The Poetry Marathon

Influence (2017)

It is remarkable to think back
On the first day we met
You were anxious to work with us
To teach the children of our center
Your English was adequate
Enough to get your point across
Even if it took some time
Your happy spirit was, to be honest
Quite contagious

It’s been a year since you moved back home
I cannot believe how far you have come
From your confidence, to your language skills
To your knowledge of teaching
You have grown so much
And I know you’ll continue to do great things

In this business it is easy to think
Of one’s influence on the children we serve
But I never realized the kind of impact we have
On the teachers we train as well

Butterscotch Sunbeam

Butterscotch Sunbeam
VCS

In the afternoon
When things get still and slow
I watch a little sunbeam
That escaped into my room
All is quiet and dim
Except for the roar of that
Little drip of sun
And the scent of butterscotch
Running off it’s light
And puddling onto hardwood floors
I don’t know how it got here
Or where its friends are at play
But this little sunbeam
Has fallen my way
It’s as loud as a freight train
In the otherwise dark room
Dimmed for an afternoon nap
After the rising of noon
It shines its spotlight on every spot of dust
And lets me know its noticed
Every bit of muss
Even though it woke me up
With its demand to play
dripping with sweetness
To remind me of the summer day
It’s impossible to do anything
But smile in a wistful way
The sunbeam’s found her friends
And vanished in her play

Finding your way

Disavow your sight. You’ll be more perceptive that way,

Able to sense your family regardless of how many parsecs away they are.

Know that they are with you even if they don’t appear

On your radar. We’re all bound by the constrictions of time

And space and, for once, maybe that’s not such a bad thing.

 

pacific-northwest resplendence

lapis lazuli is the color of my spiritual doorway

tourmaline, the color of our marriage

stones.

our house, guacamole, sporting both

the yellow and green of an avocado.

honey, the highlight color — stained doors, deck

and yellow cedar shake.

berry is the color of hunger and happiness.

 

but of all the colors abounding, the silver/green

lichen at the base of our massive cedars is the

most intriguing.

 

this is the color of wisdom for me,

of patient abiding.

 

the forest is our Pacific Northwest teacher.

 

when the cedar is exploded by lightning

or thrashed to the ground by a winter wind

storm, its orange-red flesh disintegrates

into wild and weird castles.

 

after several months it breaks down further

into a soft duff that I love to walk through

barefoot.

 

when my feet are well stained

orange red, I am ready to join in their

moist and thoughtful sanctuary.

 

7 Core Agreements…

Our New Book Begins with the Sacred Seven…

1. Trust, Respect, and Loyalty
2. Spirituality
3. Family
4. Inspiration
5. Love
6. Dreams and Goals
7. Giving Back Unconditionally

These seven agreements I hold near and dear to my heart.

As we promise to uphold our core with these sacred seven, I pray that I remember always to refill the well and replenish our cup.

You have awakened a love beyond words that makes it our goal to honor these seven as we do each day of the week.

If we choose to see the world and explore as we do so naturally, then take my hand in yours and let us walk in the present and into the future faithfully.

 

All rights reserved copyright(c)2017 Natasha Vanover

The Needs of Others

I’ve only asked for

a few hours

of complete peace.

I want to sit

in one spot

uninterrupted.

This is one day

I’m taking for myself

after spending years

fulfilling the needs of others.

You won’t even

give me that.

You came as a beam of light

You came as a beam of light
And all my darkness disappeared
You became my peace
And all my chaos settled
You held my hand
And I began to fly
You closed my eyes
And made me see my dreams
You smiled
And I wanted all those dreams to come true
You became mine
And I started loving myself
You made me conquer my fears
And made me smile
You came in my life
And became my life

I have been reading the poems of others and loving it. To be together across the globe with so many like minded people is amazing.

3. The Mess We’ve Made

From this mess we’ve made,

there’s no place to hide.

There are no logical reasons,

nor good excuses

for this genocide.

 

We need you God, more than ever,

I crave for your forgiveness!

Though we’ve given our soul away

so long ago

for a bigger business.

 

The mess we’ve made, oh God,

you see, it’s tremendous.

The four horsemen of the Apocalypse,

am I right if I assume

you’ve sent them?

 

 

 

 

 

Songs

8/5/17 4:13pm
Songs

Certain songs may bring joy to their listener
The ones that remind me of you
Never do.