Category: Enlightenment

NaPoWriMo 2021 Day 25

On By WinstonIn Enlightenment, Memories, NaPoWriMo, Personal, Personal Responsibility, Poetry, Psychology, Self Awareness, UncategorizedLeave a comment

For many years, I allowed my past (or at least my perception of it) to dictate how I saw myself. Over time, I’ve revised that narrative. I’m working on becoming a synthesis of who I believe I was and who I believe I can be. Today’s poem looks at the importance of acknowledging the past but living in the now and choosing who we want to be rather than who we were told we are.

The Past Need Not Define

I sing the songs of long ago,

Forgotten all these years.

And as I sing my mind drifts back,

My eyes fill up with tears.

Where did they go the days and years?

Were they as I recall?

Were they so carefree and sublime?

Have I rewritten all?

The mem’ry of a summer day,

So sweet my heart will ache.

A certain smell and then a trip,

Down mem’ry lane I take.

But are those mem’ries really real,

Or something we create?

Do we just cling to what we need,

No matter love or hate?

If it can justify the things,

Which we think us define.

Then we will find just what we need,

And take it as a sign.

I do not think it matters much,

How accurate and true.

Each person’s mem’ries are their own,

So yours are true for you.

But do not let your mem’ries make,

A trap, ensnare your soul.

Remember now is where you live,

Don’t stay down in that hole.

Take comfort where there’s comfort found,

Learn lessons that you find.

Make peace, find peace, within your past,

To free today, your mind.

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo 2021 Day 22

On By WinstonIn Enlightenment, NaPoWriMo, Personal, Poetry, Society, Values, VolunteeringLeave a comment

My father-in-law Yvon Cyr received an award tonight for Outstanding Senior Volunteer. Over the years he has logged 55,000 hours as a volunteer. That works out to over 28 years of full time employment! This poem is dedicated to him and all the other hard working and unsung heroes who give everything they can to those who need their help and ask nothing in return.

In Praise of Volunteers

What does it mean to volunteer,

To give your time for free?

Give with no thought of getting back,

As strange as that may be.

How strange it is and wonderful,

Such kindness now to find.

Someone who puts another first,

No payment in their mind.

Most times when someone gives a hand,

The expectation’s clear.

There’s something wanted in return,

Not so the volunteer.

They work unsung, behind the scenes,

To see a project through.

And when it’s done they start to look,

For something more to do.

They’ll give their time to help to feed,

Those who can’t feed themselves.

You’ll find them in a foodbank when,

It’s time to stock the shelves.

They raise the funds to help a cause,

Because they know it’s right.

And if there’s cause there’s some who will,

Stay and help through the night.

So thank you all for all you do,

For tasks both great and small.

You do so much ask nothing back,

You should stand proud and tall.

Now please accept my humble thanks,

These simple words of praise.

To all the volunteers out there,

My glass in toast, I raise.

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo 2021 Day 15

On By WinstonIn Enlightenment, Joy of Sail,, Loving Life, my blessed life, NaPoWriMo, Poetry, UncategorizedLeave a comment

I’ve been drawing sailboats lately, so I thought to incorporate that phase into my writing as well.

The Joy of Sail

A ship of wood, a ship of steel,

Or carbon fiber tech.

It’s sails belled with steady wind,

Warm sun upon the deck.

The wheeling gulls cry loud and free,

Beneath cerulean skies.

The ocean swells lift up her bows,

And salt spray stings the eyes.

Now see her fly across the waves,

Is there a finer thing,

Than canvas wings spread to the wind,

Oh hear her rigging sing.

Horizons beckon ever on,

What may await us there?

Some tropic isle with swaying palms,

Pack ice and polar bear?

It matters not what we may find,

The voyage is the goal.

The joy of sailing o’er the sea’s,

A blessing to the soul.

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo 2021 Day 13

On By WinstonIn Enlightenment, Loving Life, my blessed life, NaPoWriMo, Nature, Personal, Poetry, ValuesLeave a comment

I’ve been dreaming of having the money and time to travel where I want and spend my time as I please. This poem reflects what I see in those dreams. Enjoy!

