People are staring, but I keep the pace.
I take my time as I cherish this moment.
May seem meaningless for most.
But with years gone by this is what I’ve craved.
A call to face it all, if you will.
Seeking out all that I fear most:
to be noticed.

(Poem 6 of Half Marathon)