Robert N Hope
"The only thing worse than writing poetry badly is not writing poetry at all"
SWEET SINGING
Wintery, rain-soaked land
Tightly bound against the numb
Drawn to heavenly tropical island
Again, again we come
Behind the world rushes
Blissful peace moves time
Birds dart midst bushes
Scents of bloom and lime
Swallows sweetly singing
Lifeless skin turns bronze
Neath lapping waves
Lush, verdant lawns
Forgotten now the haze
Tide and waves flowing
Tickling as I lay
In gentle shadows growing
Fades the light of day
Soft, near silent singing
Blanketed by stars
Vibrant with rebirth
All we wish is ours
Upon this mother earth
Tender gentle kiss
Every care now freed
Nothing more than this
Is all I ever need
Hearts alone now singing
BUTTERFLY WINGS
Holding grandchild close
Inextinguishable gladness
Old, old eyes and heart awaken
With profound joy
A grandfather's delight
And love
Indescribable
One might as easily know
The quiverings of a butterfly’s wings
AGE
At an age I never imagined
Never pictured myself so old
It happened so quietly, so slowly
I failed to notice it consume over me
The incremental steps leading
To walk into this wasting existence
Beyond all visible suffering
The slowness of all momentum
Hesitant, labored steps
Now deliberate and measured
Arresting the freedom of natural movement
Of spontaneous response
The entirity of being
Tainted, infected by age
A ceaseless assault
Occupying and infesting
First body
And then soul
JUNE
A hundred shades of jade fill my window
Vivid greens highlighted by the sun
Lush tones from deep within their cover
Sounds of bird song
And water tumbling from a fountain
Crisp, fresh air in a pale blue sky
A gentle breeze and the leaves dance
Apples and cherries magically appear
Flowers of every kind awaken with color
An absolutely, wonderfully perfect June day
Yardwork staring me in the face
The lawn growing longer
Shrubs overgrown their space
Weeds in abundance and thriving
And moles...
Hoping for rain
PATH TO HAPPINESS
A man takes a wife
Knowing no other course
Hoping to fill a hollowness inside
As life moves most expectantly
As the man becomes a father
The love and joy of his children
Masking a void within
And life moves on predictably
Years run by quickly
Children grow independent
Awaking the embers of emptiness
While life moves ahead unsteadily
Time for togetherness spent apart
Hoping to find who they are
And the hollow begins to ache
Life moves on cautiously
No enthusiasm, no passion
First separation, then divorce
Aches become numbness
As life moves ahead warily
So much love to give
But his heart beats half-empty
The hunger grows
As life moves ahead slowly
Wishing to love and be loved
To journey through life unalone
A longing meant to be sated
And life is renewed with hope
Not knowing what a soul-mate was
He found her
Now a heart filled to bursting
And life moves ahead splendidly
As soul-mate becomes bride
A partner for all time
Joy and love overwhelm the emptiness
And their lives move ahead most beautifully