by 
Such beautiful and uplifting responses to the last Wednesday Writing Prompt, l’chaim, October 4, 2017. Together, these are a small gift of antidote to news reports. Grab a cup of tea. Take a breath. Read. Ponder. Smile! These are as Paul Brookes says, “happy poems.”
Thanks to Paul, Lady Nimue, Renee Espiru, Sonja Benskin Mesher, Colin Blundell and Kakali Das Gosh for coming out to play.
Please join us for tomorrow’s Wednesday Writing Prompt, always theme – not form – based. You are welcome no matter the stage of your career – beginner, emerging, professional. It’s all about getting to know other poets and having your say.
Stories of Hope
The world thrives on stories of hope,
Little cracked,but surviving homes;
I live each moment in awe
From when life picked me first
So out of line, yet so full of want;
You are home to me,my world,
The only constant reminder,
My prayers and wishes answered;
No matter what changes around,
Am blessed;love can be found
If you raise a toast for the gifts
That equally to strangers, you receive to give.
© 2017, Lady Nimue, Prats Corner: Pages of my mind: collecting words, experiences and memories …
Lady Nimue is new to our pages but has been blogging and posting her poems and other works for years. She says in her “I, Me, Myself” – “I love to experiment in reading, watching and listening to all that suggested to Me by close friends and trusted sources; and then i maintain a record here of my reactions and impressions – what i hear myself say in my head and heart about all the living and non !
“Hope you find something of your liking too !! And if you don’t let me know about that too ..”
We welcome Lady Nimue to The Poet by Day, Wednesday Writing Prompt.
there was a time
when one bottle of wine
seemed as if it was going to last forever;
the one I’m thinking of (purchased
one dinnertime in summer at 7/6d)
occupied a space in my life
a mile high and spanned the gap
all the way to Tibet; as you drank a glass
that dinnertime it seemed to refill itself
from the dregs of love
when one kiss would last
as long as the Rachmaninov cello sonata
whenever you put the record
on the turntable and let the needle fall –
obliterated in the so well-known cadences
which I could have been whistling
had my lips not been squashed against hers
when a bicycle ride would construct a day
down to the sea and back
across the long valley and over the downs –
magic ride often repeated –
I fill it from these dregs of memory
© 2017, Colin Blundell (Colin Blundell, All and Everything)
From a forthcoming book of poems by Colin Blundell
NOTE: 7/6d old money in 1964 = what would be 36p now
= after inflation in 2017 £6.80 = US$ 8.80
.the year.
gently go forward, then gently back
recreating past deeds and misdemenours
you thought forgotten.
gently go forward knowing we are mostly
all the same, with motes not spoken of,
except disorder.
gently it passed behind you, seen
clearly while looking for god.
gently gather winter leaves to keep
in paper bags. these are the golden
days .
my friend.
© 2017, Sonja Benskin Mesher (Sonja Benskin Mesher, RCA and Sonja’s Drawings)
..earth & heaven..
I have been away, this is the first day back.
not floods, yet death, and roofs flying, to produce home less ness.
I understand nothing of your situation, yet I know some stuff, and mostly i can only listen.
I guess we have to help ourselves. I met some good people away.
© 2017, Sonja Benskin Mesher (Sonja Benskin Mesher, RCA and Sonja’s Drawings)
Every New Beginning
To every newborn baby born
to those that overcome
to family diverse and all
for every new sunrise bright
for every moonlit night
the seasons that bring change
mother nature nurturing growth
remains
as seen in fields of flowers
kaleidoscope colors
in seeding fields & in
fields laid fallow
to harvesting and being thankful
for the celebration of life
& living
within each beginning
lies peace
Meta
© 2017, Renee Espriu (Renee Just Turtle Flight and Inspiration, Imagination & Creativity with Wings, Haibun, AR, Haiku & Haiga)
#An appeal to endure #
A dark tunnel
A murky avenue
A lunatic storm
Puzzled looks
Embarrassed scenes
Pixilated hearts
A giggling child
A lotus pond
A blooming daffodil
Vanished agony
Annihilated pain
An appeal to endure …
© 2017, Kakali Das Ghosh
A Little Girl
places an autumn oak leaf
in all its yellow and red on my conveyor belt.
I consider my potential responses:
Sorry love you can’t buy that here.
Sorry love it has no barcode, so won’t go through.
That’s a free gift from nature, love.
At the finish I advise
Sorry you can’t put that through, love
and she removes the leaf from the belt.
At the finish it is all child’s play
in the adult buy and sell.
© 2017, Paul Brookes (The Wombwell Rainbow, Inspiration, History, Imagination)
A Grandkid’s Hug
1.
You’re such a klutz!
as I pull out my wallet
and silver coin falls out
I hold your warm hand
after all these years
and something passes
something does not fall
2.
Magic a grandkids hug
Round the middle
Softens sharp nails
Smooths frayed edges
Unaware hug anyway
any how whatever any why
all hammering
all awkward shaving down.
Gone in an instant.
Grandkids hugs should be
ever prescribed
On NHS
© 2017, Paul Brookes (The Wombwell Rainbow, Inspiration, History, Imagination)
In A Hush
of winter
from bare limbs silhouetted
against a grey sky
a sudden voice
from tiny lungs
your full heart lifts
as if the tree had blossomed
unexpectedly.
© 2017, Paul Brookes (The Wombwell Rainbow, Inspiration, History, Imagination)
A Breathless
small boy in an angry bird t shirt,
mock flight jacket,
Hawaiian shorts and trainers
bursts into the shop shouting
“What-What-time-is-it?
When-do-you-close?
I’ve got fifty pee.”
I reply that we close at eight,
so he has an hour.
“Just ran all way here.
What can I buy? he asks
mouth open before a wall of sweets.
I show him in one corner trays full
of small chocolate eggs at 49p.
“Yes. Yes one of these.”
His delight makes me smile.
© 2017, Paul Brookes (The Wombwell Rainbow, Inspiration, History, Imagination)
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gently gather winter leaves to keep
in paper bags. these are the golden
days .
.. what lovely imagery. Absolutely enjoyed this poem. And the rest are so wonderful .. much needed hopeful dose.
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Thank you so so much for the welcome. And for the grand one that too. I am sorry I missedBiur comment earlier. And am so happy to find Wednesday prompts 🙂
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And we’re happy to have you and you lovely work.
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Oh my goodness what a feast of poems to cheer e. There Was A Time just captured my mood and almost brought tears to my eyes. I LOVE it.
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So pleased to hear that. Will let the poets know.
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