This Chaucerian stanza is for Linda G. Hill’s SoCS, and the words today are old/new. Although it’s not a free-verse poem, it was pretty quick and I didn’t edit, so I am sharing it.
The old has passed away, the new has come:
This I believe with all my beating heart,
And I want to give it a warm welcome.
Every single day is a fresh new start;
Change does not come at once, but part by part.
Do not lose heart: we are works in progress,
Magnificent, and will find happiness.
Confusing is the path one ought to take,
So full of twists and turns it’s hard to stand:
Stand by; and soon enough the path will make
More sense, next steps elucidated, and
Courage nearby to take the trembling hand.
One step ahead is all that might be shown,
But difficulties won’t be faced alone.
For DVerse Poetics today, we are to write inspired by wheat. At first, I was completely at a loss for any inspiration, but tonight I wrote this Chaucerian stanza.
Unless a grain of wheat shall fall upon
The fertile ground and die, a sacrifice,
It remains a single grain; but once gone
It returns, and is now worth well past twice:
Potential on which you can’t put a price.
Does wheat feel trepidation ere the fall?
Is falling in the field falling at all?
This is a Chaucerian stanza inspired by FOWC: Paranormal, and underneath that is a quick cinquain about what I most fear, for FDDA day 11. As I don’t like to dwell on disgusting things, I wrote it in about a minute, so I’m not putting the second poem in its own post. 🙂
In haunted houses do true ghosts exist?
Some disembodied spirit stuck in pain?
Cannot move on, relinquishing resist,
Stuck in between eternal and Earth’s plane?
One need not die; regrets can haunt the brain
Like much more hungry ghosts, which will devour:
Horrors of past may push into this hour.
Now, for my next “masterpiece”….
Maggots
Spawn of satan
Disgusting wormy things.
Don’t even make me think about
Them now.
For FOWC: Aid. A Chaucerian stanza inspired by coffee (what else, this early in the morning?).
To aid in waking up my coffee’s there,
Its caffeine is flowing through my veins.
Its warmth is comforting, and I’m aware
That it will help me through the day’s remains.
A slump at 3 PM — my spirit gains
More motivation, energy and verve:
‘Most anytime is good to coffee serve.
This week, Frank challenges us to write a 14-line poem. I was going to write a sonnet but decided to try two Chaucerian stanzas. My poem is inspired by today’s Gospel reading, which is John 14:1-6.
The Lord has said He will prepare a place
And that He will return to take us back,
So that we may live always face to face,
Realizing finally there is no lack
In love, and that there’s safety from attack.
We must wait patiently for His return,
The chaste heart of His bride He will not spurn.
His words were difficult to understand,
Even for His disciples to believe.
In times distressing we look to what’s planned
And know that there is someday a reprieve,
Pure paradise which we will never leave:
There are manifold places there to dwell,
I long for that day when all will be well.
For NaPoWriMo day 21 (it is day 21, right?), I have written in response to DVerse’s prompt about animal companions. As my family has no pets, I was unsure what to write about, until inspiration walked right past my window. 😊
With no cute animal to cuddle here,
What joy it is, to look outside and see
Through open windows, sunlight welcome, clear:
Several owners of dogs, walking daily,
Brief but cute glimpses are a light to me.
Masked owners with their canines walk the street —
It’s too bad that we’ll likely never meet.
Day 10. I wasn’t going to post this but have not been able to write anything better for Frank’s prompt at DVerse about seven-line poems.
The virus isolation breaks my heart,
Especially with no Eucharist received
Nor even seen in person — though apart
And with so many others, greatly grieved,
Faith lives in hope — she’s blessed who has believed.
I live-stream watching Mass and Tenebrae, *
Lamenting that they’ve taken Him away.
*Tenebrae is a liturgical service during Holy Week. If you want to know more, click here.
At DVerse, we are writing poems that conclude with a couplet. I wrote this Chaucerian stanza yesterday, thinking about the positive impact of creative expression of all sorts.
All artists have a favorite medium
To share their works creative with the world,
The tool through which their inspirations come —
But when the world is into chaos hurled,
All must brave a new sea with sails unfurled:
Let humans find a refuge in new arts
And old, to comfort many anxious hearts.
This was inspired by the Weekly Scribblings about early birds and/or night owls. I’m definitely a morning person, though the last few mornings have been difficult because of the time change.
By the time the birds tweet in the morning,
I prefer to open my eyes and climb
Out of my own nest of blankets, stretching,
Although the warmth of blankets feels sublime.
Otherwise, I feel like I’m wasting time.
I am not chipper at seven o’clock,
Yet always rise by then, to day unlock.
