This morning’s suggestion is to write a poem in which the abstraction of sadness is described in physical detail. When I lost my Dad three years ago, grief was an intensely physical experience and I wrote the following poem which I am sharing for the first time. I remember the relief I felt at the time once I had written this as although very sad and raw it felt like a necessary and therapeutic part of the grief process. It feels vulnerable to share this but if it can help even one person to read it then it will have been worth it.

The Hole

A hole so deep and full of pain

I’ll never feel the same again

A hole so permanent and wide

That aches and burns me from inside

A hole that no one else can fill

Though some might try, they never will

A hole that…

In the sweet summer

below the rusty fasteners of

an old swing I pump the air

with the  spindly legs of childhood,

dream my wide eyed dreams of whirling

pathways to the beckoning sun.

My heart leaps at the sight of a brilliant

rainbow and with small fingers I reach up

to swathe its colors over a blue palette  sky.

Now I know about life, the real truth of it.

Now I know the swing is just freedom.

It’s all about You Lord,
not about me . . .
it’s all about what You did
on Calvary’s tree.

It’s all about Your love,
the gift of Your grace
it’s all about that day
my sins You erased.

It’s all about Your life,
Your Truth, the Way
it’s all about giving You
my faith each day.

It’s all about Your strength,
Your might and power
it’s all about trusting You
my every waking hour.

It’s all about Your mercy,
Your compassion and affection
it’s all about making You . . .
the image in my reflection.

It’s all about You Lord,
not about me . . .
it’s all about Your blood
setting me free!

~~~~~~~~~

2 Corinthians 5:15

“And that he died for all,
that they which live
should not henceforth
live unto themselves,
but unto him which died
for them, and rose again.”

King James Version
Public…

Ok so I missed a prompt yesterday. I was just about to write ‘my bad’ until I got a grip of myself and realised how much I hate this expression! Besides, why apologise when I have been taking a lovely and much needed Italian lakeside mini-break with a girlfriend? Enough of my ramblings – I am now back on track and today’s challenge is to write a poem that presents a scene from an alternative view point. After some recent discussions with our neighbours about the Trübeli (see featured image) I decided to write from their perspective.

From the Trübeli

Merrily we multiply across your Springtime lawn

Beady blue before your eyes from magic bulb we spawn

It’s fun to spread though you might dread

the bulbs from which we’ve sprouted

Between your neat allotment beds

Our cheeky charms are touted

We might be wild but don’t be riled

Deep…

Gaithersburg, Maryland is a suburb of Washington D.C. although it is the fourth largest city in the state of Maryland behind Baltimore and two other suburbs, Frederick and Rockville.  It was settled as ‘Log Town’ in 1765 as an agricultural town.  By 1805 it was known as Gaithersburg after Benjamin Gaither, a man who owned a general store that was located at the crossroads of the town.  The town continued to grow and was incorporated as a town in 1878.  In 1968, it was incorporated as a city.  To this day the city continues to thrive making it a major business town.  You can make a visit to the Gaithersburg Community Museum and see the history of how the city developed to what it is today.

Now some of you are saying, “That is so nice.  I had never heard of Gaithersburg, Maryland before, and I have never heard of…