31 October 2018

OctPoWriMo 31 - A Step

Step out into the strange uncharted zone—
The road you walk goes ever on and on,
And though, at times, it feels you walk alone,
New companions come with every dawn.

Dawn is breaking as you reach a peak,
And night is falling as you tramp the plains.
Oft times, you feel you won’t find what you seek:
Losses along the way outweigh the gains.

Gains are often small, but you must know
That they are all important to your road:
No matter what you do or where you go,
Whether you are spurred, or when you’re slowed.

Slowed you may oft be, but then again,
Turn a corner, find a little pep;
Under sun, or through the wind and rain,
Your journey starts and ends with just a step.

Image via Pixabay

30 October 2018

OctPoWriMo 30 - Dance

I've never done a pleiades before, so I had to try it.

Image via Pixabay


Dance

Do you fancy a dance?
Dipping, spinning, stepping,
Daring two left feet to
Do something like rhythm.
Dazzle me and make me
Dizzy. Put your toes in
Danger. Hold me closer.

29 October 2018

OctPoWriMo 29 - They Count

Vegas
59

Pulse
49

First Baptist
26

Tree of Life
11

A safe place
Wasn’t safe

2014 - 12,486

2015 - 13,536

2016 - 15,108

2017 - 15,643

2018 - still counting

They count

28 October 2018

OctPoWriMo 28 - Opposites

Light, dark, dusk, and dawn
Twilight slowly fades into
Night or day

Black and white and grey
Fifty shades and more between
The ends of the spectrum

Male and female too
Are not so different.
There are no opposites.

27 October 2018

OctPoWriMo 27 - Rainbow

Colours bowing in the sky,
Reaching over all below.
Spectrum dancing in my eyes;
Colours bowing in the sky.
I tip my head and stretch out my
Senses, welcoming the glow.
Colours bowing in the sky,
Reaching over all below.

Photo by Chris Barbalis on Unsplash

26 October 2018

OctPoWriMo 26 - Coming Out

“Coming out” can mean multiple things,
But usually it indicates that you
Have been hiding, but now you break through,
To be free, to rise on honest wings.
Hiding part of who you are can sting;
It’s hard on you when you cannot be true,
To know that no one knows th’authentic you,
And so you step into the light and sing.

You are the only you who’ll ever be,
And if you are not you, then no one will.
We should fete the open closet door,
Love one another, help them to be free.
Rejection, disapproval, hatred kills;
Everyone deserves their wings, to soar.

25 October 2018

OctPWriMo 25 - A Spectrum of Passions

I will swing
Ev’ry door wide open
Until the truth rings out loud and clear
I will sing of Your mercies forever, Oh Lord
I will have pride in how You made me
I am meant to be me
As I am
I am not this or that
I am a spectrum of passions
I am everything that I was meant to be
In and out, up and down, back and forth
Girl and boy, you and me
This is me

24 October 2018

OctPoWriMo 24 - Open All the Doors

You
Open
All the doors
That I had locked
Deep within my soul.
Sometimes love is hard work,
But I am willing to do
Whatever it takes to keep you.
I gave you keys to my deepest soul
And you let the light and the air inside.

Image from Pixabay

I chose the etheree today because it feels "open" to me.

23 October 2018

OctPoWriMo 23 - Drown in Me

We used to come together like two opposite magnetic poles, drawn to one another no matter what. Our love was effortless, preeminent, claiming its place as a priority in our lives. You were enthralled by my thoughts and words, listening to me for hours on end as I rambled at length. Now, though I know you still love me, you fade away into your phone as I speak, losing yourself in things that are not me. The parts of my soul that I once shared with you easily are now hidden beneath dishes and laundry and cooking and TV.

The glassy surface
Hides the untold depths beneath
Will you drown in me?

Image by Larisa-K on Pixabay

22 October 2018

21 October 2018

OctPoWriMo 21 - Joy or Misery

Tomorrow is a mystery.
I cannot know what happens next;
It could be joy or misery.

Life is simple yet complex,
And who am I to be alive?
I cannot know what happens next.

Sometimes I truly am surprised
That I am me and here, aware
For who am I to be alive?

There is no one anywhere
Who is exactly as I am,
For I am me and here, aware.

When I am gone, never again
May my thoughts and dreams draw breath,
For I'm exactly who I am.

I do not know what’s after death;
Tomorrow is a mystery.
May my thoughts and dreams draw breath:
It could be joy or misery.

20 October 2018

OctPoWriMo 20 - My Heart's Cry

Today's prompt suggested the minute poem.



My Heart's Cry

In this moment, here with me
We are carefree;
You are my heart
From end to start.

I need you to acknowledge me,
To really see,
And hear when I
Speak my heart’s cry.

Forever won’t be just a dream
When we’re a team;
We can make
It seconds take.

19 October 2018

OctPoWriMo 19 - Love is the Answer No Matter the Question

Today's prompt suggested a contrapuntal poem.


