Blue
The static hole
in my heart
as
life pulses by
***
Painting: Dwight L. Roth
Today at d’Verse, Sarah asked us to write a poem using the word Blue. I decided to go simple and to the point!
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Blue
Author: rothpoetry
Stairway to Heaven
A little girl saw a long wooden ladder, with wheels as tall as she was, sitting inside the Cathedral door. Seeing the priest greeting Sunday parishioners nearby, she reached over tugging on the arm of his robe.
Her mother quickly pulled her away and said, “Don’t bother the priest while he is greeting people!”
The priest overhearing what was happening said, “It is quite alright. What would you like to know young lady.”
“Is that the stairway to heaven?” she asked.
“No child, Heaven is much farther away than this ladder could reach. This one is for changing our lightbulbs.”
“Well, where is God?” asked the little girl.
“Oh, Only mouths are we, who sings the distant heart which safely exists in the center of all things? God is the center of all that exists, both near and far.”
“And, thank you for asking.”
Today at d’Verse, Sanaa introduced a Prosery prompt. It requires a short prose piece, only 144 words, that includes a line from a poem that she has chosen. The line is“Only mouths are we. Who sings the distant heart which safely exists in the center of all things? – from Rainer Maria Rilke, “Heartbeat.”
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Photo from the Stasbourg Cathedral: Dwight L. Roth
Back to Normal
I guess the turtles haven’t heard of social distancing. We visited Dogwood Park again yesterday and saw all this log full of turtles sunning themselves. I think I count seventeen of them on this log. I saw them off in the distance and circled around and down through the trees to get this shot.
Today was Mother’s day, and having had our shots, we decided to venture out to one or our favorite restaurants for a late afternoon dinner. We arrived at 2:00 thinking we would avoid the crowd but it was a lot like the turtles on the log above. All booths and tables were open and for the most part full. They did add extensions to the back of the booths to raise them higher. Staff wore masks, but eaters obviously did not! It was very nice to be back in a feeling of pre-Covid normal again.
Felt back to normal
Out for Mother’s Day dinner
Turtles rock their log
Photos: Dwight L. Roth
Lilacs Still Bloom
One of my mom’s favorite flowers was the sweet smelling lilac that grew near our driveway. I planted this bush to remind me of her. It is hard to imagine that it is fourteen years since she passed away. Her memory is always with me in so many little ways.
Mother’s Day
Memories of Mom linger sweet
Lilacs bloom each Spring
Photo’s Dwight L. Roth
Flat Earth – (palinode)
Flat Earth
What if the Earth was flat
Imagine that
There are some who still believe
Wondering if at some point
They might wander too far in the breeze
And sailing on suddenly drop off the edge
Into the abyss of lost souls’ deep wedge…
******
Flat Earth – (Palinode)
Who could imagine
that the Earth is flat
Surely no one still believes
Knowing the Earth is round
With ships sailing in the breeze
The only edge is the outer edge
As astronauts rocket into space
Just as pretty as you please
Today at d’Verse, Grace introduced us to a poetry form called a palinode. A palinode or palinody is an ode or song that retracts or recants a view or sentiment to what the poet wrote in a previous poem. I decided to use my tongue in cheek poem Flat Earth as written above.
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To read the original complete Flat Earth poem click here: https://wordpress.com/post/rothpoetry.wordpress.com/19293
Painting: Dwight L. Roth
Little Red Tractor
My sister sent me this little red tractor for my birthday. It is a “Quilling Card.” made by rolling and shaping small strips of paper to create a three dimensional design. It is a beautiful work of art, made with unimaginable precision. You can read more about Quilling in the summary below.
Ancient art crafted
Cute Little Red Tractor shines
Time keeps on ticking
Another birthday rolls by
Sister sends her love
Photo: Dwight L. Roth
The Graveyard Jackrabbit
Here they come again disturbing my tranquility
Sometimes it’s a few; but today there’s a crowd
Not sure what all the fuss is about
I think I will hop over here out of the way
Oh no, I think a couple of them saw me
Here he comes, hand out, like he thinks I am his pet
Seems every time they come here they all seem sad
All dressed up and in their Sunday best
A new stone gets added with every event
Sure is a nice place to live most of the time
Now and then I have to watch I don’t fall into a hole
So odd that they bury those big boxes in the dirt
When they leave, the flowers they brought are left for me
Don’t they know I don’t eat flowers!
Next week the lawn man will come and haul them off
Well, they’ll soon be gone and I will have peace and quiet
I guess I can put up with them for a short visit
As long as they let me live here I am very happy
Such a beautiful place… so full of life!
********************************************************
Today at d’Verse Ingrid asked us to write a narrative poem using the voice of a fictional character. I decided to write from the perspective of the graveyard jackrabbit that we saw three years ago at my father-in-law’s funeral. Hope this is not to far out!
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Review of “Poems from the Heart” by Dwight Roth
What a beautiful and generous thing to do… Thank you Dora!!
Whether Mr. Roth’s Poems from the Heart are read over the course of a week or a day, you will feel each time that you’ve just had a heartfelt talk with a friend: a friend with a way with words in all the particulars that touch you to the core. You’ll come away as if you’d been on a companionable walk, finding more in common than not with the poet, and knowing that it was time well-spent for the sentiments shared.
So it’s altogether fitting that the first poem is “Famous Only Among Friends”; after all only such fame is real and meaningful, with time spent and hearts open. And Roth invites us into his thoughts with his signature openheartedness, a style that is thankfully short on obscurities and long on frank and unabashed clarity so that its poetic beauty penetrates the heart.
Throughout this collection of poems, you will…
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Grow Where You are Planted
Maple seeds fly
with the advent of Spring.
Miniature helicopters,
blades spinning in the wind.
Caught
carried
like a kite on the breeze;
Only to float to the ground…
the roof… the gutter… or rain barrel
destination unknown…
deposited for growth.
New life begins
Today at d’Verse, Merril gave us seed as our Quadrille (exactly 44 words) Prompt. Every spring the maple trees are the first to open. Their seeds drop in abundance and land everywhere. We called them helicopters, when I was young, and threw them back up in the air to watch them spin around to the ground. Nature has so many ways to keep the growth cycle going. Just about anywhere they land they will put down a root and try to grow. A good example for all of us!
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Painting Flaws and All
Back in 2013, I started painting regularly. I watched Bob Ross on PBS every day while I ate my lunch. I was in awe of the way he made a canvas pop in just a half an hour show. I then went out in my garage and tried to replicate what I saw him do. Though I never really was able to master the paint brush like he did, I learned enough to create my own style of painting. I loved experimenting with paint and colors to see what I could come up with. This is one of those paintings. I was pleasantly surprised that some people actually enjoyed my work. Painting was as almost as gratifying as writing poetry!!
An amature’s attempt
Texture and imperfection
Flaws some might feel
detract from the value
But,
Beauty is found
in the eye of the beholder
Where flaws add character
and uniqueness is perfection
Painting: Dwight L. Roth
