Shoot for the Moon

Poem One: A Missed Day

I missed the first day

Of the Poem A Day command

This haiku suffices.

Last Day, Last Poem: Day 30

Creative juices flow

Sometimes like the rapids

Rushing over rocks

Sometimes like a slow creek

Gurgling over smooth stones

There is satisfaction in creation

Forming words, constructing sentences

Inventing and fabricating

Innovating and forming a unique universe

Of words that show what you see

What you feel, taste and hear

Poetry is a form of conveyance

That shouts and whispers

And lets you touch the moon.

Last day of writing poetry  (Photo credit: -Snugg-)

I would like to complete this month of writing a poem a day with one of my favourite quotes about poetry: “Poetry is pulling images out of the sky, the air, the universe, and bringing them down to earth.” ~Marisa DeFranceschi.

Bliss sometimes comes from doing the hard thing. Writing a poem a day falls in this category. What else that is hard for you has turned out to be blissful?

A Day in the Life ~ Or My Last Birthday Post Until Next Year–I Promise!

 

Casino  (Photo credit: geek7)

  I do not have a gambling problem. But I have got to say I just love playing the slots. In the past ten years I have been to the casino three times (big spender, I know).  And I have joyously bet my $20, five dollars at a time—first on the penny slots, then the nickel, the quarter, and yesterday I went all out—I tried the dollar slots.

            I could be wrong, but is there any rhyme or reason to the slots? I just sit there and hit the buttons—but I have noticed that if you hit the higher buttons you tend to win more. Now, let us be clear here, you are not going to win a lot with $5 bets but the dollar slot machine actually had one of those arms you could pull—seriously, I had me some fun. Yesterday, I ended up winning back all my $5 bets.

            I did notice that a lot of the people at the casino were a lot more serious than I. They seemed to concentrate on what they were doing, and I am sure they have some method to their madness. My madness is my method when I play the slots. Now, you can laugh all you want, but when I won $20 on the quarter slots, I was happy as could be. But it really doesn’t take a lot to amuse me.

            To be honest, I understand how enticing gambling can be—but I am no high roller. I find I am not attracted to losing money. Nor do I have any talent when it comes to any kind of gambling other than pushing buttons, or in the case of the dollar slots—pulling the arm of the one-limbed bandit. The casino is colourful, noisy, gaudily classy, and a fun place to be if you come out ahead (or even).

            Yesterday was the end of my birthday celebrations—which were numerous and fun. So what do I do to celebrate my birthday? Well, I eat cake—and right now I think I am in cake withdrawal. You can never have too much cake. Well, actually you can—I am finding my jeans just that little bit harder to button up lately. What do I do on my birthday, besides spending (and winning back) $20 at the Casino? I go to bookstores. How boring is that? Actually for me, not boring at all—I have always loved books—and they are just about the best gift anyone can give me—so I always end up with either a gift card or a little gift money with the stipulation that I must spend it on me. So I do, and generally it is at the bookstore.

            So yesterday, I bought three books—a writing book, a book about prayer, and a book just to read—covering the gamut of what I am interested in. Now, this was a big birthday—one I was not looking forward to as I am a bit reluctant to admit that I am 29 now for the 31^st time. But hey, the cat is out of the bag. The eagle has landed. The cows are out of the barn. And you know~it is not that bad.

            I have finally started reading Zoomer magazine, and it is actually a great mag (it is geared to people 45 and up). The first article I read was written about people like me who do not feel or act their age (I have always been a late bloomer, and ever so slightly immature). I have now embraced my age—and as many have pointed out to me, the alternative is not all that attractive (well, it might be, but I am not ready to call it quits quite yet).

            I have not received a discount because of my age yet—but I remember a woman in a writers’ group I belonged to writing about her “first time” getting a discount. She was not ready for it yet, but when she started to see the dollars adding up—it became a “good thing” as Martha would say. So as I continue this journey called life, I am thinking that any discounts I get I can use for my next trip to the casino—where I intend to take life by the horns and play the dollar slots—this time with a ten dollar bet!

This was my newspaper column for this week–I promise not to talk about my birthday again until next year. Bliss is accepting your age at any age – what do you think?

Emily ~ I Barely Knew You

Emily Dickinson Poems Book Cover (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Michelle, the WordPress Taskmaster has set out a prompt for those of us churning out a poem a day for April. In her inimitable style she prompted: “National Poetry Writing Month is nearly at end. To celebrate it, try your hand at some verse.” Then she suggested that it be similar to Dickinson—and at first I thought–<Angie Dickinson wrote poetry?> Then I came to the realization that, duh….. she meant Emily.

