April in my Heart

Helena, AL

 

April. The month of poetry. The month we used to celebrate our mothers’ birthdays. The month we moved to Birmingham six years ago.

I’ve been writing poems everyday this month. In the midst of corona-craziness, it’s one of the things that calms me. Not to give them equal value, but God’s Word, poetry, sunshine, and fresh air get me through these uncertain days. I’ve been using three different sites for prompts each day: Writer’s Digest PAD, Poetry Super Highway, and NaPoWriMo.

The following poem was inspired today by NaPoWriMo.

 

I Love Us

 

Sometimes it’s hard to say it

I try to convey it

I try to show it

Though I know you know it

 

I love us

The very thought of us

We are two peas in a pod

Though we are flawed

I am awed

At how we are still in this together

 

I love us

We are more than love like the movies

We are groovy

Stuck like glue

Each day new

Who knew?

All those years ago

We saw each other across the dance floor

And you asked for

My number

 

You weren’t so great at disco

We didn’t want to go to Frisco

But oh those Redwoods trees

The Pacific ocean breeze

We make each other laugh

In all those photographs

And memories

 

I love us

We made some precious babies

Grand-babies

No maybe

About it 

 

I love us

We’re an A-plus

Top grade 

Like a sweet dessert

A crisp dress shirt

A little bit introvert

A little bit extrovert

 

I love us

We’re a Pulitzer Prize

Flying blue skies

Over Montana’s mountains

And Savannah’s fountains

Our love

Fits like a glove

Just a couple of

lovebirds

 

I love us

Our records and roses

Touching noses

A glass of fine wine

Hearts intertwined

 

I love us

So romantic

Hearts gigantic

Peanut butter and jelly

Lots of belly

Laughs

 

I love us

I’ll always love us

For-e-ver

 

Getting Ready for April

 

In this upside down time there is still something I look forward to and that’s April. Because, for me, April means poetry.

This week has been so different from anything I’ve ever been through. My husband is now working from home. Bless his heart, he kisses me goodbye before he goes into his office and shuts the door.  Before all this COVID-19 hit we had already made the decision for an early retirement and to put our house on the market. So, this week I have been decluttering, packing, cleaning, and facetiming with the grandkids in Florida. We are going to go ahead with our preparations, trusting the LORD to move us or not according to His plans for us. If we don’t move, at least we’ll have a clean house and a pretty yard!

Back to April.

I think this will be my 11th year or so doing the PAD challenge via Writer’s Digest. I also hope to participate in the Poetry Super Highway April Poetry writing prompts. I feel like over the past years I’ve been motivated to write some of my better work during April. I’m one of those people who get mores things done when I have a lot to do. So, again this year, I should be able to crank out at least a few noteworthy poems. I enjoy the process and I enjoy the interaction with other poets.

So, today I played around with some black out poetry, using the book Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson.

 

My Journey

worst comes to worst

I would rather hope in time

to improve the world

the sun shining between two prayers

born quick and slow

I say no more

 

The Sea

the sea

deep to the end of it

I looked to see truth

on every side

the sea with  a thick mist

I shivered

wondered

I waded in

by God’s grace

hope was the  more sure

in all ways

hope buoyed me up 

the sea

more alive

In I went into the sea

 

 

 

 

 

 

PAD 2019 – #4 April

PAD is drawing to an end for another year. Today’s prompt was to remix a poem from earlier in the month. I decided to remix my poem from Day One. You can read both below.

 

Can’t Fool Me

 

April first brings ice on the windshield

to try to fool me

to say it isn’t spring in Alabama

But I’ve seen azaleas in bloom

and green shoots springing up

between winter’s dead blades

I’ve opened the front door

felt the breeze flow in

then out the back

being thankful for the screens

though they can’t stop all the pollen

from creeping in

to coat the porch in yellow

Longer days make me lose track of time

as I savor the sunshine

and postpone supper

All this says spring

You can’t fool me, April first

 

Not Fooled

April tried to fool me

with ice after azaleas

but now the lawn is green

the air a sweet perfume

mornings are cool

afternoons balmy

when the roses said hello

the pollen said goodbye

spring is loud and lovely

I listen to her and smile

yes, April tried to fool me

but May is on the way

 

 

 

April in the South

The PAD prompt  for Day 14 was the word “report”. Here’s mine.

 

April in the South

Canceled plans for the day

Checked radios and batteries

All day long the weatherman predicts

But no one really knows

Just when and where

In the backyard cardinals gather

Do they understand?

Where will they shelter when the storms arrive?

A breeze belies what is to come

A brief reprieve in the heavy air

Pressing all around

A pale haze under darkening skies

Waiting, waiting

 

Last Day of PAD, 2016

The prompt for today is “dead end”. How fitting for the last day of April and the last day of PAD (Poem-a-Day) for 2016. I managed once again to complete all 30 poems; this year I got almost all of them in on time!

 

April’s End 

The end of a lyrical April is here

Where is my  Oz

At the end of this poetic yellow brick road?

I traveled the forest of dark emotion

Sometimes with a brain

Sometimes with a heart

There were days of

Good word witches

Who graced me with synonyms

And lollipop kids who shared their rhymes

But now I fear that balloon

Will float away without me

I hear there’s no place like home

But where is home?

Where is home?