Rose & Thorn Poetry

I saw this picture and loved the colors. I thought the scene would be fun to describe. The original was posted here (Photo by Rhonda Buss) The Sunset Tree Those tangled tendrils reaching out, Black branches against a painted evening sky-- A shadow tree in fading light. On the shore of the copper shimmered sea, Listen to the lulling sound of subtle waves sloshing, Then sharply slapping in a crescendo, Along the rutilant rocky edge. Brilliant burnished clouds on fire, Loiter in a darkening indigo sky; Once shining brightly blue, The dimming day turning, Into a billowing purple haze. The evening gives way to night, The lingering light fades, The fire slowly goes out, And the sky goes dark. An ending to the day, A sign to enter a mellow rest-- Black branches merging with a blackened sky. Now awakens the spotted lights; While the world sleeps, Diaphanous shimmers of stars dance.

Because sometimes telling people your goals or fears feels like giving them your SSN To Bear Your Soul Upon A Page To bear your soul upon a page To write with ink from within the heart To show the truth of who you are To expose the substance of the deepest part It is a terrifying dangerous thing To let someone know Your thoughts and feelings Hopes and fears Facts that are weapons and something more: The ammunition given to start a war To hand over the sharpened knife, the loaded gun, the jagged spear It is a terrifying dangerous thing To be known so crystal clear It shouldn’t come as a surprise When you’ve equipped the masses with your heart’s private thoughts But still it’s hard to realize the possibility of your own demise If you forget and turn your back You may not again rise For it is a terrifying dangerous thing To bear your soul upon a page To leave your soul spliced and splayed for all the world to see To let the secrets out and let spies come in Being...

This is my first attempt at writing a ballad. Ballads are narratives that tell a story often using metaphors. Ballads vary in their structure, but I chose to try the traditional iambic meter (an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable) and wrote four-line stanzas (quatrains), alternating between iambic tetrameter (4 iambs/eight syllables per line) and iambic trimeter (3 iambs/six syllables per line). Maybe I'll try a sonnet next... Maybe 😏 Ballad of the Sheepies In warming air of springtime full, The shepherd took the sheep, Out into hills secure and green, Their guarding he did keep.  In pleasant pastures packed with wool, While they in joyful leaps, Naively thought the world serene, The foolish little sheep.     In glooming forest fraught with wolves,      In trees below they sleep. The guard aware of threat unseen, Where murky shadows creep. In warming air of springtime full, One little sheepie keen, Hills y...

This poem is the contrasting half of  "Where to Stand" The One That Stays Other people may run away But I’ll be the one that stays. When you get it wrong and try to change But it takes more time than realized For those goals to be attained I’ll be the one who stays. When you have given all you can give And ask for help in return Others may desert you But I’ll be the one who stays. When you’re frustrated with yourself And think you’re undeserving So you push everyone away I’ll be the one that stays. Oh, can’t you see You will always be loved by me I’ll be the one that stays.

This poem is about that confusing feeling in a relationship when you don't know what the other person is thinking. I've seen many people in this place, and I have been here too. It's difficult when there is a lack of honest communication. It can happen in any relationship, leaving you wondering where to stand.   *This poem has a contrasting counterpart The One That Stays Where to Stand I don’t know where we stand, But there was a time my heart was in your hand. You pulled me close then pushed away, Acted sweet then changed your ways. I don’t know where I stand. You became distant but then you complained, That you missed me, Wanted to see me. And acted like nothing changed. I don’t know where to stand. You give me hope that we can be, But then you seem to dislike all that is me. I’m not sure where I should stand. Now I’m left in the in between, Left in the wondering of what you mean. I’m stuck in midair with no where to go-- I’d rather fall than...

The Fish of Covet On the banks of  Covet Cove, or so I have been told,   There swam a giant fish richly scaled in gold.      In the depths of bluish sea beneath the roiling tide,   A stunning beauty hid for whom all men vied.  The story spread, in whispered tones cleverly controlled, For each aspired the chance to own alleged gold. All the folk of Covet rushed in peril haste to find, The rumored fish, the special one-of-a-kind. A shadow swam beneath the waves, viewed by man of greed. Before his eyes she splashed swift with lightning speed. On the shore he heaved a sigh. It seemed the perfect size. Rejoiced did he, for now at last he could claim his prize. In raptures of ambition he baited sharpened hook, In vain desire he wily undertook, To deceive the gleaming fish with artful ruse, Tempting gracious gesture, she dared not refuse. With hopeful dreams yet dire misgivings she dared the bite. Snagged she struggled while he pul...

Awhile back I saw a picture of a dresser covered with cups and mugs with sunlight streaming through the window behind it. Inspired, I decided to make up a story behind the mess. I couldn't find the original picture, so I recreated my own version to capture a snapshot of a similar scene. These are my recreated versions The Morning Mess Golden shafts of morning light stream through the window. With Morning’s bright advent and the room touched in its wake, A late night gathering’s unsightly remains are brazenly shown, An expansive mess rudely exposed. An empty bag that once held pretzels, A soda can with the pull-tab missing, Brightly colored jellybeans straying from their home, The mess abandoned on a low coffee table, Its wooden surface sticky from careless spills and sugary specks, With a dirt stained rug underneath. Cups and mugs grouped across the dresser, A set of three tea stained mugs, A duet of tall clear glasses filled with water, A lone tea bag l...