So this is me channelling Emily Dickinson (perhaps a bit tongue in cheek as I do not have her finesse). I think I should get at least a special mention for trying:

Day, Afternoon, Night

 Oh glorious morning

Thy bright warm sun

And chirping birds

Welcome us to a new dawn

 

As noon arrives

We nourish ourselves

No insipid day

Lies before us

 

Oh lovely mid-afternoon

Thy gentle breezes

Blow fresh newness

Into our magnificent day

 

Early evening warmth and delight

We bask in your glory

And wonder how we

Deserve such bounty

 

Night descends

Quietly without solemnity

We wind down from our busy day

Relax and enjoy our families.

 

The joy of midnight

Is upon us

We are enchanted by the dark

We rest to receive the new morrow.

Admittedly I was having a bit of fun here, but some of the things I mentioned in the poem do add up to a blissful day. Do you have anything to add?

No defenses

I found this truly inspirational–choosing to be intentional and adjusting expectations really made me think…….

Grace and Life

I’m learning to live without defenses. I’ll probably still be learning this when I’m 80, or 100, or 53…doesn’t matter the age I ultimately achieve, the lesson will be ongoing, I’m sure of that. I’ve touched on this before, one of my recurring themes. It is recurring because the lessons are never-ending, and just when I think I’ve rounded a corner, there’s another opportunity to learn all over again.

And what does it mean, to live without defenses? It does NOT mean to live weak. It does NOT mean to be a door-mat, or a “yes” person, or to avoid all conflict. It DOES mean that I choose to offer grace and understanding when someone differs with me. I choose to give the benefit of doubt to intention, even to action. I choose to live strong, and to live with expectation.

Expectation is tricky. Sometimes my expectations have created disappointment:…

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Simply True

Truth (Photo credit: d4vidbruce)

As this month of writing a  poem a day winds down, I am both going to be relieved and miss coming up with something that does not have paragraphs and specific rules. Of course I will continue to write my rendition 0f poetry, but not so on demand. My offering today is simple ~ it came out of nowhere ~ but I hope it goes somewhere:

Simply True

revenge: forgiveness

jealousy: trust

greed: generosity

for every bad

there is a good

Bliss comes from the realization that bad stuff has as its opposite, good stuff. It may not be profound, but it is true–do you agree?

A Moment

early morning (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Up early

A little cranky

And creaky

Still tired

Can’t sleep

Wander out to the kitchen

Pour a cup of coffee ~

That first sip

And all is right with the world.

Tell me about a blissful moment………………

Up a Creek Without a Paddle

English: “The Red Canoe,” watercolor, by the American artist Winslow Homer. Courtesy of the Peabody Collection. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Casting off in a canoe without paddles

Unearthing a smooth slender but substantial twig

that reached to the
shallow bottom

She carefully steered the boat out into the pond.

The water was calm

The journey short ~

Success.

Bliss often  comes from “making
do”. Have you ever found bliss by “making do”?

Starve a Little

I don’t think my fridge has ever been this messy (Photo credit: *Bitch Cakes*)

Sometimes I fill my fridge with food

And it is too full

And I cannot find anything

Sometimes my mind is the same way

It is too full

And I cannot find anything

I do not feel like cooking when my fridge is too full

There is too much choice

I cannot think when my mind is too full

There is too much choice

Sometimes we need to starve just a little

To find our creativity.

WINGS

Bird’s nest (Photo credit: TaranRampersad)

“To be fully alive, fully human, and completely awake is to be continually thrown out of the nest.” ~ Pema Chodron

Pema’s words hit a chord and inspired my poem, for this the 24^th day of Poem-A-Day:

                                                        Wings

Sometimes it feels as if my wings are clipped

But when I am thrown out of the nest

I find I can still take flight

It was all in my mind…………

Have you ever found your bliss when you freed your mind?

Worship

Inca Trail (Photo credit: Pedro Martino)

What is that

Sneaking in through the slats

Of the shutters on my dining room windows?

My cat found a place to sit in its slanted presence

In front of the open door~

I am feeling more cheery, zesty even

Could it be?

Tell me it is so—

Has the sun finally decided to show its shiny face?

I am almost afraid to utter its name

Afraid it will be scared away

To hide behind the clouds again

Sun (Photo credit: DBduo Photography)

Its rays lost in the mysterious ether.

I understand the Incas now.

Is the sun showing its face in your neck of the woods–sometimes bliss is just enjoying the sunshine.