“Oranges and Apples”

A mother is what she needed
not a friend that played
jacks, marbles and jump rope

where she was left
to her own devices of
making mischief
with her brother

or watching a locomotive
barrel down steel tracks
to crush a penny
newly set
upon them

but her mother an only child
longed for siblings
for playmates
to fill
a yearning

so even as she needed
wanted a mother
oranges and apples
would not mix

yet her mother turned flour sacks
into underclothes and slips
for her sewn dresses
to lie upon

her mother cooked food
laden with the aromas
of love

pies trimmed in the lace
of gold brown crust
even when money
was a
luxury

she would surmise in life
that mothers do the best
with what life
gives them

© September 2018 Renee Espriu

Photo Taken From Public Domain Pictures and Created As Art

Oranges and Apples

Guns Are Not The Path To Peace

The child found what looked like a toy
but when a way was found
to fulfill curiosity

found their friend
lying dead at their feet

guns are not the answer to feeling secure
left lying within the reach of
innocence

she was about her morning
preparing breakfast
on yet another Valentine’s Day

when she heard a gunshot
fill the air
and looking ’round

found her husband
of many years crumpled
in the doorway

dead…a gun in his hand

guns are not the answer to depression,
to problems seemingly
having no answer

Leaders of the world always disagreeing
make plans for larger armies
to carry more guns

to kill more people who are caught
in the cross hairs

guns are not the answer to solutions
for forcing others to agree
to another countries’ ideas

guns are not the path to peace

© November 2017 Renee Espriu

This is in response to Jamie Dede’s Wednesday Writing Prompt. Read more responses at https://jamiededes.com/2017/11/01/dueling-with-words-to-stop-gun-violence-wednesdays-writing-prompt. The photo below was taken from Public Domain Pictures and digitally altered.

Path To Peace

***THE COVER OF DARKNESS***

The house quiet at night
revealing no sound but
her children breathing
softly amidst creaking
noises of a house at rest

She sleeps lightly & listens
seeking things out-of-place
her eyes open to seek in
darkness familiar images

A glimpse is caught barely
from the corner of her eye
a small child, a girl moving
slowly down the hallway
softly making no sound

She rises to follow her
knowing it must be her own
but searches in vain only
finding no child there

Hurrying back toward the
bedrooms she checks each bed
her children covered and still
every night she looks always
to find where she has gone

The day brings questions
she cannot keep away
nor does her face keep
hidden what night shows her

Her friend lives next door
did she not ask her of a child
who simply leaves no trace
her rather calm reply
so you have seen her too

© June 2016
Renee Espriu

I normally do not do prompts but found one of interest to me at Jamie Dede’s site https://musingbymoonlight.com/ some know by THE POET BY DAY. This is the Wednesday Writing Prompt. Some people believe in ghosts and others not so much. Have you seen someone seemingly not there or know of someone who has?

Image Taken From Morgue File & Digitized by Myself

Darkness

****Sunday’s Child Suspended****

sunday’s child suspended
in balanced dreams
is the illusion of time
made of silk threads
strong as dovetailed beams

you see in re-claimed jars
through his eyes untold
tiger striped garden spiders
beauty of captured bees
lifes’ mystery doth unfold

sunday’s child suspended
a cocoon created of time
silk threads weaving a life
unique, tempered and bold
a blended pattern that shines

© December 2013
Renee Espriu

Colored Silk

Image by Mary Corbet http://www.needlenthread.com

I have five adult children and many grandchildren but of my five, only one was born on a Sunday and my life’s love and challenge. They are all special in their own ways but Nathan is my Sunday child.

Enchanted Child

enchanting image before
our eyes a
girl child pretends
to spy from

behind the pillar as
we watch her
 there she lightly
touches him on
his hair

while she
romps and plays to
catch his smile but
does not know that
all the while he

can not ever play
along the frozen boy
made of stone
lives on

she has captured our
hearts in her
childlike way for
happiness is
her’s today

© July 2012 Renee Espriu

When my daughter and I were in a hospital waiting room some time ago we watched a little girl play hide and seek with a life size statue of a boy and to watch you would think he would, at any time, come to life.

Memorie’s Ghost Child

children playing tag ball                               
‘now you’re it!’
you can’t see me playing
at their heals a bit

memories’ ghost child
behind the tree
child playing tag counting
doesn’t notice me

she floats along gray shadows
today’s yesteryear
bare feet and laughter
mimic in their ears

they hose each other down
a hot summer’s day
while she plays alongside
age has no sway

after they’ve gone inside
she plays on
forever free of life’s cares
a ghost child’s song

© June 2012 Renee Espriu

Life’s Syncopation

Syncopation like a child’s feet
keeping in time without
ever questioning to a
teacher’s beat

Like ants always marching
like tiny soldiers
roaming over hills and
stones and bolders

Like the tap, tap, tapping of
computer keyboards
within the cubicle walls
behind office doors

Like raindrops beating against
window panes in an
effort to gain entry
into your domain

Like the heart beating within
a lover’s chest to reveal
passion enclosed as a
birded nest

Like the pendulum swinging
while the pianist plays
ringing clear as church
bells on a rope sways

Like nature’s cycles bringing
gifts of seasons always
changing without reason it is
about Syncopation

© November 2011 Renee Espriu

Periwinkle Skies

Periwinkle and    
cornblue skies
writing verses
for you and I
letting my
muse lie by
my side
tempting and
teasing the
spirit inside
drawing near
to play the
child with
words flowing
free for us
both beguiled

© August 2011 Renee Espriu

Spirit Child

Spirit child walk with me
alongside my life path
imbue strength to harbour
my soul a pearl rapt

Spirit child walk with me
attune to my every step
impart to me thy wisdom
our hearts entwined kept

© July 2011 Renee Espriu

This is dedicated to my youngest daughter whose Spirit gives me strength and whom I admire in her approach to life.  Thank you for being there for me. Thank You Adina.

Childhood Home

Photo by www.city-data.com        
                                      Palm trees like sentries line the streets
                                      Bouganvillea cascading on trellises
                                      Jacaranda with spreading branches
                                      lavender flowers floating on the air
                                      stucco houses everywhere you look
                                      with billboards speaking Spanish
                                      Rose gardens fragrant in every yard in
                                      the place of my childhood home

© May 2011 Renee Espriu