Beneath the Poet Tree

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I’ll tell you
a tale
once shared
with me,
of a magical place
and the
Poet Tree,
where muses
dance
in the
gentle breeze,
and butterflies fly
with gossamer wings.

It’s been told
a word
was planted,
and a tree began
to grow,
the trunk rose
high above,
the roots reached
far below.
Her branches lifted
toward the sky,
upon each leaf
a poem
was writ,
she shaded
wandering scribes,
who chose
that place
to sit.

Some say
the tree
called out,
to those it felt
would hear,
they sensed a
gentle pull
when they
dared to
venture near.

They say
the leaves
would whisper
in softly spoken
rhyme,
with pure and
perfect recitation,
line by
lovely line.

They felt a
temperate presence,
like a ghost
from days
of old,
weaving words
around them,
so the story has
been told.

With unseen
inspiration,
their words
began to spill,
filling full
their parchment,
emptying
their quills.

Oh, how I long
to hear
her softly
whispered plea,
to take
my place
and rest
and write
beneath the
Poet Tree.

With pen
in hand
and heart
agleam
I’d script
the hopes
and thoughts
inside me,
and words
would waltz
and words
would breathe,
upon a stage
they’d sing.
The words
would dance,
they’d be
dancing
with me,
while I dreamed
a paper dream.

© 2017 Crystal R. Cook

Wishing & Waiting

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S’il vous plait . . . as you wish . . . but not just this moment. I would, if I could, gift your hearts desire, if only I could – if only.

Words. Spoken without meaning, knowing my yearning could not be quelled, would not be quelled, not yet.

Not now, not at this time, perhaps when morning comes.

I hunger through the night with bitter longing, anxiously awaiting the morn when he’ll rise and grant me my wish. But when the morning arrives he whispers, “Wait.”

And wait I must, and wait I will.

It’s better this way, the donuts are fresh in the morning.

Written for 100 Word Story – “wish”

Brought to us by Thin Spriral Notebook 

 

Oh, but I will rise . . .

Enemy Within by Crystal R. Cook

Thought and intellect cannot quell the voice within . . . it slithers beneath the surface of who I know I am and who I know I’m meant to be. It whispers lies, it screams in a cacophony of silence, a deafening roar to bind me.

I tell myself I’m safe, it tells me there is something to fear. I tell myself the skies are clear, no storms gather up above, it points to distant clouds and says, oh, but here they come.

I breathe, I pray, I think on other things, but still, it speaks.

I tell myself I’m strong, it reminds me I am weak. I battle this voice, I’m a warrior without a weapon facing a foe no one else can see, knowing I mustn’t surrender, lest it become all that is left of me. It tells me I’m a prisoner, trapped inside a shell, but I know – I know, I will escape this hell.

I breathe, I pray, I think of other things, and I begin to speak.

I reclaim my voice and rebuke the spell that brought me to my knees, I am bigger, I am more. I will not surrender to the trespasser trying to rob me of my peace. There are cracks somewhere within me I hope one day to repair, sealing forever the places the thief finds its way in, until that day I’ll continue to fight, and I’ll continue to win.

Anxiety, visceral disquietude buried deep inside, engaging me in battle. This enemy may knock me down with doubt and fear and lies, oh, but I will rise.

© Crystal R. Cook 2017

Written in response to The Daily Post – Visceral 

 

Daily Haiku Challenge – Booknvolume Blog

Morgan, at the Booknvolume blog, is running a Daily Haiku Challenge, and I kind of love haiku, and I always love a good challenge as well. Believe it or not, Haiku can prove quite challenging.

The goal of haiku is to fit something filled with meaning into three short lines consisting of 17 syllables in total, it needs to invoke feeling, and make sense. This is how I’ve always thought of haiku.

Traditional Japanese haiku is, for lack of a better way to say it, simple complexity. I’ll likely never master it, but I do enjoy trying.

A recent walk around the neighborhood served up inspiration, and fortunately, I was able to capture it . . .

