The Sleeping Giant

A Sleeping Giant

Lies breathing between continents

In and out its chest rises and falls

A Shrek of a guy most of the time

Children and adults float

Bouncing on his crest

Squealing with delight

On bubbles of air

But beware

Of the Ides of October

When tossing and turning

Nightmares return

Thrashing coughing

Scaring all who once played on his chest

Fear and trepidation

Waters rise

Winds howl

Floods come up

Big Blow AKA Delta

Brings Halloween early

All Tricks

No Treats

Wide awake

Nightmare passes

Giant sleeps once more

Fans have nowhere to lay their heads

*****

Photos Dwight L. Roth

Daddy’s Girl

Consumed moon disappears on a sunlit ocean

Yellow dreams of mermaids singing in the surf

Solitude’s wish of winter past… walking with daddy

Painted mirth merged in gouged footprints in the sand

Skulls of saints crushed and ground into nature’s delight

Today at d’Verse, Linda introduced us to Samuel Greenberg, American Poet.

“Samuel Greenberg died of tuberculosis in 1917, at age 23. His childhood was spent in poverty on the Lower East Side of New York City. After leaving school at 14 to begin working, he became ill and spent his final years as a patient in several charity hospitals where he did most of his writing.” https://logopoeia.com/greenberg/index.html

Linda gave us a list of descriptive words from “The pale Impromptu” and asked us to pick five of them and write a poem in any form. The photo was my muse. I took it a couple of summers ago and it has been waiting for this poem! The five I chose start each line of the poem and are in italics.

Join us at: https://dversepoets.com Click on the Mr. Linkey box to read more poems.

Unfinished

 

This painting caused me great frustration in getting the turtle to look right in the sand. As a result it remained unfinished. Finally, I simply redid the painting, keeping the moon and changing the scene from the beach to the mountains. I like the way it turned out.  A friend that I work with decided he wanted it, so now it has a good home.

Some things in life don’t

turn out the way you had planned

Time to change the scene

Rethink what is important

Recreate something you love

 

Paintings: Dwight l. Roth

*The turtle lies at the point where the stream turns!

 

 

 

Wave Therapy

Long shadows follow

Spiritual renewal found

in whispering waves

***

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

Ocean Tunes

November wave’s fingers

send chills down a sandy beach

Ocean lullabies

strummed over and over

Lulling all of us to sleep

***

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

 

Fun at the Beach

When our boys were young, we enjoyed many summers at the beach. One essential that came along with us was the blue shovel. We had a great time digging holes for sandcastles, and creating sea creatures, such as sharks and turtles. It is amazing what you can make with just a shovel. We even buried the youngest son up to his neck in sand!  Then we floated on bubbles of air, riding on the incoming waves. So many good times brought back by saved photos.

Memories of the beach

Summer fun in sand and water

Shovel creates art

Photos: Dwight L. Roth

Cutting Art

Recycled old saw

Dull teeth will never  be sharp

A paradigm shift

Steel blade now a work of art

Blending rust with the ocean

 

I finished painting these scenes today on an old saw from Habitat Restore.  Both scenes are on one saw; one scene on each side. This is a fun way to repurpose old saws that would otherwise be discarded.

Summer Beach Fun

Mid summer is a great time to go to the beach. It is also a good time to reflect on the fun family times we have had over the years. It is hard to believe so many years have passed since this photo was taken.

Good Times at Nag’s Head

Sand and surf // God’s natural sandbox

A place where awe and imagination merge

Watching our two boys chase ebb and flow

Squealing with delight as the surf laps their ankles

 

Amazing creatures evolve out of the sandy beach

With each shovel full of sand they take shape

Octopus, Sea Turtles, Sharks and Whales

All come to life at the hands of their creator

Sand Castles with moats and towered walls   

Sit on the edge of destruction

Hot Rods with seat and steering wheel

Roar to life in that three year old mind

 

Riding the swells on a bubble of air

Feeling the power of the ocean breathing beneath

Waiting for just the right wave

Driving into the shallows

 

Those were good times // no // great times at Nag’s head

Some forty years ago  

 

Now it’s grandchildren and a new creator

Bringing awe and imagination to life

And that three-year old

Still loves God’s ocean playground

Summer Fun

Sun and Surf

Puddles of molten gold in the water

Reflecting the morning sun

Watching the tide as it rises and alters

Those magical castles of fun

Sandpipers and gulls run with the surf

Eating their squiggling breakfasts

Snatching critters from the receding kerf

Before it washes past them

Brown Pelicans float over the shallows

Diving for fish in waves

Long necks & scooped beaks easily swallow

Slippery morsels that cannot be saved

Bronzed beauties oiled, laid out, and frying

On beach towels in the sun

Young boys discretely spying

Cutting up and having fun

Shells and driftwood litter the beach

Collected by old and young alike

Oooing  and awwwing as they examine each piece

Saving every one with delight

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

Photo: Dwight L. Roth   1977 – Nags Head, NC

Open link night at d’verse, where Bjorn suggests we think about summer and what we enjoy doing. We always enjoyed going to the beach each summer and watching the children play in the surf, ride the swells, and build sand creations.  This poem takes us back to the very beginning!  We will be taking a break for a couple of weeks at d’verse, but we will all come back the end of July. Join us at:   https://dversepoets.com

 

Twilight

The ocean is one of the least expensive forms of therapy. I found this painting I did a while back. It shows the calming effect that the ocean brings to our life. Hopefully, it will take you to a calming place and time in your life as well.

Twilight

The pregnant ocean swells and flattens

Teaming with life unseen.

Feel its heartbeat

In the twilight rhythm of the waves

Gently rolling in… caressing the shore.

Salt breezes soften the heat of the day

Gulls circle searching for one more bite

Twilight brings a calm serenity,

As the sun kisses the ocean on last time

Palms silhouetted black against the red sky

Sway strong and tall in the evening breeze.

Everyone has gone into the shadows

Following the flaming line of Tikki Torches

Called by the beat of the drums.

Dancers undulate, grass skirts sway

Twilight’s deep shadows

Close into darkness… broken only by flames.

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Painting: Dwight L. Roth