Abiding Love

November 30, 2020 / rothpoetry / 99 Comments

In the cold of winter, we said, “I do”

with December snow on the ground

and candles burning brightly.

And now my love,

winter is fast approaching;

And, after fifty-one years

we’re still together.

Our abiding love lives on…

“till death do us part”

Today is Quadrille Monday at d’Verse. Lisa asked to use the word abide for our prompt and write a poem of 44 words. She gave us various uses of the word, one of which was the old hymn Abide With Me. That took me back to the songs of my childhood. I decided to use write in reference to love. The end of December will be fifty-one years for us. It just seemed fitting to write of our abiding love; resting on, depending on, secure in the vows we made so many years ago.

I took these flower photos at about 3:30 this afternoon, blooming in my back yard on November 30th! Who would believe? Frost comes again tomorrow morning.

Join us at https://dversepoets.com

Waiting for the Light

November 29, 2020November 29, 2020 / rothpoetry / 13 Comments

Today is Advent Sunday in the Christian faith. It represents the time leading up to the birth of Christ, Emanuel, God with us. The prophet Isaiah spoke of coming out of darkness and into the light. It speaks so much to the feelings of our life this past year.

“The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
a light has dawned.”

Isaiah 9:2 NIV (biblegateway.com)

My Nephew’s wife shared the following post this morning on her Face Book page. I thought is was so well written that I wanted to share it with you.

**********************

Advent feels different this year… it’s not just about me preparing my heart for the coming Christ-child.

Most of us have spent a significant amount of time this year sitting in the darkness of our own personal waiting rooms…waiting for healing, waiting for a job, waiting for pregnancy, waiting for reconciliation, waiting for a visit from family, waiting for lab results, waiting for “normal”, etc.

So instead of trying to ignore the darkness, I will wait a little longer, hoping that “the God who showed up in the hardest parts of our humanity is still showing up today…

…We often forget that the encounter with the incarnate Christ happens in unexpected places — our unexpected change of plans, our unaccomplished dreams, and humble new beginnings.” (Scott Erickson)

I’m looking forward to the day “the weary world rejoices” again.

~Lora Myers Roth~

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

Roses Still Bloom

November 28, 2020 / rothpoetry / 54 Comments

Even after a couple of frosty November mornings and cold nights, my little rosebush keeps pushing out roses. It will not give up. A lesson for all of us!

Beyond the Mist

Beyond the mist the sun is smiling

Waiting for the fog to lift

The cool damp blanket of morning dew

Hanging on every stick

The flowers drink in the fluid of life

Standing shiny and slick

Lifting their petals in thanks to God

For the refreshing drink he gives

When the fog sets in and clouds your view

Accept it with gratitude

Consider it a time of healing

Before the sun bursts through

In those inner moments as things close in

Our view is not quite clear

Let faith grow strong and cement our bond

We know a new and better day is near

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

Born to Run

November 27, 2020 / rothpoetry / 71 Comments

This is my second painting of horses running in the surf. The person who bought the first one asked for a second one with some darker horses. I went back to basics and this painting turned out even better than my white horses. The gold leaf frame is from the Habitat Restore as is the recycled 18 x 20 canvas!

The horses remind me of the wild horses that roam on the outer banks of North Carolina and Virginia.

Running wild and free

Stirring up the the foaming surf

Mole crabs burrow deep

Ode to a Gecko

November 26, 2020November 30, 2020 / rothpoetry / 55 Comments

Green Gecko posturing for her kiss

Crimson fan spread like an Egyptian palm

Swelling and deflating spread signals her

To come and join in a sweet summer’s trist

But, how quickly you changed as colors fade

Love lasts only for a season you know

Now, as Fall leaves turn brown, dry, and curling

You too have traded your green luster show

Now’s the time for gray burnt umber blending

Winter fast approaches…with each cold wind

Time to forget courtship…summer’s gone now

Find space to hibernate… till winter ends

Bone-chilling winds…Heartbeat slows…Blood runs cold

Surviving to live/love another day

Open link night at d’Verse. Join us at: https://dversepoets.com

For more information on Geckos check here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anolis_carolinensis

Blinded By Comfort

November 25, 2020November 25, 2020 / rothpoetry / 39 Comments

Today on NPR I listened to a discussion that centered around Thanksgiving. The commentator said that back in 1970, the descendants of the Mayflower arrival in 1620. planned a 350 year celebration. It was to include that first year, when they were said to have celebrated the first Thanksgiving in America, along with the local Native Americans.

A descendant of the Indian tribe, Wampanoag leaderWamsutta, was asked to speak at the ceremony. They asked that he give them a copy of his speech prior to giving it. When they read his speech, they said he could not say what he had written about the following atrocities and massacres that occurred years later. He refused to edit his speech to a more positive tone and instead, with the help of the tribes of New England, started a National Day of Mourning for Native Americans, that continues to this day, on Thanksgiving Day. It doesn’t get much press, if any.

With all the turmoil over Confederate Statues coming down and being moved, one needs to also think of what was done to Native Americans who lived where we live now!

Comfort blinds the eyes

Thankful that we don’t remember

those who were slaughtered

Thankful for all that we have

Memory loss keeps us silent

Comfort blinds our eyes

Memory loss keeps us silent

Our “God given rights”

Guns still sit in our closets

Should anyone come calling

I should say, I am very Thankful for the blessings of life, faith, liberty, and family. But the dark side still haunts me!

National Day of Mourning (United States protest) – Wikipedia

Photo: Wikipedia

Amazing

November 24, 2020November 24, 2020 / rothpoetry / 67 Comments

All the world around me glows

Atop trees red leaves whisper

As birds sing sweet lullabies

Arias unique to each

Ants build hills under my feet

Albatross soars high above

Azure blue skies call me home

Today at d’Verse Laura introduced us to a form of poetry called Pleiades. We must pick a ONE-WORD TITLE then write a SEVEN-LINE poem of SEVEN SYLLABLES whereby each line begins with the FIRST LETTER of your title.

Join us at: https://dversepoets.com Then click on the Mr. Linkey box and read other poems.

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

Orion the Hunter

November 23, 2020 / rothpoetry / 55 Comments

Years ago we lived in a house with a driveway that lined up with the constellation of Orion. When we came home after dark, we could look up and see Orion’s belt shining above the end of our drive. Later, we moved to a house that was surrounded with trees. Very few stars could be seen and Orion was nowhere to be found.

Three stars bright stars make up the belt and are easiest to see. They are Alnitak, Alnilam and Mintaka. They are giant stars that are so far away it takes over 12,000 lightyears for the light from these stars to reach the earth! This is hard for me to comprehend. Our universe is so vast we here on earth are just dust in the wind.

Orion’s belt glows

Starlight from beyond our time

Bright string of pearls

Today at d’Verse, Kim asked us to write a haibun about the stars in the night sky!

Come join us at: https://dversepoets.come

Picture from: orion-constellation.jpg (600×600) (wordpress.com)

Information from wikapedia.com