Happy

May 20, 2018May 21, 2018

Before My First Breath

Image Taken From Morgue File & Digitally Altered

Dragonfly Blue

Dragonflies are timeless bold creatures
found in the amber fossils of millennium
as is innocence secured wonder cocooned
in everything I saw around me
whether it was earthen brown
or flowers christened
by the sun

I drank everything in endless thirst
always yearning to understand
and to grasp all the words
to weave into life
even when threads
were frayed

So the years did not diminish
my questions nor
bring solace
to answers

There is youth no longer here
when reflections are
made of wrinkled sagging skin
but youth only rests
within the perimeters
of my mind

So that there will yet be a moment
where the light shines bright
and the fire burning glows
revealing the happiness and joy
I felt in being aware

That there are those things timeless
like questions and answers
held within my mind
not loved nor cherished
with my heart

I know now without pause for doubt
there will always be
dragonflies

November 27, 2017November 27, 2017

A Waterfall of Violets

Waterfall Violets

A rolling-pin gracing
the kitchen wall
visages of her life
speckles in the landscape
of my mind

a woman of small stature
with black hair
almond smiling eyes
a happiness laced laugh

I am embraced, a nephew’s wife
I left my shoes by the wall
inside the threshold

a home far from Kyoto
amidst the evergreen trees
I entered a coalesced union
both east and west

cultivated plants to bloom
black wrought iron shelves
a waterfall of African violets
blossoming shades of color

pink
violet
white
blue

feisty approach to business
offerings of octopus
dried salty seaweed

gastronomy not fathomed
teaching me her language
sharing plant knowledge
easier to impart

the rolling-pin still
flaunts her efforts
black char marks

remind me of a fusion
a friendship
between east and west

This is my fond memory of a woman from Japan named Nobu. I met her years ago when I was married to her nephew. She was married to an American serviceman she met in World War II. She lived here for many years until her husband’s passing and then returned to Japan where she eventually passed away. It was an honor to know here.

The above photo is taken from Public Domain Pictures and digitally altered by myself.

August 14, 2017

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.

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