Poetry – Page 28 – Poetry, Short Prose and Walking

The First Breath of Winter

First comes cold with winter's snow
To make a mess and cause distress
But spring will bring much to behold.
Have patience now for that caress.

Linked to Cosmic Photo Challenge where Dale offers the theme of “the first breath of winter”. These photos were from last year’s first snowfall which melted quickly but left a lot of snow. We might get a repeat this coming week.

Also linked to Trent P. McDonald’s The Weekly Smile. The forest preserve provided many smiles. I also went to parts of the preserve I had not visited in decades. I was surprised I could remember the trails after such a long time.

Another smile arrived this morning when I saw a story of mine, “Patience”, in Whispers and Echoes. I am grateful to Sammi Cox for accepting it.

Thirteen Demons Sitting on the Wall

Lucky this or lucky that,
Luck as bad as that black cat
Cuddling, purring by my side,
Unlikely place for luck to hide.

Thirteen demons looking mean
Pretending that I haven't seen
Them cackling when they watch me frown.
Too bored to laugh, I stare them down.

It's not bad luck that made them fall.
They jumped like Humpty from the wall
And then they cracked.  Oops.  Breakfast time!
You're lucky. That's my final rhyme.

Linked to Chel Owens’ A Mused Poetry Contest where the theme is “bad luck” used humorously.

Exhale

Some decades earlier he went
Along this way he’s walking now.
A child in hand and wife somehow
Were with him as if Heaven sent,
But now his energy’s near spent.
The sign suggests he’s on some trail
That loops to somewhere vaguely known.
A wind picks up. The oak trees groan.
His strength returns though flesh stays frail
While every breath yearns to exhale.

Linked to Ronovan Writes Décima Poetry Challenge Prompt No. 30 where the rhyme word “exhale” needs to be used as a C rhyme in a décima with rhyme pattern ABBAACCDDC.

I realize I got the rhyme pattern wrong for a décima. Here is a revision:

Some decades earlier he went
Along this way he’s walking now.
A child in hand and wife somehow
Were with him as if Heaven sent,
But now his energy’s near spent.
The sign suggests he’s on some trail.
His strength returns though flesh stays frail.
The curving path becomes well-known.
A wind picks up. The oak trees groan.
His every breath yearns to exhale.

Ronovan's Decima Poetry Challenge Image — Ronovan’s Decima Poetry Challenge Image

Spooky Exorcist

I have no fear of ghosts or such,
But humans - compromised, possessed -
They do cause trouble - very much -
They're twisted, troubled, without rest.
They think they're tough. What do they know?
They aren't so difficult to see.
When eyes blaze hot with hate they show
Their weakness then their fear of me.

Linked to Cosmic Photo Challenge where Dale offers the theme of “spooky”. I doubt these photos are all that spooky unless one imagines an appropriate backstory. So imagine dark secrets, including those long forgotten nasty ones that you don’t want the kids or your parents to know, suddenly polluting the light, standing out like these silhouetted trees.

If that doesn’t work, here’s a happy pumpkin.

Also linked to Trent P. McDonald’s The Weekly Smile. The forest preserves and parks were beautiful this past week. We went to many that I had not seen in years including some along Lake Michigan.

Will Your Vote Raise the Flag or Burn It – The American Swamp 6

The Biden scandal is massive and real. There is still time for you not to vote for a criminal who sold out America.
Mario Murillo, THERE IS STILL TIME, October 29, 2020

Here is a message from Jonathan Cahn.

Jonathan Cahn, Warning for Election Day & Call for Day of Prayer & Fasting

So where do you stand? Will you be raising the American flag or will you be burning it?

Here is a photo I took of the Fort Sheridan Cemetery in northern Illinois while walking yesterday through the Fort Sheridan Forest Preserve. Vote as if you had to explain yourself to them.

Fright

The day is warm. The sky is bright.
I don't know why I worry so.
The witches have refused to go,
But have they ever? Where there's Light
There never is a need for fright.
It's true that sometimes things do seem
More like a nightmare than a dream
Like wizardry raised to the sky.
What wealth that brings will make you cry
And turn true peace into a scream.

Linked to Ronovan Writes Décima Poetry Challenge Prompt No. 29 where the rhyme word “fright” should be used in the A line of a decima with rhyme pattern ABBAACCDDC.

A very short story of mine, “Dream”, was published in Whispers and Echoes. I am grateful to Sammi Cox for accepting it for the Tiny Terrors theme.

Lake Michigan at Fort Sheridan Forest Preserve

One-Liner Wednesday – Beware What You Are Cosigning

There is no champion for abortion rights in America that is more passionate, more dedicated, than the Democratic Party.
Dr. Francis Myles, Sid Roth It’s Supernatural, “Jesus Showed Me 2 Surprises Coming in November”, October 22, 2020 (about 17:00)

Sid Roth It’s Supernatural, “Jesus Showed Me 2 Surprises Coming in November”

Linked to Linda G. Hill’s One-Liner Wednesday.

Badge by Laura @ riddlefromthemiddle.com

Vertical

The vertical rise of the morning sun
Carries our hope when the day’s begun.
Though the darkness returns in late afternoon
Then the dreams, those sweet dreams, show the dreamer what's true.

Linked to Cosmic Photo Prompt where Dales offers the theme “vertical”. The top photo looks vertically into the forest canopy. The bottom shows a contrast between the vertical trees and the flat region that has been cut as part of forest management.

Also linked to Trent P. McDonald’s The Weekly Smile. The forest preserve has been beautiful and the weather has provided many opportunities to enjoy it. Even after a rain, I smiled.

Another reason for a smile is that a very short story of mine, “Cliff”, appeared in Whispers and Echoes. I am grateful to Sammi Cox for accepting it.

Fate

When things went well I'd rarely say
I ought to credit God or fate,
Statistically at any rate.
I took full credit for my day
At least when outcomes went my way.
The magic dust no one could see
I thought I sprinkled liberally.
I don't know why I gave up this.
I did. Perhaps it was that kiss,
That slap, of Grace that conquered me.

Linked to Ronovan Writes Décima Poetry Challenge where the challenge is to use the word “fate” in the B lines of a décima having the rhyme pattern ABBAACCDDC.

A Different Kind of Boutique

I know she would have rather gone to some boutique, but I took her to the forest preserve at the height of autumn color. The interest in her eyes once we reached the maple trees gave me encouragement. And there were no bugs.

Walking down a short side trail almost completely buried in leaves she asked me if I knew where we were going. Admittedly if this were my first time down that trail I would have turned around, but I knew the trees here were particularly impressive. And I knew the way.

Linked to Six Sentence Story where Denise offers the prompt word “boutique” to be used in a story of six sentences.

A very short story of mine, one sentence long, was published as part of the Tiny Terrors theme in Whispers and Echoes. I am grateful to the editor Sammi Cox for selecting it.