The Winter of Our Discontent

Ok, so I'm "cheating" a little bit here - this poem wasn't written this year . . . but hey, why shouldn't I share it here? I've been working on a couple of short stories, but I just can't bring myself to share them--because whenever I go back and read over them, I absolutely hate them!! I wonder if that's a normal thing?? I'm hoping so :-). Good thing I have a day job . . .

At any rate, for some reason I feel comfortable sharing my poetry, so here you go! Usually, I love coming up with titles (it's one of my favorite parts), but I never settled on one for this poem. Feel free to make a suggestion :-).

I’m watching as the leaves fall down

Dancing, gingerly touch the ground

Warmth has left, without a trace

And left a subtle shiver in her place.

Change is a comin’, one and all

Bright colors usher in the Fall

And just as I embrace her trance

I look back for one final glance.

Summer heat and Summer rain

Bleeding down the window pane

How I begged you to move on

Only to miss you, now that you’ve gone.

Such is a picture of my heart—

Never satisfied to play its part

Always thinking something new

Will satiate like rich, wet dew.

Restless gnawing, a heart made hard

Discontent’s true calling card

It floods my veins like poison would,

With all its grand, “if only I could . . .”

LORD, how I long to rest in Thee

To revel in life’s mystery

Unwrap each day as gift divine

And know that all my days are Thine.

To work where placed without a fight

To live by faith and not by sight

To live by spirit, oh, to dare—

Such is my humble, heartfelt prayer.

Wednesday's Weekly Haiku

Here we are, another Wednesday and another Haiku. Hard to believe January is coming to an end soon--and for that, I'm quite thankful!

I survived my work travel and presentation last week, but naturally, I've come down with some icky cold bug. My body is trying desperately to fight it off, and as a result, I'm exhausted!! Today I thought long and hard about taking a sick day, but in the end decided to push through it. I'd rather be at home on my couch reading and writing, but oh well!

So, with that background in mind, here's today's tidbit:

Contagion

Wednesday, you again?

Holding by a tiny thread.

Ready for the sun!



Wednesday's Weekly Haiku

Ok, ok, I know--I'm just about the worst blogger ever. I realize how delinquent I've been, and I'm ready to own that. In my defense (I am a lawyer, after all!), it's been an unusually busy January. I'm even auto-posting this (it's still Tuesday evening, actually) because I'll be leaving for New Orleans early Wednesday and will be gone for the rest of the week. Now how's that for planning?? :-)

In all seriousness, I hope that once this conference is over, life can calm down at least a little <insert belly-laugh here>. But even so, you know what? Writing is hard. Inspiration doesn't always come as easily as you hope, and life tends to flat get in the way of all my grand plans. However, this can't be an excuse--somehow, I've got to learn how to make time for writing . . . maybe that's what this year will be about?!

At any rate, I do love writing these little Haikus - it's so much fun to take a mental break, think about whatever topic is currently pressing on my mind, and fit it into the Haiku format. Lately, I've been thinking about relationships--how difficult they are, how great they can be, and how broken they can become over time. Even in brokenness, God is showing me just how powerful He is at restoring relationships--and just how awesome His supernatural love truly is. It is these emotions and experiences that led me to write this Haiku--so enjoy, and say a prayer for my presentation this week!

Conversations Difficiles

Heartache, melt to peace--

For in the oddest places,

Restoration comes.

Wednesday's Weekly Haiku

So, this week I'm being "inspired" (if you can call it that!) by pure adrenaline: the fact that I'm giving a presentation in one week, and I'm not nearly as prepared as I typically prefer to be. I'm sure it will turn out alright, but the anxiety has already induced one presentation-related dream (and a funny one, too!), so I figured why not write about it? It's in the forefront of my mind anyways.

So here you go - enjoy!

New Orleans

Nerves of steel, find me.

Picture myself like a cat--

Landing on my feet.

"Pity me then, dear friend, and I assure ye--Even that your pity is enough to cure me."

Well, here's the first poem (simple Haikus aside!) of the blog. Ohh, how difficult it is to share such work--to me, a poem is like a snapshot into the deepest parts of a person's heart and mind and soul. And I think this first piece reflects as much. So we're continuing in the more serious vein of work--this New Year hasn't exactly started off in the way I would choose, but I'm finding that with life, you just have to go with it. Truth is, it's hard for me to turn off inspiration, no matter the source (be it happy, sad, indifferent, etc.). So I'm going to go with the flow and be brave enough to share poems that aren't all about rainbows and smiles :-).

It may have been my own emotions which spurred the writing of this particular poem, but it is my hope that perhaps it will speak to you in its own way.

Supper Club

I ate my tears for dinner

The bitter, salty sweet

Ran down my cheeks, into my mouth

In quiet, soft defeat.

I ate my tears for dinner

And to my great surprise

One can survive on pain divine

And wake to morn’s sunrise.

I ate my tears for dinner

Alone I dined for one

And mourned the empty chair of dreams

Consumed by rage and scorn.

I ate my tears for dinner

They left me hungry still

And so I squeezed another drop

And sought to eat my fill.

I ate my tears for dinner

I have an answer not

For how to eat of finer fare

Of long since I’ve forgot.

I ate my tears for dinner

Last supper, beg thee come

I ate my tears for dinner

As all became undone.

William Shakespeare, Sonnet CXI

Wednesday's Weekly Haiku

Well, Happy New Year everyone! Hard to believe 2012 is upon us.

So here's today's Haiku! I sincerely wanted to post something of more substance during the past week, but it was just too busy with the holiday, etc. Today is my first day back to work after having been off for the past 4 days, and I'm not gonna lie--I dread it. BUT--here's to a new year and to (hopefully!) finding new inspiration :-).

I also think I'm going to add in a little more structure (which I said I wouldn't do, haha!). However, I'm thinking my goal will be to post on Wednesdays and Fridays. Try as I might, lack of structure or deadlines simply doesn't suit my personality :-).

Ok, enough words--on to today's little ditty:

Jury Duty

Chance brought together

Cornucopia of smells--

Hurry up and wait.