Category: NaPoWriMo

NaPoWriMo 2021 Day 20

On By WinstonIn Embrace the Wild, Environment, Fairy Poem, NaPoWriMo, Nature, Poetry, The Old WaysLeave a comment

I love being in the woods. The sights, sounds and just the feeling I get there. For me, there are few things more relaxing. This poem is also about that.

Come Home To The Wild

A dappled light falls gently here,

Amid the forest green.

And there is peace here ‘neath the boughs,

Such as you’ve rarely seen.

A doe and fawn graze near a pool,

Where rushes gently sway.

The chirps and songs of unseen birds,

The music that we play.

A squirrel dashes up a tree,

Then out upon a limb.

From there leaps to another tree,

That’s how it keeps so slim.

There’s flowers there in jewel shades,

Within a clearing small,

And water splashes nearby from,

A little waterfall.

Now look and listen carefully,

My best beloved child.

Come to the wood and sit with me,

Connect back to the wild.

For you can’t love what you don’t know,

And nature needs you now.

To undo all the harm they’ve done,

It falls to you somehow.

Come sit beneath the shady tree,

And hear the raven’s cry.

Feel now the earth within your bones,

Hear summer breezes sigh.

There’s all of this and so much more,

Within my leafy glade.

It’s here for you to love and learn,

No need to be afraid.

Accept this peace down deep within,

Allow your mind to clear.

I am the spirit of the wood,

And you are welcome here.

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo 2021 Day 19

On By WinstonIn NaPoWriMo, Personal, Poetry, The Power of WordsLeave a comment

It’s getting to that point in the month where all the easy ideas have been picked over. So something a little different now. As always, I’d love to know what people think. 🙂

The Power of Words

“A picture’s worth a thousand words.”,

Or so the people say.

But if you read those thousand words,

More pictures they convey.

To illustrate the point I make,

Please read these words with me.

“The brown horse dappled by the shade,

Stood ‘neath an apple tree.”

Far fewer than a thousand words,

Yet pictured in your mind.

A brown horse and an apple tree,

What more is there to find?

And better yet, each person saw,

A different tree and horse.

For what we see comes from within,

Each one unique of course.

We’ve all not seen the same brown horse,

Nor just one apple tree.

That’s why the picture in your head,

Is not the same as me.

Who knows how many pictures from,

A thousand words may flow.

If you’d find out go read a book,

Inside, enjoy the show.

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo 2021 Day 18

On By WinstonIn Fairy Poem, Fantasy, NaPoWriMo, Old Gods and Magic Folk, Poetry, The Old WaysLeave a comment

A little nod to my pagan friends. Enjoy!

Elder Gods and Magic Folk

Quite long ago, and longer still,

Before the world we know.

When mountains were the realm of Gods,

The Underworld below.

When fishermen threw back their best,

To make the storm abate.

And all knew there were magic folk,

Both terrible and great.

Then all the Gods and all the fae,

Would meddle constantly.

So we would sacrifice and pray,

And hope they’d hear our plea.

But slowly then and slowly still,

The old ways fade away.

But Gods and ancient magics dwell,

Still in the world today.

Religions tried to banish them,

Then scientists did too.

But ancient ones still find a way,

Despite all they would do.

Now croon the elder hymns to them,

Walk with a slower tread.

You can’t go wrong by leaving out,

A little milk and bread.

Sure science says there is no way,

For magic to be real.

The laws of physics not something,

Some old Gods can repeal.

Yet never has a dying man,

Called Einstein to his aid.

Nor asked to see a scientist,

Damnation to evade.

Old God’s and magic folk abound,

So old and older still.

They’ve always shared this world with us,

No doubt they always will.

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 14

On By WinstonIn Mars, NaPoWriMo, Poetry, Science, Spaceflight, TechnologyLeave a comment

Science tells us that the Earth has an expiration date. Not any time soon hopefully, but it’s definitely there. The only way to guarantee our long term survival is to become and interplanetary species and ultimately, an interstellar one.

The Way Up Is The Way Forward

I gaze up in the night and see,

Stars sprinkled ‘cross the sky.

I close my eyes, set free my mind,

And through the dark I fly.

I think on how we first set forth,

From Earth out into space.

That pinnacle of science just,

A cheap and tawdry race.

Now once again that race heats up,

Vast fortunes on the line.

With Branson, Musk and Bezos too,

Who has the best design?

Depends on what you want to do,

And where you want to go.

To get us off the Earth for good,

For now, Musk steals the show.

But he is not the only one,

Who’ll take us to the black.

And make a tidy profit too,

To bring us there and back.

The race is on and leaders rise,

Then into hist’ry fade.

While others rise, then rise again,

By them is progress made.

So choose your team and cheer them on,

No finish line in sight.

As they drive on then further on,

Into the endless night.

For when it’s all been said and done,

The first small step is Mars.

The real prize, the one to chase,

Is humans ‘mongst the stars.

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 12

On By WinstonIn COVID 19, NaPoWriMo, Pandemic, Personal, Personal Responsibility, Poetry, Science, Society, Uncategorized, Values2 Comments

I am well aware that not everyone will agree with today’s poem and that’s okay. This post reflects my views on the current situation. Thank you for keeping any comments polite, respectful and brief.

COVID 19

This virus, such a tiny thing,

How quick, how far it spread.

Around the globe in just a year,

There’s near three million dead.

“It’s not so bad.”, some folks maintain,

“It’s no worse than the flu.”

At least until someone who died,

Is someone close to you.

They can’t conceive or won’t believe,

Why everything must stop.

And every step that we can take,

We must ’til cases drop.

Now wear your mask and wash you hands,

And stay home that’s the plan.

Now close the restaurants and bars,

Close any stores you can.

There’s no cabal with some grand plan,

To strip your rights from you.

The powerful elites don’t care,

‘Bout little fish like you.

Your “rights” aren’t more important than,

All those who’ve yet to die.

Unless you’re one who’ll tell me that,

This all has been a lie.

I beg you don’t say this to me,

I’ve heard it all before.

And I’ve no wish to go around,

Go ’round and ’round once more.

This virus, such a tiny thing,

Makes such a huge divide.

Some swear our fear has made us blind,

Some work to stem the tide.

I’ve diabetes, heart disease,

Health issues by the score.

Up until now my Docs have worked,

To keep me from Death’s door.

So I’ll rely on their advice,

To get me through these times.

And pass the lockdown as I do,

Composing little rhymes.

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