Archive for the ‘Sestinas’ Category

A Sestina for the Sabbath

Sunday, February 1st, 2009

sunflower-sunday-musings

A Sestina for the Sabbath

There’s no such thing as a blessing that’s little.

Good gifts, small and great, remind me God is faithful.

I see His love, hidden in the mundane.

Even in humdrum duties, there is beauty.

Through cycles of days and life’s transience,

In joy and in sorrow, I am blessed.

 

Having enough of life’s good things, I am blessed.

In the big scheme of things I am little

Yet you, Lord, provide for me in this time of transience:

Food, and the health to enjoy it, You give faithfully.

Today, again, my senses work; I behold life’s beauty.

All this gracious provision is not mundane.

 

My daily duties revolve around the mundane.

As I care for my family, I am blessed.

A meal lovingly prepared is one kind of beauty.

Love shown in laundry washed, and other ways that are little.

I praise God for making me faithful

That I might love my family during this time of transience.

 

Life may be meaningful, though it be transient.

Work, too, be worthwhile, though it be mundane.

In little and in much, I am called to be faithful.

In loving God, I am blessed.

My heart swells in love to Him while doing duties little,

As I clean, cook and wash, I’m aware of His beauty.

 

I thank you, Lord, for Your holiness and beauty.

You are steadfast eternally; I am transient.

You are Almighty; I am little.

You are wondrous in glory; I am mundane.

By your mercy and kindness, I am blessed.

Through the years of my life, you are faithful.

 

My voice rises in joyful song for your faithfulness.

One day I shall behold You in Your beauty.

Even during this earthly sojourn, I am blessed.

The sweet joys You give are not transient.

Let me not minimize Your blessings, nor call them mundane.

To see You face-to-face, I must wait a little.

 

I praise You for faithful care in times of transience.

I praise You for beauty hidden in the mundane.

I am blessed by You, though I am little.

great-things-cross

Posted in Bible Thoughts, Creative writing, Sestinas, Sunday Thoughts, Things for Which I am Thankful | Comments Off on A Sestina for the Sabbath

Marriage Desired – A Poem

Thursday, July 31st, 2008

The prompt this week at One Single Impression
is FACES, suggested by Lissa at Just Writing Words. (Thanks, Lissa, for this prompt.)

The word FACES brought to my mind the fact that we all have a variety of FACES, which show themselves depending upon whom we are looking. For example, I am a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a friend, a neighbor, a coworker, etc. For this prompt, I chose to focus on a role or FACE which is common to many of us, and is desired by many not currently in this role: the married FACE.

The poetry form I am using is the sestina, a newly-discovered favorite. To me, this is like doing a combination of crossword puzzle, Scrabble, and Sudoku, because, though I don’t need to do any rhyming, yet a definite form must still be followed. It’s so much fun; I highly recommend it!

MARRIAGE DESIRED – A SESTINA

At certain seasons of life comes the desire to marry.

Seeking a soul-mate, a companion, is a good desire

Not only for friendship, but to find a deep and meaningful love.

It’s not Happily Ever After, but lots of hard work

To build a strong marriage. Wise counsel, good advice

Are what you need prior to making this decision, my friend.

First, don’t be anxious. Stay busy with your friends.

There are lots of things to do, and places to go, before you marry.

Develop your talents, follow your dreams, is my advice.

As you pursue your passions, you may meet someone who shares your desires.

Be the person you want to be, now; with enthusiasm work

And play before beginning life with your love.

You desire completion; you want to be loved.

You’re tired of being alone; you want that dearest friend.

If all you can see are your needs, this just won’t work.

It’s a fable that life becomes perfect when you marry.

No one can make you happy or fulfill every desire.

Be someone of value yourself; focus on giving is my advice.

My dear friend, I have yet more advice,

A caution: Not everyone is good, deserving of your love.

Look for true character, not just the fluttering of desire.

You are careful whom you choose as a friend,

But more significant than this is whom you will marry.

It takes two giving hearts to truly make a marriage work.

No matter how prepared you two are, this is going to be hard work.

Your hearts entwined will still miscommunicate; you’ll need this advice:

“Don’t give up!” Learn to really know this one you have married.

Time and again you will need to forgive, be forgiven, and to love.

Even when you don’t feel like it, be a true friend;

Build common passions, goals, memories, and desires.

Dear little ones, precious children, may be the fruit of your desire.

This, too, is no utopia, but will require long years of diligent work

If they are to mature into people you would be proud to call “friend.”

I wish for you, plenty of all good things, including this wise advice:

Let all that you do, toward spouse and children, be done with love.

Then, when all is said and done, you will be thankful you married.

If you desire to marry, may this be a fruitful desire

Leading to a life of love, showing itself in daily selfless works

Receiving one another’s advice, may you find in your spouse a true friend.

Posted in Creative writing, marriage, One Single Impression, Sestinas | 9 Comments »

Some Summer Poetry

Sunday, July 20th, 2008

The writing prompt this week at One Single Impression is REST, submitted by The Manic Gardener.

I suppose I can blame the Stream of Consciousness for taking me from REST to RELAX, which brings me to SUMMER, a season which I find particularly relaxing. Summer in the Pacific Northwest will be the subject of my poem.

I’m trying a new poetic form this week – Sestina – about which I’m inordinately excited! Using this form reminds me of playing Scrabble and Sudoko. If you’re interested, here is the link to the Wikipedia article about Sestina, and how to Do It Yourself. If any Sestina experts out there want to set me straight on any poetic faux pas I may have committed, please speak out!

With that introduction, I am pleased to present

A TRIBUTE TO SUMMER IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST: A SUMMER SESTINA

After the cold drizzle of winter, I desire summer

When spring foliage deepens to a darker shade of green

And the beauty and buzz of nature bids me relax.

Sweater, jacket and scarf can finally be shed in all this warmth.

Encouraged by the lovely weather, I want to play

Even if that occasionally means playing in the rain.

In the Pacific Northwest, though, we don’t mind rain;

Yes, we have overcast days and drizzles, even in the summer.

Best of all though are blue-sky days, when billowing clouds play

Across the sky, pulling their shadows along the green

Earth beneath them. “Partially cloudy” warmth

With a light breeze can provide the best setting to relax.

During these lazy days, a park is often where we relax

With a covered shelter (Just in case there’s rain.).

For barbecued burgers with the fixin’s you don’t need warmth,

Though warmth helps; after all, it IS summer!

Kick the soccer ball; toss the Frisbee across the grassy green;

Put up the volleyball net. It’s time to play!

There’s more to do during these summer days than play;

Until the chores are done, it’s difficult to relax.

(I mean chores dealing with the super-abundance of green.)

The grass and the weeds grow faster with this rain.

The rototiller, the mower and the weed eater make the sounds of summer.

This necessary work is made more pleasant by the season’s warmth.

When our children were small, summer had a special warmth,

The warmth of my enjoyment as I watched them play

In their bush-clump forts, where they adventured through the days of summer.

As a special treat, I’d serve them lunch outside, the routine relaxed.

Up on the porch they would shelter, when it rained,

Which it sometimes did in their playroom green.

During summer – this season sometimes balmy, but always green –

I find it difficult to remember chill and ice. A deep warmth

Saturates my being, body and soul; I don’t dread the rain.

Being accustomed to this climate, we continue to play

And work during the inevitable drizzle. “Relax!”

We tell new-comers: “This is a Pacific Northwest summer.”

A summer season here, with the sun shining through green

Leaves, is a time to relax, in appreciation of long-absent warmth,

A time to continue with our work and play, even in times of rain.

Posted in Creative writing, One Single Impression, Sestinas | 15 Comments »