Love is the answer
No matter the question
When life is hard
One thing is true
All I need is love
I want more from You
Love is much bigger
You are much greater
Than I can imagine
Than I can see

18 October 2018

OctPoWriMo 18 - The Princess and The Dragon

Image by SilviaP_Design on Pixabay

Once upon a time a princess dreamed
And, deep within her heart, desires gleamed
For more than princesses are meant to gain,
For something unexpected, not mundane.

Kissing frogs is fine for other girls—
More her style were lions, tigers, bears.
She ruined many petticoats before
Her parents let her wear trousers and drawers.

She met a dragon in a darkling cave
And, where a knight would send it to its grave,
She bowed and offered friendship to the beast,
And from a curse thereby it was released.

The scaly creature faded rapidly,
Transformed into a girl who smiled bashfully.
The princess wrapped her cloak around her frame
And smiled and sweetly asked her for her name.

Now, together they explore the land,
Side by side and often hand in hand.
Minstrels far and wide sing of their deeds,
How everything they do always succeeds.

17 October 2018

OctPoWriMo 17 - Anything for You

I may be a fool for you,
Yet, there are things I wouldn’t do.
I’m sorry, but you know it’s true:
I won’t do anything for you.

It sounds romantic to eschew
All sense and logic, go askew,
To find the cracks, and to fall through,
But I won’t do anything for you.

Let me be clear: I still will do
Almost anything for you.
I’d give my life and my soul too,
But I won’t do anything for you.

16 October 2018

OctPoWriMo 16 - You Are Love

You Are Love

You cannot stop loving me
No matter what I do or say,
For You are love entirely.

You embrace me when I pray;
Your love is bigger than I know;
No matter what I do, You stay.

I want to stand up tall and show
The ones who say they follow You
Your love is bigger than they know.

They claim an ownership on truth
As if a human can know God—
The ones who say they follow You.

By You they are no longer awed;
They’ve forgotten Who You are,
As if a human can know God.

There is none You would deter;
You cannot stop loving me.
They’ve forgotten Who You are,
For You are love entirely.

15 October 2018

OctPoWriMo 15 - Cover Me

You flattered me and made me feel
I was your shelter and your shield,
But never did you give cover to me.
You tried to make me fit your draft,
But I am not clay to be crafted
To fit the script, for it was not my story.

He gives me shelter in the storm,
He is my cover, he is home,
And we have learned to cover one another.
My partner, lover, and my friend,
We share the load, our lives we blend;
He holds me close as we advance together.

14 October 2018

OctPoWriMo 14 - The Corners of My Heart

I wish that I could be
Wholly, truly me.
I wish I didn't care,
That I felt safe to share
The deepest, darkest parts,
The corners of my heart.

13 October 2018

OctPoWriMo 13 - If I Were You

I have no idea what I would do if I were you;
I am me and you are you and I cannot be you.
Sometimes the things you do make no sense at all to me.
I wish there was a window to your soul so I could see
Why you feel the way you do and why you are so cold,
But I am me and you are you and hearts are uncontrolled.

12 October 2018

OctPoWriMo 12 - Love is a Warrior



Love is a Warrior

Love is not a summer cloud, wispy and frail
Love is a storm rolling in, thunder and rain
Love is a warrior; love will never fail

Love is not the bubbles floating in champagne
Love is a guardian, breaking evil’s bones
Love is a warrior, a wild hurricane

Love is not lust, desire, or mere hormones
Love is a choice you make again and again
Love is a warrior; love may stand alone

Love is not thoughts and prayers without action
Love is kneeling in the dirt to be a shield
Love is a warrior; love’s shouting, “Amen!”

Love is justice and mercy and truth revealed
Love is every hurt and injury healed

11 October 2018

OctPoWriMo 11 - The Shadows Crack

Photo by Ivan Vranić on Unsplash


The Shadows Crack

Breaking open,
I fall upon my knees—
Light penetrates my soul.


The cracks within my heart
Widen as I kneel,
Breaking open.


When I was whole, I needed nothing.
Now I need You, so
I fall upon my knees.


When I was whole, I lived in darkness;
Now the shadows crack, and
Light penetrates my soul.



