to Pain

To Pain
By Dan Gerber

You begin the moment I wake up,
and even the moment before,
abiding companion, herald of my life,
though a little too strident at times.

I have little white pills to calm,
and even still, you. Sometimes
I think you’ve finally walked out,
but a little neglect is all it takes to win you back.

When you’ve stayed too long, I might
demand to know why you’ve chosen me.
What I may have done to summon you.
What retribution you represent.

But you tell me nothing more,
only that you are part of what a body feels,
only that you’re part of what a heart endures
and what a mind transforms.

You are, after all,
like the fog this morning,
obscuring almost everything, till a tree emerges just beyond
our yard,

and then, again, a fence corner
coming almost imperceptibly
back into view,
halfway up the next hill.

Dan Gerber, “To Pain” from Particles: New and Selected Poems. Copyright © 2017 Dan Gerber. Used with the permission of The Permissions Company, LLC on behalf of Copper Canyon Press, http://www.coppercanyonpress.org.

Beauty

She Walks in Beauty

by Lord Byron

She walks in beauty, like the night
     Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that’s best of dark and bright
     Meet in her aspect and her eyes:
Thus mellow’d to that tender light
     Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,
     Had half impair’d the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
     Or softly lightens o’er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express
     How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.

And on that cheek, and o’er that brow,
     So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
     But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
     A heart whose love is innocent!

In dependance on: Rebecca…Amy…

Fibonacci created the math
Jeanne created the colors

Fireworks
by Rebecca Kai Dotlich

Emerald glitter
fills the sky;
a thousand dashing
dragon eyes
sparkle! flash!
spiral,
climb —
leaping,
leaving Earth
behind.
Roman candles
sizzle,
shatter,
diamonds dazzle,
rubies
scatter,
spilling silver
stars of fire–
blasting bits
of copper wire.
Sapphires crumble
in the sky,
tinsel tumbles
down to die,
onto city streets
and roads;
CRACKLE–
POP!
The sky
explodes!
–Rebecca Kai Dotlich, from LEMONADE SUN, all rights reserved
I’d like to thank Amy for giving me permission to post a poem from FOREST HAS A SONG today.

Photo and Mask by Jeanne

First Flight
by Amy Ludwig Vanderwater

Mommy, I’m scared to be this high.
All owls are scared on their first try.

My tail feathers feel so tingly with fear.
You can do it. Calm down. Careful now. Steer.

I can’t see a thing through all this black.
Just go to Spruce and come right back.

FLAP FLAP FLAP FLAP FLAP FLAP–WHOOOSH!
FLAP FLAP FLAP FLAP FLAP FLAP–SWOOOSH!

Look, Mom! I made it! Wow! I can fly!
I knew you could. You were born for sky.

From FOREST HAS A SONG (Clarion, 2013)
Posted with permission of the author.

Alert

Alert

You awake with a start!
What called you up? Vertical.
Blinking. Catching sight.

What pierced your ears?
Bells? Beeps? Roars?
Brutes closing in?

C A L M …
It pulses also while you sleep.
You are not D I R E C T O R …
But babe in arms.

Jeanne Poland

Silence

silence:surrender
to service- soliloquy
to mystery’s calm.

What Do You See?

My iPhone camera saw loyalty.
I saw trust.
Eileen saw her best friend.
Richard saw her calm.
What did Don see?

Richard’s iPhone saw red.
I saw outside the window.
Don saw his iPhone.
Eileen saw opposite glances.
Richard saw our patience.

What do you see?

Prayer of St Bonaventure

Saint Bonaventure Franciscan Monk

I dedicate this prayer to my daughter Quenby on her 38th Birthday and to her father a Trappist monk who took the name: Bonaventure.

Father Bonaventure aka John Poland 1961

Pierce my soul with your love, calm and charity.
Let my soul long for you and your home.
Let my soul be dissolved in you, hunger for you.
Bread of Angels, refresh me with holiness, super sustenance, sweet bread.
Let me feed on you, angelic host, fountain of life, wisdom and knowledge, torrent of pleasure, fullness of the house of God.
Let my soul compass you, find you, run to you, meditate on you,
do all for the praise and glory of your name, with humility and discretion, love, delight and perseverance.
Be my confidence, riches, delight, joy, rest, wisdom, portion, passion and treasure.
Fix my mind and heart immovably, Amen.

To see the original prayer by St Bonaventure, go to:
http://www.crossroadsinitiative.com/library_article/667/Prayer_of_St_Bonaventure.html