Category: Loving Life

NaPoWriMo 2022 Day 5

On By WinstonIn Embrace the Wild, Loving Life, my blessed life, NaPoWriMo, Nature, Personal, Poetry, springLeave a comment

According to the song, Christmas is “the most wonderful time of the year”. Not for me. For me, nothing compares to the joy of spring. My “New Year” isn’t January 1st. Mine is the first green shoots poking through the winter thatch where the snow has melted off a patch of my garden. The New Year is the first flight of Canada geese I hear honking as they stream overhead. Now is my New Year, my “most wonderful time of the year”. Here is this year’s ode to it.

Ode To My New Year

Good morning to the singing birds,

And to the bright blue sky.

The shoots of green, the gentle breeze,

As it goes sighing by.

It is that time of year again,

Resilient life returns.

That time of year for which my soul,

Through bitter winter yearns.

Now flocks of geese are everywhere,

As further north they wing,

Their honking drowns the chirping songs,

Their smaller cousins sing.

There’s slush and ice and salty mud,

Melt-water everywhere.

But don’t despair, it clears the stage,

Next season to prepare.

Soon now the snows are fully gone,

Soon flowers will appear.

I swear that springtime truly is,

My favourite time of year.

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo 2022 Day 4

On By WinstonIn Friendship, Love, Loving Life, my angel, my blessed life, NaPoWriMo, Personal, PoetryLeave a comment

I can’t write all these verses without including my wife Lynn. I wouldn’t be who I am and you definitely wouldn’t be reading these poems without her. She helps me be the best version of myself I can.

I Love You My Angel

There was a guy who wasn’t much,

Who never much would be.

He wasn’t quite invisible,

Just wasn’t much to see.

He’d lived so long alone that he,

Believed he would stay so.

When you can’t talk with anyone,

You’re hard to get to know.

But then one day, the strangest thing,

He met someone on line.

With little chance of meeting them,

He dared to try to shine.

The more they talked, the more he loved,

This Angel of the screen.

And though they talked for months and months,

They still remained unseen.

And as they talked, he realized,

To her he was someone.

No more some guy who wasn’t much,

That life for him was done.

A plan was made for them to meet,

In person, face to face.

To test the love they felt with a,

Non-digital embrace.

I was a guy who wasn’t much,

Gone twenty years or more.

Could not go back, would not go back,

To what I was before.

You saved me then, I thank you love,

My Angel all these years.

You lifted me, you raised me up,

You helped me face my fears.

So thank you love, my Angel sweet,

I’m someone thanks to you.

And every good thing in my life,

Is thanks to you it’s true.

Je t’aime mon ange. Plus que tu sais. Pour l’éternité, et plus encore! ❤

Winston

NaPoWriMo 2022 Day 2

On By WinstonIn Enlightenment, Loving Life, NaPoWriMo, Personal, Personal Responsibility, Poetry, Self Awareness2 Comments

I am no longer quite as young as I was previously. I’ve come to terms with this and tend to remind myself that getting older still beats the only proven alternative. Get old or die.

Years ago I worked for a wonderful woman named Heather who taught me one of the most important things I’ve ever learned. She told me “Good is the enemy of great.”. This means that as soon as we accept good we stop pushing for great. Now, whether it is in my poetry, my art, my work or whatever else I’m doing, I always try to push myself just that little bit further.

Good Isn’t Good Enough

Sometimes in life we don’t invest,

In everything we do.

Do just enough, that’s good enough,

And then it’s done, we’re through.

We’ve done the thing a million times,

It’s nothing but routine.

Sure we didn’t scrub the tub,

But wiped it down. It’s clean.

We see it doesn’t shine the same,

Way that it did before.

And in our hearts we know the truth,

We could have given more.

What we don’t see, not right away,

Our soul erodes a bit.

We are born great, each lesser choice,

Chips off a piece of it.

Then one day where once greatness was,

Just good enough is seen.

Surrounded by the rubble of,

How great we could have been.

So spend the time and effort to,

Change good to something great.

That extra that you give comes back,

To your soul soon or late.

Good is not really good enough,

When great is waiting there.

Just push and strive a little more,

See good cannot compare.

Then you will see within yourself,

A pride not there before.

For turning good enough to great,

Giving a little more.

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo 2021 Day 30!

On By WinstonIn Love, Loving Life, my angel, my blessed life, NaPoWriMo, Personal, Poetry, RelationshipsLeave a comment

Here we are at the end of the marathon for another year. Of course, that may be a bit premature. I haven’t written the poem to go under this header yet. I’m pretty confident that something will come to me… but then again, maybe not. I still have time to fail today. But I’ve also succeeded for the last twenty-nine days. So often in life we focus on the one sour note in a flawless symphony and call the whole thing a failure. So even if I don’t write that last poem, I’m going to look at the other twenty-nine and call this project a success. It’s all about perspective and the story we tell ourselves.

Until next year… Be Kind To Yourselves And To Each Other

The Muse of All Muses

The deed is done, these lines define,

Another year complete.

