NaPoWriMo Day 15

On By WinstonIn Environment, Loving Life, NaPoWriMo, Nature, Personal, Poetry, spring, UncategorizedLeave a comment

I was supposed to post this yesterday, but sometimes life happens. Another one will magically appear in due course. Hopefully before the end of the day 🙂

On Missing Nature

A long and winding country road,

A field of high, sweet hay.

Ten billion stars above my head,

To gaze at where I lay.

 

A lazy stream meanders through,

A wild wood nearby.

It flows down from the ancient hills,

Bare shouldered ‘gainst the sky.

 

I wander through the woods and hills,

Sip from a hidden spring.

With every step, much closer now,

To nature do I seem.

 

I pause to rest and start to doze,

Beneath a willow tree.

With gods of hills and woods and streams,

All watching over me.

 

This is a dream I often dream,

While urban life I live.

To capture just a part of this,

Who knows what I would give.

 

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo Day 14

On By WinstonIn Dark / Gothic, Ghost Stories, Macabre, NaPoWriMo, UncategorizedLeave a comment

I love a good ghost story. This isn’t that, but it is today’s theme.

 

On The Ghost’s Lament

I walk about my home and watch,

the years roll slowly by.

I know there was a reason once,

Now can’t remember why.

 

The people come and then they go,

but I still linger here.

I know not if I stayed for joy,

or if I stayed from fear.

 

I only know I cannot leave,

Forever in this place.

While roaming through these rooms alone,

Eternity I face.

 

Though people come, they see me not.

They think I am not real.

A bump they hear, a whispered word,

a sudden chill they feel.

 

I try and try but cannot touch,

Can’t reach beyond the veil.

So I remain forever lost,

Against this fate I rail.

 

I will go on and on and on,

To nevermore be free.

Whatever brought me too this pass,

There is no peace for me.

 

So if by chance you should come here,

Know that I walk here still.

No matter what I try I fear,

Forever more I will.

 

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo Day 13

On By WinstonIn Global Issues, Mars, NaPoWriMo, Science, Society, Technology, UncategorizedLeave a comment

I’m a huge fan of “Cosmos”, both the Nat Geo series with Neil Degrasse Tyson and the book by Carl Sagan. This poem is an ode to them and also to “The Mars Generation” and it’s founder Astronaut Abby.  Enjoy!

On Going to Mars

I walk across a dry, red plain,

Towards a distant hill.

My feet kick dust untrod ’til now,

Explorer’s greatest thrill.

 

The sun a dim and distant disc,

Seen through a reddish haze.

Upon this rock, so far from home,

Is where I’ll live my days.

 

They asked me why I’d want to go,

So far from all I know.

The answer is I’ve always known,

That I must someday go.

 

My soul was born to bear this dream,

To carry it afar.

I’ve carried it to Mars so far,

Some day, someone, some star.

 

You ask of us why would we go,

Truth is we cannot stay.

If we stay tied to just one place,

We’re bound to end one day.

 

But as we spread beyond the Earth,

Each falt’ring step we take,

Will buy our species one more chance,

A better world to make.

 

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo Day 12

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

It was a beautiful day today and I spent some time in my backyard watching the birds and squirrels and listening to the geese calling in the distance. I love the spring!

On The Beauty of Spring

Once more the air is filled with chirps,

Not heard for far too long.

Our migrant birds back home at last,

To share with us their song.

 

The squirrels chatter happily,

While dashing high above.

Now spring is here and all around,

The world is filled with love.

 

The trumpeting of inbound geese,

A welcome, joyous sound.

They lift my spirit and my soul,

Bring happiness unbound.

 

Now everywhere you look is green,

New flowers peeping out.

A sense of hope, of better days,

The winter’s done no doubt.

 

So raise your head and see the truth,

Each day a brand new start.

Now let the beauty and the warmth,

Of Springtime fill your heart.

 

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo Day 11

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

At least once each year, I hit a point where I can’t think of a single thing to write about. This invariably leads to something like the following.

On Writer’s Block

Another day has come and gone,

And here I sit once more.

With keyboard and an empty head,

I’ve been through this before.

 

There is no verse inside my head,

No trick to make this right.

I greatly fear the truth is there,

Shall be no post tonight.

 

I could resort to tricks of old,

Write that I cannot rhyme.

That would be cheating I suppose,

But still there is the time.

 

In thirty minutes give or take,

Tomorrow will begin.

And then with two to write, my God,

The mess I will be in.

 

So for tonight, this boilerplate,

Of simple thoughtless rhymes.

And then to sleep and hope the dawn,

Brings more productive times.

 

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo Day 10

On By WinstonIn Loving Life, My Art, NaPoWriMo, Personal, Poetry, UncategorizedLeave a comment

As much as it makes my brain hurt sometimes and I really hate creative deadlines (I can’t function without them), I really love NaPoWriMo as it pushes me to flex my creative muscles. I also draw and paint and can’t think of anything more rewarding than when I get what’s in my head onto paper in a way that others can relate to.

 

On Creativity

Express yourself whatever way,

Write, paint, or talk or sing.

Or try a million diff’rent styles,

Find one that is your thing.

 

I choose to write this clumsy verse,

To say the things I wish.

Perhaps your art is to prepare,

Some super tasty dish.

 

Whatever lets somebody see,

The truth that is in you.

Whatever passion burns most bright,

To light the soul in you.

 

Too many live their whole life through,

Consumed by fear and doubt.

They never learn to see that spark,

One day it just goes out.

