Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Day 31 - Finding Peace



31st Oct 2019

Day 31 .

The last day.

The prompt, Finding Peace makes me think, ok, after today no more rushing to put some words on the blog for Octpowrimo, only peace.
 Of course  I will be doing other writing and hopefully continuing to post to my blog, but I won't be under constraint. I'm not saying I haven't enjoyed the last month. 
 On the contrary, I do love working to prompts and having deadlines, but only for so long. 
It's been good.
So until next year, here's my Day 31 for Octpowrimo 2019:





Finding Peace.

Come to Me, I will give you rest
He said
So, when weary, weighed down, burdened
by life
I close my eyes, relax, spend  time
with Him,
leave all those worries, those cares at
His feet,
Then find that I can live my day more
lighthearted,
Free from anxiety, full of joy, held in Love,
with Him
at Peace
Exploring poetry in all its forms.







Day 30 - Who Am I

30th Oct 2019



Day 30.
And only one more poem to go for the challenge.







Exploring poetry in all its forms.






Who Am I?


No, I am not a nurse
though I tend you when
you're ill,
cool your heated brow,
softly bandage your bruised
pride,
soak up the spillage
of blood.
No, I am not a teacher
though I help you
understand about
the world we live in,
show you how to
master life's problems,
sit with you throughout the night,
till finally you get logarithms.
No, I am not a chef
though most days
I dish you up your favourite
tasty delights.
Occasionally I go the extra mile
and create an exciting
new recipe.
No, I am not a cleaner,
or office manager,
or football coach,
or taxi driver,
or fashion guide,
or relationship coach,
or driving instructor,
or an expert in writing cv's,
or a money making tree,
No, I'm just your mum,
that's me.




Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Day 29 - Lightness of Being



29th Oct 2019


Day 29 of Octpowrimo.
A bit late getting to post but nevertheless I have, so, I call that success.










Lightness Of Being

A fresh October breeze
Puffs out the white sail
Punched onto blue sky.
Too early for dog walkers,
All quiet, except for
Waves washing up gently
With unusual softness.
To right and left a great
Expanse before me.
I look up to the Heavens,
Breathe in the sea air.
My spirit is free and my
whole being has a certain
Lightness about it.


Exploring poetry in all its forms.




Monday, October 28, 2019

Day 28 Mending the Broken Places


28th Oct 2019

Hello friends. It is Monday and the start of a new week. The news these last few days of the death of thirty nine people found in a refrigerated truck has really made people think. 
Unfortunately, it's happening all the time . One wonders where they might have ended up . In the slave trade maybe? Yes, it goes on. The money they borrow to get themselves here, they then have to pay back, which they are rarely able to do. 
I can't say I know what the answer is but I would like to think that they would be treated with dignity and respect as we all deserve being everyone of us part of the human race. 

Anyway, today is Day 28 of the ongoing challenge, OctPoWriMo 2019.

Only three more posts for this. 
I will make it.
I will make it.

I will make it.





From Broken Places

Why risk their lives to get here?
Last distressed words, by text,
"My trip to a  foreign land has failed"
"I am dying, I can't breathe!"
"I am suffocating!"

Exploring poetry in all its forms.
Thirty one men, eight women,
Dead. God be with them.
A pregnant wife and son left behind,
Now grieve.
Many families innocent victims.

Paid to smugglers by one family,
Thirty thousand pounds,
Borrowed with  hope in a future,
Turned into nightmare.
Money laundering.

They escape from broken places,
Hide in trucks, holding onto dreams
Of a better life, of working,
Of sending money back home.
Willing to take the chance.

A mass fatality - without respect
Without dignity,
Trafficking of people
How many more will die by
drowning at sea or in refrigerated trucks?

How many more...














Sunday, October 27, 2019

Day 27 - How Did I Get Here

27th Oct 2019




Day 27



Exploring poetry in all its forms.



How Did I Get Here

On my birthday that year,
Not so long ago,
I took a chance, risked shattering 
My dream.
With palms sweaty, heart racing,
I plunged into the unknown.
I had no idea if I could, 
If it would work,
No confidence in who I was,
A woman with
With deep roots in the mountains
Of the forty shades, 
Storytellers for ancestors.
I should have known I could.
And I did.
And here I am.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Day 26 - What has been Unspoken


Day 26 of this OctPoWriMo challenge


26th Oct 2019






Exploring poetry in all its forms.


What has been Unspoken

A look will do, the shape of the smile,
Honest, inviting or squiring and vile.
A touch too, no need for words
Fingers talking, softness or swords.