10 October 2018

OctPoWriMo 10 - Silver in the Gloom



It has been a long time now
Since I felt that certain “Wow”

I used to feel like I could fly
Today, I often want to cry

You are still the silver in the gloom
And I will love you beyond my tomb

We may not dance upon the air today
But you are here, so here is where I’ll stay

Together we will find the light once again
You are mine forever and ever amen

09 October 2018

OctPoWriMo 9 - Love is So Much


Love is So Much

Love is
A kitten in your lap
A baby in your arms
A puppy’s kisses
A gift carefully wrapped

Love is
A god kneeling in the dust
An outcast helping a stranger
A mother protecting her children
A child’s trust

Love is
A whisper in the dark
A hand reaching out
A hug that holds you together
A spark

Love is
A kiss, a sigh, a touch
Love is so much

Love is love is love is love is love
Love cannot be overcome
Love has won

08 October 2018

OctPoWriMo 8 - Details to Take



Details to Take

Madness to this method
Madness in the details
Details keep me busy
Details help me see
See beyond the big
See the little things
Things that are important
Things that keep me sane
Sane within the madness
Sane? Well, I don’t know
Knowing is believing
Knowledge is a power
Power in a powder keg
Power in a tiny spark
Sparks are flying
Sparkling in the dark
Darkness flees before the light
Darkness covers, helps me hide
Hide from those who would devour
Hide from hurt
Hurt people hurt people
Hurt me and I’ll rise up stronger
Stronger, angry, cloaked in fury
Stronger, standing with my sisters
Sisters from all tongues and nations
Sisters, everyone together
Together we take back the night
Together we will rise
Rise up though you may feel defeated
Rise again though crucified
Crucified by friends and brothers
Crucified and left to die
Die, all those who would betray us
Die and fall before our fury
Fury blazing ever brighter
Fury stoked by Judas kiss
Kiss that we did not consent to
Kiss my fist
Fist I’m learning how to use
Fist of fire
Fire you are feeding
Fire rising, growing
Growing stronger with resistance
Growing more and more
More—yes, we want more
More, and we will take
Take what we deserve
Take what we are owed
Owed…
Deserve...

07 October 2018

OctPoWriMo 7 - Dear Church

Dear church, I see you
Singing, speaking words of love
Then doing just the opposite.
You stand up to pray:
“God, I thank you that I am not like others…”
Like the Pharisees of old,
You will be passed over.
For God has chosen the weak,
The shunned, to confound the strong.
Crucify him. Crucify them.
We will rise again.

06 October 2018

OctPoWriMo 6 - All is Fair

All is fair in love and war?
No. Do not presume to speak for
Me or anyone like me.
Love is greater than you see
And there is nothing I need more.

Love may be an open door,
But love is also so much more
Love is priceless; love is free
Love is here for you and me
And all is fair.

Your little boxes cannot bear
The size of love; they haven't a prayer.
Love is love is love, and we
Only see through glass darkly.
And all is fair.

05 October 2018

OctPoWriMo 5 - Love Denied

Today's prompt is "denied" and I decided to do a florette as I didn't do one when it was the suggested form.

My topic is something that has been in my heart a lot lately.

Graphic created by author


Love Denied

Jesus loves me, this I know;
You say you want to help me grow,
But when I show you who I am,
I am denied. Your love’s a sham. It’s just for show.

The church was never meant to be
A corporate monopoly.
He said we are to be His bride.
We’re meant to be a family, yet we divide.

God is love and love is love
And I am vastly weary of
Conditions that are placed upon
His unconditional love. Stop it. Begone.

04 October 2018

OctPoWriMo 4 - A Feline Love Story

Today's prompt is "_____________ and other strange animals." While, at first glance, my piece may not seem so "strange," I hope I succeeded in putting more into it than appears at a surface read.

A Feline Love Story

A ginger met a tabby on a warm September day;
With lifted ears and curving tails, they greeted one another.
Their noses touched, they wound around each other like ballet,
They spoke a language older than the sweet savour of summer.

Together stalking, playing, they found joy in company,
And never were apart for more than a few minutes’ time
Naps were warmer, bathing better, life truly carefree
With a warm body beside you, you can meet anything.

Photo by Aleesha Wood on Unsplash

03 October 2018

OctPoWriMo 3 - INSECURE, An Acrostic

Today's prompt is insecurity. I found myself digging deep into my fears for this one.

Image via Pixabay


INSECURE, An Acrostic

I wish that I could know and yet
Nothing’s ever certain.
Seeing is believing, but
Experience can vary.
Changing everything I know,
Upending until nothing
Remains except myself alone,
Empty and forsaken.

02 October 2018

OctPoWriMo 2 - How I Love You

Today's prompt is "poems and notes to you."

Photo by Bundo Kim on Unsplash


How I Love You

I wanted to show you how much I love you:
I wrote you a love note, but it wasn’t right;
The words didn’t say what I wanted to say,
So I tore it up and tossed it away.

I tried again to express how I love you:
I wrote you a love song, but it sounded trite;
The words fell flat, the melody faltered.
I could never share it as it was so awkward.

A third time I tried to convey how I love you:
I crafted a poem—I guess it’s all right;
Third time’s the charm, or that’s what they say.
You love me, so you embrace what I’ve offered.

01 October 2018

OctPoWriMo 1 - October First

Welcome to another year of poetry!

Today's prompt is "surrender" and I went with the suggested form of free verse.

October First

October first
I woke this morning to snow
The first snow of the season
Part of me wanted to rage and weep
To grieve for a year near gone
But
It was so beautiful
So soft and clean and pure