Category Archives: poetry

Writing 101 Day Two: A Room with a View

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I Would Zoom to Heaven

If I could go anywhere and see anything then

I would zoom to heaven to see my mom again.

She had left too suddenly and too soon;

Unexpectedly, her life on earth came to an end.

I cannot describe the pain and the void

That sometimes dwells inside my heart

All I can say is that I ache so deeply

As in my mind and thoughts, she is never very far.

I know she is well now with no more pain and

No more heartaches or streaming tears

No more illnesses or hardships and

No more thunderstorms or evilness to fear.

What would she being doing if I

Could fly this moment to her side?

I am sure she’d be wandering through

Heaven’s garden and pause with a contented sigh.

Eagerly, she might follow a sandy path

Lined with tall grass and daisies of every hue

To the rim of a lake just to hear the choir

Of the frogs and the chirping crickets, too.

How she loved flowers, the birds, and

Droopy weeping willow trees.

Perhaps she’d relax in a patio chair

Watching, gazing ever so peacefully.

Just like at home, she’d sit just outside

Near a bubbling fountain pond

With the water glistening beneath

The sun’s warm, extending arms.

She’d watch for hummingbirds and

Perhaps an oriole would fly near

Their colorful wings would flutter while

They daintily sipped from the feeders.

Tulips would be in bloom in a

Nearby, carefully planted flowerbed

Some pink, some yellow,

And some vividly red.

Another flowerbed would lay

Across a grassy, shallow hill

Blooming with sunny

Yellow daffodils.

Cedar and oak trees would

Stand flanking the road

Concealing the yard and

Maintaining the quietness of

our century old country home.

Perhaps, a giant pine tree would tower nearby

As if guarding this new peaceful paradise;

This new home in the heavenly blue sky.

Then mom would reach to hug me so tenderly

Saying, “I know you are sad and so alone but

You mustn’t worry so much about me.

For I am well with Jesus always at my side

And here everything is as it was meant to be.”

I would sit a while longer feeling her

Arms gently and lovingly hold me;

Not wanting her to let go but knowing that

I must return where I am meant to be.

For whatever is my work and my purpose

On earth, it is not done; not yet complete.

So reluctantly I would return to finish

The special tasks, God has in mind for me.

Tasks of kindness and caring, and

Of sharing God’s never-ending love.

Tasks also of helping others

So they may have relief and hope.

For God has a purpose for us all

And a perfect, everlasting plan

I must choose to believe and trust him

Even when I don’t understand.

Knowing also that my mom is watching

And Jesus always helps me ever so faithfully

I’ll willingly return and quietly finish the

Special work God has in mind for me.

Easter: A Time to REJOICE

Easter Cross

Remember Jesus nailed on the cross

Ever willingly, he suffered and died for us

Joyfully he served and gently he shared

Of God’s love for man on earth

Individually and personally, he wants to be

Compassionate, forgiving Savior for you and me

Ever humbly he bowed his head and died on Good Friday

  And rose victoriously on Easter Sunday.

 

Philippians 4:4-5 (Holy Bible New International Version):

“Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.”

Becky’s Haiku: Foul and Sweet

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Foul Wind! Stay away!

Let me enjoy a warm day

Touched by Sun’s sweet rays.

I tried a challenge to write a haiku using the words foul and sweet.  For those of you who enjoy haiku challenges, here is the link for this particular haiku: https://ronovanwrites.wordpress.com/tag/haiku-challenge/

Haiku: Our Home Earth

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Earth; the blue sphere beacon

Floating in the vast field of space yet

Keeping its destined place

I got this haiku poem idea by participating in a haiku challenge. For those who like such challenges, here is a link this challenge in which, you were to include the words “beacon” and “field” in a haiku:

 http://hughsviewsandnews.com/2015/03/21/ronovans-weekly-haiku-challenge-field-beacon/

Friday Verse Journal Romans 8:28

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The Dilemma of the Black Eyed Susan

I used to travel along an old field road

Journeying contentedly and all alone.

