Category: Personal

NaPoWriMo Day 9

On By WinstonIn Bullying, Enlightenment, Global Issues, homelessness, Loving Life, my blessed life, NaPoWriMo, Personal, Poetry, Self Awareness, Society, ValuesLeave a comment

Again today, I allowed my mind to wander off and write this without too much direction from me.  Sometimes it surprises me with what it comes up with.  Enjoy!

Something To Think About

As I sit down to write this verse,

My mind goes wand`ring free,

Then it returns, comes back at last,

It seems to say to me…

Closely attend and listen well,

To wisdom I did glean,

For we are blessed more than we know,

You`ll see just what I mean.

You sit here and you write these lines,

No real cares it`s true,

You are well fed, and housed and clothed,

No one is threatening you.

Sure you`ve some problems, don`t we all,

But none existential,

You may not have all that you want,

But more than essential.

I don`t say this to put you down,

Or make you feel small,

I`d only hope you`d understand,

To some, you have it all.

A spouse, a kid, a house, a dog,

And so much more than that,

You`ve never faced a winter yet,

Without a decent hat.

You`ve always had enough to eat,

Though maybe not ideal,

I know except sometimes by choice,

You`ve never missed a meal.

Sure you`ve been bullied, beaten up,

Bad actors seen your share,

You`ve never held a friend who`s shot,

Begged God in des`prate prayer.

We live in an oasis here,

So sheltered we`ve gone blind,

To so much in the world around,

It overwhelms the mind.

As my mind talked, I promised I`d,

Take some time every day,

To focus on how blessed I am,

In every single way.

Cheers,

NaPoWriMo Day 8

On By WinstonIn A Blessing, family, Friendship, homesickness, Love, Loving Life, Memories, my blessed life, NaPoWriMo, Personal, Poetry, Relationships, The Choices We Make, ValuesLeave a comment

I moved away from my hometown 25 years ago. I left behind my family and almost everyone I knew. I made a new start and haven’t regretted that decision for a minute. But that doesn’t mean I don’t miss them. This weekend, my brother and his wife were in the area visiting her family so we had the chance to get together. It was like we’ve never been apart. That is a gift and a blessing. Happy Easter to those who celebrate it. Enjoy!

My Family Blessing

I have been blessed throughout my life,
With family I have found,
Both that which I was born into,
And those life brought around.

They’ve brought me through my darkest times,
Been there to celebrate,
They praise me when I’m doing well,
Coach when I’m not so great.

But mostly they are always there,
Though they aren’t seen for years,
For when we talk, we still will share,
Our laughter and our tears.

Sometimes we argue, disagree,
As people sometimes do,
Sometimes our tongues get sharper than,
They should, I know it’s true.

But then we talk and work it out,
Remember who we are,
Remember that without them all,
We’d not have come so far.

Though we may not forget some slight,
Forgiveness is our way,
Remember there’s more good than bad,
Whatever pride may say.

For that’s what family means to us,
And always will to me,
Forever one, forever loved,
And ever more will be.

Cheers,

NaPoWriMo Day 7

On By WinstonIn Courage, Patience and Hope, Enlightenment, My Art, NaPoWriMo, Perseverence, Personal, Poetry, Self Awareness, The Choices We MakeLeave a comment

As an artist and generally creative person, I’m constantly trying to learn new techniques or otherwise improve my skills. This can be a lot of work. It can be immensely frustrating too. I can’t tell you how many partially completed drawings, paintings etc I have walked away from. But then I start trying to figure out what went wrong so I can find a new way to fail next time. As the saying goes, we learn more from failure than success. By that metric, I should be truly gifted by now. That is the theme for today’s poem. Enjoy!

Perseverence

Sometimes we try to do a thing,

We’ve never done before,

And though we try our best to learn,

There’s always something more.

We try and try and try and fail,

Think this will never be,

So many times, we just give up,

Our dreams we never see.

But there’s no law says we must quit,

Because the road is long,

For if there were, no one would paint,

You’d have no favourite song.

For everyone who’s tried to go,

Somewhere they have no map,

Has found themselves in that same place,

Has stepped in that same trap.

It’s up to us what we will do,

Give up or carry on,

The only time we truly lose,

Is when our fight is gone.

