Late #Summer Afternoon

Late Summer Afternoon

Late Summer and

the afternoon afforded

splendid sights,

and sounds,

and warmth,

amidst the breeze,

sounding

through the trees.

The sun shone,

vivifying

the body with

its soothing rays

after a chill

start

to the day.

A cool wind,

breezy at first,

then

stronger and stronger,

collecting a chill

about us that

seemed to come

as a calling card,

notifying us

that Winter will,

in time,

come

and have its way

with us.

Meanwhile,

ducks paddle,

and plump geese

fluff up themselves

against the wind.

A pleasant afternoon.

Sequestered serenity,

Before the week becomes.

 

Simon C.J Falk 20 February 2017

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#Poetry on the Pavement and Sidewalk

Poetry on the Pavement and Sidewalk

Recently I saw that Singapore’s Sing Lit Station was doing some poetry on the sidewalk (footpath, here in the land of Australia).  This had previously come from Boston’s Mass Poetry.  I found myself really warming to the concept. But then, I also discovered that pavement poetry exists on a number of levels.  Firstly, there is actual poems, stencilled on the pavement.  Then there are the people we see and events that happen, literally poetry in motion, and in still, waiting to be written.

Poetry on the Pavement and Sidewalk

 

Poetry on the pavement,

Stanzas scribed in stencil,

On the sidewalk.

It will make people

look

and stop,

And talk.

Rain has long

been

a bringer of life,

And now,

it brings

life to lines,

of words

between

lines of

limestone and concrete

and asphalt.

Graffiti on the ground,

Verses that are found,

To be

words for our walk.

Then,

As we look around,

More poems can be found,

In sight and in sound.

The lady walking by,

Shoulders sagging

under an unseen burden,

And face

quivering

with sobs and tears.

What are her fears?

A mother passing by,

Pushing her reclining infant,

Her face in a fixed, blank gaze,

As if in a daze.

What can bring meaning

to her days?

Sign in café window

“Closed today.”

Cancer treatment is added

to their fray.

Poems on the pavement

to us do greet,

And are in more places

than what passes

under feet.

 

 

Simon C.J. Falk 19 February 2017

 

 

 

 

#Meditation of Sorts

Meditation of Sorts

People from various backgrounds and belief traditions have tried meditation of some kind.  So many of us battle with the tribulations and trivial distractions.  It varies from day to day.  But it is familiar.  This verse gives us an opportunity to have a laugh at these moments and begin again. Compare with Nearer.

Meditation of Sorts

 

(i)

Out of bed in a bleary stupor,

Worrying mind trying

To get a groggy body scurrying.

Into the shower,

Scrub-a-dub-dub.

On you go.

Button the shirt.

Bucket up that belt.

Where is that pen?

Sit down.

Water – check.

Phone off – check.

Meditation app – check.

Bong!

 

(ii)

The body stills,

And the mind starts.

Inner chitter-chatter

Of mind apes and monkeys,

Gibbons yabber to chimpanzees,

Gobbledee-gook and wobbledee-dee.

What worries you today?

What stresses come the morrow?

What regrets from yesterday

Still visit you with sorrow?

Whoa!

Breathe.

Listen.

Ah…

……………..

Bong!

Time’s up.

 

 

Simon C.J. Falk 19 February 2017

 

#Skylights

 

Skylights

I have added in a jpeg version as wordpress change the formatting.  I wanted the shape of the poem to reflect the jagged edges of lightning.

Skylights

day

and night.

Glary sun,

searing each

one

beneath its rays,

making for hot

fire risk days.

Evening moon,

steadily subtle

behind the passing cloud,

unlike unruly thunderclap,

aloud

after strident strikes of lightning

that sheet across the sky.

Or silvery fire bolts,

Stabbing from the heights,

All the w a y

To earth.

Its fulmination,

Alerting fire captains

Of outbreaks

to come.

 

 

Simon C.J. Falk 12 February 2017

The Poetry of Afghan Women via O at the Edges

Originally posted on THE POET BY DAY: پاس په كمر ولاړه ګله! نصيب دچايي اوبه زه درخيژومه O Flower that you grow on the mountain side; The duty to water you belongs to me, but to whom would you belong? ستا به د ګلو دوران تير شۍ زما به پاته شۍ دزړه سوۍ داغونه The…

via THE POETRY OF AFGHAN WOMEN: Landay, A Twenty-two Syllable Two-Line Poem — O at the Edges

Thanks to Robert of O at the Edges for this.

This is from AB’s great blog – sharing #light and goodness

humanity’s finest, bravest girl changing hearts, souls to sway stage fright miles away make aware, removing blame sapiens, slowly, raising their game work together, end hostility bow, oblige, embrace humility helping, aiding end of the earth open arms, love in the mirth tears run away, it is not your day heart’s power here to stay […]

via Effort — Perspectives on Life, the Universe and Everything

All credit to the blogsite – Perspectives on Life, the Universe and Everything Go to AB’s original post to see the poem in appropriate formatting.

#Light and #Peace

Light and Peace

Dim

at first.

It flickers

at intervals.

We think,

or agonise,

that

it has gone

Out!

But

we each have

a light.

It shines in us

and

out of us.

When we embrace

the light,

hold it,

its rays

shimmer

and refract

through the dark

recesses

of our being.

Because we see

that light,

and our darkness,

we bear

an illumining

wisdom

to sense

the light

and darkness

in each other.

And so

the light

in me

sees the light

in you,

and through

the marvellous

interchange,

we then renew.

That light looks:

Like coins cascading

in a tip tray

on a barista’s bad day.

Like the firm arm

around the flailing swimmer

writhing in a rip,

while the other arm

cuts the breakers

towards the steady shore.

Like the college mate

sitting on a step,

to read the essay

of his neighbour,

Who’d come abroad

only six months

before that day.

Like the devoted spouse

visiting daily

the love of their life,

who no longer

recognises the face

before their own eyes.

We see

the light

the dark,

in each other’s heart,

and,

in that light,

together

we find peace.

 

 

Simon C.J. Falk 4 February 2017

Guest post #Anxiety by Kia Jones via spillwords.com

Those who enjoy poetry may already have discovered spillwords.com .  This guest post features a spillwords post by poet Kia Jones called Anxiety.  Aka Mrs Jones can also be found on twitter @CYSMbyKia . Those who may experience feelings of anxiety are encouraged to seek help.

Guest Post – John Lithgow’s book ‘The Poet’s Corner’

Image: Wikimedia commons.

Actor, John Lithgow, shares his longstanding love of poetry in the book ‘The Poet’s Corner‘.  I was listening to it again on recent road trips.  He and other guest readers recite some brilliant poems.  From as old as Geoffrey Chaucer to more recent times, from ladies to men, the humourous to the sombre,  they are there.  I also found a YouTube clip of it as well. Hope you enjoy some of these readings as much as I did.