Reflective thoughts and poems

palides2021 said:
Wow. I didn't realize how long it's been since I've been here. So many things have happened since January. My sister who lived in Greece and had been battling stage 4 cancer for many years, had a heart-attack around the holidays and her health went downhill after that. Her kidney stopped working and she had to go on dialysis. Then she bounced back and they moved her to rehab, then she got worse and they moved her to the hospital again. She had a collapsed lung toward the end - only for her to get Covid, which ruined any chances of survival. She gave her last breath the beginning of April.

The poor girl suffered, and her husband is devastated. They were married 50 years. She was a bright, cheerful, beautiful person that brought joy to everyone. When she left, she took her joy with her. May she Rest In Peace. Still trying to process all of this.
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Sorry for the loss of your sister, dear Patty!

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smiley said:
someone asked me recently - what would you like to do again ? - start all over at 16 I said and just care about my family and minister to them everyday - because that's what they did to me for 16 years and then I left home and it was never the same - bro and sis had gone too and Ma and Pa were left alone to grieve - that was cruel
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Thank you for sharing these thoughts here, @smiley. Sometimes we don't know how our actions affect others, particularly when we are young. Much, much, later when we are mature and thinking about everything, then we see things that we didn't before. I have learned over time to move forward because the past can haunt me and keep me stunted. Just my two bits.
 
MarkD said:
My cohort is definitely dropping like leaves. Even my 16 year old nephew just was diagnosed with type one diebetes.

The evidence of our mortality mounts.
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Thanks for sharing, @MarkD. Your last sentence is absolutely true. I couldn't have picked better words. That's why it's important to enjoy each day we have as best we can.
 
palides2021 said:
Wow. I didn't realize how long it's been since I've been here. So many things have happened since January. My sister who lived in Greece and had been battling stage 4 cancer for many years, had a heart-attack around the holidays and her health went downhill after that. Her kidney stopped working and she had to go on dialysis. Then she bounced back and they moved her to rehab, then she got worse and they moved her to the hospital again. She had a collapsed lung toward the end - only for her to get Covid, which ruined any chances of survival. She gave her last breath the beginning of April.

The poor girl suffered, and her husband is devastated. They were married 50 years. She was a bright, cheerful, beautiful person that brought joy to everyone. When she left, she took her joy with her. May she Rest In Peace. Still trying to process all of this.
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Oh Patty, I am so sorry for the loss of your sister. Sounds like she had a tough time of it. Now she is in the protection of the Lord's arms. Sending prayers for you and your family through this sad time. Maybe her joy will resurface in the lives of the ones she touched during her life. 🙏 🙏🙏
 
katlupe said:
Oh Patty, I am so sorry for the loss of your sister. Sounds like she had a tough time of it. Now she is in the protection of the Lord's arms. Sending prayers for you and your family through this sad time. Maybe her joy will resurface in the lives of the ones she touched during her life. 🙏 🙏🙏
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Thank you, @katlupe. It's good to receive your message. I like the idea of her joy resurfacing "in the lives of ones she touched during her life." People were making those kinds of statements on FB who had crossed paths with her. Thank you for your prayers, too.
 
palides2021 said:
Thanks for sharing, @MarkD. Your last sentence is absolutely true. I couldn't have picked better words. That's why it's important to enjoy each day we have as best we can.
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I came across some poetry by a John O'Donohue whose book Anam Cara I have checked out of the library to read soon. He died suddenly at the age of 52 and on a website where his passing was remembered I read this which had printed on the cover of his last book. I hope you like it as much as I do:

'There is a quiet light
that shines in every heart.
Though it is always secretly there,
it draws no attention to itself.
It is what illuminates our
minds to see beauty, our desire to seek
possibility and our hearts
to love life...
This shy inner light is what enables
us to recognize and receive
our very presence here as blessing.'

From: John O'Donohue RIP | ICN.

