At This Moment–Hour 10
In a parallel universe somewhere
my doppelganger sits at a laptop
buzzing and clacking away
At least one of us
is producing
more than just sweat
Liz’s Woodpeckered Tree – HOUR TEN
Liz’s Woodpeckered Tree
(Inspired by my painting, LIZ’S WOODPECKERED TREE
and from 2013 and a photo taken of same tree in Spring 2021)
Over 50 years ago you stood proud
arising from rocks, erect and full of life
yet time brought on the ravages of age
You evolved into a host for creepy, crawly things
a feast offered up for woodpeckers
who drilled your woody flesh and drained you of life
Today you rest upon the waters
waves lash you and strip away what bark remains,
yet you hang on, your roots held deep beneath the rocky shore.
This is tenacity, endurance, strength.
Against all odds, season after season, you remain
an icon to keeping on no matter the challenges we face.
Hour 7
Off prompt because I wasn’t digging hour 7’s prompts.
Astriloquus
I love the sky
Dark and shining
Each light a beacon of cosmic energy
And yes there is science there
But when I speak on the stars
It is with the prayers of a priest
Wanting to speak with god
It is with the reverence of a people
To their king and ruler
It is with the hushed admorations
Of two lovers in the night
It is with the wonder of magic
That is seen in the sky
[Hour Ten]For Leon, Grown
I remember the first kick.
The small, rapid thumping of hearing his heartbeat for the first time.
The ultrasound a galaxy of stars, constellation Leo with a small fist
and fluttering, birdlike heart.
The want to cradle small feet in my hands and marvel,
this pain that brought you to the world wasn’t divine,
it was real, us and nature and human intervention that brought you,
crying, into the morning light. My lion child,
the innocence you carry isn’t skin deep. One day you’ll grow, and walk,
and marvel at miracles as I have, as you do, and wonder
at what makes us human, and bright in the dust
that angels have dared to trudge with bright wings,
and you will learn that there is more to holiness than a temple,
that to look at someone’s smiling face is worship,
and divinity the smile in their voice as you fall asleep.
Walk amongst angels one day, in a silver future, and remember.
Not all that is glorious is godly, but every miracle is divine.
Two Birds, No Wing
Packed and ready to fly to nowhere
The month choice made it so
Why January I would not know
Here we are two birds with no wing
On divorce precipice, gingerly we sailed
Holidays could soothe our fray
Or break our tray
We know not but gingerly we sailed
Broke and broken, gingerly we sailed
Hoping to mend and bend and tend
To love more and close the door than before
To share a care, tear our fear
Hungry and angry, gingerly we sailed
Candlelit dinner and a returned winner
Soul food conjured the mood for some good
Drank one another without an order
Didn’t know two birds without a wing can bring
Joy, boy and loads of toy
Laughter and clapper and a new chapter
From holidays no one knew would deliver
Salad Nights (Three Cinquain)
The greens
stand in photos,
verdant soldiers plated:
A fox hole for the tomatoes
to rest.
———
The clock
is the only
sound in the room except
for the clattering of keyboard
right now.
———
Street noise
announces for
some, it’s a weekend night,
but the nights all end with waiting
for you.
A Threaten Torch
A Threated Torch
A threatened torch I carry,
To a promised victory.
From every tempter, task and foe,
I must swiftly flee.
Though fears and torment taunt me,
My mission fixed – I see,
Appointed and anointed
To reach my destiny.
A threatened torch I bear,
My triumphant end not seen,
The wars of life have left their marks,
Oh tumultuous climb to Glory!
My heart is steadfast; body frayed,
Not always meet to reach
the journey filled with the unforeseen,
Sometimes success, sometimes defeat.
A threatened torch I uphold,
With honor to achieve,
And evil jeers to drown out the cheers
of laborers here to guide me.
Doubts march in to drench the fires
That lights this bittersweet avenue,
My continence waves a spectrum of hope,
Empowered – not subdued!
A threatened torch I carry,
I am on bended knee.
I lift it high as mountains rise,
The gift of Faith to lead me.
Manifold challenges I still face,
I expect and perceive
That the enemy knows.
It is no mystery.
A threatened torch I burn,
Flaming cinders spark my advance,
Hurling me valiantly from helps need,
Before His throne I take my stance.
Life for me unfolded in a scroll,
And each page given a *,
“Marked For Glory!“
The Power of the Light
The twinkling lights still hang,
waiting to be packed up,
back to their dark boxes, in basements everywhere.
The New Year has slunk in,
the Bethlehem story hovers hoping
to change hearts,
revive the weary poised to drop
but the waiting darkness pulls
many away from the light
and the power of the choice they’ve had all along.
Hour 10
WILDFIRES
WILDFIRES
The ash on the car’s windshield
disturbs, as if an extinct species
had landed on the glass,
in ghost form, to call out
her death – Where were you
when I was alive? she asks.
And I have no answer.
I wasn’t nearby, I sigh,
knowing full well that is
not a good excuse.
Where were you? you? you?
Turning the Page
New Year’s Day brings a fresh start.
After pause and reflection
I take my lessons to heart.
The past year brought challenges,
joys, love and pain.
The new year’s arrival
means I get to do it again.
It’s like turning a page,
on my most well-loved book.
And I get to write the endings
to some chances I took.
It will be a page turner,
as the days fly by fast.
I’ll cherish it all,
present, future, and past.