Thursday, August 31, 2017

Poetry Thursday, careful reminder



If you care 
about what others 
think of you, 
then you will 
always be their 
slave.
~ L. Tzu

Thursday, August 24, 2017

Poetry Thursday, hummingbirds and souls




Hummingbird
~Robin Becker

I love the whir of the creature come
to visit the pink
flowers in the hanging basket as she does

most August mornings, hours away
from starvation to store
enough energy to survive overnight.

The Aztecs saw the refraction
of incident light on wings
as resurrection of fallen warriors.

In autumn, when daylight decreases
they double their body weight to survive
the flight across the Gulf of Mexico.

On next-to-nothing my mother
flew for 85 years; after her death
she hovered, a bird of bones and air.

Copyright © 2017 Robin Becker. Used with permission of the author.

Thursday, August 17, 2017

Poetry Thursday


Things I Will Tell My Children About Destiny 
~Cynthia Manick

                          You remind them
             of weighted tumbleweeds,
hen-egg brown. Don’t let
                           them take the rag-
             time beneath your skin.
        It stirs earth’s curvature
and a choir
of frogs
when you enter
             or leave a room. Don’t
             leave a swallow of juice
                    or milk in the fridge.
A body grieved
is a whole new body.
             Give your shadow a name
                          big as a star, see
              yourself out loud.
Pick wild irises                          the best gifts
              roll under a ribcage, leave
              open mouths splendid.
  
I like your smile unpenned.

Keep your bird-
              song close, imagine
                     an hourglass full
                         of architects and dreamers,
the first taste of fresh
              scooped ice cream.
                         You will learn to master
                         camouflage among ordinary things—
            men who spill words
not thoughts, trigger fingers
                           ready
                           to brand loose.
  
I love your smile unpenned.

Thursday, August 10, 2017

Poetry Thursday, Remembering Ben


Your heart 
and 
my heart 
are very, very 
old friends. 
~ Sufi Saying

Thursday, August 03, 2017

Poetry Thursday - late entry



August
~Helen Hunt Jackson

Silence again. The glorious symphony
Hath need of pause and interval of peace.
Some subtle signal bids all sweet sounds cease,
Save hum of insects’ aimless industry.
Pathetic summer seeks by blazonry
Of color to conceal her swift decrease.
Weak subterfuge! Each mocking day doth fleece
A blossom, and lay bare her poverty.
Poor middle-agèd summer! Vain this show!
Whole fields of golden-rod cannot offset
One meadow with a single violet;
And well the singing thrush and lily know,
Spite of all artifice which her regret
Can deck in splendid guise, their time to go!