loud bawl of mourning
wide-eyed cow calls to dead calf
udder full of milk
harvest coming
03 May 2021 31 Comments
in Uncategorized Tags: death, hospice, pastor, quadrillle, seed
The day my father died,
warm body barely cooled,
Holy Spirit nudged pastor
to visit; he offered prayer
as hearse driver waited.
We circled to hold hands
with hospice social worker,
asking God for His peace.
Pastor said, “Death is
like planting a seed…”
Linking to dVerse poets invited to write quadrille (44 words) on “seed” theme.
sorrow’s ebb & flow
02 May 2021 2 Comments
death is pond ripple
concentric rings pulsing out
mark place of impact
grief is rogue sea wave
turbulence serges higher
wipe-out on beach
soul without shell
01 May 2021 6 Comments
death is empty egg
hope’s promise of life deferred
only shell remains
grief is thick blind slug
vulnerable on mud path
unaware it’s stuck
I write these haiku one week after my father’s funeral.
sorrow’s weight in tears
27 Apr 2021 2 Comments
I.
death is squared
concrete vault
heavy, cold, uncaring
grief is round
worn river stone
smooth, comforting
to carry inside
your pocket until it
grows warm, familiar
take it out,
gently turn over
in hands to examine
II.
death is sharply
broken, black umbrella
ruined beyond repair
grief is softly
falling rain shower
watering the garden
you stay out
in the weather
exposed to droplets
look up at
grey skies with
blurred vision, wet face
“Oh, when will autumn moon…
20 Apr 2021 14 Comments
in Uncategorized Tags: chinese, moon, river, sorrow, time
“Oh when will autumn moon and spring flowers end?
How many past events I’ve known.
The east wind buffeted my room again last night,
I cannot bear to remember the bright moon of the old country.
The marble steps and carved balustrades must still be there,
The people’s rosy cheeks are all that’s changed.
How much sorrow can one man have to bear?
As much as a river of spring water flowing east.
-LiYu
how long fall moon and spring bloom shall last?
how many happenings of life have passed?
a northwest wind rattled my window last night
i’ve forgotten how summer moon glows full-bright
old stairway and front porch of home still there
how many memories must bereaved woman bear?
faded are rosy cheeks of my childhood
as river of time flows through tears’ wildwood
-lynn
https://dversepoets.com/2021/04/20/poetics-china-kingdom-of-the-poem/
Laura Bloomsbury invites us to imitate Chinese-style poetry at dVerse poetics. First stanza is a translation from Chinese, second is my interpretation with added rhyme.
as an eagle soars
14 Apr 2021 6 Comments
in Uncategorized Tags: dad, eagle, soars
i’ve witnessed an
eagle’s presence,
intent, immovable
eyes keen for detail
to build sturdy nest
rule over his domain
with faithful mate
train their young
push out of nest
let go in flight
i’ve watched him
dive determined
for a fish; swoop
over quiet water
to swiftly, deftly
bring it up with
quick strong talons
but he’s most regal
when he soars upon
wind under wings!
—-for Dad
legacy
08 Apr 2021 22 Comments
I’ve given my body
to my children as
a living inheritance
of primal sustenance
vital to ensure their
childhood survival;
for life education and
milestone celebration.
A woman’s body
amazes, astounds
envelopes, nurtures,
stretches elastic
grows softly round
with love surrounds
heartbeat pounds.
They left their marks
indelible, incredible
creases, sags, bags
every gray hair is
strand of costly
(and mostly, yes)
sweet memories
rooted in the heart.
Linking to Grace’s prompt to write “body” poems at dVerse poets pub today…
precious
08 Apr 2021 8 Comments
in Uncategorized Tags: diamante poem
Life
healthy, strong
moving, growing, thriving
loud, beloved, withdrawn, quiet
slipping, falling, fading
weak, slow
Death
A diamante poem, diamond shape list exploring opposites written to specific form. Today I will admit my father to hospice care.
finding spring
07 Apr 2021 2 Comments
in Uncategorized Tags: found poem
celebrating Easter is
a message of hope
every year, snows of winter fade and
warmth of sunshine returns
Iowa’s bountiful fields begin the annual miracle
a reminder that the world continues
at its regular rhythm
farmers prepare to plant
kids play in fresh air and sunshine
grass rises…an emerald carpet
flowers decorate…live beauty
birds sing…beckon us outside
we are once again reminded
of the simple joys of life.
A poem “found” from phrases of an editorial in the April 3, 2021 issue of the N’west Iowa Review. Also known as a “blackout” poem because I used sharpie to black out all words of article NOT selected for poem.
believe the vine
05 Apr 2021 10 Comments
A quadrille of 44 words offered to you and shared with fellow poets at the dVerse pub
come taste and see
we drink to remember
his blood poured out for us
crushed like heavy grapes
stomped in garden winepress
he drinks bitter cup of betrayal
like first disciples
we wonder, amazed
by life blood we’re clean?
divinest wine lifts sin’s bloodstains!
holy moment
05 Apr 2021 2 Comments
At dawn on the first day of the week, a woman…
neighbor’s rooster crows
for easter sunrise service
peace on cattle yard
a poem in my pocket 
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