Call Me Superficial

Call Me Superficial

Call me superficial when seeing a picture

Causes words to escape me

When beauty take precedence over substance

And I am drawn by what my eyes behold

Call me superficial when a picture in a story

Catches my attention and sets my mind on the fire

My imagination soars and transports my soul

To realms beyond word or pen

Call me superficial when melody and harmony

Lift my spirit from the very first note

Only to be followed by words

Adding to or taking away my feeling of awe

Call me superficial when the background blurs

Seven layers deep

And the last brush stroke is the first I see

All that work labor and toil

Only to end in an accent of light against dark

Beauty against substance

Painting: Dwight L. Roth

I decided to repost one of my favorite posts from a few years ago. It describes how I feel about life, art, and people. I have heard people say first impressions are so important. For me that is true, especially in blogging. When there are so many bloggers out there hoping to get me to read their posts, presentation is very important. Photos, paintings, titles, designs, and format are what grab me. Call me lazy, but if I have to work too hard to read your blog, I move on to one that takes less effort. That is one reason why I have not left the free WP blogging page. I don’t want you to be distracted with the sidebars and extras. Thanks for reading, liking, and commenting. I appreciate all of you more than you know.

Rising From the Ashes

As we move back to our new normal, we think of so many who did not survive the pandemic or 2020. Family members and friends were included in the death toll. These blips in time have happened since the beginning of time. The human spirit always rises to meet the challenge. Sadly not all survive, but those of us who do go on, more aware than before of our fragile mortality realizing how quickly life can change.

From death’s dark ashes

Rise to live another day

Mourning those we loved

***

Painting: Dwight L. Roth

Time Tumbler

Time smooths sharp edges

Mellows rigid perspectives

Time opens our blind eyes

Seeing others as equals

Colorblind // first step to peace

*

Time shakes us up

tumbling through our little

blip of eternal sinus rhythm,

spitting us out like grape seeds

to be replanted in another

place and time

*

Time sometimes just

swallows us whole

Painting “Splitting Space and Time”: Dwight L. Roth

Today at d’Verse, Laura asked us to look at the use of repetition in our poetry. Epiphora, from the Greek means ‘to turn about/upon’… and is used to drive in a point through poetic repetition. I am using the word time in my poem to show how we flow and change in time itself.

The painting is an abstract that I did a number of years ago. I thought it fit well with my theme!

Join us at: https://dversepoets.com

My Verse

Some may ask the reason of existence

This short lived life…

Here today // gone tomorrow

Of what value is my being

Why do I write poetry

Paint pictures with words

Or with a brush

I write because

I am a member of the human race

I write because I am alive

Full of passion and urgency

Finding connection

Creating purpose

***

We are all part of the play of life

“…The powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse…

What will your verse be?”

Today at d’Verse, Mish asked us to choose a favorite line from a movie and write it into a poem. I chose a line Robin Williams tells his class in the movie, Dead Poets Society. “…The powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse…What will your verse be?”

Join us at: https://dversepoets.com

Painting: Dwight L. Roth

Tears of Moon

Here in North Carolina, spring has been coming on strong. Frank, at d’Verse, shared with us that the full moon in May is called the Flower Moon, since so many of the spring flowers bloom during that time. The corn is coming up in the fields and the trees have closed in all around us like a big hug. He asked us to write a Haibun about the Flower Moon. I thought perhaps I would take an abstract view of the May Flower Moon with my Haibun.

This painting started out as a landscape with a deep blue sky. But as the painting went on I decided to turn it a quarter turn and experiment with color and the moon. The moon ended up with tears on solid blue, while the others side became a rainbow of deep color. I call it the Tears of the Moon. I darkened the azalea below to give the feel of moonlight on the blossoms.

Spring flowers blooming

Tears of the Moon Kiss petals

Wrens splash in birdbath

Painting and Photo: Dwight L. Roth

This Wednesday marks the appearance of May’s full moon—traditionally called the Flower moon:

Join us at: https://dversepoets.com

The Beat Goes On

Lone Bass Man keeps the beat

Dancers waltz // music flows sweet

One, two, three // one, two, three

Mellow strings

Melody carries them

Floating high in the hall

Beat goes on

Light steps move // paired as one

Blue Danube

flows gently in their ears

The notes stop // curtsies // bows

The bass man packs it up

He never gets to dance

Lone Bass Man Painting: Dwight L. Roth

Today at d’Verse Bjorn asked us to look at the beat in poetry. He asked us to write a poem with the three-beat rhythm of the Waltz.

Join us at: https://dversepoets.com

Beyond Brokenness

Broken

What do you see when something is broken

An object to discard

Or an object restored

Half-full or half-empty

Perspective is everything

Affects all of life

We all become broken

At some time in our life

Thinking we are beyond repair

But God sees us otherwise

And restores us with his grace

His perspective

His Love

Are always there

We always have our place

Way beyond

What we could ask or think

Jose Ramirez – 1937

Photos & Painting: Dwight L. Roth

Blue

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!

Join us at: https://dversepoets.com

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.

Join us at: https://dversepoets.com

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