Day 18 Self

18th Oct 2019

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.

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...

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.

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

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.

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 ...

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

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:

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

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 . 

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

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.

Day 11 Silence or Noise

11th Oct 2019

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

                                             


                                                                       Silence 


.                                  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

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. 



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

Day 9 Eyes- or, What Do You See?

9th Oct 2019

Day 9 - OctPoWriMo

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

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