Month: August 2017

Posted on

Persuaded By A Smile

I never knew her name and remembrance
of her face has faded from memory
but her kindness still remains steadfast
within the warmth of my beating heart

where upon I still see the upright grand
dusty and in need of repair standing
proudly in the living room of a house
I only encroached drawn by its’ beauty

for she saw I was smitten by its’ presence
and invited me to play for even though
not a lesson had I the music seemed to
pass without pause to my finger tips

as I came to knock each day upon the door
to see the beauty of her smile and knew
that she no longer played but entreated
me to sit once more at the upright grand

© August 2017 Renee Espriu

This is in response to Jamie Dede’s Wednesday Prompt at https://jamiededes.com/2017/08/23/mrs-g-a-poem-and-your-wednesday-writing-prompt. Please visit her site and read more. The photo below was taken from Morgue File & digitally altered by myself.

Music Piano

Posted on

Residuals of Eclipse

Porch lights shine in day
briskly chilled air
sun shadows darken

© August 2017 Renee Espriu

My own digital art take on yesterday’s history making event.  Although the state of Washington did not get a full eclipse we had some small interesting things that happened here.

Eclipse

Posted on

“Stained” Glass Windows

She embraced the rituals of worship
of which practicing seemed to bring calm
to a personal life bereft of its’ being

whereupon entering a sacred place of
stained glass windows and the statues
of holy saints long dead brought
daily tests to question her soul

she watched men cloaked in white robes
garnished with vestments hung about
their necks symbols of their holiness

where the incense they spread in the air
afflicted her senses but must be done
for it was said it purified & cleansed
raising up the prayers of the faithful

but nothing addressed her innocence to
enlighten her of past holy wars that spread
death to those who believed naught the same

so she entertained a communion white veil
to be replaced later by a robe of red as
she promised to put her belief in those
words written by nameless faces of others

she believed in it all until the day her
faith stood the ultimate test of the reaper
causing her heart to have a hope of its’ own

© August 2017 Renee Espriu

This is in response to Jamie Dedes’s Wednesday Prompt. You can see other poet’s responses at https://jamiededes.com/2017/08/16/a-puppet-dancing-in-the-dark-a-poem-and-your-wednesday-writing-prompt. The photo below was taken from the Morgue File and digitally altered by myself.

Stained Glass Window

 

Posted on

An Infinity of Stars Woven

Within the landscape of time are
the shadows of war residing
casting doubts of fear
over hope filled integrity

for if I could but ease the pain
& erase the memory of horror
that slices through hearts
once laden with joy
I would

but there will always be those
who seek righteousness loaded
with weapons of destruction
their efforts devoid
of compassion

and soldiers who participate
on the battlefields of wars
whether at home or across seas
will carry scars always

and if it were possible within
me as a wordsmith to pen a poem
of salve and healing
I would

so that children may once again play
on peaceful soil under watchful eyes
of mothers and fathers
who can rest assured
of a tomorrow

filled with the spirit of love
& that fireworks will be celebration
& not the deafening voices
of bombs falling

for my soul cannot rest within me
until the vision of the universe
is the essence of peace shining
like an infinity of stars

the threads of woven fabric
like none that has ever been made
containing naught of the shadows of war
but a humanity of peacemakers
the gardeners sowing
seeds for the
future

© August 2017 Renee Espriu

This is in response to Jamie Dedes’s Wednesday Prompt. Please read more poets responses at https://jamiededes.com/2017/08/09/do-not-make-war-a-poem-and-your-wednesday-writing-prompt. The photo below was taken from the Morgue File and digitally altered by myself.

Field of Peacemakers

Posted on

Hummingbird Mishap

She had never seen such a tiny bird thus her first introduction to it was one of total surprise. A sunny day as always and she played outside as all that lived there from the roses, bushes and trees were enough to make her happy. If it were up to her she would spend all of her time there for even some insects caused the curiosity in her to grow except, of course, that of spiders. She learned to stay clear of them for she grew up learning that some were not welcome, such as the Black Widow, so therefore she felt it best to leave them be.

It would have been a day like any other, she playing and exploring but it was about to change and cause her wonder she had not known there was. Her father was busy doing what fathers did in a garage and she paid him no mind, really. He, at one point, set the sprinkler to watering the grass and she watched as he did so.

She would remember it always. One minute things were as they always had been of a sun warmed day and the next the fastest creature with wings lay upside down on the concrete patio. She marveled at it and asked what it was. Her father turned and looked down with a smile, walked over and gave the little bird a nudge with his finger. It suddenly flipped itself over and was off faster than a blink of an eye.

Heart beating excitement
a wonder of flight
seeking flower nectar

“It’s a Hummingbird”, he said. “You don’t often see them because they are so fast.” I stood speechless and marveled it had been so close.

© August 2017 Renee Espriu

The art piece below is one I finished to go with this story. I used acrylics, watercolor and something to increase the life of the acrylics so they wouldn’t dry quite as fast while I worked. It is done on canvas. Lately I am feeling rather like a chemist with my paints but enjoying the process.

Marvel of Flight

 

 

Posted on

The Heat of August Nights

The longing for warmer weather and sunny days
falls somewhere between Winter rain
and Spring flowers beginning to petal

but it all has given way to a heat so heavy
that it settles upon her August nights
as though weighted a substantial burden

it permeates every living thing and even
insects take refuge long for cooling air
causing the synergy of habitats once again

for the fine line between longing and needing
takes her back to the petals of flowers and green
days with a cool breeze a paramour of the sun

© August 2017 Renee Espriu

This is in response to Jamie Dede’s Wednesday Prompt at https://jamiededes.com/2017/08/02/hot-august-nights-and-wednesday-writing-pompt where you can read more from other poets. The photo below was taken from Morgue File & digitally altered by myself.

August Nights