Poeming: Elsewhere

Happy nearly February. It's about time I put something in this space! I tried putting a photo in this space, but for some reason nothing was cooperating, so

< picture running feet here >

I dream about running. Of course I do, that's the only time I can run fast and far, rather than for 30 seconds and drop. Anyway, based on that thought and the prompt over at Poetic Asides, I wrote this poem. Draw your own of many possible conclusions.

ELSEWHERE.


Elsewhere                          

I rise easily                        

and s t r e t c h,                 

my face to sun                 

Then sit                                               

to tie my shoes and       

since I can,                         

go out and run                 

I bound                               

lighter than the air          

I breathe                            

my legs reach long          

the day                

is a melody

my bo-

dy the day’s song            

Elsewhere                          

when I close my eyes    

the light                               

within me glows              

and free                              

of encumbrance              

is my                     

body, heart, soul            


Elsewhere.

jle 2014

Poeming: Hovering

In case you thought me dead, not posting for a month, I am indeed quite alive and visiting the GrandBrits (and their parents) in England. The poetry prompt over at Robert Lee Brewer's Poetic Asides this Wednesday was to write an "on the road" poem. This was the result.

I would be the coolest ever if I took this photo--but I didn't.

HOVERING


I lean to the left
but not too far–
enough to keep my
neighbor from
sleeping
on my shoulder
but not so far
my elbow succumbs
(again)
to the metal cart
passing by.
twisting yoga-like
to skip to the loo
(my darling)
out and back in
to my space,
it’s ten hours
on the sky-road
(again)
to see my
grandBrits—
totally
absolutely
worth it.


jle 2013

Poeming: BOOM.

The Wednesday poetry prompt over at Poetic Asides with Robert Lee Brewer was this:

"For today’s prompt, write a charged poem. Maybe the poem has an electrical charge or a charge to a credit card. Or maybe there’s a charge from a bull or a battle charge. I’m sure there are any number of ways to charge the old poetic battery with this prompt. Have at it."

BOOM.

Fully charged emotions

looking for safe place to explode.

must find a spot of empty land

or else I may implode.

 

 

jle 2013

 

 

Skimmer's Recap: If the poem's dark, blame the muse. (Kaboom!)

 

 

 

Poeming after a long absence: "What she might as well have said to us."

I ponder. I call myself an over-thinker. If my body was half as active as my brain I'd be thin.

With most of the credit going to one of my favorite paid friends, my therapist, I've been able to disentangle some of the twisted and intertwined beliefs of childhood from what is true. It's good to know an old dog can still learn a new trick or two!

One of the biggest pieces of chain to be disentangled has been my core belief of myself as a disappointing, useless person. As a child I lacked the ability (and the paid friend) to not take on my mother's view of me as my own. I've struggled for years with feelings of self-hate and the fear of stepping out into the unknown. I mean, what if I screw up---AGAIN?

Part of taking things personally was that, well, they were happening to me personally. The words were said, the actions were taken, my heart was skewered by the one person I believed should love me without condition. But I was wrong, she was broken, she had made choices and so had my father, and the outcome of that was three pretty dysfunctional children. Two of them at least, my sister and me, carried deep-seated feelings of self-loathing. Oddly that feeling makes it hard to trust yourself or move forward in life. And occasionally that raw part of my brain is touched, reminding me of some of the things I've struggled to learn to leave behind as I move into the New! Improved! With Less Damage! part of my life.

Here's one, inspired by the prompt at Robert Lee Brewer's Poetic Asides from July 17.


WHAT SHE COULD JUST AS WELL HAVE SAID TO ME.


my bones are old and getting older

my heart is ice and getting colder

my coming death, it makes me bolder

to say what I want to you.


I once had hope when you were born

but from the womb when you were torn

became your own to not adorn

me as an accessory


 the dream I had you did not fit

you would not mold yourself to it

and so I call you “disappointment”

and block your face from view


I once had thought to touch the sky

and backs were burdened so that i

could climb them all to the highest high

but success eluded me


my bones are old and getting older

my heart is ice and getting colder

and in the weakness of your shoulder

again you have failed me.


jle 2013


Skimmer's Recap: Moms, Dads, you hold some mighty power to shape the way your child views himself as a success or a failure. Use your powers for good!

Poeming: Lessons.

photo by me, jle 2012

This was from another poetry prompt during Poem A Day April at Poetic Asides blog, and the prompt was to write a dark poem or write a light poem, or both.


LESSONS.


Bright sun through leaves 

tree shadows on snow

bird on the nest in the

middle of a storm.

Life keeps telling me

that contrast makes things beautiful

Life keeps showing me

I can weather any storm

Life keeps pointing out

the import of a counterpart

for darkness has taught me

to love the light.

jle 2013



(Though i'm still not all that crazy about the dark....)

Barely Poeming: Laundry laundry.

 

Laundry laundry 

on the line

you'll smell fresh,

you'll dry fine

(Please keep the bird 

poop off of mine)

jle 2013

Part of the unpublished (and you can thank me for that later) "I hear my life in rhyme" non-series. 

Poeming: Sister

the Miller girls, Patti on the left, me on the right.

The prompt over at Poetic Asides was to write a "beyond" poem. In search of inspiration i decided to try another new-to-me poetic style, a Cinquain. It's unrhymed and made up of 5 lines and a number of other cool little things to keep track of. Here's mine:




sister

funny sweet

laughing caring accepting

gone beyond my voice

friend




jle 2013