The Poetry Marathon

Silence

echoed,

no, not silence

Emptiness.

Loss.

The last breath,

which meant

there would be

no more.

Loss so new

there were no tears.

just silence,

the emptiness of

no more.

As the years roll by, I reflect upon my life, I try to strip myself from this cloak of darkness, but it burns like an internal flame and I wear it all so well, these memories they haunt me. I wish I could put them back on the shelf. They say time heals all, but a scar still leaves it’s mark.

*First line borrowed from the last line of “Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening” by Robert Frost

Siren Song

And miles to go before I sleep

the sun has reached my reddened eyes

these lines I write yet haven’t reached

the siren song that stirs inside

These small hours I will steal

the verse caught in the undertow

stretching out my hands to feel

a melody I am yet to know

In the car again for my pay
The warm glow of GPS lights my way
The mountains hide the sun’s ray
Another hectic, long day

My family locked in my weary heart
To draw strength from when we’re apart
Tackling problems according to the chart
Surrounded by natural scenic art

The rain begins but it won’t last long
Just relax and sing another song
Enjoying the lonely part, is that wrong?
Sometimes it’s lovely when you come along

Tired to the bone and thinking deep
Muscles sore make me weep
And miles to go before I sleep
And miles to go before I sleep

CH and Robert Frost

I had promises to keep

but instead regarded Robert Frost,

who stopped his horse to watch the woods

fill up with snow.

I paused, too,

from time to time

while those around me

grew impatient

waiting for me to go again.

Harness bells jingled in my brain

reminding me that time was not my own.

I had promises to keep.

I kept as many as I could,

failed at some

but rarely stopped to watch the snow.

I stop more often now

as my journey shortens with age.

I make no promises

to anyone but me.

And I have promises to keep.

Source: Robert Frost, “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” from The Poetry of Robert Frost. Copyright 1923, © 1969 by Henry Holt and Company, Inc., renewed 1951, by Robert Frost.

Alrighty, hour two is upon us, and I’m so excited to see how this goes I am sorting through all the prompts I have at arms reach and the one I’m most excited to tackle right now is from the prompt journal “I am Incomplete Without You” by Iain S. Thomas of Iwrotethisforyou.me

“Write a poem in which the word “breathe” appears three times” and I’ve mixed it with the prompt “who stayed” from pages 13, and 134 respectively.

Darling, sometimes you just have to breathe

first thing in the morning and again several times

throughout anything even remotely resembling a day.

And in doing so, it is up to you to remember

that not everyone stays around through the times

like this, not everyone knows how or has the extra

bandwidth to help you through it. But those who do,

like the cabbage man, the one who makes you tea

on cold days, and the one who buys your books despite

having helped to create them – those are the people who

make the breathing worth it. Who keep us on track and

heal the hearts we didn’t know even needed healing.

Sometimes, all you really can do is, breathe.

-M. Rene’

SincerelyBlueJay Poetry

Hour Two – Text Prompt

Read Robert Frost’s poem Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening,  chose one line or phrase, and with credit, write a poem with that line or phrase in it. Prompt partially contributed by Se Johnson.

Musings

Life could be easy, airy, light, and breezy

if it were only up to us.

But as I sit and ponder, my mind begins to wonder

at all the nonsense and the fuss.

I don’t see the point of stilettoed heels.

I don’t see the need for seven-course meals.

Nuclear arms, ammunition farms, wireless-synched alarms!

What is the reason why storms are named each season?

Why can’t things be easy? Old-fashioned and breezy?

As we stop and stare at woods dark and deep.

But ah, that’s the grumble, like Robert Frost we crumble.

Because we all, we all have promises to keep.

the last light of life fades,

the sun downs on my brow. 

my hair are like the silver cups

with fancy black bows you liked.

I cannot separate anymore

between left and right.

misty memories of moments,

hazy hues crowd my sight.

Yet I go on,

I remember Frost’s words I read long ago

‘I have promises to keep’.

the promises I made to you

to protect us

to be with each other

to share the same bed

to look at each other

in the first morning light

to wake with a kiss

to laugh with you

I will go on;

till my last breath , till you are there.

My Snowy Woods

He gives his harness bells a shake/to ask if there is some mistake……but I have promises to keep/and miles to go before I sleep. Robert Frost’s Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening…. a poem we memorized in 7th grade, I still hold precious.

Promises, promises, so many promises.
I shake free the harness of my thinking
as the ringing roar of memories and time
course my veins.

meditation bowl of forgiveness pulsing in my heart
whispers: ride the wave, love and letting go
will set you free