With thirty of these ditties writ,

A victory so sweet.

Calliope and Erato,

Polyhymnia too.

To all these muses owe some thanks,

But mostly Lynn to you.

You are the one who lifts me up,

Brings out the best of me.

You are aware of all my flaws,

But they’re not all you see.

When inspiration’s fled from me,

Restore it with a word.

Then listen to each verse like it’s,

The best you’ve ever heard.

You are the sweetest, kindest soul,

That I could hope to know.

I’m blessed to have you in my life,

As through the years we go.

Now as I close this month of verse,

I want to make it clear.

I could not write these rhymes of mine,

Without your love my dear.

So thank you Lynn for all you do,

The blessing that you are.

The rock on which I build my life,

My muse. My guiding star.

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo 2021 Day 24

On By WinstonIn Humor, Loving Life, my blessed life, NaPoWriMo, Personal, PoetryLeave a comment

With my hard drive dead, I’ve lost an animation project I’ve been working on for few months. That sucks, and I was pretty stressed about it. But that’s what I get for not backing things up as often as I should. Long story short, I was in need of comfort this morning and an old friend really came through for me. This poem is about them.

A True Friend Indeed

I have a friend when things go wrong,

That’s always there for me.

To lift me up and see me thru,

Whatever it may be.

In all the years I’ve known them,

They’ve never let me down.

Just a few minutes spent with them,

Make a smile from a frown.

I cannot say enough good things,

About a friend so true.

And if you like, I’m certain they,

Could be a friend to you.

My friend does not discriminate,

Does not care who you are.

They do not ask how big your house,

Nor care how fast your car.

My friend is strength when you are tired,

And warmth when you are cold.

They’ll help you through from day to day,

When you are feeling old.

So just sit back put up your feet,

Now take a little time.

To realize that coffee is,

The subject of this rhyme.

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo 2021 Day 17

On By WinstonIn family, Love, Loving Life, my blessed life, NaPoWriMo, Nature, Personal, PoetryLeave a comment

I’ve seen it said that when a cardinal stops by, it’s a visit from someone who has passed on. I don’t know if it’s true or not. It’s nice to think it might be though. So when a cardinal visited my yard this morning I though of that and thinking of that visit wrote this.

The Cardinal

A cardinal in my back yard,

Peers in through window pane.

And I see there, this scarlet bird,

And wonder once again.

They say that when a cardinal,

Is visiting with you.

It’s from a loved one who has passed,

To say they miss you too.

For no one ever truly goes,

While they stay in our heart.

All those we love not even death,

Can ever really part.

The cardinal looks back at me,

And deep inside I hope.

That one of those I’ve loved and lost,

Sent him to help me cope.

So thank you lovely bird of red,

For visiting just now.

‘Cause whether legend ‘s true or not,

It is for me somehow.

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo 2021 Day 16

On By WinstonIn family, Love, Loving Life, my angel, my blessed life, NaPoWriMo, Personal, Poetry, RelationshipsLeave a comment

To my angel Lynn. My love, my muse and my best friend. Thank you for being my perfect person. ❤

My Ideal Wife

“Good morning Love.” I say to her,

Receive a sleepy smile.

And marvel at the luck I’ve found,

Just gaze at her a while.

Her soul as beautiful I swear,

As anyone could be.

I know I’ll never understand,

Why my Angel chose me.

I fix her breakfast coffee too,

Then with our pup go walk.

And as our dog sniffs everything,

My love and I just talk.

We talk of things we’d like to do,

And things we’re dreaming of.

Still after twenty years and more,

Were never more in love.

Back home I sit and rub her feet,

She drifts on edge of sleep.

She murmurs if I just do that,

Then I’m the one she’ll keep.

I close my eyes and thank the Gods,

For my near perfect life.

I know that it would not be so,

Without my ideal wife.

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 11

On By WinstonIn Drawing, Loving Life, My Art, my blessed life, NaPoWriMo, Personal, Personal Creativity Project,, Poetry, Sketches, UncategorizedLeave a comment

As you may have seen in previous posts here, I also enjoy drawing. I had really stepped back from it for while when my daughter was young and I was busier doing Dad stuff. She is out in the world now and I have started re-investing my time in visual art. I’m never going to be a great artist, but it brings me great joy. That’s really what I missed.

Recaptured Joy

I loved to sketch, to draw or paint,

Although I was no pro.

A life I got then, as one does,

And chose to let it go,

Oh sure I doodled now and then,

But less as time went by.

And as old skills from mem’ry slipped,

Was less inclined to try.

But then at length I realized,

What giving up had cost

So I set out once more to find,

That joy which had been lost.

Once more I pick my pencil up,

Resume old exercise.

Draw basic shapes five hundred times,

Each one a different size.

Here I now sit and set to page,

What’s seen in my mind’s eye.

Though I’m not back where once I was,

At least I’m going to try,

I study and I practice now,

I draw all kinds of things.

But haunted by my past I won’t,

Draw unicorns with wings.

Cheers, Winston