My sneaker clad or sandaled feet

Followed a sandy lane to the rows of trees.

The grass was olive green as I passed the hay

And acres of corn along the way.

But the favorite sight that caused me to pause and sigh

Were the yellow daisies with deep, black eyes.

There was something special, something unique

About the black-eyed Susan’s slender physique

Other daisies grew there, I had no doubt

As yellow and white, they dotted my route.

But this daisy was different, I thought with a sigh

While contemplating about the flower with a black eye.

It stood tall and alone in the grassy field

Wanting to be noticed, but with timidity remained concealed.

Oh, that lemon tinted bloom with a black eye

Waving in the wind, beneath the summer sunshine.

What hidden tenderness you softly convey

On this hazy and warm summer day

You dare to be different from the rest

You determine to remain alone and not impress

Anyone else who this way may wander

Nor cause them to pause and internally ponder.

But when I wander by; when I pass through,

I silently notice you, standing erect and true.

You do not bend to the grass or weeds

You’re not apt to follow another’s lead.

Instead you remain poised and pointing to the sky

Where the loving Lord lives and watches on high.

You don’t mind remaining forever alone

Until you wilt and your short life here is done.

You know and accept your part, for God has a plan;

A purpose for you and for us all. If I could just understand

If I could just be truly content and be sure

Knowing that in Jesus, my life is indeed safe and secure.

For I have asked Jesus to live forever in my heart

And he has dwelled in me promising to never depart.

But I don’t comprehend everything; I don’t know God’s entire plan

So I wander aimlessly from one day to the next seeking to understand.

But somehow I know just to remain content and steadfastly true

Remembering God’s love endures forever for me and for you.

That is good enough for you to know, the Lord seems to gently say

The answer of the blacked eyed Susan’s dilemma is to just faithfully stay;

Remain still knowing that God’s love is forever, eternally, the same

For today, tomorrow, and for all of your yesterdays which already came.

Romans 8:28 (Holy Bible New International Version):

“And we know that in all things God works for the good for those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

A Black-eyed Susan in Ohio

Prose Poetry: I went on a Walk Today

 

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I went on a walk today to enjoy the sunshine’s beautiful rays. Although it is only March it seemed like early May. That was the Lord’s good kindness I have no doubt to bless us with his radiant love. So for heartfelt joy I wanted to shout. As the time did allow, I meandered and walked along the road where the grass was too brown I noted with a furrowed frown. But then I remember this is only early March, I need to be patient in letting Spring have its start. Therefore, now no need to be downcast or feel dismay because as surely as the loving Lord lives, the warmer season of Spring is on the way. And so gracious and generous is our Lord God that he chose to let us have a peak at the warm weather that lies ahead.  Why, not so long ago, I sat shrouded in blankets enduring the wintry cold. Now I push the sleeves up my arms allowing the sun to wrap them with its warming glow. Contentedly I plod along the road not really following where the sidewalk goes.  I do that sometimes, just making up my own path and journeying where no one else has.  My life is sometimes like that too; where others might travel along Route One, I might choose to explore Route Two.  I like to be different and not the same as everyone I see. God has given you and me each a gift of life and individuality. Therefore as we wander through life’s pathways and arrive at a journey altering crossroad, you may choose one way while I select another way to go.  And as surely, I can see the lemon tinted orb shine so radiantly, I know that the Lord is always with me, guiding me with love and ever so tenderly.  For he does deeply know me and understands my shyness, you see. For though I smile and seem so sociably, deep inside something is hindering me. He knows when I hurt too much and cannot take too much more. He lets me hide in his quiet love; he is my strong, protecting shield like the locked and secured front door. So as twilight now descends and this blessed day sweetly ends, it is only God through his Son Jesus who gives me courage to endure and try again. Therefore, tomorrow when dawns a brand new day filled with unknown blessings along life’s way, I will venture along a new winding pathway to discover rekindled hope inside of the Lord’s never ending grace.