Thanks for all you've shared here, so much of which I have missed by being busy elsewhere in my life. Be well.
 
MarkD said:
I came across some poetry by a John O'Donohue whose book Anam Cara I have checked out of the library to read soon. He died suddenly at the age of 52 and on a website where his passing was remembered I read this which had printed on the cover of his last book. I hope you like it as much as I do:

'There is a quiet light
that shines in every heart.
Though it is always secretly there,
it draws no attention to itself.
It is what illuminates our
minds to see beauty, our desire to seek
possibility and our hearts
to love life...
This shy inner light is what enables
us to recognize and receive
our very presence here as blessing.'

From: John O'Donohue RIP | ICN.

Thanks for all you've shared here, so much of which I have missed by being busy elsewhere in my life. Be well.
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Thanks for this incredible poem, @MarkD!
 
Recently went to the Sr. Center where the Horizons band was playing. Ended up writing some poetry while listening to the songs. The band was made up of senior citizens. They played quite well.

Day Dreams

Sleep during the day
and your dreams sleep
with you.
Clear your mind from
worries that creep
in like cobwebs.
Clear your river
that flows like
everlasting hope
for something new.
Courageous enough
to take risks,
try something new
from that list.
Do not sleep your life away.

I.A.
May 2, 2025
 
I am currently reading the book The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron. It is touching a lot of chords. I have been feeling stuck in my creativity lately, and a friend suggested this book.

Wikipedia says this about the book:
"The book was written to help people with artistic creative recovery, which teaches techniques and exercises to assist people in gaining self-confidence in harnessing their creative talents and skills. Correlation and emphasis is used by the author to show a connection between artistic creativity and a spiritual connection with God. The ideas in creative personal development outlined in the book, which were felt to be new at the time of the publication, are said to have become a phenomenon and spawned into many meetups and support groups throughout the world."

If you are interested in reading Cameron's book, I found it online: https://ia800209.us.archive.org/12/...eron_202403/The_Artists_Way_Julia_Cameron.pdf
 
Today, it was a gray morning, and I opened all the curtains to allow what little light to come in. The purple irises are in full bloom, front and back, so beautiful and fragrant, and just in time for Mother's Day. I can see my two fallen pear trees in the back, destroyed by the Easter storm that swept through our area. I was so sad when this happened. They were very tall, and keepers, full of sweet fruit every year. The pests did not touch them, so I didn't have to spray like the previous peach and apple trees. I would hand out bags of pears to neighbors and friends. I've been waiting for the tree people to come and take them away.

I heard the whole area got hit on that day (I was away) and with a lot of fallen trees. I am debating of planting some evergreens in the back, to form a wind barrier. It surprised me that we got this intense storm. We live in a valley, nestled between mountains, and usually the bad weather would be minimized.
 
palides2021 said:
This poem was an attempt to write while listening to Secret Garden's "Nocturne" - not sure if I did it justice, but I was moved by the music, so wanted to capture the moment



Upon Hearing Secret Garden

Spin your web, such
Violin enchantment -
Nocturnal sounds
That rise amidst the silvery
Threaded notes, spilling
Liquid jewels around me,
Touching my heart, even
For a fleeting moment.
Your web casts its magic
Into the garden's secret corner,
Showering rays of hope
That light the darkness.
Bring peace into this dark world
Let growth lead the way.

P.A 10/26/22
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Beautiful words choices for expressing imagined thoughts. :) I tend to write story poems that relate to experiences told by others.
 
palides2021 said:
Not these poems. I did publish a poetry book once, years ago.
Edited: once the poem is "out there" on the Internet, it's considered published. I have written over 200 poems. They are scattered here and there. :)
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I, also, but poems having to do with experiences those afflicted go through/living with the neurological affliction Essential Tremor. Mostly giving humor to those devastating 'shaking' experiences.
 
One of my first E T poems-------I wasn't sure I should post it.
I lie here dying in the desert heat

With swollen tongue and blistered feet.

