Years

December 17, 2017

Memories Dying Embers

Memory Illusive

I see you tangibly close beside me
laughter still within you
a smile on your face

do you still see me here & now
or a trace of a girl dancing

brevity of memories hinting at life
shared with children…with her

do you know she is gone traveling
with the moon & stars in heaven

I see you tangibly close beside me
laughter still within you
a smile on your face

do you know your time has shifted
as the sands within the tides

ensnaring the memories you captured
now scattered fragments of light

still your eyes embrace her once more
a cherished resemblance of me

wisps of years gone encircling you
briefly in moments & then vanishing

I see you tangibly close beside me
laughter still within you
a smile on your face

the embers are still glowing brightly
not ready to engage in dying

I know your spirit still resides within
I know there still is you smiling

July 3, 2017July 3, 2017

Morning coffee reminds her of years gone by
when she hustled to clean & tidy up the house
so untidy with five children running about
so she would be in readiness for parents
knowing that several pots would brew of a day
to give her the energy to persevere, strength
to be patient while her mother scrutinized,
criticized and ultimately laughed with her
but she knew as their car left the driveway
she would settle into a comfy spot dozing as
her caffeine high evaporated, energy waned
leaving her thinking of only the one cup
setting before her swirling, inviting to
remind her the pots of coffee that brewed
are but a memory no longer required, no
longer needed to get through parents visits

This is in response to Jamie Dedes’s Wednesday Prompt. You can read other poet’s responses at https://jamiededes.com/2017/06/28/over-his-morning-coffee-a-poem-and-your-wednesday-writing-prompt. The photo here was taken from the Morgue File and digitized by myself.

Beans and Coffee

March 22, 2013

The Piano

Altered Google Image

you set waiting amongst others of your kind
housing the large harp within your casing
standing upright and waiting for that one
that would love you enough to once again

lovingly ply your ivory keys with passionate
longing to coax musical notes waiting to
escape the dust that has settled upon them
in an effort to come alive, notes chording

to no longer set idle in bitter loneliness
but belong in the midst of those that would
wipe away the weary years with but a touch
of shine from joyous tears that melodies sign

will rise like timeless orchestrated sighs
bringing rays of light into lives one true
measure you will no longer wait in silence
but fill empty hours with unending pleasure

http://dversepoets.com/category/negative-capability/

February 10, 2013February 10, 2013

Peas in a Pod

Altered Google Image

‘two peas in a pod’…have you
heard the expression
i would stand my ground
through every dimension

there was fury and anger
in every move she made
i felt it growing up
a fiery onslaught cascade

as year flew by faster
sending us forth and beyond
her health ever failed her
took me years to catch on

that holding onto bitterness
tasted like acid filled song
to forgive and let go
an aching that i longed for

within a prison i had made
nothing ever etched in stone
time gave clarity to us both
together close and not alone

i gave her all i could amend
calling her daily even when
her hours had waned and
angels called her to them

‘two peas in a pod’…have you
heard the expression
she visits in my dreams
through every dimension

This is for dVerse Poets Pub at at http://dversepoets.com/the-Art-of-letting-go/

My mother and I struggled to get along and even after I married and had a family we simply could not agree on many things. But after all was said and done, we were really so much alike in so much of who we were, that in her final years we became so close, it was difficult when she died. Five years later and I long for the phone to ring, or for me to dial her up and her hear voice.

September 1, 2012

Babe in Arms

i drove the highway the
distance it takes to
arrive there past all
the strip malls

traffic lights stopping
red or not, giving way
to thoughts of her

carrying her in my arms
across the living room
“shush, shush, don’t you
cry” singing soft a

lullaby bouncing her
dancing as my eyes try
to close after

working the night shift
i had a bit of nap before
he dropped her off so
mom could work her job

all in a flash as i drive
the highway there
thinking of the past of
all the other years

i pull into the driveway
i wait for her to come
down the stairs and
when she does…

the tiny infant has a
bounce beneath her
step with holes
torn in her shorts

as the fashion is for
young and layered
tops and long dark
hair she tilts

her head and smiles
where a baby use to
cry in my arms

it is time to go out
shopping and spend
time for in all the years
that have come and
gone

she is still my sweet
babe in arms
my granddaughter grown
our bond remains
strong

August 28, 2012

Time’s Door

Photo by Edward Weston 1939

the coastal terrain whizzes
by in my effort to catch up
to claim time as my ally

drift wood laden shores
with rocky strewn beaches
such alien distant creatures

my car picks up speed on
straightaways, slowing down
on curves the car sways

when will i reach destination
unknown a room with a key
time once again has flown

walking on the sandy beach
salt spray, shells and stone
i no longer feel alone

my thoughts weave about the
elusive tide of time’s door
plying soul and spirit’s core

reaching inside to pull my
heart throughout times’ eternity
journey’s calm is wrought

as though the sea winds have
wrapped me within their embrace
helping me again to face

a world where the essence of
time flies capturing unnoticed
years unfurling tinctured rhyme

May 6, 2012

Three Years Today

three years today not
tomorrow giving rise to
yesterdays filled with
sorrow and trepidation

angst beating against
us like rain drops to
pelt out songs of dismay
pain like no other

causing us to walk in
our own shadows trying
to keep the pain at
bay until another
day and still the rain

came down to wrap us
secure in the fashion
meant for bringing forth
life and love with
emotional passion

we wept in silence an
effort to be brave
standing fierce against
the onslaught of a
disease rending

you mute most days
covered in blankets
against the inner chill
freezing your blood
a prisoner your will

three years today not
tomorrow giving rise to
yesterdays filled with
sorrow and trepidation

we are unbelieving now
the sun doth shine an
unbridled warmth we
walk among the living
cautious to walk forth

secure in our hesitation
did it really ever
happen that cancer
took our lives now we
took them back again

Renee Espriu

This is dedicated to a woman who, when diagnosed with Stage III Breast Cancer, took her faith and belief that all would be well and fought to overcome and now three years later is cancer free. Her faith and fierce determination carried her through.

April 18, 2011June 26, 2011

Bicycle Years

Pedaling through the years on bikes
with big wheels, little, wheels,
one, two and three wheels, with
large spokes, small spokes and
spokes all in between a
balancing act to be daring

Pedaling through the years on bikes
attempting to mount the tall ones
riding tandem with someone behind
you, maybe more than one to
give you balance or make
more work for you driving

Pedaling through the years on bikes
in dresses, suits, now pants and
shorts that stretch to suit you, a
helmet much later protecting
your head, breaks on the bars
in order to help stop you

Pedaling through the years on bikes
sitting upright enjoying the ride
now means bending forward for
aerodynamics going faster or
reclining close to the street to
exercise your point of view

April 10, 2011June 26, 2011

Behold Time

Measured in moments, seconds,
minutes,hours,days,months,years,
held in the palm of a hand
worn on a wrist, seen on
walls in offices, homes
trusting it will continue
but what is there
without it…