flutter by butterfly

dressed in wings of beauty, frail

he listened  as she told her tale

his wings were strong and flattered by

the way that she had fluttered by

they didn’t see the windshield, splattered

she listened to his last words, sputtered

'fly like the wind though heart may fail'

she flew away with broken tail

Patricia Spreng

After finding this Spicebush Swallowtail managing her broken wings so beautifully, I caught the image and the story came quickly.  I was delighted to find an actual form in the ending words of each line!  By now, you know I have no head knowledge of poetry... just heart knowledge. So, I ask my learned poet friends... and you know who you are =) ...   Is this a form? Does it have a name?

Joining with d’Verse Poets for Open Link Night, click here to read the wonderful words of poets.

Web Master

weave me,  spinning

thread bare strands of life

as only you can

into silken beauty of brokenness

stretch me

far beyond what I could ever know

as only you can

adorn me with unwasted tears,
collected

lest I think I’m some kind of Rumplestiltskin

pretending to know the intricacies

of weaving gold from dust

as only you can

Patricia Spreng

You keep track of all my sorrows.  You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.  Psalm 56:8

Joining today with d’Verse Poets… click here to find the wonderful words of poets. 

Hold On

 Winds have always blown

in beauty and terror

testing strength

against  strength

opposing fiercely

 

 until the moment when

fear (embraced)

subsides

in the eye of the Beholder

peace comes 

and what you thought

was weakness

is Strength disguised

in you

not of you

holding fear away

Patricia Spreng

    Oh, how unusual for me to be late!  I'm joining others  at  Faith Barista... click right here to see other's Autumn posts.
   
     As Fall arrives, the winds blow, leaves fall, colors change, temperatures change.   I cannot help but see there is a direct correlation to my life and faith season of Autumn.   Changes, yes.  In our imperfect life, the winds of many challenges are blowing in our family. Our children are  leaving our home, (hair) colors are changing, physical changes, health changes, etc.  (and yes, temperature changes!)  Changes I ordinarily would fear, I am choosing to embrace.  Living within change, I am finding God's strength in embracing the storms, not fearing them.  Is He the calm at the eye of your storm ?



Summer Wind



Lake Michigan  ***   Holland, MI



Stretching days

of stolen time

languishing

in sand and sun

Breathe your last

summer  wind

blow goodbye   kisses

toward the shore

Touch my hair

and turn my face toward you

waving sweet memories

across my toes

Hoping that

I beg you to stay

through winter

as though this time you would

When did you

change  color

my fickle friend

singing new songs

that chill my soul

Goodbye summer  wind

I’ll be here

with you in mind

‘til you return

again

Patricia Spreng

 Come read the wonderful words of poets at  d’Verse Poets

(urinary track)

to the train

all aboard

get on board

get on board

for the ride

to remember

you’ll remember

this train

***

he swore to the conductor

we ten were under twelve

discount for having so many, so close

let dad do the talking

clackity clack

don’t talk back

smile, be polite

say thank you

yes sir

before long

we owned that train

bar car

dining car

sleeping car

more

running down the aisle

playing hide and seek

making lovers squirm

in their dirty looks

wishing they were on any. other. train.

‘til one of us stopped

to catch a breath of fresh air
at the joint between cars

then we all did

right there

and that’s where we stayed

for the rest of the trip

refreshed

stuck our heads outside

leaning out over the gate

as far as we could reach

reaching, stretching
without falling

'No falling!'
(as though another new rule would deem it so)

wind blowing our hair

blue sky

sunshine on our faces

and the rain

the rain

the cool, wet rain

sprinkling our faces

in sunshine

refreshment

by the end

mother wondered why our hair was wet

shirts damp

the look of  horror on her face

was beyond understanding

as we begged

for her to join our joy
in our tale to tell
of being rained on in sunshine

looking for rainbows

'that was no rain'

she exclaimed

jaw clenched

low hushed

matter of fact

disgusted still

madly digging for a hanky

‘the......toilet.......flushes.......onto........the........track.’

***

train engines hissin’

train track pissin’

clackity clack

urinary track

rhythm of the rail

hear momma wail

clackity clack

urinary track

clackity clack

urinary track

don’t hold back

go baby... go...

baby...

go...

     just....

               go.

Patricia Spreng

Yes, this really happened.  In 1968, my parents took all 10 of us kids on a train ride to Taqhaumenon Falls in the upper peninsula of Michigan. We were having such fun, until we saw our mom's face.  My dad wanted to throw us all into the Falls.  Apparently, we all survived.  We still laugh about it. The minute Claudia mentioned "trains,"  this was the first and only story that came to mind.  =)   Submitted to d’Verse Poetics tonight where Claudia is asking for stories about trains.  Click here on d’Verse Poetics to read more train stories by the wonderful world of poets

Also skipping over to double dutch with Deidra and sharing laughter at Jumping Tandem, one of the marvelous places I've found through
The High Calling.  (I'm getting loopy from linking.)

