happiness

Angels Along the Way

lillian54 Comments

Six minute eternity,
seventy-two hours ago.
A cardiac arrest.

Doctors talked incessantly,
you may return or not.
And if yes . . .

Then a voiceless lull
filled that sterile beeping room
and angels’ wings were heard,
as they carried you back to me.

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Dylan Thomas, in Portrait of the Artist as a Young Dog [first published by Dent on 4 April 1940] provided a whimsical explanation of the word “lull” – A host of angels must be passing by. What a silence there is!  

Angels Along the Way is  a quadrille (44 word poem) using the word “lull” — the prompt given by Bjorn at dVerse, a Poet’s Pub.  Do visit this fabulous site!
Photo credit: Benjamin Earwicker.
Thankful for every day! 

Nature’s Blessings

lillian4 Comments

Mid night rains nurture
palmetto and loquat trees,
pinball through ridges
on Bermudian white roofs,
then steep in afternoon tea.

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Tanka verse form: 5 lines of 5-7-5-7-7 syllables. Photos and explanation: Fruit of the loquat tree in Bermuda – ripe when very yellow. Bermuda has no rivers or lakes or island-wide plumbed water supply. Each household must collect and store rainwater. Roofs are treated and always white with ridges that take rain water to each home’s underground water tank. A household that runs out of fresh water must pay to have a company “top off” their tank. And yes, the water is absolutely safe to drink – I do it every day! Photo is taken from hill overlooking St. George’s – the town we are staying in for 2 months. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, founded in 1612, and a British overseas territory, hence the reference to steeping tea. The Kiskadee is a beautiful yellow bird found in Bermuda.

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Knitting for Love

lillian42 Comments

Like our life, a meld of tangles and the beautiful.
Skeins of wool.
Layer upon layer, unwound and wound again, shaped anew
redefined for you.
My arms, for warmth ‘neath heavens above,
reflect our love,
as we stand, dreams shared, taking hold of
us in this sparkling path of moonlight.
We blend together, you and I, like bright
skeins of wool, redefined for you, reflect our love.

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An Ovillejo written for dVerse. A Spanish form of verse, ovillejo is a 10 line poem: rhyme scheme aa, bb, ccd, dd and the final 10th line must be lines 2, 4 &  6 verbatim.  Lines 2, 4 and 6 are short, remaining lines long. Whew!  Like doing a sudoku in poetry!!!  Photo Credit: Ula Kapala

A Promise

lillian16 Comments

Skeleton trees rattle outside my window
the moon, their spotlight
as branches click like castanets.

No mouth, no heart, no head
just limbs flailing in the winter wind, so alive
though sap was spilled in days gone by.

They tap upon the glass as if to remind me,
seasons do change. Just keep in step
and move with us, partners in the dance.

The gift of greening shall evolve
and music shift to spring-time waltz,
nature’s present in days to come.

I smile, looking through the pane
today’s impossible will bloom tomorrow.
And I shall wire rose buds together,
a welcome wreath upon my door.

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Motivated by the Sunday Whirl, Wordle 233. Create a poem using these words/forms of these words: head, mouth, present, wire, change, gift, possible, spill, skeleton, moon, keep, step. Each Sunday a different Wordle is given! Very fun to take up this challenge. Photo credit: Heather Elaine Kitchen

Sunday’s Invitation

lillian6 Comments

Come meander with me,
a moon walk among scattered dreams
to explore the tantalizing.

Choose the light and join hands.
This shadow of mine shall disappear
as we climb out from the depths.

Secrets one and two shall be no more,
and we shall discover all we need
in that open space created by shared souls.

Our desires shall blend, one upon the other
like rose petals cling to their bursting bud
in the midst of a slow delightful rain song.

And we shall be two as one,
ready for Monday’s promise
this feeling, this exhilaration,
this passion called Love.

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Motivated by Quickly’s Winter Doldrums: Create a list of titles – then be creative with them.  Sunday’s Invitation includes titles from some of my very first poems (started writing poetry in February 2015) and are some of my very early posts (started site in March 2015). Meander, Moonwalk, Scattered Dreams, Tantalizing, Choose the Light, Shadow of Mine, From the Depths, Secrets One and Two, All We Need, Rain Song, Monday’s Promise.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happiness Extended

lillian4 Comments

She enjoyed decorating for the season
memories gently removed from tissue paper,
placed about the room.

Christmas cards from years gone by
ornaments of glass and styrofoam
some misshapen, now glitter bare.

Each year’s new wreath carefully selected
artificial greens bedecked in happines
meant to last well beyond her window.

And as Epiphany dawned
she readied herself for church
donned this year’s circle of golden stars.

Her wreath of choice, her Sunday hat.
And she wore the Christmas spirit
well beyond the new year.

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In response to the Daily Photo Challenge to let a familiar shape, the circle, inspire you. Poem motivated by photo, taken at the White House December 2015.

Birthday Party

lillian6 Comments

He sat upright
surrounded by canes, walkers
tv guides, checkerboard games,
and the people that accompany them
in a place like this.

He waited patiently
for the last strands of that age-old song,
some high pitched warblers
hunched over the tinny piano
pulled out for occasions like this.

Balloons hovered above his head
as candles dripped life-time moments
onto fondant flowers.
Festive paper plates too thin
for the thick slab he desired.

And so I asked the centenarian
for the secret of his longevity.
Well sonny, I always say,
close your eyes to dream.
Just make sure you open them wide
to watch where you step.

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