Shivered Beauty

Temperatures dropped to 20 degrees.

Frost shivered its way across my front door glass

leaving trails of fossilized beauty

which like the ephemeral hibiscus

are here today and gone tomorrow.

A dusting of snow rests like tiny diamonds

on my deck rail and bowl.

Photos: Dwight L. Roth

Today at d’Verse Merril gave us the word shiver and asked us to write a Quadrille of exactly 44 words using some form of the word.

Join us at: https://dversepoets.com

Christmas Salvia

A few weeks ago, we had a heavy frost that killed off most of my red salvia along my front walk. This was followed by a couple of weeks of unseasonably warm weather. I was surprised to see new green leaves coming out at the base of the plants I had broken off.  Two of the last plants near the sheltered door did not freeze. They kept on blooming and some of the frosted one grew enough to bloom as you see in the top photo.

Blooming in spite of the Frost

Santa will bring coal/cold

Photos: Dwight L. Roth

Jaded

Let us not become jaded

With reports of senseless violence

Brought to us in living color

Real time action like virtual reality

Worn across our eyes

*

Let us not become jaded

Thinking all is lost and evil has won

Don’t believe it do not fear

Brother helps sister when danger is near

*

Let us not become jaded

For love is not lost / truth will triumph

Tragedy brings unity

Realizing what is really important

We stand arm in arm and hand in hand

Knowing that in the end

Love Wins!

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

Open link night at d’Verse. It is easy to become jaded with all that happens in the world around us. I have revised this piece from a couple of years ago, to remind us that truth is light and love is truth and Love wins!

Join us at: https://dversepoets.com then click on Mr. Linkey to read our poems.

The Big Chill

Yellow flowers teasing
Blossoms shining in the sun
Tonight they shiver
Returning cold weather chills
Springtime buds will wait awhile

Photos: Dwight L. Roth

Frank Tassone’s Haiku challenge this week talks about the return of cold weather after our nice warm spell that touched us last week.

Join us at: https://frankjtassone.com/2020/02/15/haikai-challenge-126-2-15-20-returning-cold-saekaeru-haiku-senryu-haibun-tanka-haiga-renga/

Catching Snowflakes

We had a beautiful snow fall today with big flakes tumbling down. With 40 F temps it did not stick to the ground. It was great to see once again. I thought of this poem I had posted earlier. when the snow stayed around awhile.

Snowflake so perfect so unique
One of a kind ephemeral beauty
Dancing through the air, cold as ice.
I followed her as she floated in free fall
Admiring all those glittering points of light.
I reached out to touch her glistening face
Only to find her cheeks cold to the touch,
Her light being only reflected, not inborn.
Landing with all the others
She froze in place, frigid unmoving
Her individual glory lost in the masses.
Her cold cold frozen heart melted
In the early morning sunshine.
Sparkling once more she disappeared
Right before my eye

******

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

First Bloom

The daffodils began showing a couple of weeks ago. I saw the buds had formed last week. Today the first bloom opened in the sunshine along my front walk. With more cold weather to come, it will be interesting to see how long it lasts.

Mild winter // cool rains

Bring daffodil bulbs to life

Blooming before spring

*****

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

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Blue Jay Stops for Lunch

Blue Jay stops for Lunch

Sees me shooting and takes off

Back again for more

Winter chill with frosty feet

Jay needs to constantly eat

 

Photos: Dwight L. Roth

Chasing Snowflakes

Snowflake // so perfect so unique
One of a kind ephemeral beauty
Dancing through the air, cold as ice.
I followed her as she floated in free fall
Admiring all those glittering points of light.
I reached out to touch her glistening face
Only to find her cheeks cold to the touch
Her light being only reflected // not inborn.
Landing with all the others
She froze in place // frigid unmoving;
Her individual glory lost in the masses.
Her cold, cold frozen heart melted
In the early morning sunshine.
Sparkling once more, she disappeared
Right before my eyes.

***

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

Summer’s Coming!

Can’t wait for summer

Tell this rainy cold weather

“Go Jump in the Lake”

*******

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

Out in the Cold

What do birds do on frigid winter nights?
Huddling cold together they shiver and shake;
Snow falling //a million different shapes;
Layers fields with diamonds// all catching light.

When winds howl, I’m snug // asleep in my bed
Birds have no blankets // no warm comfy house
Out in the cold sleeping under pine boughs
No place of protection to lay their heads

We can’t house all the birds in warm delight.
The same true with people, which makes me sad;
Many live in fear // no beds to be had;
While the rest of us live // sleep well at night.

In spite of the cold most birds do survive;
Third world people struggle to stay alive.

Photo: Dwight L. Roth
Today is open link night at d’Verse and Grace reminded us of the loss of a great poet, Mary Oliver, who loved writing poems about her experience in nature. I decided to write this sonnet as a tribute to her love of nature and the questions she might ask.

Join us at: https://dversepoets.com