Category: poetry

Old Words, New Words*

On By buildingalifeofhopeIn abuse, poetry11 Comments

The young woman with big brown eyes

Born with a glint in her eyes

Always looking

Always questioning

Always laughing

The sun seemed never ending

She was full of romantic notions

and innocence about love

Presented with a trinket

betrothed and full of hope

The older woman with big brown eyes

Always scared

Always questioned

Always somber

She was full of anxiety

and suspicion about love

The rain seemed never-ending

Days, weeks and months

filled with the static of lies and abuse

The free woman

living with a new perspective in her eyes

Always smiling

Always present

Always embracing

Life to its fullest

Many thanks to Kellie Elmore for the Free Write Friday inspiration!

http://kellieelmore.com/2013/05/03/fwf-free-write-friday-word-bank-6/

Language Love Affair

On By buildingalifeofhopeIn poetry4 Comments

(Photo courtesy of changingwomen.org)

           

   I go to bed with words

Swimming, dancing and floating in my head

              They permeate my dreams

Flowing in and out of my consciousness

And sparking my imagination as I sleep

        They hold me in a tight embrace

              Like a red-hot lover

            I give in to the feelings

Opening up, yielding and surrendering

             Discovering and Uncovering

           Parts of me that were unknown

             Hidden deep inside my soul

Each turn of phrase is like a soft kiss on my lips

           Words whispering in my ear

                An audible sigh

               A loud cry

       Replete, Present, Fully-formed

Naked in the Bathroom*

On By buildingalifeofhopeIn abuse, Motherhood, poetry12 Comments

Standing in the steam talkin’ to my ex

A forceful voice over the wireless

           I hear it now:

         My son taking sides

Being fed information based in lies

     The conversation drags on

      The steam disappears

      We start conversing

about what happened over the years

     The voice becomes softer

     The heat lamp goes on

I am trapped in my nakedness

As he turns the DENIAL button on

      It’s the same old song

Of course I’m the one that’s done wrong

      I listen to his “reality”

and the problems with my personality

     I choose my words carefully

I am getting colder, my clean hair lies flat

I want to put a stop to this endless chat

I hear his “love” or is it manipulation?

I need to get out of this sticky situation

I vacillate between trust, guilt and fear

Yet, through it all my decision is clear

The steam is gone, the heat lamp turned off

There is no hope for us now

He has not faced his “stuff”

It is time for my own life

    Enough is Enough

*(AUTHOR”S NOTE:  This a poem that I found in a journal from 2008- a year of tremendous personal upheaval. It is an actual scenario that occurred. I remember sending it to my now late mom who loved the truth and strength in it. I am sure that she would be proud that I am sharing it with a wider audience.)

Training Fatigue

On By buildingalifeofhopeIn poetry, Running, Yoga4 Comments

training fatigue

Saturday morning she awakens with a sudden jolt

 It is 4 a.m.  Her calves lock with charlie horses

Her hips feel frozen, her back is in spasm

She has trouble rolling over

She lets out a groan

She needs to get to hot yoga without a doubt

Another ten-miler is in store for tomorrow

Arriving, she embraces the heat

Each inversion and twist is met at first with pain

Then release and relief

The poses feel good

But she forgoes wheel and frog

Saturday supper: pasta, water and wine

She slumbers at an early hour

Sunday morning 6 a.m.

Arising stiff but not too sore

Shall she go?

She needs the long run without a doubt

Pain simmers beneath the skin

A natural feeling for the distanced runner

Each mile is ticked off without notice

Until the last

Her legs announce themselves

in all their glorious grief

She finishes and bends over with welcome relief

A Way of Waiting

On By buildingalifeofhopeIn Love, Lovers, poetry2 Comments

lovers waiting

When you were last here a snowstorm stranded us

We were hot with cabin fever

This morning I rise alone 

Chilled by the longing for you

I know that I need to wait

Spring is beginning its slow unfolding

The grass is getting greener by the day

The bare trees are just beginning to bud

The forsythias are in full bloom

I watch the sun rise from my bedroom window

I know that I need to wait

I go out to greet the day

Morning is stirring here, just a bit

The air has a hint of warmth

I listen for the early sounds of the day

I know that I need to wait

I hear the tearful coos of the mourning dove

The rat-ta–tat- tat of the woodpecker

The singsong serenade of the cardinal

Work keeps an ocean between us

I know that I need to wait

I hear the low hum of the traffic

and the long low  whistle of the train

Runners emerge for their daily exertion

I return home to face another day

And know that I need to wait

waiting quote

Sibilance II

On By buildingalifeofhopeIn abuse, poetry, RecoveryLeave a comment

sibilancesibilance

The Victim Soars a s Survivor:

              She is:

Self-assured & Self-sufficient

     Satisfied & Serene

               She feels:

        Sensual & Sexy

She Shimmers, Sparkles & Shines

                She is:

  Oh So Sizzling & Sassy!

 

The Perpetrator: Sadly Remains the Same

                He is:

   Shameless & Shallow

    Shiftless & Shady

Scorned, Isolated & Separated

So as to stay safe from

his insinuating, insidious, insulting mistreatment

                He has:

Descended, Dissipated & Disappeared

 

 

The Yearning

On By buildingalifeofhopeIn Love, Lovers, poetry4 Comments

lovers yearning

Tonight I wash away the stains of the day

Unravel the cloth that has wrapped me

Stretch out the aches and pains

Robe myself in silk

Clamber to the comfort of my bed

 

My thoughts are of you on this clear spring night

Sleeping beneath the pink moon

I long for your touch

Your sweet words

And you

Just you

Only you

Always you

What’s in Your Wallet?

On By buildingalifeofhopeIn humor, poetry7 Comments

messy purse

IS MY PURSE A REFLECTION OF MYSELF?

DO I NEED TO TRAVEL LIGHTER?

TIME TO TAKE AN INVENTORY:

One long brown mini-purse that holds

$40 cash and various plastic cards

13 crumpled receipts that should be tossed

1 broken bracelet with the word “Passion” written on it

4 pens

1 journal

1 lime green sticky note pad

2 packs of gum

3 business cards

1 thumbnail drive-contents forgotten

4 tubes of lipstick

1 panty shield

2 tampons

A daily planner that I never use

3 shriveled napkins

An article about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch

2 pairs of sunglasses: 1 broken and 1 too big for my face

1 pair (of 3) reading glasses

1 tube of tarocco orange hand lotion-:it smells so clean!

2 used art museum tickets:an Easter memory

2 travel sized dental floss containers

A paper clip

An old grocery shopping list

A bandaid

TIME FOR SPRING CLEANING!

Two Good Men

On By buildingalifeofhopeIn Brothers, Motherhood, poetryLeave a comment

brothers

Eyes once full of innocence and mischief

Smiles that lit up like the noon day sun:

               Momma’s boys

Kicking and screaming their way through

the rocky years of teenage sullenness and rebellion:

                Nobody’s boys

Growing, changing, emerging and becoming

 solid, well-grounded, caring, respectful and focused:

                Momma’s men

Sibilance

On By buildingalifeofhopeIn abuse, poetry2 Comments

sibilance

VICTIM                                                                            PERPETRATOR

Stifled                                                                                   Stealthy

Scorned                                                                               Scurrilous

Stunted                                                                                Smarmy

Suppressed                                                                         Slick

Sequestered                                                                       Sleazy

Sundered                                                                             Sly

Secluded                                                                              Snide

Silenced                                                                                Secretive