Art by Josephine Wall
Marmalade Days
Life is wonderful.
It is like sweet marmalade
on my lips
waking me in the morning
to meet the vibrant sunrise;
greeting me and urging me
to open my eyes and LIVE
another day
even though the uninvited
sorrows still visit me like the
vitriolic taste of
black chokeberries that linger
on the tongue.
Life is a kaleidoscope
of good and bad.
I wake up every morning
hoping that the marmalade taste
will stay on my lips forever.
But then that is not reality-
Is it?
In My Garden
The morning dew kisses the leaf,
Its touch so sweet; its visit brief.
A bird alights, then says adieu.
Kisses the leaf, the morning dew.
Red petals soft, dropping from rose,
Its essence wafting to my nose.
I go to smell the roses oft.
Dropping from rose; red petals soft.
The crimson red of bayberry;
Of prickly mound, remain wary.
One touch of thorn, and I have bled.
Of bayberry, the crimson red.
Forsythia of golden hue.
It blossoms then, as if on cue.
I've named her sweet Alythia
Of golden hue, Forsythia
My willow tree, still weeps for me.
It feels my grief; is sad to see.
From sorrow deep I cannot flee.
Still weeps for me my willow tree.
Dirge
Oh, dirge that melts this mournful heart;
That fills the soul with sweet lament.
From whence two loved ones must depart
My radiance has now been rent.
Oh, Tears of sorrow cleanse me now
From caverns dark and empty scars.
Release me; let me disavow
This wretched path I've traveled far.
Oh, let the sun reflect on me;
Evacuate the dark of night
Allow once more my soul to see
The beauty of the morning light.
The Granite Stone
I kneel beside the granite stone,
It's cold and dark; I'm all alone;
As tears begin to stain my cheek,
I feel my insides growing weak.
Recalling happy memories,
I feel the ground beneath my knees.
Son, can you hear me as I speak?
I feel my insides growing weak.
Why do I come to this dark place
Where on the stone is etched your face?
I cannot find here what I seek.
I feel my insides growing weak.
I kneel beside the granite stone,
It's cold and dark; I'm all alone.
Emotional Wounds
Time does not heal emotional wounds,
It only forms a crust on them.
Healing the surface
while inside it is raw,
aching with pain.
The agony goes deeper
until it cannot be reached.
Smoldering into a forever reminder
of what first caused it.
I would rather have my flesh
torn open.
At least that heals and is quickly
forgotten.
Suddenly His Light Appears ( Triolet )
Trapped in the darkness of the night
When suddenly His Light appears....
I search in vain for purest light
Trapped in the darkness of the night
Who then will save me from this fright
Down sorrowed face slide all my tears
Trapped in the darkness of the night
When suddenly His Light appears....
Second place winner
$50.00 prize, ribbon and certificate.
Dancing Words
I dressed my words in billowy gowns,
And put slippers on their feet.
While humming a tune, verbs and nouns,
Danced lines across a white sheet.
I dressed my words in satin suits,
Complete with walking canes.
I sang a song, and turned recruits
Into musical refrains.
The little ones in flowered skirts
paired suited ones to dress.
Then line by line they made converts
of words that once meant less.
Boys Are Always King
(1st Place Winner for:
4th Quarter Rhyme Time Poetry Contest
Prize included: $50.00, Certificate,
Copy of Winning Poem, and a 1st Place Ribbon.{1st Place Winner for:)
Silken threads and antique lace
invade my very soul.
I do not own a pair of boots
nor jeans do I extol.
I'd rather be in ribbons pink
and collars edged in pearls.
You see my mother had five boys,
yet really wanted girls.
Eventually I came along;
sisters joined me thereafter.
Mother was happy combing curls
among our joy and laughter.
My brothers, they could do no wrong.
We girls did nothing right.
This attitude of prejudice
Still haunts me in the night.
But Italian is our heritage,
and that means just one thing.
Girls are good for cleaning house,
but boys are always king...
Aged With Grace
The mystic moon, dark velvet skies,
Blue twinkling lights that meet my eyes;
Sparkling soft snow beneath my feet.
This night for me is now complete.
Crisp icy glow on long dark road.
Limbs that hang from a heavy load.