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Nature thrives divine
despite effort made by man
to maintain control

cRc

Tanka Poetry Challenge, Lady & Portrait

 

Rambling Writer hosts a weekly tanka poetry challenge and I was happy to find it! Currently, this fun challenge is on week 59 . . .

I love tanka poetry, like haiku, the form utilizes a set number of lines and syllables. Haiku consists of three lines, with 5/7/5 syllables respectively, while tanka consists of 5 lines, with 5/7/5/7/7 for its syllable count.

Portrait and Lady are the two words chosen to tickle the tanka bone. My creative juices have been but a trickle of late, thank you, Rambling Writer, for some much needed inspiration.

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Leonardo da Vinci “Virgin on the Rocks”

Master of each stroke
caressing canvas with brush,
chiaroscuro,
giving pigment breath of life,
portrait of a lady fair

cRc

Word Nerd – Word of the Day – Aeonian

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Brought to you in part today, by too much coffee, a love of words, and a desire not to do laundry . . .

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Do you have a favorite word? 

I love words, most words. I could never choose a favorite, but there are some words that always come to mind – ONE of my favorites . . .

Zephyr

Now I must find another word to amuse myself with, the laundry isn’t going anywhere . . .

If I Came With a Warning Label

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I found this Mini Writing Prompt challenge on the Brave and Reckless blog, and as per my usual, I’m late to the party. That’s a little misleading, I usually skip parties, BUT bloggy parties – now that’s more my speed.

This prompt prompted readers and writers to wax poetic about what their warning labels might say. I actually think I would have more than one (or three). I’d be curious to see what cautions my family would warn of. I may have to follow up on that. For now, though . . .

– If I came with a warning label –

The corners would
likely be peeled
like ancient scrolls of old,
evidence of times
I’d tried to remove it.
The faded words would say
handle with care –
contents may be
fragile, combustible,
easily shattered.
Keep in a cool, quiet space
filled with light and love.
May wield words against you
or wrap you within their solace.
Must never be placed
within a box,
requires room to fly freely
and a safe place to land.
May not always
behave as expected.

Handle with care –
contents may be fragile.

 

 

Poetry Defined

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po·et·ry
ˈpōətrē

Words with

paper wings

gilded in

gossamer

string

dappled with ink

spilled from

a dream.

CrC

 

One Day We Will Grow Old

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Years etch lines
upon the face of youth,
slowly forming
intricate details
of living art,
soft and silken
to the touch.

Hands of strength
once fast and sure,
now fragile
flowers
of delicate lace
to hold
and to
cherish.

Auburn locks
from days
long past
blow silver
in the wind,
graceful wings
of elegance,
soft as
whispered song.

Eyes once bright
and brilliant
slowly fade to
water color
windows,
reflecting
a lifetime
of knowledge,
and wisdom,
and truth.

Beauty
transcends
time,
merely
changing,
never
fading.

CrC

For all they have achieved throughout life and for all they continue to accomplish, we owe older citizens our thanks and a heartfelt salute. We can best demonstrate our gratitude and esteem by making sure that our communities are good places in which to mature and grow older — places in which older people can participate to the fullest and can find the encouragement, acceptance, assistance, and services they need to continue to lead lives of independence and dignity. President Ronald Reagan – August 19, 1988 Proclamation 5847

One day we will grow old.

Not everyone has the privilege of a life long and well lived, but for those who do, the last chapter should be filled with comfort and care. Sadly, for so many, it isn’t.

Today, on National Senior Citizens Day, I can’t help but think of the alone and the lonely among them. This is a thought that passes through my mind often.

When I was a child, my mother would visit and care for the elderly, she had a gift of patience and compassion and love she willingly gave. She tought my sister and I to do the same. The gift of time is so easy to give.

Today, and every day you can give that gift.

Spend time with elderly family, friends, and neighbors.

Mow their lawns.

Ask if they need anything when you head off to the store.

Read to them.

Listen and learn from them.

Make meals.

Clean their homes

Volunteer at a local senior center.

Teach your children their value, teach them to respect them.

Call for no reason, just to say ‘I’m thinking about you.’

Be patient and kind and compassionate.

Sit and hold their hands.

Don’t forget . . .

One day, we will grow old.