What Calls To Me

Each summer the sea calls to me. Sometimes it roars with urgency and other times it enchants me with its lulling sounds. As one of "nature's promoters of peace", the sea inspires me to write. Whether I am at the beach or gazing into one of my photographs of the ocean, I respond to the call. I fill my thoughts with coastal colors, like quiet moments and healing aloe, to set the tone and fill my creative space with calm. Adding soothing music of waves ebbing and flowing and soft lighting, stillness surrounds me. Even when words do not flow, I am at rest waiting for the muse to call. 

Seaside vibes ignite creativity sparks.

Tonight, I write for this week's Poetry Friday Roundup knowing that our teacher-poet host and Wonderopolis Ambassador colleague, Christie Wyman, is also in the creativity zone. What Christie offers is a "poetic salad, side dish, or dessert to extend our Poetry Is... community poem. She is eager to read what poetry means to each writer and create a Part II Community Poem. While I forgot to hit the send button for my submission, I add it here and look forward to reading what Christie creates. 

As a poet, writer, and digital artist, I look at life through two lenses, the poet's and artist's points of view. 

From the artist's vantage point:

Poetry is a sun note opening day

across a painted skyway.

©CV, 2021

From the writer's point of view:

Poetry is a brushstroke of words

illuminating a thought.

©CV, 2021

May my digital artwork and poems inspire you to nurture your soul. 

If interested, I invite you to offer an image poem, nature photography, digital art, video, song, or inspirational quote for my upcoming Nurturing Our Summer Souls Gallery.

Mini-Vacation Bliss

Vacations are meant for enjoyment, a relaxed pace, and lingering in the wonder of just being. This past week, my family soaked in the blessings of nature during a wonderful mini-vacation to Cape May, New Jersey. The ocean called to me and I could not resist its invitation to indulge in the art of leisurely living.  After all, I miss the beach, slow walks on the boardwalk, and soaking in the sun's rays. 

When summer seas combine with sunlit skies

and waves crest in diamond-studded waters,

high expectations rise.

Nature offers a sweet surprise

of creamed-colored seaside dreams

when summer seas combine with sunlit skies.

Nature does not always comply. Storms arise

with abrupt torrents causing harm. Will

high expectations rise?

Summer has its ups, downs, but softly sighs

as rainbows arc the sky with grace

when summer seas combine with sunlit skies.

As a marshmallow-colored sky dries,

Nature clears away some fears. Will

high expectations rise?

Alas, the season waves its goodbyes

passing its torch to autumn's brilliant flame

when summer seas combine with sunlit skies

high expectations rise.

©cv, 2021, draft

The villanelle is a challenging nineteen-line poetic form of five tercets followed by a quatrain. You can read more about it at Writers Digest. When the Poetry Sisters decided that this month's challenge would be a villanelle around some kind of dichotomy, I cringed. I never wrote a villanelle before and I just came back from a delightful vacation. So I slipped into this challenge knowing that I needed support. I am open to any suggestions on how to improve this poem because I know that is ROUGH around all edges. At least, I tried something that was way beyond my comfort zone.

Unfortunately, my timing is off so excuse me as I tiptoe into the Poetry Friday Roundup at my poetry friend Becky Herzog's blog, Sloth Reads. Happy International Friendship Day, Becky! Thanks for reminding us and sharing your recent summer poem swap from Jone MacCulloch.