Cold snow and ice that now conceal
And make this scene to me surreal.
As sun begins to show her face,
Snow starts to melt; appears as lace.
Sky turns on magic light of rays;
Another image earth portrays.
Each changing hour from day to night,
Earths beauty shows with pure delight
From wintry cold of ice and snow.
To summers golden sun aglow.
White sandy beach; reflecting sun,
The rippled lake where we have fun.
Cool summer rains feed flowers so dry
When thunder clouds burst from the sky.
These scenes reach deep into my soul.
I breath it in; they make me whole.
As cracks appear like wrinkled face,
The earth grows old with style and grace.
First place winner Shadow Poetry
$100.00 prize , ribbon and certificate.
Forsythia
Graceful arms spreading down.
Fingers sweeping to the ground.
In winter's grasp, bare and sad:
Now head to toe in beauty clad.
Bursts of gold, glistening;
Between your buds no speck of green.
Supple arms of sunny hue
And luminescent morning dew.
Amber shrub in spring you're born;
No longer bare and so forlorn.
With your first bud new life you bring
regeneration known as spring.
From His Hands (Sonnet)
He dipped in glistening gold; then hung to dry
The brilliant sun that glows for us each day.
Then rays of gilded light He did apply;
He molded all as potter does with clay.
Then downy, lucent clouds he placed around
To hold in moisture till the ground had need.
And when the sun had seared the furrowed ground,
The burdened clouds gave burst the earth to feed.
For night, deep ebony He turned the sky;
Then gently tucked glass starry eyes in place
With sparkling beams that gleam from moon on high
And misty fog then draped like antique lace.
And from His hands this glorious creation
undimmed by time gives daily presentation.
How Luminous The Light
Too soon comes the night
With darkness moving in,
Light retreats in shadows
And I now weep within.
Too long till sun appears
To move the dark away
and turn away my sorrow,
I wait a brand new day.
How quiet is the dark,
no laughter can be heard,
Only tears that fall
without a single word.
How luminous the light
with hope that settles there,
Where peace can then be found
My soul becomes aware.
In light I wish to stay.
Leave darkness far behind.
Oh brighter days, please reappear
to ease my tortured mind...
Echoes
Echoes of love
Written in silence,
A delicate creation of
words unfurled by
midnight's gossamer moonlight.
Dreams
Beneath a diamond orb of moon
in velvet dress of sky festooned
With pearly stars of blue,
essential dreams wax true.
Upon the earth with hills of green
where trees stand tall and reign supreme,
absorbing brilliant sunbeams glow
our dreams have reached a new plateau.
Always True
The forest whispers it's beauty.
Summer rain falls like a symphony.
Rusty fall leaves crush beneath my feet.
A dreamy mood floods this season.
Then shadows of a bitter winter blow.
Leaves make their escape
Leaving bare limbs to fight the cold.
Snow and ice follow and produce a wonderland.
Coating everything in sight with their glory.
Then snow gently falls, leaving crystalline fluff
with diamond dust that glitters in the sunlight.
Mother earth, Her beauty never ends.
Only Me (Sonnet)
A woman I in autumn years of life.
I worry not of outer looks so vain.
A loving mother, grandmother and wife.
To look at me you would say I am plain.
And yet I tell you look into my soul.
For that is where my treasure truly lies.
That is the place where I have been made whole.
You cannot view my soul with just your eyes.
This is the spot where all my dreams start out.
Where all my wondrous hopes and goals were born.
And in this secret part I hold no doubt.
Here I keep roses only not the thorn.
And this is where I keep the one true me.
The place where love and courage flow so free.
Rain
Drip ()
Drip ()
Drip ()
Rain falls slowly,
A melody rings holy.
Sliding down my window pane,
What a lovely thing is rain.
Taking Turns
Moonbeams cast a shadaw on the wall.
Sun rises and the phantom shadows fall.
Sun then sets and Moon resumes her glow;
each displays, in turn, a splendid show.
Night
Listen in the quiet of the night.
Sounds of whispers linger in the air.
Everyone is tucked in bed so tight
As in this dark of night I am aware.
That earth itself does never fall asleep.
Just rests its weary head from busy day.
