Dance Little Anna

                 

Refrain:

Dance little Anna …sweet Cinderella

Spin and twirl and dance the night away.

Close your eyes   …spin and smile      

Feel your spirit swirling ‘cross the floor.

 *

Dance little Anna   … feel the music      

Let the rhythm fill your very soul. 

One day soon you’ll grow up.

Then you’ll have to slow up.  

But, don’t let them steal your spirit away.

…So Dance…

*

Dance little Anna   …lost in the moment      

Let your dreams come floating from your mind.

I hope that when you’re grown up

Your dreams will never slow up.     

Don’t let them steal your spirit away.

…So Dance... repeat 1 & 2

*

     Written   5-2-09. Inspired by the sweet little 4-year-old Anna who danced across the floor at Via Cappuccino, while her daddy played the fiddle in the band. It was a beautiful thing to see her enjoying the music so much.  As I watched her, I hoped she would retain her free spirt when she became older.  I wrote this originally as a song sung with the guitar.

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

Tonight at d’Verse, Mish asked us to write a poem using the word dance as our prompt. I revived one of my favorite poems from a few years ago.

Join us at: https://dversepoets.com

Earth Breathing Light

When I think of the Earth breathing, transpiration comes to mind. The rainforests breathing out the oxygen of life and rest of us inhaling deeply. But I like to think the Earth breathes in mysterious ways also. Some of you who live up near the Artic Circle experience the Earth breathing out electrical impulses that splash like watercolors across the night sky. This is the beautiful Aurora Borealis or as many call it, “Northern Lights.” I have only seen photos of these spectacular moments, but I imagine they are breath-taking to see in real time.

Earth breathes cold sky-fire

Fabulous magnetic light

Winter wonderland

*

Today at d’Verse, Frank asked us to write a Monday Haibun using breathe as our prompt. I like to think of the Earth as breathing just like we do. So, I stretched it a bit to include a different sort of breath, electromagnetic breathing in the form or Northern Lights.

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Watercolor Painting: Dwight L. Roth

You Tube Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVsONlc3OUY

From my friend Ivor in Australia – Gorgeous

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-04-24/aurora-australis-southern-lights-south-west-victoria/102259180?utm_campaign=abc_news_web&utm_content=link&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_source=abc_news_web

Be a Rose in Winter

After the bitter cold of last Sunday’s freeze, I saw this lone rose today making every effort to bloom. As it rose above the dried-up heads of a past generation of roses, its beauty still shown even in the barrenness of winter.  Be a rose in winter!

Raising the voice of truth

in a wilderness of

disillusionment

is like a rose trying to bloom

in mid winter.

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

Questions on Perspective

How much are your core values worth?

At what point do we lose our moral compass

in favor of gaining temporary comforts?

How much political division does it take

to eat away enough of our fabric to bring

the whole tree crashing to the ground?

How many lies does it take to become truth?

What makes us believe we should choose someone

who is morally deficient and politically corrupt

to run our country and lead our nation?

Whether it is Congress or the Presidency,

division is eating away, not only our democracy,

but also, our common sense, knowing right from wrong.

Think long and hard about choosing a raging bull

to manage our China closet…

Photos: Dwight L. Roth

Ferry Crossing

When I was very young, I remember riding with my father on the ferry across the Monongahela River. It traveled on long cables stretched across the river that sunk low enough that the coal barges would not catch it. As the ferry chugged across the river the cable would rise and then sink back into the river. It was exciting to sit in our 1954 Chevy and slowly move across the water. A friend of our family worked as the ferryman.

This is my painting of the ferry that the Fayette County Historical Society posted in black and white. I used that photo to make my pen and ink drawing and then painted it with watercolors.

      Ferry chugs slowly

Cables rise and fall back down

Warm Summer sun shines

 

 

 

The Hillbilly Goat Family (a Prequel)

Hillbilly Goat raised his kids in the hills of West Virginia

His hard life foraging for food gave him a grumpy and surly disposition

All the neighbors referred to him as gruff… Hillbilly Goat Gruff

*

He had three kids who stuck together like glue

Little Billy and Frisky Billy were protected by Big Billy Goat Gruff

No one picked on them for Big Billy’s ram-like horns would butt them hard

*

Little Billy and Frisky Billy heard stories of the Old Troll living under the bridge

He was a homeless soul sleeping out the cold of winter and heat of summer

He mumbled and grumbled scaring any who tried to cross his bridge

*

But he was no match for Big Billy Goat Gruff who came tripping across

Along with his two little kid brothers who shivered in their hoofs at the

Sound of the Old Troll grumbling, “Who’s tripping over my bridge?”

*

Coming up on the bridge the Old Troll thought he would scare them away

But instead, Big Billy Goat Gruff gave him a head-butt that sent him splashing

Sputtering and grumbling words little billy goats should not be hearing

He wondered off never to be seen again and the three Billy Goats Gruff

went on their way without a worry or a fear of that foul Old Troll

*

Today at d’Verse Lillian asked us to choose a fairy tale or mythological story character and write a prequel about them, telling about their life leading up to the familiar story we all know.  I chose one of my favorite childhood stories, the Three Billy Goats Gruff and the Old Troll.

Join us at: https://dversepoets.com

Photo: bing images

Cumulous Clouds

Clouds never pinch you

never draw blood

just float around

all white and fluffy

*

Clouds sometimes frown

dark and ominous

never do more than

echo booming kettledrum rumbles

*

Clouds can be shocking

throwing lightning bolts

zig zagging across the sky

like angry parents venting

*

Posting poem #2 for d’Verse 44-word Quadrille prompt, pinch. I got this pinch of inspiration from Lisa’s post today.

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Photo: Ruth A. Roth

Pinches of Inspiration

All it takes is

a pinch to tweak

inspiration

soft and sweet

*

Or maybe one

pinch of fiery

words misspoken

out of place

*

Pinches of bold

yet cutting truth

Fire my word storms

TEMPESTIOUS

*

Like cream clouds in my coffee**

Pinches of inspiration floating

*

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

Today at d’Verse, De asked us to use the word pinch as our Quadrille prompt. I liked Bjorn’s poem and his idea of using dimeter to write a 44-word Quadrille Sonnet. I thought I would play with a variation of that in my poem.

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** Thanks to memories of Joni Mithchel’s song “You’re so Vain”

Winter Beauty (haiku)

Sculpted beauty shines

Frozen crystals slowly melt

Churchgoers in awe

Click to enlarge:

Photos: Dwight L. Roth

Cease-fire or Free the Hostages (an opinion piece)

As the Israel-Hamas war continues with no end in sight

Reactions vary regarding the plight

Victims in Gaza with their world in a shamble

Resulting from Hamas actions and murders in Israel

*

Hostages were taken, men, women, and children

Vicious bloodshed occurred on innocent civilians

Negotiations brought only a few hostages home

A child spends a first birthday hidden, who-knows-where, alone

*

Bombings continue as the fight rages on

Destroying a world that once was their home

For millions of people their lives now displaced

Men women and children have died, been erased

*

Actions or reactions who is to be blamed

Depends on perspective as we see the malaise

Free the hostages and end this war

The only way to bring a cease-fire and peace restore

*

For the war will continue till all hostages are home

With no cease-fire in sight while they are still gone

*

Painting: Dwight L. Roth