Where Do You See Yourself?

There’s so much beauty to be found,

At place where land meets sky.

Horizons call and beckon me,

To where the seabirds cry.

Or maybe find a mountain peak,

With valleys deep and green.

To wake and greet a brand new day,

Somewhere I’ve never been.

The sounds of surf upon a coast,

The soft cry of a loon.

Great rushing winds of summer storms,

Soft silver light from moon.

I sit and watch the dazzling sun,

Dance ‘cross a peaceful lake.

While listening to the insect drone,

And perfect mem’ries make.

To find the peace which nature brings,

Such joy it brings to me.

They fill the corners of my soul.

Each wonder that I see.

They may be grand or tiny things,

Each precious in it’s way.

A bloom, a bird, an ocean vast,

Each has something to say.

I will experience each one,

As many as there’s time.

And listen to the whisp’ring world,

Bask in this joy sublime.

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo 2021 Day 09

On By WinstonIn Enlightenment, Global Issues, Media, NaPoWriMo, Personal, Personal Responsibility, Poetry, Society, Technology, ValuesLeave a comment

A lot of ink, both physical and digital has been devoted to the evils personal tech devices of late. I’m more a proponent of balance than banishment. Make better choices. That’s what I’m striving for.

What Is Light Without The Dark?

The constant light, is always there,

It seeps in through the seams.

There’s nowhere that I’m free of it,

Even my darkest dreams.

Light finds me there, and sears my eyes,

I beg for some respite.

But there is none, it never fades,

Dim yet eternal light.

Five billion screens, each one aglow,

Dark never stood a chance.

Now day and night are just the same,

We’ve stilled the ancient dance.

And though our screens give constant light,

We see much less by far.

Than when our eyes looked up to seek,

The brightest, clearest star.

By giving all our time to this,

Thing there within our hand.

We’ve lost the will to look beyond,

And try to understand.

But don’t forget that screen is just,

A tool that we can use.

Don’t blame the thing, but blame the choice,

And then more wisely choose.

Now choose to close that screen sometimes,

Enveloped in the night.

For darkness is essential to,

Appreciate the light.

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo 2021 Day 7

On By WinstonIn Enlightenment, NaPoWriMo, Poetry, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Don’t Fight the Dark

I see a light through fog and dark,

To it I turn my eye.

A beacon and a guide I see,

As shifting shadows fly.

Lost have I been within the dark,

How long I cannot say.

I pray this glint, this gleam may lead,

Once more to light of day.

It starts to fade, I thrust myself,

Through cloying ebon mist.

In desperation lashing out,

With elbow and with fist.

But as I fight, it fades still more,

Withdraws with every blow.

Some lesson here within the dark,

But what I do not know.

I rage and fight and try to force,

My way to where it waits.

I curse the dark, the names of Gods,

And rail ‘gainst the Fates.

The harder that I fight the dark,

The more the light withdraws.

I fight against my weary mind,

To understand the cause.

As my strength fades, my blows become,

Less fearsome over time.

And as I fail, the light at last,

Becomes a glow sublime.

Then as I pass beyond this world,

This truth at last I see.

You cannot take by force of arms,

What you received for free.

So in the end, we must accept,

An end to all our strife.

Go gently then into the light,

To find what’s after life.

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo 2021 Day 4

On By WinstonIn Discrimation, Enlightenment, NaPoWriMo, Personal Responsibility, Self Awareness, Society, Uncategorized, ValuesLeave a comment

With all the people I see complaining about “cancel culture”, snowflakes, and people being offended, I wanted to share the following.

You Don’t Know

You don’t know what I have been through,

Nor truly anyone.

Perhaps you think you speak in jest,

Are only having fun.

But words cut deep and deeper still,

Their wounds may never heal.

Your words you think are but a joke,

Cause pain that’s truly real.

