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

Shattered

Stones shattered // scattered

Revealing Earth’s upheaval

Iron-powdered sandstone

Ocean waves grind away cliffs

Even Rocks crumble with time

***

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

Fossil Fuel

Fossil Fuels made the steel that built this country. The coal fields of South Western Virginia, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia were rich in bituminous coal. Miners labored long hours in dark mines to extract the coal from the land. Steam trains carried it to the Steel Mills of Pittsburgh, where some of the best steel in the world was manufactured. But, as with everything else, times have changed. Climate change is bringing an end to the coal mining era, leaving many people of rural Appalachia wondering how they are going to feed their families. With the winds of change comes the push for solar and wind to replace coal. So what do we tell the people of rural Appalachia??

Bluefield coal train

Steam engine labors upgrade

Only songs remain

***

Miners dangerous decent

Forgotten // lost in the wind

Painting by Dwight L. Roth

Pocahontas Coalfield – Wikipedia

Sand

Mountains majestic / rising tall above us all

Solid and strong they stand immovable.

Until shaken, they crumble and tumble;

their strength broken and their high position

brought low, scattered across the landscape.

You see, mountains are simply rocks waiting to crumble…

Even the tallest mountains turn to sand in time.

Sand is the great equalizer!

Photos: Dwight L. Roth

Trojan Horse

Bing photo:

The political debates rage on

Nasty politics as usual

Twists of truth filled with lies;

and we believe…

what we have already set in our minds

But, with every election

there come a Trojan Horse;

One of beauty and promise

captivating the minds of believers;

Promising they are on you side

The Trojan Horse of politics

doesn’t come sculpted in wood or stone;

Rather, ladened with sculpted words

carved and shaped to entice…

Believing there is nothing within them

that would change or harm us

Don’t be swayed by outward words.

Look deep into the sculpted belly

of hidden agendas and dark money;

Into the self-centered soul of the beast (politics)

that in the end will burst open

disillusion // and destroy us all!

Crossroad

We are at a crossroad of the mind

Not of dirt and gravel // asphalt or cement

Rather, a crossroad of thinking…

One that permeates our being.

Elections are not about the man or woman

They are about a mindset

A way of thinking that affects attitudes and actions.

It is so easy to get lost in the superficial

Age, gender, personality, party, or politics;

But it is much deeper than that…

Elections are crossroads of the mind;

Forever changing the landscape of thinking;

Changes that cannot be reversed only adjusted.

Elections often come with lies and broken promises;

Expectations that repeatedly remain unfulfilled

Leaving us disillusioned at the next crossroad.

Remember, you are not choosing a person

You are choosing a mindset for the future.

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

Head Banging

Watching change taking place in my lifetime makes me conclude that it doesn’t happen quickly. Seems like paradigm shifts are happening all around, demanding immediate changes in society. History shows us it may take awhile.

Ocean’s white head slams

Against solid rocks of time

Change happens slowly

White foam creates a big splash

Hard heads take time to erode

Photos: Dwight L. Roth

What Lies Beneath

Invisible lines

Demarcations of the heart

Oblivious to some

Rigidly held by others

Impositions for many

Deadly for others

Marked // labeled // branded for life

Cast systems remain

Rivers of entitlement

Flow just beneath the surface

Paradigm shift starts

Parana of injustice

Caught from time to time

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

I used a repeated Tanka format for this poem.

Bottom Leaf

In an everchanging world, I find myself struggling with the way in which things are moving! Life goes on whether I want to come along or not. As I watch the struggles of social groups and see the injustice that has long plagued our country’s history, I wonder where we are headed.  History like politics has very dark times. We can embrace it, be offended by it,  or attempt to deny it, but it will always be there.  As the next generation comes on, I hope they learn from history instead of repeating it.  I pray that we can all learn to live with each other, allowing for our differences in values and beliefs without feeling like we need to impose ours upon everyone around us. Uniqueness has always been our strength!

Sometimes I feel like the bottom leaf of a plant

Birthed from seed // providing sustenance for a time;

Now eclipsed by more recent growth rising above…

Providing new solar sources to feed from…

 

Obsolete // no longer making that much difference.

Never meant to shine or blossom // I’ve done my job…

Supporting // nurturing new growth and change;

 

Yet, now that life has grown beyond me,

I am here // drying up at the bottom of the stalk

while growth and reproduction of values and thought

happens above me // in a world very different from mine.

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

Learning From Children

Racism, hate, and discrimination are all  learned from the example of adults who show these attitudes. Children don’t think about skin color or ethnic roots. They just see one another  as God sees us, full of love and acceptance. Perhaps adults could learn a lesson from their children.

Sweet friends full of love

Not bothered by skin color

Love begins at home

***

Photo: Dwight L. Roth