Temptation’s pretty finger draws
me pleasantries to tease desire
which burns when my mind’s set on fire.
I freely chose. I was the cause
and not deterministic laws.
Then demons set my mind to sleep.
Their cackling rises from the deep.
Perhaps I did not fail? I shake
as nightmares make assumptions quake
and leave a scream or two to keep.
Ronovan Hester offers the rhyme word “cause” to be used in an A line of a décima having rhyme pattern ABBAACCDDC for this week’s Decima Challenge.
Dale offers the prompt “art for art’s sake” for this week’s Cosmic Photo Challenge looking for something “out of the ordinary, manufactured, morphed or manipulated”. These are the parts of fallen palm branches waiting by the road to be picked up as trash. I think they are out of the ordinary, but the only morphing I did was to crop out some of the photo and enhance the color and light.
Last Friday Linda Kruschke’s Paint Chip challenge was to write a one line poem along with at least two of the required words or phrases she selected from paint chip samples. I submitted the first line in the following poem using “bright idea”, “margarita” and “castle” from the list. Since one line didn’t seem enough I’ve added three more to this nonsense-or-not poem.
Aquarium
Some bright idea said, “Go swim beyond that margarita castle.”
I knew I should and would, should I be good, but good was such a hassle.
Now deep in hell the water’s – well, this margarita’s cooking.
I do recall before my fall that castle was good looking.
Lisa Tomey announced that Heart Beats has been published. I have a poem in this anthology. I am grateful to her for accepting it.
A branch has fallen from the tree.
Its patterns flow melodically,
curving, swirling. Can you see
that wary lizard watching me?
Eugenia offers the word “swirling” for this week’s prompt.
When evening comes I rest my hand
and trust He takes it in some way.
It’s one more ending of a day,
a time to dream and understand,
but if I don’t, it’s all still grand.
Before the dawn comes calming night
then starts the song I see as light.
I’ve rarely felt the urge to dance,
but often swayed as in a trance.
One day I’ll dance and get it right.
Ronovan Hester offers the rhyme word “dance” to be used in the D line of a décima having rhyme pattern ABBAACCDDC for this week’s challenge.
As the evenings start to lengthen
though temptations tease my mind
there’s a moonlit calming melody
and a hand that’s holding mine.
Dale offers the prompt, “as the evenings start to lengthen” for this week’s Cosmic Photo Challenge.
Within a year the waters laid down sediments with waves.
Today the fossils found display the opening of graves.
Engagement with a rainbow ring seals the covenant that saves.
Eugenia offers the prompt “rainbows” for this week’s Thursday prompt.
For a biblical account of how our ancestors survived the global flood and the covenant afterwards, see Genesis 6-9. For an introduction to the evidence that this cataclysmic event actually happened, see The Flood.
Although we often see only a small arc of rainbows, from certain perspectives these rainbows can be seen as rings.
את קשׁתי נתתי בענן והיתה לאות ברית ביני ובין הארץ
Genesis 9:13 Masoretic Text with various translations
I don’t know why he waited there
with eyes all worried sizing me.
He’d run I knew eventually
off to his family, friends, some where
my camera couldn’t reach. We stare.
He’s wishing for a shady rock,
some plants or weeds, a builder’s block,
a hole that only good guys know.
Abruptly it was time to go.
I’m innocent, but triggered shock.
Ronovan Hestor offers the rhyme word “shock” to be used in a C line of a décima having rhyme pattern ABBAACCDDC for this week’s challenge.
Lost angels chained in darkness spit,
“Witchcraft, pitchcraft, scortune, tortune,
Lucifer, push up proud fortune!”
Repentance? Nothing came of it.
They praised once. So? They now have quit.
Deep darkness takes all space away
with thoughts and sounds to mark the day
or separate dark day from night.
“Oh, God, why did we leave the light?”
Of course, they know, but now can’t say.
Ronovan Hester offers the rhyme word “fortune” to be used in a B line of a décima having rhyme pattern ABBAACCDDC for this week’s challenge. I was thinking of Jude 1:6.
Today I tossed my dreamcatcher.
You wonder, did it work? I’d say
that when it did, the stuff it brought
was stuff I’d wished it hadn’t caught
but it thought was OK.
This week Eugenia offers us the prompt “dreamcatcher”.
I eagerly prepared to start
but where I wondered was the end?
Predictions failed. Beyond each bend
lay proof that I was not so smart.
My beating heart got torn apart.
There is, I’ve heard, a promised land
somewhere where I’m not looking and
the way is not that hard to find.
If pride would pause, I’d change my mind
and let you take me by the hand.
Ronovan Hester offers the rhyme word “start” for this week’s décima challenge to be used in the A line with rhyme pattern ABBAACCDDC.
Poetry, Short Prose and Walking 