A spectral encounter...and more...

A Spectral Encounter

One wondrous night I caught a view:

bright hues which danced a pas de deux

with sparkles trailing like a snake.

Was this a dream?  Was I awake?

Yes, glitter, neon, flashing lights:

my vision rose to spectral heights.

Hallucination?  A firedrake?*

Was this a dream?  Was I awake?

Like Northern Lights, they eddied, swirled.

A thousand stars; a brave new world.

I thought, “Don’t stop, for heaven’s sake!”

Was this a dream?  Was I awake?

A wondrous sight I once did view…

Was that a dream?  Was I awake?

###

More

“To be or not to be,” he asked.

I think the meaning’s way too vast.

Existence is the simple route.

I think there’s more; there’s more, no doubt.

We all must face decisions, but

it isn’t just the why or what.

Instead, consider: hereabout

I think there’s more; there’s more, no doubt.

So try to find the humor and

remember, life is seldom planned,

and when that pitch comes, don’t ground out.

I think there’s more; there’s more, no doubt.

“To be or not to be,” he asked…

I think there’s more; there’s more, no doubt.

###

Notes:  Both poems were written in the form Kyrielle Sonnet.  My first poem was inspired by Theme Thursday's prompt word of 'view' combined with the above picture.  My second poem was created after the prompt word of 'choices', kindly provided for by Poets United Thursday Think Tank. 

* A firedrake, per the One Look Dictionary is "a creature of Teutonic mythology; usually represented as breathing fire and having a reptilian body and sometimes wings."

Sometimes, you just can't let go...

...but on second thought…

I trust you won’t act sullen, dear,

or shed a tear…

I’m not brutal,

but tears are futile.

The thing is, you’ve grown old to me

and so you see,

we must end this

‘though I will miss

the way you always made me feel.

Oh, what a heel!

I can’t forswear

my teddy bear!

###

Notes:  The form is called 'Minute Poetry.'  I discovered the form at Shadow Poetry.  My poem was inspired by 3 Word Wednesday's prompt of 'brutal, sullen and trust.'  For more cool forms, check out Poetic Bloomings, where they are featuring, in their 'in form poet' section, a really fun form called Rime Couée.

Normal Socks

Image courtesy of Sodahead

It All Comes Out in the Wash

“Normal is nothing more than a cycle on a washing machine.” ~Whoopi Goldberg

What

constitutes

normal life cycles

are clean but damp (and mismatched)

socks.

###

Note:  The poetic form is the Oddquain, which, under the circumstances, is rather fitting I think.  I found the form at Shadow Poetry.  This poem was inspired by the word prompt of 'normal' as posted by Sunday Scribblings.

Bunny Tails

Bunny Tails

A fuzzy critter did intrude

in my backyard to seek some food.

But carrots?  There were none of those.

Poor bunny’s lost, I would suppose.

He hopped and wandered to and fro

in search of veggies, grass…but ‘though

he found some ivy and a rose

poor bunny’s lost, I would suppose.

I felt bad for this bunny who’d

just wanted lunch, which he’d pursued

into my yard, with garden hose.

Poor bunny’s lost, I would suppose.

So I checked out my crisper bin.

I got a cuke and sliced it thin

and set it ‘fore the bunny’s nose.

The bunny ate the food I chose.

(Now bunny’s happy, I suppose.)

###

Notes:  The form is Kyrielle.  The picture was a vintage (and apparently unattributable) one which I found on the Internet.  The idea was inspired buy two things:  Sepia Saturday posted a picture of a woman with a very shaggy bunny as their prompt (see below) and also, my daughter kinda likes bunnies.

Unique

Two Dancers (Study for Rouge et Noir) - Henri Matisse, 1938

Standing Out in a Crowd

“It has bothered me all my life that I do not paint like everyone else.” ~Henri Matisse

Such a challenge to stand out in a crowd…

Sometimes you want to, but sometimes it’s hard,

but always stand up…stand up and be proud.

And if some put you down, please don’t feel cowed:

Just let yourself go.  All put-downs are barred.

Such a challenge to stand out in a crowd…

You are who you are:  Feel good.  It’s allowed.

To all the haters say, “You?  Disregard!”

But always stand up…stand up and be proud.

Consider:  you’re gifted, and you’re endowed.

Secretly, you hold the winning trump card.

Such a challenge to stand out in a crowd…

Let this be your anthem…banish that cloud

and find what is good.  The rest?  Just discard.

But always stand up…stand up and be proud.

Matisse painted ‘different’, but he was unbowed.

He brandished his paintbrush and shouted, “En garde!”

Such a challenge to stand out in a crowd…

but always stand up…stand up and be proud.

###

Notes:  The form is Villanelle.  The poem was inspired by the prompt of 'unique' from Poets United Thursday Think Tank.  I wanted to find a quote about uniqueness, and when I read the (above) one by Matisse, I knew exactly what it was that I wanted to say.

Now - a couple of other things:  first, I am taking part in the January 2012 River of Stones, but so far, I've just been posting my 'stones' (little philosophical and observational writings) over at Writing Our Way Home.  It's a very cool concept, so if you haven't already seen it, by all means, check it out.  I may start posting my 'stones' here on Lightverse during January, too.  

Finally, I am very fortunate to be a part of an insanely talented group of poets who managed to find each other at the Poetic Asides community.  Late last year, we got together and created an anthology called Prompted, which has its basis in some of the prompts from PA.  I have three poems in this amazing collection.  Prompted is available on Amazon, and here's the best part - all the proceeds from the sale of the book benefit LitWord, an international literacy organization.

Stand up and be proud.

A Pebble for Your Thoughts

Pebble Cast on Still Waters

I cast a pebble on the lake

and watched the ripples it could make:

concentric circles spreading out.

I wondered at this nature feat

since nature can’t be obsolete;

But circles?  Pebbles’ only route?

And so it goes, just like that thought:

one pebble – and look what is wrought…

a thought, like circles, casts no doubt.

###

Note:  The form is Nove Otto.  The poem was inspired by the above artwork, as posted for prompt on Magpie Tales.

Labels

Image courtesy of inhabitots

How to Label a Box When You are Four Years Old

He told me it was a project for school.

He needed markers, colored pencils, glue,

construction paper and a straight-edge tool.

He arranged those things neatly for review.

He boxed them up, saying, “There! That should do.”

Phonetically he listed all his art

supplies for school on a sweet little chart.

Then, in big letters, he titled his gear:

the label on the box was now totally clear…

as I saw he had written, “BOX o fART.”

###

Notes:  The form is a 'dizain' which happens to be the form of the week over at Poetic Bloomings's In-Form Poet post.  When my son (now almost twelve) was around 4-ish, he made a box for his school art supplies and labeled it as you see in the poem above.  It's been a running joke with us ever since.

And...since I finally found the time to write a few poems this week (YAY!), I discovered that Robert Lee Brewer's prompt last week at Poetic Asides was to write a poem having to do with a box.  So of course, this is what popped into my head.

Anyway, let me take this opportunity to wish everyone a safe and fun-filled Happy New Year!!!