Wings spread wide apart
Soaring high on summer wind
Viewing the menu
***
Painting: Dwight L. Roth
Month: June 2020
Almost Heaven
An interesting phenomenon occurred this week, when a huge cloud of dust from the Sahara Desert in Africa was carried across the Atlantic. Some of the dust entered our atmosphere here in the US and is creating wonderful sunsets as the light reflects off the dust particles. This gorgeous photo was taken yesterday, and posted on Facebook by a friend who lives in Lost River West Virginia. It immediately reminded me of John Denver’s song Almost Heaven West Virginia. He graciously allowed me to use it in my post today.
West Virginia shines in all its glory.
Dusty copper sky glows brilliantly
in evening light above shadowed mountains…
outlining ridges with purple hues;
Dripping a spot of gold on the lake below.
*
“Almost Heaven, West Virginia…” John Denver sang,
dreaming of a place where God paints the sky.
Brushing with broad strokes across a Sahara canvas…
he once again creates beauty and grace from the dust of the earth;
Leaving us all standing in awe and adoration.
Photo: Gary Smucker (c) – Used by Permission
Listen to his song here:
Streets of Colmar
We visited the town of Colmar on one of our last stops on our Rhine River Cruise. The French town of Colmar goes back to Medieval times. The old part of town has kept a lot of the old buildings and architecture with modern buildings mixed in as well. We took a tram ride through the town and got a quick but informative tour. The town square has huge shady trees that must be over a hundred years old. It was a very unique place to visit.
Colmar // ancient town
Mixing old styles with the new
`Storks nest on the roof
Photos of Colmar, France: Dwight L. Roth
Survival Skill
Survival Skill
The past few weeks have brought the Black Lives Matter issue to a head with the deaths of black men at the hands of white Police Officers. I believe that Black Lives Matter, and I think what happened is inexcusable and should never have taken place. The TV News Media and the Press have had feeding frenzy over all that has happened, which I believe stirred up the racial tension even more.
It seems everyone focuses on the end result of the incidents, and little attention is given to what led up to them. In many of the cases, when persons were confronted by police, the situation escalated when the victim began arguing, refusing to do what was asked of them. In some cases, the victims actually physically confronted the police officer. As a result, things ended up very badly for all involved.
If they had co-operated, I believe, most of them would be alive today.
Someone once said, “You can be right and still be wrong!” I believe this is one of those times.
Too many lives lost
Respect needed on both sides
Co-operation is a Survival Skill!
Painting: Dwight L. Roth
Strasbourg Streets
Our Cruise Ship, Viking Alruna, stopped for a morning tour of Strasbourg, France. It was the hottest week of the summer in June 2019, with temperatures well into the 90s F. As long as we stayed in the shady areas it was very pleasant. These are some of the street shots I took while we were sightseeing!
So little time
So much to see
On a hot summer day
Photos of Strasbourg, France: Dwight L. Roth
Waiting To Be Fed
I am always amazed at how long parents keep feeding their young long after they seem to be grown. I have seen both House Finches and Cardinals feeding their immature babies that look grown.
Juvenile House Finch
Still begs parent to feed him
Plenty within reach
***
Just like some of ours who sit…
waiting // the check’s in the mail
Photo: Dwight L. Roth
Posting this on Open Link night at d’Verse.
Join us at: https://dversepoets.com
‘
People of Amsterdam
Last summer we celebrated our 50th anniversary with a Rhine River Cruise. We started in Amsterdam and traveled up river to Basel. When we arrived in Amsterdam we had a half day to do as we pleased, so we went on a canal ride through the heart of Amsterdam. Below are some of the people we saw along the way.
Wherever we go
People are much the same as
You and me
Photos take in Amsterdam: Dwight L. Roth
Loreley Calling
Boatmen on the Rhine
Hear echoes of the Siren.
Water Nymph calling
from the cliffs of Lorelei.
Steering in for a closer look;
Her seductive voice was all it took…
to crash their boats in the rocky shallows.
Her voice was clear // they all could hear;
but no one ever really saw her.
Photos: Dwight L. Roth
Last summer this time, we were on a river cruise up the Rhine for our 50th Wedding Anniversary. Along the Middle Rhine we came to a prominent mountainous outcrop of rocks on the German side known as the Cliffs of Loreley (English – Lorelei) At the bottom of the rocky cliff the river is shallow and rocky and dangerous for boatmen. As the story goes, the water running over these shallows creates a humming sound that echoes off the rocks. The myth was told that it was a beautiful young girl called Loreley who called causing the boatman to crash their boats in the shallows. At the very top is a monument that says these cliffs are a UNESCO site.
De Jackson at d’Verse, asked us to write a poem about Sirens or Mermaids. There are any mythical stories going way back and in many different cultures. This one we experienced in real life!
Join us at: https://dversepoets.com
My Most Shining Moment
In June of 2007, my two sons and I drove from North Carolina and Virginia to visit my mom in Eastern Pennsylvania. She was celebrating her 93rd, and last birthday. She passed away in August of that year. It was a wonderful visit. She was so happy to see her grandsons, and the love was felt all around. Though our visit was short, it was a very meaningful time for all of us.
My mother’s love shared
Summer’s most shining moment ,,,
August she was gone
***
Photo: Chris Roth
Photo: Don Ziegler
Lillian at d’Verse, asked us to think about our most shining moment. She referred to the end of March Madness when they shoe clips of the most shinning moments of the tournament! Our assignment was to write a Haibun of prose, followed by a traditional Haiku, describing our most shining moment. There are several that I could have chosen, such as our wedding, births of our boys, our 50th, etc. , but I decided to choose my last visit with my mother.
Join us at: https://dversepoets.com
Helix of History
Some think history a straight line
I see history as a double helix;
A complicated thread of human DNA
constantly flowing forward.
Cultures unique coming together
in times of intersection and peace;
Sometimes clashing
Sometimes working together
and … sometimes mutating
into the caustic and cancerous
intersections of war.
Reconnecting // then each going their way…
The tread of life’s DNA
continually reproducing
the next generation
for another intersection
of war or peace
******
Picture from Bing Clip Art getwallpapers.com
Roth Poetry 