So quiet now that you can't hear a peep.
As all the hustle bustles gone away.
Then too the scorching sun has taken rest.
As cool night winds do bring a lovely chill.
For this is now the time that I love best.
I always have and think I always will.
The dark black sky a quilt to cover night.
As sparkling stars of nightlights flicker bright.
Published at Sonnet Central
My Autumn Years
How can it be my time has turned to fall?
The mirror does not lie, it tells the truth.
And oh, how quickly did my autumn call.
It seems just yesterday I had my youth.
Yet time it has a way of speeding past.
The years of joy and happiness I've had.
If only somewhat longer it would last.
The ones that traveled slowly were so sad.
But happy years so swiftly did fly by.
I tried to savor each and every day.
It seemed that in the blinking of an eye.
So swiftly died my springtimes sweet bouquet.
I settle into these, my autumn years
and sigh, relieved I've shed my bitterest tears.
A Brilliant Performance (sonnet)
The brilliant orange sun just took it's bow
And slipped into the pocket of the sky.
It's vivid show of glory over now,
A magical production for the eye.
It looked as if it had been dipped in fire;
Then hung as ornament for all to see.
I lingered as my eyes filled with desire,
Now praying that this moment would not flee.
Yet, slowly dimmed the center of its core
As it had done so many times before,
Performing for entire earth to see,
With future presentations guaranteed.
Yet now the time has come for sun to bed,
Turn off it's brilliant light and rest it's head.
Seasons Of Change
Dreamily I look out my frosted window.
The crystalline snow gleams on a cold wintry day
As chapel's soft, echoing bells linger in the valley.
Luminous icicles hang from rooftops
Dripping drops of water
As the sun threatens to destroy beauty
Which should be frozen in time.
Light trickles through the clouds.
And so begins, the journey to destruction.
Yet, under all this ice and snow
The earth still breathes.
And days follow with brilliant sun.
Spring reappears and brings with it
New life, new hope, new beginnings.
Buds open up to a new day
And blooms gently turn their faces towards the sun.
Trees burst forth their new leaves of golden green.
And grass revives lush and thick.
This universe. Such wonders to behold.
Droplets of Rain
They slide across my face with fluid grace
And leave behind a luminescent trace.
Of wetness soaking then into my skin,
Replenishing the dryness that has been.
I open up my mouth; set forth my tongue
For drops which have miraculously sprung.
Akin to liquid gold, rain does revive
And keeps all earthly greenery alive,
Without it surely earth and man would die;
They'd shrivel up and for this savior cry.
Then once it falls, the sounds are heavenly,
And thankfully we fall on bended knee.
When it evaporates into the sky,
It soon will come again with fresh supply.
Cracks In My Heart
The cracks in my heart
sprout with seeds of love
that flourish in
bitterest times.
The tears from my soul
nourish these seeds
that thrive in the cracks
of my heart.
Autumn Farewell
Petals faded from the sun
Falling gently one by one
Leaves all touched by autumn's gold
Interspersed with colors bold
Grass is weary from summers' heat
Soon cold winds the blades defeat
Time for natures rest to come
Summers beauty comes undone;
Say farewell to lovely fall.
Soon snow and ice will blanket all.
Angry River Of Words (Iambic)
The angry river rages on the coast,
It rushes violently against the shore.
Frigid is its fierce and fearsome thrusting.
A seagull I would be, that I might soar.
To fly away into infinity
fleeing words that scourge me in their anger,
that batter me against the rugged rocks.
Free I then would be from hurt and danger.
Cruel are words as angry as the river,
With heavy clouds that hover overhead.
Threatening me with fearful sounds of thunder
and pummel me until my spirit's dead
I seek a refuge place that I might hide
OH, can I find a cavern neath this earth?
For there would I descend and not return;
That no one would recall my day of birth.
Oh raging waves of life that beat the soul
And wear it down that it no more may breathe.
They take away each thing that makes me whole
And cover me with dark and deadly sheath.
Moonbeams Of Blue
I stepped outside this summer night so fair,
There was a difference in this dark of night.
Of everything around I was aware,
It had a cast of blue that shimmered bright.