My essential tremor unfettered by the sun

That's determined to roast me until I’m done.

One day they will find me here all alone

By the sound of my tremors rattling my bones.

Thank goodness the members of the essential tremor group saw the tongue-in-cheek humor in it.
 
Elsie said:
One of my first E T poems-------I wasn't sure I should post it.
I lie here dying in the desert heat

With swollen tongue and blistered feet.

My essential tremor unfettered by the sun

That's determined to roast me until I’m done.

One day they will find me here all alone

By the sound of my tremors rattling my bones.

Thank goodness the members of the essential tremor group saw the tongue-in-cheek humor in it.
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Thank you, @Elsie, for your comments and for sharing your poem with me. What an insightful poem about ET! Lots of imagery, like "roast me until I'm done," and "tremors rattling my bones." I think you should share more of your poems. Keep up the great work!
 
friar said:
for me the shortest and truest poem of my life has always been this. " Of all sad words on tongue and pen, the saddest are these "It might have been." In my late years now this rings truer than ever before.
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Maud Muller by John Greenleaf Whittier, is one of my favorite poems, that still brings tears to my eyes when I read it.

MAUD Muller, on a summer’s day,
Raked the meadow sweet with hay.

Beneath her torn hat glowed the wealth
Of simple beauty and rustic health.

Singing, she wrought, and her merry glee
The mock-bird echoed from his tree.

But when she glanced to the far-off town,
White from its hill-slope looking down,

The sweet song died, and a vague unrest
And a nameless longing filled her breast,—

A wish that she hardly dared to own,
For something better than she had known.

The rest of the poem is here. <--
 
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John cycling said:
Maud Muller by John Greenleaf Whittier, is one of my favorite poems, that still brings tears to my eyes when I read it.

MAUD Muller, on a summer’s day,
Raked the meadow sweet with hay.

Beneath her torn hat glowed the wealth
Of simple beauty and rustic health.

Singing, she wrought, and her merry glee
The mock-bird echoed from his tree.

But when she glanced to the far-off town,
White from its hill-slope looking down,

The sweet song died, and a vague unrest
And a nameless longing filled her breast,—

A wish that she hardly dared to own,
For something better than she had known.

The rest of the poem is here. <--
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Thanks, @John cycling. I was not aware of this poem. It told a beautiful story of the choices people make and how life turns out. What particular phrase made you emotional?
 
friar said:
there's pictures of you and I on the walls around me, the way that it was and could have been surround me. I'll never get over you walking away. tonight I want to cry.
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That's a quote from a song by Keith Urban, "I Wanna Cry":


Urban also sings, ""It's gonna hurt bad before it gets better." Something to focus on.
 

The Children's Hour​

Between the dark and the daylight,
When the night is beginning to lower,
Comes a pause in the day's occupations,
That is known as the Children's Hour.

I hear in the chamber above me
The patter of little feet,
The sound of a door that is opened,
And voices soft and sweet.

From my study I see in the lamplight,
Descending the broad hall stair,
Grave Alice, and laughing Allegra,
And Edith with golden hair.

A whisper, and then a silence:
Yet I know by their merry eyes
They are plotting and planning together
To take me by surprise.

A sudden rush from the stairway,
A sudden raid from the hall!
By three doors left unguarded
They enter my castle wall!

They climb up into my turret
O'er the arms and back of my chair;
If I try to escape, they surround me;
They seem to be everywhere.

They almost devour me with kisses,
Their arms about me entwine,
Till I think of the Bishop of Bingen
In his Mouse-Tower on the Rhine!

Do you think, o blue-eyed banditti,
Because you have scaled the wall,
Such an old mustache as I am
Is not a match for you all!

I have you fast in my fortress,
And will not let you depart,
But put you down into the dungeon
In the round-tower of my heart.

And there will I keep you forever,
Yes, forever and a day,
Till the walls shall crumble to ruin,
And moulder in dust away!

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
 

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