 

So write that song, or draw that cat,

Take pictures of the sky.

Embrace the voice inside of you,

Turn from your fear and try.

 

If someone is so unkind as,

To mock the thing you’ve done.

Please pity them, their spark has died,

To mock, their only fun.

 

Now put this down, pick up your brush,

Guitar, or mic or pen.

Whatever voice you use, your soul,

Will thank you in the end.

 

Cheers, Winston

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NaPoWriMo Day 9

On By WinstonIn Environment, Humor, my blessed life, NaPoWriMo, Poetry, spring, UncategorizedLeave a comment

The fabled “April Showers” are here. My job takes me outside frequently. They could have held off a couple of days.

On The Capriciousness of Spring

It’s April now, the rains come down,

To soak me to the bone.

The rains so constant, they could wear,

A hole into a stone.

 

The snows are done for now at least,

With rains to take their place.

The wind blows rain into my eyes,

Then whips it from my face.

 

It’s not so bad I tell myself,

And hunch before the blow.

I’m drenched and cold and miserable,

Cheer up, it could be snow.

 

The Sun will shine again I’m sure,

Just not quite certain when.

All I can do is drip and curse,

And slog on until then.

 

Cheers, Winston

 

p.s.

Look the rain has fin’lly stopped.

As the mercury has dropped.

Quickly my despair is growing.

As I write it’s started snowing.

W.

 

NaPoWriMo Day 8

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

At least once each year I write a love letter to my angel Lynn. This poem is for the best and most perfect angel I could ever wish for.

On Love

Oh Lynn my love, my life is blessed,

Because you’ve made it so.

You don’t believe and that’s okay,

That’s why I let you know.

 

On my grey days, you are my sun,

To light and warm my life.

You are my joy, my hope, my peace,

My light, my love, my wife.

 

There’s seven billion souls or so,

Upon this rock we share.

You are the perfect one for me,

No other can compare.

 

I thank you love for all you do,

Love you for who you are.

You put up with my every fault,

Embrace my every scar.

 

I know you cannot see in you,

Perfection that I see.

But that’s okay, I know you are,

The perfect one for me.

 

Je t’aime mon ange. Plus que tu sais. Pour l’eternite… et plus encore.

 

Cheers, Winston

 

 

NaPoWriMo Day 7

On By WinstonIn Humor, NaPoWriMo, Personal, Poetry, UncategorizedLeave a comment

At this point, I’ve been awake since zero-dark-thirty on Monday. Based on my last post, that means that this one also technically counts as Day 6. Then again, maybe I’m just a little sleep deprived and punchy.  Either way…. here goes nuthin’.

On Insomnia

I wish that I could sleep each night,

Like normal people do.

It’s not that I’m not sleepy, no,

My brain would sleep it’s true.

 

But oftentimes when I lay down,

To sleep I am betrayed.

By aches and pains and bathroom trips,

Each petty thing displayed.

 

In just three hours, my back will say,

Of rest I’ve had enough.

And if I say, I would sleep more,

The back pain says, “That’s tough!”

 

That all assumes I get to bed,

And am not bathroom bound.

There’s nights when I so often run,

The bedroom’s never found.

 

Or then again I get to bed,

Sleep favours me once more.

Yet fate will not allow such peace,

My dog bangs at my door.

 

My restless legs, or restless wife,

Sometimes my restless brain.

Something is always waiting there,

To wake me up again.

 

So wish me luck, for now I’m off,

Once more to try to sleep.

Come Sandman now, grant rest to me,

That’s long and sweet and deep.

 

This is my prayer most often spoke,

Far more than all the rest.

Of all the things I seek in life,

A proper sleep is best.

 

Cheers, Winston

 

 

NaPoWriMo Day 6

On By WinstonIn Dark / Gothic, Macabre, NaPoWriMo, Poetry, UncategorizedLeave a comment

I know it’s 03:30 on the 7th, but I haven’t been to bed yet so I’m going to count this one for the 6th.

 

On The High Price Of Doing Business

My wife beside me fast asleep,

And no one else at home.

Then who is walking in my hall,

So late at night to roam?

 

My dog perhaps. He sometimes likes,

To walk about at night.

But he’s not prone to wearing boots,

His tread is much more light.

 

I’m certain if I were to check,

Some simple thing I’d see.

Of course there’s no such thing as ghosts.

How foolish can I be?

 

Because it cannot be a ghost,

Why should I go and look?

What’s there to see? Some common thing!

Unless I’m much mistook.

 

The thumping stops, I start to doze,

It starts up once again.

The broken sleep and twanging nerves,

It’s really quite a pain.

 

I lift the sheet and slowly swing,

My feet down to the floor.

With sweat like ice upon my skin,

I stand before my door.

 

There’s nothing there! There’s nothing there!

I chant within my head.

But clammy hand and clammy brow,

Betray my real dread.

 

I shake my head and draw a breath,

And push my fear aside.

The knob I grasp and quickly turn,

The door I open wide.

 

******************************************

 

A dampened cloth upon my brow,

Wife’s hand upon my cheek.

I try to rise but cannot stand,

I’ve never felt so weak.

 

She found me there, upon the floor,

Limned in the hall’s dim light.

With every hair upon my head,

Now changed from brown to white.

 

I finally get back to my bed,

Must try to get some rest.

The Count will call again tonight,

I’ll need to look my best.

 

There’s deeds to sign, so much to do,

For him to settle here.

He’s charmed my wife, she’s said as much,

So pleased to have him near.

 

Cheers, Winston