Gargantuan Words

I never understood the obsession with big words

calling it logolespy instead of just being a word freak.

Is bigger always better … more impressive?

Only in Texas, I believe.

To me it is just a lot of excited burbles

a gibberish of sorts much like a baby might speak

when playing with blocks on the floor.

I like laconic words… short and sweet…

chosen words that mean something to the reader.

Writing poetry is ikigai the reason for being

that can only be understood when speaking plainly.

Scintilla that sparks of inspiration takes us

down the yellow-brick road looking for the great OZ,

thinking his name should be twenty syllables long…

instead of just one.

No, gargantuan words don’t impress me much.

So… you know something none of the rest of us know

There has got to be a word for that…

Oh yes, that would be eniteo!

“I am distinguished most eminent … look at me shine!”

I say strikhedonia … it is all hog wash!

Simple words are susurrus to the soul…

light as a soft gently breeze.

The expression of belle-ame … my beautiful soul.

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Photo: Dwight L. Roth

Today at d’Verse, Mish shared some of the new words she has come across on social media. She gave us a long list of them with their definitions and asked us to write a poem using at least three or more of these new words in our poem. I am not a fan of using words that are meaningless to the reader in my poems, and almost skipped this prompt. But then I thought, why not illustrate what I dislike about them in a poem. This is what came out!

For the words and definitions, we were given, join us at: https://dversepoets.com

A Poet’s Hymn

“Like a Poet hidden
In the light of thought,
Singing hymns unbidden… “

~Percy Shelley – To a Skylark

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A Poets Hymn

The poets mind is always in tune

to what’s happening all around;

Picking up on tidbits of emotion,

trickles of thought, or misspoken sounds.

Tucking them away for rumination

adding perspective, bias, and slant.

Embellished with bits of truth’s promotion

life lessons to heal and seeds to plant.

Prophets, seekers, mystics, and sages

Words written across his pages

Always in perfect pitch…

a hymn for the ages

*

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

 

Royal Flush – (a soliloquy)

Words draw me to places yet unexplored

Stretched across the page like a mountain full of trees

Some of value tall and strong others just scraggly bushes

What draws me to write incessantly // hours on end

Filling pages with cobwebs of past // present // and future

*

So many like me write on and on, words unheard // never read

Yet they write, like me;   seems they just can’t help themselves

What magic is in these words // the morphine of the soul

Stimulation like no other is my well written page

Compelling me to keep seeking that one last high

*

I am an Alzheimer’s poet // words flowing day after day

Yet with no memory tomorrow of what I wrote yesterday

There’s magic in words, shuffling the cards and dealing

A new hand every day… new words, new thoughts written

Perhaps one day soon I’ll be dealt my last hand…

*

My royal flush

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

Today at d’Verse, Victoria asked us to write a soliloquy. It is essentially a poem that has the poet in conversation with himself/herself. Musings and ponderings are heard only by the poet himself/herself. Perhaps it is what we old folks do as we age… talking to ourselves. Today, I am musing about why i continue to write everyday.

Join us at: https://dversepoets.com

Life is a Poem

Life is a Poem

Everything in life is a poem waiting to be written.

Most do not hear the poets call or feel the inspiration

But for those who look and listen there is music ;

poems to be written // deep emotions to be felt

that can only be expressed in words.

 

Those who pause // make life stand still

and open their soul …

They understand it loud and clear.

as words resonate // echoing through the mind

 

Poets are like pleasant speed bumps

that slow you down and make you listen;

Sometimes giving you a big jolt

When you least expect it.

 

Poets are fearless prophets // writing of love and hate

Politics and Religion // joy and strength;

Raising consciousness //challenging norms;

Searching for words that express Truth

Bringing Light to the world.

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

Inspired by Charlie’s poem “Just Beneath the surface”

https://lifeinportofino.wordpress.com/2017/08/02/just-beneath-the-surface/

Truth Telling

 Art is often unappreciated till the artist is long dead.

By then a new generation who reads and hears

or looks and sees values the beauty others missed.

 

Artists paint and poets write their understanding of truth

in hopes that it will resonate with another soul.

Words bring light in a dark night of disillusionment.

 

Truth is often ignored, denied, or rejected

So we wrap it in enticing words that draw you in

then lay it out with arrows that gently pierce your soul;

Hoping that a few will stick long enough to make a difference.

~Dwight L. Roth`

 Painting : Dwight L. Roth

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This sums up why we write and create art…

“Posterity may even, will likely even, forget us entirely. And yet, we are writing. And we are, for the purposes of this discussion at least, thinking about writing something of immediate force that might remain relevant to the future.” ~ Czeslaw Milosz

Quote taken from: the Poetry Foundation

ESSAY

Tell It Slant

How to write a wise poem.

