PROMPT #08 - HOME

THE NEED FOR HOME

Our lives take us in many directions
far from the center of ourselves.
Demands are high,
expectations higher.
We meet the tasks of each passing day
as we find our way through the maze of life.
What we do sustains our needs.
What we need is the place we return to
night after night.
It is there our spirits are refreshed.
Our batteries recharge in this special place,
where we find peace, comfort and renewal
from the simple act of being at home.

PROMPT #07 - GARDEN

REVIVED GARDEN

For the longest time,
this garden showed no signs of life.
The crumbling dirt of neglect
blew away on an uncaring wind.
And so it would have remained,
had fate not intervened.
You tilled the soil,
enriched the dry earth,
and turned the barren wasteland
into a magical oasis.
This once, empty garden flourishes
through the vibrant colors of you.

PROMPT #06 - FREEDOM

FREEDOM FROM PERFECTION

Every day,
I fight the forces of nature.
I watch my hair turn grayer,
see my waistline disappear,
notice my height diminish, ever so slightly.
I try to fight the signs of aging,
with hair dye, vitamins and diets.
And then I remember a simple truth.
You took me as I was and take me as I am.
You never signed on for perfection.
You give me the freedom to be me.

PROMPT #05 - ENOUGH

MORE THAN ENOUGH

How do you measure
what’s enough?
Do you add up material possessions,
money, power, fame?
Do those things alone bring fulfillment?
My meter for those things
barely rises above zero.
But I have you.
I have the family we share
and the home we’ve built together.
How could I want for more
when what I have is more than enough?

PROMPT #04 - DREAM (or DREAMS, if you prefer)

Finally feeling a bit more human after a very long battle with the flu. For this week's journey through the alphabet, your can choose either "dream" or "dreams" for your title and poetry theme.

DREAM UNREALIZED

They dream of stardom,
live but for fame and fortune,
drown in despair’s pool.

RE-PROMPT #03 - COLORS (with a twist)

What should have only been an extended weekend away from my poetry postings evolved into almost two weeks as I was hit with the flu on my return home. As I continue to recover, I'm going to extend the time for Prompt #03 so that I can more fully explore more colorful poetic avenues. We will continue our travels through the alphabet on March 11, 2010 with the letter "D". Thanks for your patience!

PROMPT #03 – COLORS (with a twist)

This week’s prompt is "colors," but we’re changing things up for this prompt. The color is your choice. It can be about a black heart, a blue moon, or yellow Shasta daisies. Incorporate the color into your title, and write a poem based on that theme.


THE RED ROSE

Mr. Lincoln’s rose.
A vivid, red reminder.
Blood shed for freedom.

PROMPT #02 - BRIDGE

BROKEN BRIDGE

Our bridge is broken.
Plank by plank, we built it,
and plank by plank, we brought it down.
Once, we could reach across
with outstretched hands
touching heart, mind and soul.
Now, we stay on our own side,
keeping our thoughts and needs
to ourselves,
without risk of tumbling
into the blackened hole of indifference.

PROMPT #01 - AFRAID

AFRAID OF BEING ALONE

The feeling of loneliness
grips me with terror,
and tears I cannot control
ceaselessly fall from my eyes.

I cry for what I think is lost
but, in reality,
is merely misplaced.

My stomach in knots,
I try to bring reason to this
unfounded fear.
But rational thinking eludes me.

Darkness envelops my spirit.
Panic sets in as another empty day
threatens any sense of contentment.
And tears, never fully contained,
continue their merciless journey.