Thank You!

This week I passed 5000 followers on Word Press. Seems like an impossible dream for me. I thought it was really something when I reached a hundred followers. Then it was three, then five and now five thousand followers!
I am most grateful to all of you for your friendship, inspiration, and kind support. I learned to know so many people from all over the world who appreciate poetry and enjoy my photos and art work. You have been most generous with your likes and comments.

Here are a few thoughts on creating a successful blog:

* Write your blog because it makes you feel good.

* Be authentic in your writing… share your life and imaginations.

* Colorful photos are a great eye-catcher and compliment your work.

* Don’t try to imitate or copy someone else’s style of writing.

* Keep posts short and crisp. Say what you say and stop!

* Present a variety of subjects that are unique and interesting.

* Join a group of bloggers who enjoy what you do.

*Most importantly practice networking:
-Put likes, comments, and follows on other people’s blogs.
-Always respond when someone takes time to comment on
your work. Thank yous are important!
-Develop personal life interactions with some of your bloggers.
-Plan to spend a lot of time each day on your blog.

*As followers, increase you won’t be able to read everyone’s blog who follows you, but it is important to check in with them from time to time.

Have fun and see the world through others! Thank you for being a part of my life!

Dwight

P.S. … and I am still using the Free Word Press Blog!

 

Nightmare Scream

     Everyone said the house was haunted. No one lived there since Jim was found hanging in the back bedroom. He came home from a trip to Atlanta and was told by the sheriff that his wife had been murdered by her ex-husband. Weeks later, Jim just couldn’t face life any longer without his one true love.
When George Scott, his neighbor down the hill found him, he immediately called the Sheriff. He met him at the end of the lane, and the two of them went up to the house. The door creaked as they went in and found the chair lying there and the rope dangling from the closet, but Jim was nowhere to be found!

   On full moon nights, some say they see movements in the window. Others say they see Jim standing there, as “his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream!”

**********

Tonight we are writing Prosery at d”Verse. Bjorn asked us to write a prose piece of exactly 144 words, that includes this line from Maya Angelou’s Poem …Caged Bird Sings:  …his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream…

Join us at: https://dversepoets.com

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

Passing on the Love

One of the greatest things that happens is when skills of the older generation are passed on to the younger one. Some skills like quilting are almost a lost art. Sharing this experience strengthens the bond of love in a very special way.  This time together will not soon be forgotten.

Stitch by loving stitch

Skills passed on to granddaughter

Sharing Grandma’s Love

Photos used by permission: Anna Roth

Silly is as Silly does…

Silly is as silly does // riding a horse that has no fuzz

Sunglasses all askew // he knew he was Mr. Cool

A three year old’s imagination // carries on through generations

Laughing hilariously at silly stuff // seems we never get enough

Full of grit he rides his steed /// if you’re in his path better take heed

Although it was so long ago // seems like only yesterday you know

Silly is as silly does // these photos fill our hearts with love

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

Today at d’Verse, Lillian asked us to be lighthearted and Silly. This is my son from many years ago.   You can join us at:  https://dversepoets.com   Smile!!

One of the things I am doing during this time in seclusion is to go through our old albums and copy the best of them photos with my iPhone. It makes very sharp copies which I then load into my laptop for editing. We probably all have photos in acetate that faded and lost their original color. I found if you use the editing tools in your computer you can turn them into nice sharp black and white photos.  This is much better than tossing them!

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

It just dawned on me that this was supposed to be Quadrille Monday. (only 44 words) My apologies to Lillian for doing a double Quadrille. I got carried away with the prompt and forgot what I was doing!!  Must be getting old! I turned another year older today!!

 

Poetry in Song

Some of my very favorite poetry is found in the songs people write. Songs tell stories of love and rejection. Some write about objects like trains or jet planes. Simon and Garfunkle wrote about the city of New York in Sound of Silence. On of my favorites is a song by Steve Goodman about a train they called the City of New Orleans.  The mix of  images and metaphors is wonderful, down to earth, and unforgettable. The music is just the icing on the cake!

Poems, and Prayers, and Promises blend with melodies and harmonies transporting us to other places and times with unforgettable lyrics. They share life as it really is as they connect to more than one part of the brain. Some of the greatest poets of our time are singer songwriters. Their songs can take us to locations and situations we have not visited in fifty years. Although many over the years considered country music repetitive and uncouth,  Merle Haggard was considered the Poet of the Common Man.  Perhaps the critics should take a second look… or listen and enjoy this train ride with Steve Goodman on the City of New Orleans. This is Americana and poetry at its best!

Poems and melody

Connecting words with the heart

Spring poetry sings

***

Song clip from You Tube

Posted on d’Verse poets open link night…. https://dversepoets.com

Travel With Me up the Rhine

“Blessed are the hearts that can bend; they shall never be broken.”  Albert Camus

Our first trip abroad riding up the Rhine River

Fifty years together required something special

Amsterdam to Basel in eight days

A Viking River Cruise

An afternoon of delightful cruising

Riding on the canopied top deck

Staying out of the sun on a very hot day

Floating by vineyards

planted up and down the hills

Past magnificent old castles and churches

perched high up on the bluffs

Quaint little towns along the river bank

with names I could not pronounce

People on Sunday outings swimming

in the cool water along with

cattle standing up to their knees

What an amazing ride it was

No thought of social distancing required

So glad it was last summer instead of this one.