BY CAMILLE T. DUNGY

Blue Flame

I learned recently, while watching an episode of Moonshiners, that the blue flame that is the hottest when using propane. When they distil the alcohol from the mash, they like to have the propane burner giving off a blue flame. This means the mixture of air and gas is at optimum performance.

Let me burn with a blue flame
Not orange or yellow;
Let me be intense
with the heat of inspiration.
Let the blue flame rise up
when abuse and injustice reigns
feeling the heat rising within
ready to speak to the issues that matter.
Let me burn with a blue flame
Hot as a moonshine still;
distilling the truth and letting it run
through my fingers and into my poems.
Let my mind bubble and churn
as the purity of my words become clear;
coming through one hundred and sixty proof.
And when my time is done
let it be a blue flame that returns me to dust;
as my spirit rises with that eternal blue flame.

Photo: Getty Images

The Edge of Inspiration

Beyond Imagination
I have been pushed and shoved all my life
Thanks to friends who cared…
Seeing more in me than I see in myself
Learning to do more than I could ever imagine
From computers to art // writing memoirs // and poetry
Publishing books on Amazon //and writing a blog…
Things I never imagined ten years ago
Susan // Kym // and Tom
Encouraging // urging // helping me
Opening doors to new worlds of wonder
Imagination that knows no end
Wonderful friends all over the world
Communicating with me every day
Keeping me on the edge of inspiration

Photo: Dwight L. Roth
I am reposting this one again after thinking through my writing process on yesterday’s post.  I am forever thankful for friends, who I mention in my poem, who have urged me to move into the world of writing. Without their encouragement, I would not be writing this blog.
It is such a wonderful thing to be able to learn to know all of you. Your great writing and words of encouragement, given to me in your comments, keep me coming back for more. I have learned so much form all of you at the d’Verse poetry group. I am now writing poetry that I never even heard of two years ago! Thank You All!!

 

The Hum Behind It All

Behind my poetry musings you will find
The TV humming with PBS documentaries
Great Performances or Songs in Blue Grass time
Sometimes The Voice or the Big Bang Theory
Keeps me chuckling as I write my poetry
My brain is an odd one you see
It needs sound distraction to keep my mind free
Odd as it seems it works for me.
If I write in silence there’s a tinnitus reaction
Becoming an unpleasant sound distraction.
When the well runs dry and there’s no inspiration
My photos never fail to bring rejuvenation
Natures gifts in digital form reignite my fire
Birds or Flowers // Butterflies or Bees
Are always there // they always inspire
My imagination runs and words flow freely
Poetic lines on my blog where you can see me

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

Gina at d’Verse asked us to look at the hum behind our poetry. Juggling writing and others things like job or family can be challenging. It can also be inspiring. For me it is Nature and everything around me. I feel like I am living on the edge of inspiration. But when I write I always have something going in the background. My brain seems to focus better when there is a distracting hum. Mine is usually the TV!!

Join us at: https://dversepoets.com

 

Once Upon a Dream

Once upon a dream
Dripping thoughts ran free
Choice words // honey sweet
Speak to soft hearts open to hear
Wisdom from the honeycomb

Once upon a dream
Inspiration took root
Words buzzed through the mind
Pockets of honey stored away
Drawn upon in desert times

Once upon a dream
Sweet Gold flowed // ink to paper
Food fit for a queen
Full of life // sweet soul nectar
Mind dreams do come true

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Photo: Dwight L. Roth

Lillian at d’Verse asked us to take the phrase “Once upon a time….  and do a twist on it.  We were to write a poem that started with “Once upon a ____________,” filling in the blank with anything but the word time.  I wrote about the beauty of poetry.

Poetry

“An entertainer gives people what they wanted… an artist give people what they didn’t know they wanted!”  Josh Groban

Poetry

Which poem that I wrote

…stopped you in your tracks

…made you think

of what’s long forgotten

…challenged preconceived notions

or stretched your perspective?

 

What do you look for

when you read my poetry?

Are you left hanging…

Or pleasantly surprised?

 

My goal in writing poetry

is to write in such a way

that you will not

have to read it again…

And // you will not be able

to forget what you read

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Photo: Dwight L. Roth

Shared with d’Verse Poetry Pub for open link night.   https://dversepoets.com

The quote from Josh Grobin  came from his interview with Dan Rather on The Big Interview at AXS TV.