The body arching closer or apart
Can say so much right from the start.
The reaching out of a hand to care
Tells more than an essay would ever dare.

The chill distance kept on coming home
Leads  a loved one to have a moan
In silence, for daring to voice the  fear
Brings the end closer, makes it more clear.

So be careful to communicate what you mean
Because the unspoken will always be seen





Friday, October 25, 2019

Day 25 - White

25th Oct 2019
Exploring poetry in all its forms.







An acrostic today:

White

Why, oh why, did I put pressure on that point?
How blatantly bad that I cannot backtrack.
It's  lost, long gone, leaving
The page perfectly pale, white, in fact and me
Enduring a sort of grey, grizzly grief,

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Day 24 - Breathing

24th Oct 2019


Day 24 - OctPoWriMo  2019













dog on top of person's lap while sitting on ground at daytime




Breathing


Crowds
Breathe mist into icy air
Scurry along this  dark evening,
Eager to get to ...
Theatres, Shows,  meetings with
Friends.
Keep cold at bay with
Furs, scarves, hats, gloves.
Hurry past...
Past railings
Where you're sat on
Your cardboard mat
Past...
You...
In  the air
Tempting aromas - burgers,,
chips,  onions,
( I've always loved the smell of frying onions).
You,
Hunched over,.
Hands gnarled, red
 "a man of the road".
They, look away.
Are you invisible ?
No, they don't want to see..
Don't want, to "get involved"
Make excuses:
"There's no need for anyone to be
Hungry in this country"
Your blanket,
pulled up under your chin,
little protection.
A small family notice,
See you,
Are moved,
Bring coffee, chips.
A cheery word,
Acknowledge you,
Listen to you,

Then go their way,

You, watch,
Hands caressing warm cup
You, smile...

Exploring poetry in all its forms.

Day 23 - Fur Babies

23rd Oct 2019



Welcome to Day 23. After this only eight more days.
Today I have just a few words in the form of a haiku.




Exploring poetry in all its forms.



Fur Babies

Four fur babies snuggle up,
Soft, size of her palm,
Promise of future sweet joy


Fur Babies

Four fur babies snuggled up
Soft, size of her palm
Promise of future sweet joy







Monday, October 21, 2019

Day 21 - Screaming Into The Wind



Image result for pictures of rough seas

21st Oct 2019


Cold, grey miserable day .
I have come late to write my offering for the challenge.
But I have come.
So:
Day 21 - Going with the Prompt


Exploring poetry in all its forms.


Screaming Into The Wind

Little by little ,inside my head,
It grows,
Becomes the heaviest of weights,
To bear.
I try to hide it, abide it, so
nobody knows
How much it is harming, as if
They care.

One day, when almost ready
To burst,
I take myself down to the sea,
Alone
And there, as if slaking a
mighty thirst
I scream into the wind the
Biggest moan.

I scream into the salty wind,
And pray,
That I can keep going for just
Another day















Sunday, October 20, 2019

Day 20 - The Transfiguration



20th Oct 2019



Image result for pictures of the transfiguration of jesus

The Transfiguration

It was strange that day.
He took just the three of us with Him,
Peter, James and myself,
Up the mountain to pray.
We chatted as we followed,
What did He mean some of us would 
Not taste death before seeing the
Kingdom of God.
At the top of the mountain
He stopped to pray
All of a sudden
His face, His clothes became white, luminous
Shining like the sun.
We'd never seen anything like it.
Our eyes fixed on Him
Two men appeared, prophets,
Talking to Him - Moses, Elijah.
We, ordinary men, just fell
fell to our knees
in the presence of God's Glory
Then Peter, excited, exuberant, spoke,
He wanted desperately to stay in this moment
Make three tents, he said.
At that moment a cloud came and covered us
The hairs of our heads stood up
A voice from the cloud.
"This is my Son, the chosen one,
Listen to Him"
We could not speak
Peace came over us












Exploring poetry in all its forms.






Saturday, October 19, 2019

Day 19- Living Water



19th Oct 2019 



Happy Saturday everyone.
I have dragged myself to Day 19 of OctPoWriMo 2019. I have amazed myself. But, I musn't get complacent.

Not going with the prompt today

Instead, I will share a poem I wrote yesterday to take to Poetry Tea Time at my daughter's.
 I said the name should be changed to Poetry Lunch Time as that's when they normally have this special happening.

