Forces of Nature

Linked to Cosmic Photo Challenge where Dale offers the theme of “forces of nature”. The top photo is a storm coming in on the Atlantic Ocean and the bottom is Tennessee in the fall.

Also linked to Trent P. McDonald’s The weekly Smile. We took a road trip from Florida to Illinois over the past three days going from very hot and humid to still hot weather. On the way there we stopped at a beautiful rest area in Tennessee around the Cumberland Gap on Route 24. It brought back memories which made me smile. The photo below was taken in the fall a few years ago of that rest area heading south. Last Saturday we were on the other side heading north.

Tennessee Rest Area
Tennessee Rest Area

Story

Oh, that is a blessed story.
Defeated, now arise, renew,
Unchained, inspired, come ride on through
Darkened, deadly territory.
Everlasting praise and glory - 
How light prepares the morning's run
And nighttime rivals daytime's sun.
Breathing freely and rejoicing
Singing words we all are voicing
This story ends. It's never done.

Linked the Ronovan Writes where the theme is to use “story” and an A or C rhyme in a Décima, a 10-line poem in 8-syllable lines with rhyme scheme ABBAACCDDC with optional stanza break after the fourth line.

The illustrations are some of my photos while walking in the neighborhoods of Miami Beach. They may or may not relate to the poem depending on your imagination.

Red and Green
Ronovan's Decima Poetry Challenge Image
Ronovan’s Decima Poetry Challenge Image

Facing Change

The change I’d face began to dawn
Though hidden by dark cloudy seas,
A flood with opportunities
That I would miss when I moved on.

They vanished when they saw I'd gone.
Why did I leave them? I don’t know.
I watched and waited, wanted so
To make it right, at last renew,
Have something in my hand that’s true,
But in the end I let them go.

Midsummer

Umbrellas aiming to the sky
Are open on the beach.
Some are yellow, some are blue,
Some are multicolored too,
Smiling within reach.

Linked to Cosmic Photo Challenge where Dale offers the theme “midsummer”.

Linked also to Trent P. McDonald’s The Weekly Smile. I was wondering what made me smile this past week of midsummer and then our daughters texted me, “Happy Father’s Day!!”. There it was. That made me smile.

Umbrellas
Umbrellas

Green

Anywhere that green can grow
It sends its roots to make a stand.
It’s open to the darker land
Where roots grasp earth and do not show
While leaves enjoy the sun’s warm flow.

Red and other colors spill
Their envy on green's living will.
Love is what the faithful do.
Repenting helps the world renew -
Remove the rot, make room and fill.
Red and Green

Shadows and Silhouettes

The shadowed edge
Where dark blocks light
Shows warmth of day
On fading night

Linked to Cosmic Photo Challenge where Dale offers the theme of “shadows and silhouettes”.

Also linked to Trent P. McDonald’s The Weekly Smile. The beaches opened on Friday. I waded in very warm water on Saturday, a beautiful day, and smiled.

Morning Silhouette

Today

I woke up to a risen sun
And clouds consumed with gray.
I take a pen and start to write.
In spite of charms from morning light
I haven’t much to say.

I often blame this on my brain.
Why pace so, to and fro?
Impatiently I start to stress.
Persistence generates a mess
Then drains. I watch it go.

Another stanza? Oh, why not?
I have a lot of time.
I scribble some and cross that out
Then doubt what it was all about.
At least I still can rhyme.

Linked to dVerse Open Link Night. Grace is hosting.

Beach and Barrier

I noticed from Kim M. Russell’s post that we each have poems in Visual Verse this month. My submission is Birds, Cats and Dogs. A poem by Jane Dougherty is also there. Visual Verse sends an email with an illustration at the beginning of the month. Poets are limited to 50-500 words and one hour to complete a poem. At the top of the page is a “Newsletter” link that you can use to get on their email list.