*****

Photos: Dwight L. Roth

Today at d’Verse Lillian suggested that since we were not able to go traveling because of the Covid-19 pandemic, that we write a poem that takes every one along with us on a trip we have taken in the past. Last year we celebrated our 50th Wedding Anniversary with River Cruise up the Rhine. It was wonderful. Here is just a tiny bit of what we experienced.

Join us at: https://dversepoets.com

Our Dear Cat Tiger

Some of you may have already read this when I posted this a year or so ago.  Today we are to write about our pets at d’Verse. This is the best poem I have about our cat named Tiger, who lived with us for 15 years.

Tiger Cat

The runt of the litter a striped gray and black

A cute little kitten to take along back

Playful and funny he sure entertained us

It wasn’t long till Tiger made a big fuss

Bigger and stronger he raced through the house

Upstairs and downstairs chasing imaginary mouse

Not in the morning, not in the evening, but at 10:00 at night

Waiting at the rail giving me a big fright

Neurotic and nervous he licked and coughed

Oh, no! Oh Shoot! He’s up on the loft

Creating giant hairballs so yukky and soft

But Ruth didn’t hesitate she picked him right up

Grabbing him quickly she must interrupt

Off to the laundry to cough on the paper

Hoping to get there to end this bad caper

An independent soul he was always so moody

I’ll come to you when I am good and ready

Saying, “Don’t pick me up unless I tell you!”

Any other time I’ll scat and you’ll be blue

Engines purring he climbs up in my lap

Settling down for his short cat nap

I’ll sleep, he’ll sleep and then he’s gone

While I am still snoring as I sleep on

He’ll be roaming the house while he’s all alone

He thought he was sneaky but we knew better

Our bed was a no no and he was a fretter

Climbing on our bed while we were away

That warm spot that indent we knew where he lay

It’s me for a nap but it’s Ruth who he loves

The feeling is mutual as she gives him soft rubs

Sometimes I am jealous of this moody feline

Especially when he cuts in and takes up my time

Tiger came first on many occasions

Knowing he was the king our special obsession

For sixteen years he watched out the window

Then ran to the door as we said hello

We were grieved when he left us it was time to move on

But we loved him dearly and are sad that he’s gone.

***

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

Join us at: https://dversepoets.com

I See You in There!

 

Do you ever feel like you are stuck in a Ponderosa Pine stump and can’t get out? Maybe all this staying at home, for who knows how long, will teach us what bears already know; how to hibernate and sleep through the down times! Hopefully we won’t stay as long as Rip Van Winkle. Even so, by the time we come back out the world will be a different place than the one we remember.

Smiling eye peaking

through the knot-hole in our tree

“Come out! It’s springtime!”

***

The air is fresh // sky is blue

We miss your hugs Grandma

*****

Photo: Lara Z. Condon

Balancing Act

We have been quarantined in our homes for a month and a half due to the pandemic, that started in China and spread all over the globe. The deadly Covid-19 virus has taken many lives and many have caught it and survived. It is a hard decision for leaders to require people to stay home, close schools, shut down stores and wear masks. Now is the time to decide how much longer this can go on. It is just as hard for people who are out of work, out of money, and in desperate straits. This is my opinion poem on the present situation.

There comes a time when choices must be made;
The age old choice of too many people in the boat
Who stays and who has to go for the greater good
Not a choice anyone wants to make for sure;
But, in time of pandemic no country wants to
roll over and play dead while everything goes
down the drain.
Hard choices must be made that will ultimately
affect you and me // living and dying are a part life.
No one wants to be Jonah tossed into the deep…
We all want to be put off on dry land // to live on;
But not making good choices could be apocalyptic.
When the whole world is controlled by leaders
who supersede our freedom to choose;
Then we are in for one wild ride…
one I am not interested in taking.
I believe it is time to come back out of the shadows;
To take the risk knowing the consequences
and begin living and working together again.
Perhaps I will be the first to go as a result!
I am okay with that // if it is my time.

Dr. Seuss photo: Bing clip art

I am posting this for open link night at d”Verse.

Join us at: https://dversepoets.com

First Grade Impressions

Teachers thrive on order…

When I was young on my first day of school
One little boy cried tears to fill a pool
The classroom was a scary place that day
Marching in line // no time to poke or play

Our small wooden desks were in long straight lines
Like staunch rigid backbones of long straight spines
Evenly spaced with seats that folded down
Waiting for life where none was to be found

Not a soul whispered //no one made a sound
We all sat stiff and rigid as the teacher made her rounds
Every child’s little heart was now beating fast
I wondered in my mind if this would last

Turns out I’m not made for rigid rows of desks
nor for all those difficult tests
I seem to have one foot outside the box
With a mind running free to write my thoughts

Painting: Dwight L. Roth

Today at d’Verse we are looking at the word order and applying it to poetry. Lara asked us to write a poem that reflects how we feel about order.  I have never been one to stay inside the lines so order for me has always been difficult as you see in my poem above. You can see First Grade in school made quite an impression on me!

Join us at: https://dversepoets.com