On Thursday I was playing with words with the children, who range in age from 2 - 15. We were making up stories together and a little bit of poetry.
I'd left them with a prompt to work on - Water - saying that I'd be looking forward to their creations.
Then yesterday my daughter asked if we'd ( my husband and I) would like to join them for Poetry Tea Time.
We usually read other people's poems, you, know famous people.
 I said it would be lovely to hear the children's efforts with the prompt I'd given them as well.
Then, of course, I couldn't opt out. I had to have my own Water poem to read. So I sat and wrote this just before we went.


Exploring poetry in all its forms.


Living Water

It was about midday
dusty, hot,
 earth scorched underfoot.
I came to the well. 

The other women, I avoid them, 
had long gone.
He was there, sitting beside it.
He asked me for a drink.

What was this?
Me, a Samaritan woman,
Him, a Jew.
I looked up, warily, 

His eyes searched mine,
I felt His gaze reach
way down inside me.
He talked about giving me,

Living water
How, I thought
Where is your bucket?
But He went on, He said

with the water He gave
I would never thirst again.
What did He mean? 
I wanted that water.

His voice, spoke softly about,
A spring of living water
Welling up to 
Eternal Life.

Who was this man?
He knew all about me, for sure,
My whole life, everything.
I went to tell the whole village

That I'd found 
The Messiah







Friday, October 18, 2019

Day 18 Self





18th Oct 2019
Exploring poetry in all its forms.



It is nearly the weekend .
And it's day 18 of OctPoWriMo 2019
Today I'm veering away from the prompt and cheating by  using a poem from a while ago. It was inspired by an exhibition at the Turner in Margate.











Thursday, October 17, 2019

Day 17 - Family

17th Oct 2019


Family



Thanks to the people of the Netherlands. In the last twelve hours 99 of you have visited my blog. I don't know why this is, but I'm happy that you are reading my work. I would love to hear from you, so please write a comment and start a conversation.

Day 17 of this increasingly difficult challenge.  OctPoWriMo 2019.

I have , in the main,  been sticking to the prompts to see where they lead me. The prompt for today sent me into quite a kaleidoscope of thought as I pondered the whole idea of family and what it means to me.
I eventually came to the conclusion that it means everything to me. In no way have I done justice to this idea in the poem I've written . How could I?





The photo is of my husband and I and our nine children at my daughter's wedding, one of the only times we get everybody together these days.  However, this is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to family. This is only 11 of the 47 who make up this small part of the family. And if from there we spread the net... well...


Exploring poetry in all its forms.


Family

On the table, spread out before me
Taking up most of the space
Two large pieces of paper

On one the family tree on my mother's side
On the other , my father's
Both tracing the branches back,
with their different characters, to my 
Great, great grandparents
Hinting of Roots that go deep

Both papers from my parents down
Identical
.There in the middle, I am
Above me,certainty of the past 
Below, promise of  future surprises
Great, great grandchildren - mine
there at the bottom.

All of us, on both sheets
Children of God
We belong to the 
Family of God
The human family.




Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Day 16 - Our Father

16th Oct 2019



OK , so just past half way.
And I am flagging - a little ....
But no, I am not giving up 

Day 16 of the OctPoWriMo  2019 Challenge. Here goes

Exploring poetry in all its forms.



Our Father

Pears, a large bagful from the farm
not uniform enough for the shelf
 in the shop
left, after giving to those in need
and now we are offered  them.
This is how Our heavenly Father
Looks after us,
gives us our daily bread
or pears,
or curtains,
or coats for the children in a
harsh winter
Always He provides for us

And   an  Acrostic

My Dad

Fondly I think of you from time long ago
A walk by the river, hand in hand, we
Talked , or rather I chatted on
Happy to be with you , my Dad,
Ever after my hero, especially in the
Rough moments.

The nights you spent with me
Intent on helping me to find joy in the
Maths that I found, oh so hard, but you,
Exceptionally patient, never gave up on me.








Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Day 15 - Mother May I



15th Oct 2019



Day 15, of OctPoWriMo 2019

What a challenge this is. Nearly half way there. Will I make it ??? I don't know but I will try.
Prompt today - Mother May I ...



Exploring poetry in all its forms.


