‘We Pick Our Battles’

Wolf and Butterfly
Google Image

sleepless nights
were in the making
for you but
so were dreams lost
in a twist
of corded fate

fevers ran high
with slips of wet hair
plastered
to your face
against a damp pillow
caressing
even in the storm

i look at you now
‘challenging’
each day as a wall
of obstacles
to overcome
rock climbing easy
in comparison

a shine in your eyes
like jewels centered
in chocolate-brown orbs
‘we pick our battles’
you always say
so casual
in a way

it captures my heart
melts me
into a languid pool
i see you struggle
as night falls
a starless black
moonless sea

every day you continue
to show me how
teach me the way
to love me
into being alive

for how could i
not resist
the tilt
of your head
your nose
like no other &
laughter singing
in my ears

as does the sound
of how you call me
‘mama’ smiling
even now when
you have children
of your own

© August 2013
Renee Espriu

I have two very strong, determined daughters who give back to me every day they are here. My oldest continues to merit my admiration as she battles Lupus on her terms and will not let it dictate who she is.

New York Hamlet

grandma-moses-e1274766463590-1024x798

Google Image/Grandma Moses in Eagle Bridge, NY

i am traveling the byways of
new york reaching deep
into antique shops and
2nd hand stores looking for
nothing in particular and

there by the side of the road
in a small new york hamlet
i see  posted neatly out front
a sign “Homemade Preserves”
so i stop and park as i am

intrigued and so i walk
to the front door of a
well-appointed house knocking
so as not to disturb and
who should answer but you

i’ve read about your rising
fame and as newspapers tell it
you are ‘never too old’ to
try something new and you
certainly did as you’ve shown

i feel at ease as you smile
at me inviting me in for
biscuits and jam with tea
your eyes twinkling so as
though we’ve met before

and i so want to know why
you never painted before
when you were young..not
that eighty something is
not…and so you answer

without falter that there
never was time with children
to raise and a farm to run
and happiness comes from
where it comes and i see

now that your life’s been full
so when i leave, on that
my traveling day and see
images of all the surroundings,
it is like i’ve seen it all

before on the canvasses where
you captured them in the
snow and sun, the church and
the town, the farms where
people live and i see then

that it really is ‘never
too late’ to do something new
when there is time and yes,
‘happiness comes where it comes’
in the byways of a NY hamlet

© March 2013
Renee Espriu

Please do go to Wikipedia to read more about this famous artist American Artist whose folk art style of painting became known and loved around the world. She began painting when she was in her seventies. You can find the link at http://wikipedia.org/wiki/Grandma_Moses/

http://dversepoets.com/category/a-cup-of-coffee-with-a-famous-person/

Quintessential

quintessential rhythms of life
pull at her like unforseen
threads tight and strong
like the chubby tiny fingers
connected to grasping arms

of all the children in her
past, present and future
calling her name as tears
were shed or laughter came
as words calmed their fears

quintessential rhythms of life
like breathing out and in
waking with each sun streaked
sky to watch patient each day
for the moon that will rise
to bring sleep’s calm sway

hoping that energy comes alive
as she wakes again dreaming
of bits and pieces of life
a reel on a camera fast forward
traveling at the speed of light

each year pages flipped in a
book the story not finished but
look and be quick as six decades
creep silent a tendriled vine
quintessential rhythms of life

© August 2012 Renee Espriu

Some people have grief over reaching age 30, 40 or even 50. Those were easy for me but this year is a milestone  60 years fast approaching and it is my turn to feel as though life has gone way too fast. Writing always helps.

Appreciation for Award

This award was passed on to me by Sreeja, who has a wonderful site that I suggest everyone visit. She is a very gifted writer who writes from her heart and with passion. Please visit her at http://writingonjusttowrite.blogspot.com  Thank you Sreeja!

The rules of accepting this award are as follows:

1. Thank the blogger who nominated you!

2. Share ten little known things about yourself.

3. Nominate six other bloggers for the award and inform them of their win… Fun!

 

The ten points about me….
1)  Creativity is my Passion
2)  My favorite colors are Green and Purple
3)  I have five adult children and some 21 grandchildren
4) I love to laugh at my own sense of humor
5) I love to hear other’s laughter
6) I’ve never traveled outside the US
7) I love languages
8) I am open to the study  of all cultures
9) I am ethnically diverse, therefore unique
10) I love the ocean…water in general
The six bloggers I am nominating are as follows:

Part of My Heart and Soul

Why do I worry about you so               
because you are part of
my heart and soul

your soft baby skin
your twinkling brown eyes
caused me to smile and
then to sigh

from the moment they laid
you in my arms I was
captivated by your charms                             Image by Anne Geddes 

to know I was chosen to ride
with you on life’s journey
in all that you do now
a woman with children too

so why do I worry and
love you so because
you are part of my
heart and soul

© March 2012
Renee Espriu

City Hibernation

They emerge slowly
like hibernating bears
coming forth after a
storm hesitating
watching
moving about

They begin to shovel
snow and to scrape
icy automobiles in
hopes of venturing
out but they
remain unmoved

One gentleman wields a
camera focusing on
his laurel hedge
photographing
something
then disappears

Children begin to sled
throwing snowballs
laughing the cold
forgotten then
darkness
all is quiet

© January 2012
Renee Espriu

Spider Whimsy

Do you hear the whimsy doodle
from the spider in her lair
Do you know what she is waiting
for on silken threads as hair

Do you see her plump round belly
as she preens in silent rapture
Do you detect how important for
her to make an ultimate capture

She is making ready her silken
lair for many more to join her
She is hoping to feed them all
when an insect is dinner fanfare

Do you hear the whimsy doodle
from the spider in her lair
Do you know what she is waiting
for on silken threads as hair

She waits for all her little ones
bitty spiders to be coming soon
She waits to feed them dinner fare
beneath the night-light moon

© August 2011 Renee Espriu

This is my first piece on my site that will hopefully entertain children. I had thought to make a separate place for children’s pieces but not sure how I might do that yet. I use to write years ago for my children and those pieces are gone. Hope you enjoy this as much as I did writing it.

Honeysuckle Laughter

Children’s laughter peals as the
sound of musical bells echoing
 in the wind chimes lingering on
 breezes of sun-kissed cheeks
with arms and legs akimbo as
honeysuckle vines entwining
about you ever so tightly and all
 that remains is fragrance of love

© August 2011 Renee Espriu

My grandchildren sometimes run towards me with so much enthusiasm it is hard to contain and when I thought of it this is what I wrote.

Recuerdos

Strands of hair as silver threads
shining dimly in the light as
hazel eyes peruse photographs of
children, grandchildren, those
great-grandchildren looking
back with smiles frozen, another
time, other places in the past

Mi padre recuerdos en la luz del dia

Strands of hair as silver threads
shining soft as silk on ears of
corn her eyes treasured memories
held in photographs, giving back
years stolen in hands frail aged
with spots, he sees framed the
importance, a families life shared

Mi padre recuerdos en la luz del dia

© June 2011 Renee Espriu

The Poet Will Remain

Dominions bereft of peace to
fill humanities’ soul whilst
hunger takes children’s lives
the next generation nill

Amidst all this the
Poet will remain

Tidal waves of destruction on
precipice the storms awaiting
advent taking all nature’s
beasts of earth, sky living

Amidst all this the
Poet will remain

© May 2011 Renee Espriu