Learning to turn
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| Artist, NancySpoelhof.com |
When
life’s curves catch us off guard
stun us and block our way
we must learn to pivot
to learn a new route
to bypass, detour
the threat
Sometimes the pivot comes from within
when we simply know it is time to find
a new direction, remake ourselves
and set out to conquer life again
JoMae
11/22/21
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| The Child |
has moved into my mirror
she smiles at me when I walk by
reminding me of long ago
when both of us were younger
the child came crying, all forlorn
for lack of any friends, so mom
showed her a mirror, where
a good lesson formed
see how much nicer your face appears
when you smile, she said - had me
practice for a while then
sent me off to play
next morning, climbing on the bus
grinning ear to ear - the same girl
yet not quite the same, tried to
spread good cheer
these days, each time I see mom’s face
glancing out at me, I remind her how
important a smile proves to be
and there she is, grin intact,
smiling back at me, still
sending me off into my
day - skipping
JoMae
12/14/21
This is a wonderful wreating day
with nothing else I need to do
I have claimed these hours to
read, ponder and then write
here at my sweet spot with
a gentle snow fall drifting
through the woods just
beyond the windows
of the sunroom you
built for me before
you too quickly
left this life
our life
me
No sun in here today, dear heart
only love’s warm glow remains
to soothe my soul remember
our long lived bond a while
before returning home to
begin chapter six in this
new story on my own
building on love we shared
discovering new echoes
of who I have become
apart, yet connected
by the gift, melded
together, living
on in me
JoMae
11/30/21
Some keep a lovely garden in the country
isolated where few will ever get a view
some gardens beam great beauty
at cross roads and are admired
Some folks keep a hobby quiet
getting sharp at crosswords
or fixing puzzles privately
mainly for an inner joy
Some writers seek to publish
to be remembered, known
to interact with readers
to share their world
Others write to scratch some itch
inside themselves - catch an
insight or idea, or snatch a
verbal photo of their day
We find our voice and sing
in so many ways - some
with a quiet hum, some
in bursting gifted song
Each vignette, weak or strong
adds to the stream of words
we cast our crumbs upon.
In blessing one another
we too are blessed
JoMae
11/23/21
not black ink, but many colors of the rainbow
sharing our dreams, spilling our sorrows
sorting worries that have turned out ok
and what we can make of all not ok
We look back, look forward; rejoice, despair
we tear down, we repair, life goes on
Our dreams remember the good and the bad
sprout blossoms of what might have been
and what still can be - who we can be
what we can make of ourselves
to color our world again
JoMae
11/2/21
A brief reflection on Loss
~ One ~
My love, you grew old along with me
those years will never be forgotten
our joys are printed in my heart
your hand print on my palm
We walked long winding paths together
some were in sorrow, most in gain
the pain of losing you is bitter
but the memories sustain
My holding of our love has changed
as you have changed, have died
tucked in a pocket of my soul
your echoes now reside
Til death they will abide there, with
wisdom, strength and memory
dwell unseen reminding me
loss can transform anew
to blossom on with joy!
JoMae
6/14/21
When I wonder that I’ve scarcely wept after so great a loss, I must remember this - that I’ve had a love like none other whose echoes sustain me still and have become the soil in which I can blossom on.
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| San Francisco Evening Sky - photo: Nancy Spoelhof |
Spirit of Godde, Christ present in my soul
your love, omnipotent - greatly to be praised
your ways are mystery, beyond all understanding
your name, above all names, creator, parent of us all
in you Beloved One, we place our trust, our only hope
for we are your beloved children breathed into being by
your own breath of life, born to serve, to honor, to obey
born blessed to bless our neighbors far away and near
In your sovereign name we come dear Jesus with
hearts bent low, aware of sins and shortcomings
seeking to be led home into the arms of Godde
please hear our prayers of thanks and praise
laments and joys; sorrows and confessions
for we often stray too far from you instead
of staying near to hear your dear voice
see your light and wisdom, and be
guided by your teaching and
example of loving mercy
and perfect justice
* * * * * * * * *
to be followed by:
A time for praise and thanksgiving….
A time for lament and confession…
A time for petitions, for please....
A time for simply listening...
to Godde enthroned above the skies
JoMae
10/3/21
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| Learning to grow Petunias |
When life is joyfully interwoven
with lover, family, friends, we hardly
notice morphing into one another while
living to please as much as possible
out of mutual love and respect
When suddenly we lose our love
must do life on our own, re-discover
who we are; find our new identity, learn
if we can fit in what was once familiar
now upside down - forever changed
<><><><><><><><>
I never sought to be free, dear heart,
I loved the life we had — still cherish it
yet slowly, buried bits of me come back
the young girl, a new old me unedited
without love’s checks and balances
free to test the limits of my soul
free to be, free to be — me
JoMae
9/27/21
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| My Delicate Swirling Blue Glass |
An annotated scrapbook
saving echoes of our lifetime
memories reminiscent of days
finished long ago -- ended, yet
hover at the edge of my mind
lapping gently on the shore
catching me off guard as
I peer into the unknown
to savor all that was,
JoMae
~ Dear Heart ~
When you were lifted from the train
it stopped and I was taken off as well
each thrown into separate destinations
against our will - yours was named death
mine, death of all I’d ever found familiar
Stepping into unknown foreign worlds
I floundered into a dark void where
silence reigns, terrains heave and
old norms seem upside down
<><><><><>
Until in time new time begins
an after chapter writes itself
out of old ink melded from
before - a fresh identity
gliding on the sweet
echo of your wings
dear heart, a new
JoMae
JoMae
9/19/21
A gift of death that did us part…
float as a mystery to cheer
to bring a smile, recall the touch
of the love we held so dear
Soft as geranium's blossom
warm as a tender hug
the mantle of a long love lost
may soothe a soul forever
JoMae
9/11/21
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| John & JoMae 8/29/59 |
Grief is a huge transition
the loss of all familiar patterns
in one’s life — the universe has shifted
you feel oddly out of place without your love
for half of you is missing, one shoe has fallen off
Grief is also metamorphosis
a long slow patient process while
the butterfly is forming — while seeds of
life are sprouting preparing buds to flower
watch notice trust — new life will form in you
Trust the seed within a tragedy
buried in unexpected change that
devastates and lays you low -- please
know this, deep sparks will quietly emerge
first unseen, their glow will one day blossom in
New Life
JoMae
11/18/19
~ Blessings ~
helps bright smiles blossom
JoMae
6/23/21
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| Far Away Places With Strange Sounding Names - Photo by Author |
I’ve been away for a day or two
a staycation you might say
escaped the walls I live in
on the pages of a book
I traveled through it’s chapters
as on a train across the land
- left my world behind me
wandered round the bend
through chapter after chapter
I watched the world pass by
while I, with all the friends I
met unravelled mystery
I napped when I felt tired
I barely stopped to eat
I took no calls or emails
this was a two day treat
and when traveling was over
with me safely back at home
I sighed deep sighs of satisfaction
this great vacation's done!
JoMae
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My Small Woods invites my gaze as I glance up from reading deep in thought |
A brief reflection on one's muse
to read, to wonder - then to write
Some sit under giant oaks
or gaze at gentle waves
to hear their muse
to meditate, find
inspiration
<><><><><><>
I'll wander in a quiet book
or other words to ponder
and settle in to relish all
as new worlds inspire
then interrupt my reading with
wonderings which become
compelling prompts to
capture carefully
I listen for my muse and write
right here in this old chair
meandering the world from
my favorite writing nook
-JoMae
Dear Friends, This blog is my letter to the world whose music speaks to me in potent words of color, breeze and shade... -JoMae ...
