writing about writing – Rivers Renewed

Of the Poet’s Heart

Autumn’s frost deepening the crimson of maple leaves, yet

I wonder

of the poet’s heart,

are we only placed here to renew, clearly

we have a voice

as with summer crickets singing

their sweet songs,

yet locusts clattering of who knows what, droning

until summer’s ear no longer listens.

So instead of singing sweetly or droning endlessly

I write simply,

will we survive until next autumn?

I wonder, and an equation is formed like this:

CONSPIRACY THEORIES = HATE = VIOLENCE AND CRUELTY = FACISM =

DESTRUCTION.

Think it can’t happen in the United States? It already has.

Just ask Paul Pelosi.

VOTE.

Poetry and Image © Copyright, 2022 rivers renewed

P.S. Almost all political hate is from the right. The “both sides” theory is from the right wing attempting to defuse their blame. More than 90% is from Republicans, according to Liz Cheney.

The Hue of Purple

I wondered, in this tinge of pink, in this hue of purple

what the poetess would contemplate

in the ocean

seeing, more with the heart

could she hear the music

in the waves?

would whale bones speak to her?

no God would condemn

such a soul that loved the mysteries

the vastness of everything

whose being

was awakened

by the sun.

Note: Dedicated to the memory of the wonderful poetess Mary Oliver.

Mary lived for a time in Massachusetts with her partner Molly Malone Cook. Molly was a photographer and at times took pictures of famous people.

Mary’s poetry speaks to me due to her observations of life and nature, and how she feels about being alive. Currently I’m reading her book Why I Wake Early. It is filled with light, and I always feel lifted when I read her work. I highly recommend it.

Peace.

Poetry, Narrative and Image © Copyright, 2022 rivers renewed

Farewell

It has been a long time coming, and since I don’t like good-byes I’ll use the term farewell. Many of you know I’m not here much anyway but I need to take it a step further and make it official. I’m retired from blogging.

There are a few reasons. My wife’s health hasn’t changed, and she is still receiving treatment. Love is stronger than fear though.

I’ve decided to do more studying. Many of you that have been with me for a while know, that I love anthropology. What is anthropology? The study of people. I’m also studying gender. Yes. Gender.

We all need and enjoy healing and positivity. I have written that way for a long time. That’s how I used to write though. It’s beautiful but that’s not who I am now. Now I write more like the Emma stories, edgy females that don’t take crap from anyone!

Adding a little supernatural is always fun too. Is there an Emma novel waiting to be written? Absolutely.

Finally the extremism from the far-right is the most dangerous element our country has faced in a very long time. The threat is from the right… not the left. The most the left will do is spend your money.

In a few years we may not have democracy. It’s called fascism. I could rant and rave about this all day on a separate blog, but I simply don’t have time. Yes it does affect my writing.

Finally and most importantly is to say thank you! I cannot thank you enough! Some of you have been with me a long time. I’m in tears as I write this part.

Thank you!

If you don’t mind I’d like to hang around once in a while, visiting.

I wish you peace.

Mystical Waters

Mystical waters flowing through a wooded dream, carrying

my spirit infused

within the peace of spring,

into a green world

my heart reaches up

as my hand

reaches for my notebook,

phrases sing

and a poem walks boldly

into this new world,

completed.

Deep Rivers

When our rivers run deeper, do we allow

our phrases, locked in secret places,

a place to roam, to meander

giving them permission

to flow?

through us, letting them go?

write from your heart.

Words taking Shape in the Woods

I discovered words rotate better, taking shape in the woods,

as if leaves in sunlight coax, syllabic meaning

and the canopy sways with phrases

these earth songs fill us

so we can see so much better

who we are,

and where our poems

lay hidden.

Writing Wordflow

Within our veins our wordflow strengthening, surging

moving us forward

yet our phrases, our lines wonder,

wandering,

will the writer ever,

set them down on a page?

the heart is only

a temporary home.

River Poem

Opening the door was never a struggle, to flow or let the wordflow in,

yet he pushed back on the obscure, preferring

to meander a while in the shade of oak trees,

his heart willing and wordflow

always honest, she

flowed quietly,

or sometimes roared

he let her have her way,

until she was finished

he smiled

closing his laptop,

grateful

for another day.

Looking into the Winter Sky

Looking into the winter sky brings a quiet to my mind,

a softer peace to my spirit, while my wordflow

increases, within rivers

of strength.

Positive Encouragement

I follow some amazing poets here on WordPress. If you’re following them too, then you know how wonderful they are. They boggle my mind with descriptive images and wordflow.

I’ve been keeping my work very simple lately, less on descriptive images and more on encouraging, hopeful phrases. Sometimes I sense a proclamation of hope and write it down. I see this as a change inwardly and publicly.

There are several reasons:

It’s been a tough couple of years for all of us. And I just feel the need for each of us to be lifted with some positivity.

It’s been a tough couple of years for our family, which I’ve already mentioned here.

To be honest right-wing extremism disturbs me a great deal and that affects my writing. I’m not much of a Joe Biden fan now but extremists on the right are the greatest threat to our country. I call them the AR-15 Culture. Anyway that’s a rant for another time.

Lastly, but not the least important is my health which includes chronic pain. It doesn’t get better, it gets worse over time. That’s the nature of it.

I don’t feel a need to retire right now, but when I do I will not disappear. I want this blog to always be here so I can post, and read your wonderful work.

So yeah, I’m keeping it simple, hopeful and encouraging. That’s my goal!

Peace. Thank you so much for reading!

Category: writing about writing