The Goodbye

Elizabeth had read the letter at least four times, but the words remained the same.  John, the man she had grown to love, was leaving.  He wrote in fancy words that she wasn’t the problem. It was all him.   He needed to see the world and have more experiences.  Things that apparently did not include her.  

Elizabeth thought John was the one.  He was handsome, intelligent and rich.  Even her uptight family was impressed with him.  She had no idea what changed.  

With tears in her eyes, Elizaeth looked around the garden.  Suddenly the words her grandmother once spoke came to mind.  

“The future gathers in vine, bush, and tree: Persimmon, walnut, loquat, fig, and grape.”

As the sun began to set, Elizabeth brushed away her tears and exited the garden.  Just like John, she had places to go and things to experience too.

- Decided to try something different today with dVerse Prosery: Yvor's Time and the Garden

I never stopped loving you

I never stopped loving you

you had me at the first kiss

making me fall into a bliss

your kisses were morning dew

and soft touches I so very miss

I never stopped loving you

you had me at the first kiss

after everything we’ve been through

my heart will still reminisce

and I cannot regret any of this

I never stopped loving you

you had me at the first kiss

making me fall into a bliss

- My attempt at an English Madigral poem for dVerse Poetry Form: English Madigral prompt

a ghazal for the sea

the sounds of seagulls greet us

as we drive closer to the sea

white foamy waves await our arrival

to dive deep into cerulean blue sea

children collect seashells on white sands 

oblivious to the mysteries of the sea

unlike fisherman casting nets to catch fish,

their livelihood dependent upon the sea

I dream of us under moonlight

listening to roaring waves of the sea

Maria tosses a bottle holding a message 

with hope to cross the sea

- Written for dVerse Poetics: By the Beautiful Sea.  I decieded to try my hand at the Ghazal poetry form which I have been reading about over the summer.  Let me know what you think.

wounds

a band-aid or a piece of gauze
can stop the bleeding
from cuts and abrasions
but some injuries are
more than skin deep
despite our best intentions
some wounds never heal
leaving behind scars as
a permanent reminder of pain
that always linger within

- Written for dVerse Quadrille: What's in a word?

They sleep with the moon

 The day had been long and exhausting.  Mary was now tucking in her children into bed.
 
“Are we going to war now?” the son asked.
 
Mary leaned over and kissed her son on the forehead.  “Everything is going to be okay.  You have not need worry.”
 
“That’s not what Kenny said,” her daughter replied.
 
She turned to her daughter.  “I don’t want neither one of you worrying about this.  All you need to do tonight is closed your eyes and go to sleep,” Mary said, brushing her daughter’s hair to the side.
 
“Yes mommy,” the children replied.
 
Mary turned off the nightlamp as she exited the room.  An hour or so later, she peaked into the bedroom once more.  She saw both of the children sleeping.  
 
“In their dreams they sleep with the moon” she thought to herself. 
 
Mary smiled and closed the door.

- I thought I would try something a bit different today.  A response to dVerse Prosery Monday: Moonbeams and Moon Dreams.   

oxygen

I rose from ashes

taking my first breath

air filling my lungs

opening my eyes

to a brand new light

- Inspired by dVerse Poetic's Let's get elemental

I loved you all my years

I loved you all my years

I thought I made it clear

but you chose another

and now my heart suffers

and despite all my tears

I’m left with my fears

that there is no other

that will bring me wonder

oleander

Photo by Seelenbluete

Courtesy of pixabay.com

he spoke loving words

in Portuguese that made me

weak in the knees

I gladly ran off with him

across golden Sahara skies

and blue Mediterranean seas

I was blind to the lies

he hid behind the moon 

while promising me the stars

oleander now grows in

the place where my heart

once planted its roots

- Posted for dVerse Poets Open Link Night 212.  Inspired by dVerse Poetics with poisonous plants.

silent protest

as you held my hand

we took our last stand

for us

and our own plan

was to save our land

but thus

we could not withstand

and force to disband

sans fuss

- Written for dVerse Meeting the Bar - Lai It On! prompt where we are asked to write a lai poem, consisting of nine lines using "a" and "b" rhymes.  Come join the fun.

in the dark

our whispers

echo off walls

secret rendezvous

under midnight stars

hidden love letters

in mysterious boxes

it was all good

for awhile

until one of us

wanted to drag

the other

into the light

and that was

the breaking point

in this secret affair

- Written for dVerse Quadrille #32 - echo.