For all the trees their limbs were of azure,
And all the grass below the colors cast,
Were of the oddest shade, a tint so sure,
And as I looked about I held it fast.
The moon itself seemed vanilla cream,
And yet the midnight ink of sky was deep.
I prayed that this was real and not a dream,
A scene so haunting that I could not sleep.
Perhaps this night our Lord upon reflection,
Took artistic liberties to heart.
And from his brush there flowed with such affection
This mystic shade created by his art.
And then the earth he painted with a hue,
That shimmered in the glowing of the moon.
For every thing the beams lit turned to blue,
And night for me would surely end too soon.
Her Muse Within
Her muse within waited
for sweet wings of verse to nest
as lines of life cried out
forming deep thoughts
this star-lit night.
Then crests of waves
from oceans shore
crept in
snatching the moment
away from the stars.
The muse was not confused
she rode the waves
under sparkling stars.
She absorbed
all the wonders
of this earth.
Thus poetry was born.
My Throne
Frosted snow on my window
Winter chill in the air
Midnight sky holds the moon glow
Yet I have not a care
Flames of red and gold now blazing
In my fireplace of stone
I stare at it like crystal gazing
My fireside chair my throne.
Emerging From Twilight
With awesome wonders the day has begun,
I see the bright golden orange sun,
The beauty of a cerulean streaked sky,
And soft silky clouds as they slowly drift by.
As the earth lights up with a wondrous glow.
It is in this instant that I know,
Just how amazing this universe can be.
We only need to look around to see,
The glory of this earth in our sight,
Emerging from twilight.
Giving birth to new expression.
That has been put in our possession.
Earth that produces our daily bread.
We must be responsible as we tread,
These paths that take us, through this wondrous land.
Hoping that more people, would just understand.
Trusting that all, will be shown the way.
To every bright and promising day.
Having love of this universe, always in our sight.
As we are emerging from twilight.
Jewels Of The Earth
The beauty of the earth,
Can never be denied,
Inherited from God above,
We ought to feel such pride.
The opalescent skies,
With specks of blue and red,
That sparkles in the bright sunlight,
With bits of golden thread.
The clouds of purest quartz,
That sometimes turn to gray,
With streaks of silver lightening,
Crystal rain drops come our way.
The trees with leaves as emeralds,
That sparkle one by one,
And tiny citrine colored buds,
Are brightened by the sun.
The ocean waves as topaz,
As blue as blue can be.
A touch of emerald added,
And then you have the sea.
The rainbow that is glowing,
Across the misty sky.
The colors of the jewels combined,
Is candy to the eye.
The purple amethyst,
On Mountains shady side.
With sparkling diamonds on the snow,
That cover mountains pride.
Inherited from God above,
I feel His love inside.
The beauty of the earth,
Can never be denied,
Natures Royalty
They stand erect as Kings.
With fingers of jewel encrusted rings.
And golden crowns on their heads,
As outwards their arms they spread.
Their rubies and emeralds shimmer,
And as cool winds blow they glimmer.
Reaching upwards towards the sky,
Their beauty you cannot deny.
Regal in splendor they stand,
Like royalty on their own land.
With each season they change their attire,
The beauty of nature they inspire.
Observe as they move with the breeze,
Majestic glorious trees
Gods Earth (an Elizabethan sonnet)
I knew there would be magic in this night,
As I stepped out into the frosty snows.
And watched as all the sparkling flakes so light,
Did land upon my cheeks and on my nose.
The crunching of the snow beneath my feet,
To me a sweet pure melody of love.
That nature now did show to me so sweet,
And sent to me by God Divine above.
The magic moon a wondrous misty glow,
That seemed to hang majestically above.
And cast a shadow on the life below,
That God created with His wondrous love,
Then gifted to us that we should protect,
And treat it never with a disrespect.
Abstract
I blend my colors with a painter's knife.
My mind's possessed with vibrant shades.
Each hue then melds on canvas bright;
I move the brush; all boredom fades.
Magenta's worked into the blues
And ochre adds its fantasy.
Now appear such complex hues
Awakening creativity.
Some grapes perhaps arranged with pear
Or lilacs tucked aside a peach -
Whatever you wish it to be
Is just exactly what you see..
Second Page of Poetry