You’re free to speak say what you wish,

Just don’t hurt anyone.

Sure in the past was not the case,

Thank God those days are done.

When someone says your words cause harm,

You laugh and say they’re weak.

Their courage shows as they speak out,

You wish they would stay meek.

When someone says offensive things,

They have earned my offense.

Then they’re offended by this truth,

They lack all common sense.

If you can’t find something to say,

That will not hurt someone.

Well then perhaps the very best,

Things you can say are none.

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo 2021 Day 2

On By WinstonIn Enlightenment, family, Friendship, Loving Life, my blessed life, NaPoWriMo, Personal, Poetry, ValuesLeave a comment

My friend Jen turns fifty-five today. We’ve been friends for twenty years now… but that’s nothing. I met her through my wife who has been friends with her for fifty years! All of that made today seem like a great day to celebrate that friendship.

That One Friend

I wish that everyone could have,

A friend as true as you.

The world would be a better place,

Because of what they’d do.

A friend who’d always lift them up,

Who never put them down.

The one who’d love to see their smile,

Who’d understand their frown.

That friend who’s up for anything,

Who makes that thing more fun.

And down the road looks back and laughs,

At crazy things they’ve done.

You always put another first,

And think of yourself last.

Then brush off any thanks or praise,

Embarrassed ’til it’s past.

You love to share and talk and laugh,

It brightens any day.

You’re interested in everyone.

I guess you’re born that way.

So thanks my friend for being part,

Of our lives all these years.

You’ve shared our triumphs and defeats,

Our laughter and our tears.

Your friendship is the greatest gift,

A blessing through and through.

It’s true our lives are brighter far,

My friend because of you!

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo Day 24

On By WinstonIn Enlightenment, NaPoWriMo, Poetry, Religion, Uncategorized, ValuesLeave a comment

Here is the first of today’s offerings. I hope you like it. As always, let me know what you think. 😀

On God

I reach my hand up to the sky,

And try to touch God’s face.

As high as I will ever reach,

Touch only empty space.

 

The ceiling painting artist lied,

God’s not upon some cloud.

God lives in every one of us,

In each face in the crowd.

 

God lives in every blade of grass,

And every speck of life.

In my most hated enemy,

My best beloved wife.

 

God is in ev’ry living thing,

This is the truth I see.

In every fish, in every bloom,

In all of you and me.

 

God can be found in solitude,

Or crowded noisy streets.

While watching sunrise on a hill,

Or groovin’ to new beats.

 

Each one will find their God their way,

But this must keep in mind.

Though you may think God yours alone,

Is anyone’s to find.

 

So do not mock another’s path,

God lives in them the same.

No matter how they seek their truth,

Or how they call God’s name.

 

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo Day 22

On By WinstonIn Enlightenment, Loving Life, my blessed life, my Dog, NaPoWriMo, Nature, Poetry, UncategorizedLeave a comment

So here is yesterday’s poem. The goal is to be current before I go to bed tonight. I’m back to work tomorrow so don’t want to have to write two poems while I’m allegedly working.

On The Importance Of Listening

The sound of waves upon a beach,

So soothing to my soul.

The rushing wind on granite hills,

Some sounds just make me whole.

 

A steady rain on roof of tin,

A loon’s long lonely call.

My puppy snoring next to me,

I love that most of all.

 

The sounds around define my world,

Each one part of my life.

Each nature sound, each city sound,

The laughter of my wife.

 

We take them all for granted and,

We never stop to think.

Our memories tied to certain sounds,

Until we feel that link.

 

The rumble of the thunder now,

The rain is pouring down.

I listen, really listen and,

Beneath it my cares drown.

 

It’s morning now, the storm has passed,

Sweet birdsong fills the air.

And I awake, revived, refreshed,

Storm-washed of every care.

 

I hear the soundtrack of my life,

With it’s rain and thunder.

Sirens, laughter, all the rest,

Blessed to hear this wonder.

 

Cheers, Winston