He

he has awaken feelings deep inside 

that I thought were long dead

whether it’s love or lust 

I really do not care 

for he tastes like spring rain

and smells like summer sun

making my body hum to 

the beat of his drumming heart

- Written for dVerse Quadrille #28 "spring"

across the night sky

Photo by Ryan Hutton

Courtesy of unsplash.com

across the night sky

its just you and I

dancing with the twinkling stars

falling deep in love

you become part of

the potion that heals my scars

the light in your eyes

gives me butterflies

the full moon is now our muse

with this love poem

my heart unbroken

no longer singing the blues

 - Written for dVerse's Meeting the Bar: The Alouette poem.  

hiding in shadows

we hide in dark shadows

whispering forbidden wishes

to never be heard outside

our presence, but things

that are done in the dark

have a way of being revealed

in the light and secret rendezvous

and kisses shatter those glasshouses

we build around ourselves

 "Apple shadow fruit" by Alexis

Courtesy of All-free-download.com

 - Written for dVerse Quadrille #17 - Shadow

Moving Day

It had just turned summer when I moved into my first apartment.  My dad and I carried packed boxes up two flights of stairs, because I wanted a second floor apartment with a balcony. (My dad was thankful I had the new sofa delivered by the furniture store).  Mom came later with my brother to help unpack the few dishes and items I had to fill my studio apartment.  I’m not certain my brother truly understood what was going on – it was just a new place for him to explore with his eyes.  When night fall came, I hugged my parents before they departed, leaving me all alone.  At that moment I felt like a bird spreading its wing to leave the nest for the first time.  I climbed into my bed when the realization truly hit me – I was now on my own.

under the June sun

little bird departs the nest

trying out her wings

- Written for dVerse Halibun Monday: Winds of Change.

open advice

please my dear take these words to heart

for I have learned in life that it is better

to keep an open mind and heart

instead of a heart stuck in place

for you may miss the rainbow

by staying focus on the clouds

- Written for dVerse Opening to the Muse-Quadrille #16 where we are asked to write an "open" poem, either as a noun, verb, adjective, adverb or any other way you might think of.  I rewrote this poem several times before I could get the words right (at least in my mind).  

a kiss under the night sky

We were both young and inexperienced tweens.  Yet chemistry and hormones drew us together over a summer weekend.  The last night we lounged under the night sky, sharing a first kiss.  It was the first time I ever kissed a boy, though I believe it wasn’t your first time kissing a girl.  I can still remember your lips upon mine – warm, soft, wet.  My naivety slowly melted under the July moon with you.  I wish we could have stayed in that moment – frozen in time - oblivious to all that will come in the future.

the night stars twinkles

as they dance around the moon

to sensual beats

- Written for dVerse Halibun Monday - Twinkle, twinkle

you always leave

you always leave me

when I just start getting comfortable

snatching the rug underneath my feet

and to be honest

I have cried out all my tears

my tongue has depleted its prayers

I know it’s not very Christian

but I’m just being honest

- Written for dVerse Quadrille #15 - Leaves.

a goodbye under blue skies

Photo taken 8/10/16 by Arcadia Maria.  All rights reserved.

“a goodbye under blue skies”

I don’t remember how the clouds looked that day.  What I do remember is standing beneath blue skies with the June sun on my skin.  My young mind trying hard to grasp the heaviness of the occasion.  Grand-mom wept into her handkerchief as grand-pop held her.  Mom had her arms wrapped around dad with a solemn face.  So many relatives were gathered around the open grave, where you will lay until the end of time.  The preacher said his solemn words of comfort and we all left flowers for you as a token of our love.  We then departed that place, to get back to piecing our lives back together.  But for me, it would be some time before I fully understood what happened.  I had never lost an uncle before so it was all new to me.  After all these years I have not forgotten you.  For every Spring, I visit your grave along with grand-mom and grand-pop, under blue skies.  I still cannot believe it’s been twenty nine years since you been gone.

white clouds and blue skies

try to wipe away our tears

with help from the sun

- Written for dVerse Halibun Monday: The Sky is the Limit.  We were tasked to write a halibun poem about the day sky.  I'm not sure what came over me when I read this prompt, but I decided to revisit a memory I had of my uncle's funeral.  I was only eight years old when he died in a car accident, but I have fond memories of him from when I was very little.  This is for you, uncle Evan.  

Tanka poems

“tango”

in dreams we tango

to sultry beats with our feet

your tender kisses

and sensual eyes lull me

into an eternal sleep

"Tango couple dancing" by werner22brigitte

Courtesy of All-free-download.com

 *********************************************************************************

 “at sunrise”

soft like rose petals

he warms her with caresses

kisses like honey

they lounge on soft cotton sheets

as the rising sun greets them

Photo by Bruno Sousa

Courtesy of Upsplash.com

- Written for dVerse Meeting the Bar - Tanka.   For today, we are writing Tanka poem,s which are a Japanese form of poetry which has been around for many centuries.  Come join us and check out some other great pieces.

wishes and dreams in jars

"Bottles jars glass" by Shirley

Courtesy of All-free-download.com

"wishes and dreams in jars"

I placed my wishes and dreams in jars

hoping one day to open the lids

releasing them into the sky

flying like fireflies at dusk

but the time never seemed right

I held them for so long

that one day it was too late

- Written for dVerse Quadrille #14 - Jar.