SPRING’S CORONATION

 

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Raindrops patter and fall emitting

A fresh scent and a dampened glow

While the warming sun melts away

The last of the lingering snow.

The brittle, dead grass turns green

Coming to life once again.

Baby leaves sprout on the trees

As robins build their nests and sing.

The vast aqua blue sky crowns the

Washed and renewed earth

Generating a sense of hope to

The weary and tired world.

Winter has finally exited marking

The end of its blistery season

Just as the wise and loving Lord

Had planned in his infinite reason.

Poetry 201 Assignment 10: Future, Sonnet, and Chiasmus

 

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Finally, I have completed my last assignment in Poetry 201. It has been an interesting and challenging two weeks. My last assignment was to write a sonnet about the future. And in this poem I was to include a chiasmus which pertains to repeating statements forwards and then backwards. Can you find my forward and backward statements?

Looking in Hope for Spring

Oh those prolonged days, ever so cold and blistery,

How long indeed shall they continue to still prevail?

As certainly every night is so utterly freezing and wintry.

I yearn and hope for spring to arrive without fail.

I glance upon my wall calendar to calculate and count

The number of months and weeks of this frigid season;

How many more of these dark days must surely amount

Before the end of snow though lovely it does glisten?

Now to stop and be ever so true and so ever kindly fair,

The loving, faithful Lord has remained always with me.

He’s gently wrapped me in saving grace showing he does care

Whether I am wide awake or sleeping ever so deep, so soundly.

Only God gives lasting hope; hope lasting is given by God only.

Encouragingly, I lift up my head; yea! My head is uplifted encouragingly.

Poetry 201 Assignment 9: Landscape, Found Poetry, and Enumeration

 

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Okay, I completed assignment 9 in which I needed to write a Found poem about ‘landscape’ and include some enumeration (a list). Found poetry I learned is when you gather a collage of words like cutting them from a newspaper and then use those words in a poem.Other poets were much more creative than I by arranging theirs’ in a crossword pattern to illustrate the concepts of their poems. This took me a long time and I probably overdid it. The picture above illustrates the collage of words I used for this poem.

Forever Changing Landscape

From one century to another and one lifetime to the next generation,

The earth’s multi-faceted landscape is forever changing.

From the warm weather of spring to the humid days of summer,

And then transforming from the colorful fall season to snow white winter.

The land of earth is continuously transforming as moving time is a steady constant

While the passing seasons and the world itself are inconsistent variants.

 An enchanted traveler might see the view shift gradually or with sudden surprise

As if surrounded by the deep darkness of night when bursts a glorious sunrise.

For traveling through America is like mentally picking up the vast pieces

 Of a larger than life picture perfect puzzle as each state represents just a speck.

Whether touring by bus, car, cycle, or by riding on the river;

Or perhaps take to the trails by looping around the lakes

In an ambitious and challenging hiking adventure,

An unexpected surprise may meet your wondrous eyes

While you journey from the dawn of morning until the dusk of night.

Ranging from the hot, sandy deserts of Arizona to the north shore of wintry Alaska

And from the mountains of Wyoming to the fields and farms of Kansas and Nebraska;

The land, rivers, forests, and mountains do not remain stale and stagnant.

Instead they all steadily flow by your passenger window; moving, colorful and dynamic.

Even when traveling from one brightly lit up city to yet another,

You may expect to view similar, towering skyscrapers

And perhaps be in reverent awe of their architecture.

However, experiencing the sights and sounds of New York City’s Broadway

Does not compare to walking along the shoreline of San Francisco Bay.

And if one should venture around the world while soul-searching,

The sights of historic Greece would greatly defer from the Eastern Caribbean.

In such travels what peace of mind, new hope, and good delight

May inspire one to adopt new and fresh perspectives on life.

When one chooses to embark on an unknown and great journey;

May it be an exceptional journey to never forget but linger and echo in memory.