My Word of the Month poem

Hi everyone,

Here’s my Word of the Month poem, inspired by my plane rides to and from Honesdale.

The Window
by David L. Harrison

There’s something about looking out
an airplane window.
Do you feel it too?

Perhaps it’s the land drawn
like history’s checkerboard pages
recorded endlessly beyond
my horizon,

tree-fortified rivers shouldering
down valleys of least resistance,

Lilliputian towns –
miniature yards with droplet pools,
fans of ball diamonds,
ribbon streets –
like board games sliding
out of view, out of mind.

Something about looking out
an airplane window
makes me want to respond,
to write about . . .
what?

We land and once again
I forget
the question.

David

One of my window poems

Hi everyone,

I’m not there yet with my Word of the Month poem. But since the word is WINDOW and I only recently wrote about the cardinal that kept attacking my office window, I decided to repost that poem for now. Here it is again.

Gladiator Tracks
by David L. Harrison

Beak tracks across my windowpane,
Testimony to his youthful ardor
Who, determined if he battles harder,
Will win, but all his pecking is in vane.

Staring balefully in the morning sun,
He flogs the interloper to no avail.
It seems equally eager to assail,
At day’s end neither bird has won.

Day two, three, the battle is resumed,
Each combatant staring at the foe,
Feathers puffed, standing toe to toe.
Determined that the challenger is doomed,

He hurls himself again against the glass,
Falls back, blinks, puzzled, dazed,
His enemy mocks, blinks, just as crazed,
Flies at once to block where he would pass.

By day four he fights with waning might,
Vents from either end his weary wrath,
He needs food, rest, he needs a bath.
The battlefield he leaves is painted white.

David

My Word of the Month poem

Hi everyone,

Here’s my DETOUR poem. This month’s word has taken us on some interesting side trips!

What I’ve Learned So Far
by David L. Harrison

“Plan ahead,” They say.
“Have a plan and work your plan,”
They tell us,

but Some say,
“Follow your dream, do what
makes you happy and work
is play.”

So I
planned and worked the plan,

but the plan kept
changing, and time kept
passing,

and now here I am, far
from where my plan began,

and what I’ve learned so far
that They don’t know –
but Some do — is this:
Life is a trail that forks in the woods,
a map with signs missing,
a detour that takes us from A to B
through all the lovely letters
if we’re playful enough,
lucky enough, if we’re
dreamers.

David

It’s April already!

Hi everyone,

This happens every year. I’m muddling along telling myself that we have an entire new year ahead of us in which to get all sorts of things done and adventures taken, and then it’s April and I’m surprised. But April brings spring with all its glorious abundance of growth and colors. I went out for the papers on the lawn this morning in my bare feet, a spring ritual for sure.

I loved all the March poems and apologize for not posting comments to tell our poets individually how much I appreciated their contributions. I hereby solemnly swear to try to do better in April. Our word this month is DETOUR or, as Jeanne Poland has already noted, it can also be “de tour.” So we’re off and running in various directions, just as you might expect when the usual route is temporarily blocked.

Have fun everyone. I’m eager to read your poems and comments. My thanks to all.

David

My Word of the Month poem

Hi everyone,

I’m enjoying all these poems inspired by FAITH. Thanks for sharing yours. Here’s mine.

Faith
by David L. Harrison

Faith is a child kneeling
by his bed, whispering
names of those he loves.

Faith is a weapon of war,
a demon fire
set by an arsonist.

Faith in regaining faith returns
joy to the joyless,
nourishment to starved souls,
renewal to the weary,
mends hearts broken
by unbearable burdens.

The faith of our future
whispers the names
of those we love.

David