Mother May I

Mother may I sit with you 
like I used to do before
Listen to your warm soft voice
telling of days of yore

Drink some tea out of china cups
best that way you say
eat your brackbread spread with  butter
thick on top it lay

Mother may I tell you things that 
meant a lot to me
Things we never talked about and 
Now can never  be 

How hurt I was by all the times you 
criticized my life
how every time your hateful words cut 
through me like a knife

I know you thought yourself so kind
kindness was your thing
But for me and mine you always chose 
a meaner song to sing

And now you're gone and it's too late
to rectify the wrong
I wish I'd had the courage then,  to 
stand up tall and strong












Monday, October 14, 2019

Day 14 - Mother Earth





14th Oct 2019



I must say the challenge is getting harder.
Day 14
I took the prompt - Mother Earth and turned it to suit me:




Exploring poetry in all its forms.




Mother of Heaven and Earth

How can it be that you are my mother
Most blessed of all creatures 
Most pure
How can it be that you care for me
You, with all the children of the world
Under your soft protection
How can it be that every little detail
Of my life is of interest to you, 
Dear mother
You, who lived an ordinary life 
But it is,,
So I come  to you, sit with you
Bring my little worries 
And the bigger ones too
And you, you take them up to the sun
Your own dear son 
Yes,  because you are the mother 
Of the creator of the entire universe
You are indeed,
Mother of Heaven and Earth

Antique Russian orthodox icon of Mother of God (Mary) and child (Jesus Christ) painted on wooden board.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Day 13 - Hugging a tree

13th Oct 2019

Hugging a tree?

We're on Day 13 of the OctPoWriMo challenge. I'm afraid the prompt, "Hugging a Tree" didn't do anything for me today.
So, what to post instead? OK, here goes: I have tried a Loop poem today . 


Exploring poetry in all its forms.




The Wood of the Tree.

Who, I wonder cut down the tree 
from where it lived 
lived in harmony with the others
until that day 
day and night it was kept in some 
place waiting
waiting for the time it was needed
its task to perform
perform it did the most perverse deed
of all time
time was getting near, they brought 
out the man
man above all men, he did not speak 
he took it
it was the cross that Jesus embraced 
for us, with love 
love brought him to his knees three
times in fell
fell in pain and sorrow with the weight 
of our sins
sins that we now feel our own deep 
sorrow for
for as surely as we are sinners we nailed
him to that tree.  
  





Day 12 Black

Exploring poetry in all its forms.




Image result for pictures of dark corridors

Secret Dreams
                                                       
Through the corridor - dark - long,
Doors on either side,
Each one seeking  to be opened
Hand on handle, gently press,
Push open - slowly, only a little.
Is there treasure to be found inside?
No, darkness has only shadows,
A chill recalling
Cobwebs falling,
Can’t stay here, bleak
black memories.
Try more doors
Every room the same, until, 
a seed of promise,
Light creeps, seeps,
from under one door
Slowly, softly,
hope edges forward,
enters,
Looking for joy that once it knew.
Brightness reveals
Secret dreams, unmasked,
Long hidden - radiant still.



Friday, October 11, 2019

Day 11 Silence or Noise



Exploring poetry in all its forms.

11th Oct 2019


It is day 11 of the OctPoWrimMo 2019 challenge. 
Here is my contribution:

                                             


                                                                       Silence 


Jesus carrying His cross.                                  Life -dark -red
Drips
 from gaping wounds,
Drips
 from skin-slashed and torn,
Drips
from forehead pierced with thorns.
Bent ,
unable to stand upright,
Bent,
struggling for breath.
Yet,
 with peace,
Peace, 
 beyond all knowing.
                                                                   
                                                                       He, is silent,
                                                                  Silent

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Day 10 Touch

10th Oct 2019

We come to day 10 in the poetry writing month.
Nothing amazes me more than being still here. We are a third of the way there and with a bit of luck I will get to the end of October with 31 poems written and shared. 
The prompt for today is Touch and my poem is in song form with a chorus. Hope you like it.
I welcome any feedback or comments to all of my blogposts. 

Image result for pictures of dancing couples silhouettes

Enjoying the Dance                                    

Embracing, gliding, likes swans on a lake,
We took to the floor, a couple to make.
Quick stepping through galaxies, up with the stars,
Fox trotting on  Jupiter, Saturn and Mars.

And they said we could never be
Happy together, you and me.
But we’re still here, proving them wrong,
Enjoying the dance and singing our song,
Enjoying the dance and singing our song.

At times we twirled and swayed too fast,
 Feet barely touching the ground, time passed.
Our toes would be bleeding our bodies sore,
But we carried on across the dance floor.

And they said we could never be
Happy together, you and me.
But we’re still here proving them wrong,
Enjoying the dance and singing our song,
Enjoying the dance and singing our song.