And so rise up and persevere,

I’m sure that you’ll succeed,

For courage, patience and some hope,

Are all the things you need.

Cheers,

NaPoWriMo Day 4

On By WinstonIn Bullying, Discrimation, Enlightenment, Friendship, LGBTQ+, NaPoWriMo, Personal, Poetry, Proud Ally, Society, ValuesLeave a comment

I am not gay or transgender, but I have very dear friends in both of those communities. When I see them being dismissed, or outright attacked, it makes me very cross. So yeah… I guess I’m “Woke”. Enjoy!

Woke

I’m told I am a “woke half-wit”,

For showing some respect,

And kindness where it’s needed most,

No more than I’d expect.

Now “woke” is yelled by some who feel,

Their freedom under threat,

The freedom to bully and mock,

Is such a loss I bet.

I have some friends are transgender,

And some friends who are gay,

I have to say, none have tried to,

Change me in any way.

The “gay agenda” is a myth,

As most sane people know,

But some don’t understand just fear,

Down rabbit holes they go.

They find someone who shares their fear,

Hang on their every word,

The echo chamber grows so loud,

No other voice is heard.

So am I woke? I guess I am,

And that’s okay with me,

If that means to see who you are,

And then just let you be.

Unless you choose from ignorance,

To strike some thoughtless blow,

Dismiss, diminish who they are,

Then guess where you can go.

Cheers,

NaPoWriMo Day 3

On By WinstonIn Enlightenment, NaPoWriMo, Personal, Poetry, Reaping What We've Sown, Self Awareness, The Bill Always Comes Due, The Choices We MakeLeave a comment

Recently, I have been experiencing some health challenges which have had a major impact on my life. So, the best way to process it seemed to write it out. Tomorrow, I should be back to my more usual fare. In the meantime…  Enjoy.

I Am The Author Of My Fate

We all make plans from where we are,

To where we want to be.

But life it seems has it’s own schemes,

That we but seldom see.

For years I lived just as I pleased,

Immortal in my youth,

I smoked and drank and ate my fill,

Ignored my health in truth.

Then after twenty years or more,

There was some troubling stuff,

My breath was short, stairs more a chore,

I said that was enough.

I haven’t smoked in many years,

Nor drunk in quite a while.

I’m eating less, more exercise,

You’d think it cause to smile.

Yet still despite these changes I,

Had tightness in my chest,

Which soon enough became such pain,

I knew this was no jest.

I did the work and took the tests,

Confirmed is heart disease.

The doctor said I am quite young,

I said just fix it please.

The stents went in, the pain was gone,

My life was once more mine.

But then the strangest feeling came,

No longer was I fine.

Not pain but pressure in my chest,

No energy at all,

A racing heart for hours then,

Was like I’d hit a wall.

And then more tests to understand,

My new situation,

My heart’s defective wiring caused,

Atrial fibrillation.

So back into the shop I go,

To get the wiring fixed,

And from the start they are up front,

Long term results are mixed.

For three years all was good as gold,

My heart worked like it should,

But now it has come back again,

As they had warned it could.

Twice I have gone to get it shocked,

Restore a normal pace,

My doctor said that is not good,

These pills should slow that race.

And so they do most of the time,

Still some blips here and there,

But they will keep the worst in check,

‘Til they once more repair.

The issue is the side effects,

Of this new med I take,

For tremors, nausea, vomiting,

Are things this drug can make.

For two months now, I haven’t worked,

Just once have left my home,

I hate to throw up publicly,

Which limits where I roam.

Soon now I’ll see the doctor who,

Will sort this out again,

And finally leave these drugs behind,

I’ll get my life back then.

Cheers,

NaPoWriMo 2023 Day 2

On By WinstonIn My Art, NaPoWriMo, Personal, Poetry, Self AwarenessLeave a comment

People often ask me why I put so much effort into this challenge each year. It is as simple and as complex as this. I want to create something which may outlast my time in this world. None of these are great and immortal verse, yet if there is something in one of them which is recalled after the initial reading, or a drawing which crosses the viewer’s mind down the road, then I have taken a step on the road to a more lasting legacy. Today’s poem speaks to that quest for immortality through one’s body of work. Enjoy!

Why Do I Try?

I am an artist this I know,

With scars upon my soul.

Of every work that I create,

For each must take it’s toll.

