My first here at AP entered on Feb. 4. 2005
Friday Night Reflections - a sestina
http://allpoetry.com/poem/1041618
Friday night reflections require a certain
amount of peaceful quiet.
Stillness and softness and security abide
in a blocked out hole in time.
I sit and I write and while I pause
truth is captured in the moment.
An event flashes across my mind in a moment
of joy or sadness, fear or faith, a certain
momentary flash that gives my spirit pause.
My joy event is found in a moment of quiet
peace in class, where students took the time
to learn and write and just abide.
Where would I like my joy to abide?
Perhaps just in this peaceful moment
without worry or wonder, where time
is on my side and I can detect a certain
rhythm in my own life and a certain quiet
in my own soul that says it is good to pause.
But throughout the hectic halls the sadness does not pause
and leave the people to rest and abide
in their own times of sadness mixed with quiet.
They are hurried and hassled from this moment
to the next, from class to class, from a certain
mad frenzy that never stops with the passage of time.
What are they all fearing at this time?
Is it the endless struggle to survive that gives them no pause?
Is it the need to be on top that makes a certain
nauseous never to take over and abide
in their soul for just one more endless moment?
Or is the fear the terror of being overwhelmed by the quiet?
Listen to me my students, as I sit reflecting in my quiet
captured and clutched in the frenzy of faith for this time.
Faith for you, faith in you, faith that surpasses this moment
and enters the realm of the spirit of truth. Faith that does not pause
for even a moment. Faith that will abide
and bring joy not sadness or fear. I am certain.
Take the time to savor the moment and to pause.
Be quiet in your mind and in your soul and time
will gracefully greet you and abundant peace with abide in you. I am certain.
************************************************************************************
My last written and entered yesterday -
Welcoming 2008
http://allpoetry.com/poem/3758044
Once pure black slate
now full of smudges
erasures
mistakes and misdeeds
missteps and mis-utterances
broken promises
broken dreams
regrets in bold block print
apologies never offered
apologies never received
things I couldn't understand
still remain enigma
while
sweet memories are copied into
my journal for 2007.
The last page
captures poetic phrases
in indelible ink
so I can return ... later
and re-cherish moments
with loved ones
family
precious grandson
students and friends
those who have blessed me
with love beyond love.
It is time to clean off the
black slate board ~
wash it clean
sponge it with pure water
up and down up and down up and down
until
my soul is clear of yesteryear
and ready for tomorrow.
Once again
a pure black slate
welcomes me back.
Author notes
Thank you!
In a list
A contest entry
- First and Last by CarolDesjarlais.
525 points, ended January 4, 2008, 27 entries
Honorable mention
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
...
Comments
-
Oh absolutely there is a maturity in voice between the two poems. Both are good poems, but the second poem simply seduces the reader in to yoru theme. Nicely done and this puts you in the "In-the-running" list.
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Amazing sestina! I know it will bw some time before I even think about attempting one of those... Love the metaphor in you second poem. Cherish your precious memories, the rest of it is better washed down the drain... Happy New Years to you too!!!
-
Happy New year joanne
truly you posses a heart of gold...
Mal
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