Our dance has slowed but we still glide,
Gently moving, side by side,
Our adventure will come to an end one day,
But we’ll twirl on, we know the way.
Chorus


Tuesday, October 8, 2019

Day 9 Eyes- or, What Do You See?

9th Oct 2019




Day 9 - OctPoWriMo

I'm using memories today for the prompt "Eyes".


Paris, Sacre Coeur, Church, Montmartre, Sacré Coeur





Paris

Do you remember, I know you do, that time in Paris?
Our Silver Anniversary - you said
Leave the children, let’s go, have our honeymoon – alone.
 Three days just for us! A dream.
Like teenagers we strolled by the Seine,
hand in hand, fingers softly feeling, exploring.
May blossom floating down - perfume intoxicating.
You squeezed me,
Pointed out the River Cruise boat
I nodded.
My red dress, always your favourite,
shimmered mackerel reflections.
You’d grown a beard, looked quite the artist
Eyes smiling, we spoke shared stories,
Ate a meal of mussels, our favourite,
With glass of wine - red.
My stomach danced in happy oneness with my spirit,
We talked, can you say about what? No, nor me,
It didn’t matter, just to be, that was all, together,
Drinking in our life,
You, so relaxed, your face shone,
Didn’t tell you that – years melting away – very attractive.
We climbed the steps to the Sacre Coeur,
 looked out over the city,
sky spotted with twinkling stars.
  We danced and laughed, night slipping away. 
Later we embraced, excited as if for the first time, 
but better.
Unexpected surprise, special bond made that day,
of silken gold.
 I knew it as I shivered,
not with cold.
Strengthened in desire we looked forward.
A city for lovers-Paris



Day 8 Scent

8th Oct 2019

Carrying on with the poem a day through October. 

Today's prompt is "scent".


Grass

Early May morning,
Soft new- mown downs spongy underfoot,
Shafts of yellow dancing on sea,
Cotton wool clouds dotted in blue expanse,
Slight breeze, adds salty mist
To grassy reminiscences:
I wake up in Irish cottage,
Snuggled warm in summer’s embrace,
Beside my grandmother.
Delicate, sweet smell of grass
Wafts through open window
From fields with cowpats freshly planted,
Mixes with body odour , of her-
I breathe in the perfume of a new promise,
A familiar narcotic of nurture,
Dreamlike – security, history, joy

Monday, October 7, 2019

Tongue - Day 7

7th Oct 2019

Day 7  of the OctPoWriMo challenge . Tongue is the prompt for today 


       You Are 
                
     When you are gone I close my eyes,
I close my eyes and think of you.
My inmost substance sees you there,
Encounters your presence.   
You Are
the light that brightens my gloom.
When I think of you I cannot breathe,
Mysterious shivers cascade through me,
I tremble at your touch, am caught in your embrace,
A warm flame rests within my heart,
I want to stay,   
You Are
The place I want to be..
I taste your lips, wondrous sweet,
relish every morsel,
True delight, honey from the bee,   
You Are
the only  sustenance for me.
I hear your gentle voice, whispering words of love,
Words that I long to secrete somewhere in my memory,
to be retrieved at times like this,    
You Are
Music to my ears, the echo of my dreams,
Murmurings that comfort me.





Sunday, October 6, 2019

Day 6 - Blue

6th Oct 2019

Day 6 of OctPoWrimo

A wet dreary day.






A Blue Day


The sun came out, bathing the mountains in a warm glow.
Mountains where my grandmother roamed as a child
Where, with her brothers and sisters she minded the cows
And where, when work was done they all ran wild

I look up and drink in the mist of my ancestors,
those many generations who stood on this spot before me
I imagine the women of our family,strong, hardworking
Caring for their loved ones, doing chores, drinking tea.

Above the house the sky a deep blue, like the Mediterranean
At odds with the country of the forty shades of green
But today just right for us to contemplate such wonder
I'll always remember this day and where  we've been



Saturday, October 5, 2019

Day 5 Doorway

5th Oct 2019


Day 5 Today the prompt is Doorway - Open or Closed. Hope you like it. I'm really enjoying reading the other poets work on OctPoWriMo. Why don't you take a look too.



Doorway


I lift you from the shelf,
Run my fingers over your
Soft leather cover
Down your spine
Rubbing the gold lettering.
Slowly I put you
 To my nose
Breathe in all
The years, all
Previous readers.
I sit with you
On my lap
And, with reverence
Open the doorway
To a world
You will show me.