Whether fine verse, image or prose,

I seek with every page,

A record of some part of me,

To last beyond my age.

I highly doubt that I shall find,

Posterity I’d claim,

For though some few enjoy my craft,

I’m far from any fame.

I can’t resist the visions, they,

Come crashing through my mind,

So once more I set pen to page,

Perhaps this time to find.

Some secret I have missed ‘til now,

With which to make my mark,

Lest I remain forever lost,

In long forgotten dark.

Cheers,

NaPoWriMo 2022 Day 30

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

Part of my job is peer mentoring and a big part of that is helping to resolve interpersonal issues amongst my co-workers. I often use some of the principles of mindfulness to provide tools to aid this process. One of the main ones, is to not live in past issues or project future ones, but to deal with the moment we are in.

This is the focus of the penultimate verse for this year. Enjoy!

Don’t Fear What’s Not There

The past is gone do not live there,

The future not yet here.

Remove what was and what may be.

And so reduce your fear.

What we most fear is in our heads,

Not in front of us now.

Our future guess based on our past,

Is what we dread somehow.

We cannot hear a calming voice,

So sure it’s just a ploy.

Imagination robs us of,

Our very real joys.

Yet still our brains won’t let us be,

See dangers everywhere.

The “What ifs” start they never stop,

Are more than we can bear.

But if we stop and realize,

What we fear may not be.

From our eyes we can lift the haze,

The truth more clearly see.

The past is gone, why let it run,

The future you create.

By making choices for you now,

Stop ere it is too late.

The future is not carved in stone.

Why fear what is not there?

This does not mean you should not plan,

That you should not take care.

But do not base that plan on fear,

But common sense instead.

By starting in the here and now,

You see farther ahead.

So be here now and find your peace,

Within the now we share.

And from this moment you can find,

Such joy if you just dare.

The future is not carved in stone,

The past no longer here.

And we can find our peace right now,

Choose to live without fear.

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo 2022 Day 29

On By WinstonIn Enlightenment, homelessness, my blessed life, NaPoWriMo, Personal, Personal Responsibility, Poetry, Society, Values, VolunteeringLeave a comment

I have a friend named Gene who has been working for years to make the world a better place. Slowly, steadily and most importantly, deliberately. He has worked for youth employment programs, outreach programs, community health networks, school breakfast programs, non-profit housing… the list goes on. All of it with the intent to make life better for other people. He is one of my heroes, and this poem is for him.

A Better World

How many lives do we each touch,

As through this life we pass?

Perhaps a bit more focus there,

Than on things we amass.

It’s what we’ve done as we pass through,

That says just who we are.

The choice we make to harm or help,

Dark cloud or shining star.

All ethics and morality,

Are just a guide it’s true.

What matters is what’s in your heart,

Intent must come from you.

Now do you seek to lift someone,

Or only cause them pain?

If you would seek the former great,

If not please think again.

For in the end the life you’ve lived,

Is judged by those you touch.

So hold your anger, spread your love,

Your kindness does so much.

Not one of us can change the world,

There’s none of us that strong.

But every kindness great or small,

Still counteracts some wrong.

If each of us but try to make,

Things better for someone.

The world will change for that is how,

The greatest works are done.

Not one of us but all of us,

Have strength to shift the stars

If we all try a kinder path,

Might shift this world of ours.

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo 2022 Day 28

On By WinstonIn Humor, NaPoWriMo, Personal, Poetry, writer`s blockLeave a comment

Three days to go and the creative juices are drying up. Still, I’ve managed to bang out another one. Only two more to go!

A Missing Muse

The voice inside my head cries out,

“Oh no! This cannot be!”

“The words, the lines, those precious rhymes,

Have all forsaken me.”

Yet here I sit and still I type,

Pull words it seems from air.

For in my head is naught but void,

No muse yet lingers there.

From overwork my muse has fled,

To seek less stressful lands.

For someone whom, though they create,

Still time off understands.

For even on the days I miss,

My muse I still pursue.

For then there is the catching up,

And then next verse is due.

Now though that muse has sought surcease,

From labour in my cause.

The fact is I’ve three more to write,

Too late a day to pause.

So here I sit and still I type,

These words upon the screen,

And wonder if that muse who fled,

Will ever more be seen.

Cheers, Winston