A Standard Poem

Mind if I add a little background music to the pub tonight?

      In July,  I gave a concert at the grand opening of a beautiful, new retirement community in a nearby city. I noticed how the titles of the songs fit nicely into a poem of sorts…. A Standard Poem,  if you will. 

          Click right here  or on the "Recordings" tab above if you'd like to hear me sing some of these.  Enjoy! 

A Standard Poem

What’s New?

(did you know)

I Have Got a Crush on You?

(i love having )

Someone to Watch Over Me

(and whisper in my ear)

Hello Dolly

(i hear the)

Skylark

(in the)

Orange Colored Sky

(and i think to myself)

What a Wonderful World

(it’s)

Almost Like Being In Love

When I Fall In Love

(i get)

Misty

(do I need to spell it for you?)

L-O-V-E

At Last

The Very Thought of You

(is)

Unforgettable

(because of the way you make me)

Smile

Patricia Spreng

Joining today with d'verse Poets Pub for open link night.  The pub opens at 3 pm est.  Click on their site to find the wonderful words of poets and enjoy!

funny monday

do you see 6 turkeys?

What’s the trouble turkeys?

                                        Got your feathers in a fluff?

It’s only Max

the mighty wonder dog

The Terrier Terror

(Triple T)

    fly away turkey ...

                       don’t let the puppy get you down...

                                                      
                                                              CHICKEN!      

When’s the last time you saw a turkey in a tree?

Joining today with Miscellany Monday hosted by Carissa Graham at lowercase letters, also with

On, In, and Around Mondays with L.L. Barkat at Seedlings in Stone, and

Playdates with God with Laura Boggess at The Wellspring

Daddy

To walk with you

holding hands

lifted by the strength

of your love

To dance with you

on top of your shoes

lifted by the strength

in your pinky fingers

To learn from you

filling your shoes one day

lifted by the strength

of your legacy

Patricia Spreng

Joining today with d’Verse Poetics to honor the memory of all the victims of 9/11

Ever so gently, carefully .. instead of reliving the atrocity, describing the carnage, or abhoring the evil that led to such an act ... I simply felt drawn to the loss within the home after losing a beloved.

Head down

knees bent…

pressing in hard

to the presence of God

when the faith forecast

is partly cloudy

with a chance of tears

Patricia Spreng

To see other words of the faith-full, click on this site right here: Jam With Me Thursdays at Faith Barista, hosted by Bonnie Gray

Dragon fly

far away

never to return

etchings

paper thin

transparent truths

carried on wings of love

      

     

 landing

     

 hovering

               flitting

blown by wind

blown dreams

spinning promises

golden hair treasures

a fairy tale

of heroes

and champions

slay the dragon fly

far away

Patricia Spreng 

Submitted to open link night at d’Verse Poets …  where you will definitely find the wonderful words of poets.

I stole a day…

I stole a day this morning

pajama clad and all

sleeping in

me, my Lord, and I

'til jays' loud calling

sent me pointing lens upon the world

with coffee brewing just for one

sending  gentle wake up chimes

flowing softly through my veins

I stole a day this afternoon

pajama clad and all

no calendar, clock or phone

chores that called remained undone

reading still and writing more

napping on the sun room chair

‘til little dog who came to play

took me out of doors

that way

(pajama clad and all)

I stole a day this evening

still pajama clad

eating breakfast then dessert

leisure drinks so tall

pages filled with letters

truth and tears

smiling at baby doves

momma warming feathers nearby

I stole a night tonight

prayers adoring, begging,

wrestling, resting

reading read

ready for bed

content beyond all measure

pajama clad and all

Patricia Spreng

When was the last time you stayed in your pajamas all day…  and you were not sick at all?

Joining Laura Bogess at Playdates With God, and L.L. Barkat at In, On and Around Mondays.

Smile

silent laughter

of wordless tongues

softening sadness

cheer delight

knowing look

thoughts align

spirits soar

gift sublime

welcome home

anywhere

entered through

the front door of a smile

Patricia Spreng

Charlie Chaplin wrote the song, “Smile” in the 1950s.  The video is a tribute to his work in silent movies and his beautiful, sad song recorded by one of my favorites, Nat King Cole.  Today, you will find the wonderful words of poets over at d’Verse Poetry  where the prompt is silent movies.