#dversepoets – Page 5 – Poetry, Short Prose and Walking

Learning to Write

By second grade I learned to write well enough to make short sentences. My teacher wrote that they were “Very good”. So, I wrote more and I showed them to her. She gave me another sheet of paper which encouraged me. My third grade teacher was less impressed. I stopped showing her what I wrote. That gave her more time to focus on what was bothering her.

I am older now than either of those teachers were and I realize that I’ve been like both of them at different times of my life, sometimes unreasonably patient and other times unforgivably impatient. Looking back. I forgive the impatience in my third grade teacher and hope I can forgive it in myself as well. I understand the many reasons for impatience that torment adults. I hope her life was happy because today she looks more like my daughter than a teacher.

Given all the reasons for impatience, it amazes me that any of us are blessed enough to enjoy any patience. Nonetheless there it is again as a commonplace miracle.

MOTHER SAVES THE WORK
FLOWERS YEARN TO BLOOM AGAIN
LATER OLD LEAVES FADE

Text: Linked to dVerse Haibun Monday where Toni is hosting and to Debbie Roth’s Forgiving Fridays.

Photos: “Very Good”, above, and “Alice in Wonderland”, below.

Confirming Forgiveness

I saw her
In the living room
Before I
Heard she died.
Wipe away the guilt and gloom.
Go with peace inside.

Text: Linked to Debbie Roth’s Forgiving Fridays and dVerse Poetics where Amaya is hosting featuring the shadorma poetry form.

Photos: “Light in Snow”, above, “Snow Up Close”, below.

Marvel

Time incites the mystery.
Space makes ample room to see.
Breath absorbs it patiently–
Strong you stand and watch with me.

Should we fall or should we rise
Victory glows in our eyes.
Death, no matter how it tries,
Drops in time its thin disguise.

Text: I am linking the tanaga to dVerse Poetics. Lillian is hosting with the theme “superhero”.

Photos: “Remains of Autumn Soon Will Pass”, above, and “Tree Spending Time in Sunlight”, below, linked to Frank Jansen’s Tuesday Photo Challenge with the theme “time”.

One Child’s Gift to Another

The ring she gave was made of lead
And broke one lonely day.
“It has no worth,” the jeweler said.
He’ll keep it anyway.

Text: Linked to dVerse Poetics. Sarah Connor is hosting with the love tokens.

Photos: “Leaves Remind the Tree”, above, and “Water Seeking Lake Michigan”, below. I am linking these to Frank Jansen’s Tuesday Photo Challenge with the theme “force”.

Where to Look

Birds may chatter. I walk by.
Trees prepare to greet the Sun
That concentrates on shiny things
Like bonds held true with golden rings.
The birds rejoice when morning’s come.

Text: Linked to dVerse Poetics where Sarah Russell is asking us to focus on the thing rather than explicitly describing something abstract which the reader is supposed to guess, but I am not sure what it is myself.

Photos: “Movement”, above, and “Birds Minding Their Own Business”, below.

Winter’s Grey and Sparkling White

Saturday afternoon the snow started slowly. Being warm the flakes became thick. I started my walk catching some of it, missing most of it. I am not aware enough to be aware of everything. I must leave some for the saint’s creative contemplation or the monk’s mindful meditation.

The snow came down thicker and more beautifully as I walked back through sparkling white. I did not expect so late in my grey year to have so many blessings as if my impatience and despair had been forgiven.

GREY SKY WITH WHITE OWL
WAITING IN THE SNOW-FILLED TREE
LOOK–HE FLIES AWAY

Text: Linked to dVerse Haibun Monday. Björn is hosting with the theme “grey”. I am also linking to Debbie Roth’s Forgiving Fridays.

Photos: “Snow on Bush”, above, and “Snow on Branch”, below.

Hands and Eyes

I hold you with an aging hand.
Winter let go fall.
Even sparrows understand.
It takes no time at all.
Eyes and hands recall.

Text: Linked to dVerse Open Link Night. Kim is hosting. I am aiming for brevity in this poem. In particular I want to use no more than five lines. I hope to present brevity as a challenge for next week’s Meeting the Bar.

Photos: “Snow and Shadow”, above, “Blooming Together”, below.