Poetry Friday Wishes

For the past weeks, I have been wishing upon a star to make my dreams and my family's dreams come true. If you have not read my January blog posts you would not be familiar with my wishes that did come true so let me quickly summarize them. January was filled with the wish to switch from a rushed pace to a relaxed one. With that in mind, my dreams cascaded into thoughts of a magical land, hence a cascade poem evolved filled with wishes. A three-generation family vacation was planned by my daughter to the magical kingdom of Disney World with a cruise to the Bahamas on the new Disney Wish that followed.  Finally settled, the family shouted out their biggest argh as official pirate mateys who traveled the seas. A stand-alone wish to have a family vacation without my husband, son, and me getting COVID was granted but as fates would have it, the sirens of the Caribbean left their mark. I sit here covered in a red rash taking strong meds to bring my immune system back to normal, another wish that will be granted. The end is a tale as old of time for several trips in years that have past had medical issues surrounding them. From hurried to relaxed, I indulge in some quiet moments, With focused feelings and postcard imagery (a line from poet Alan Wright's poem) writing and recalling our fabulous trip to Disney. 

With focused feelings and postcard imagery

Wish You Were Here  by Alan Wright

magical touring

dipped in fairytale wonder

sparkles in a sea of amusement-

with focused feelings

and postcard imagery

I float in a pool of serenity

soaking in childhood delights

©CVarsalona, 2023

When you wish upon a star, your dreams come true!  

wishes are wisps of a dream come true

that

float

across

stars

that

transform

into

actions

that

come true-wishes are wisps of a dream

©CVarsalona, 2023

My thoughts float backward to a sandy beige beach with turquoise waters. A balloon filled with poetic essence transports me into a blissful state.

one word digital art concrete poem shared at my keynote presentation on Zoom last night

Click here to see the original concrete poem.

With gratitude for all the sweet memories of a family vacation, I bid you a bibbidi-boppity-boo wish for a magical day filled with color.

Please join me to celebrate the Poetry Friday Roundup with our host, Laura Shovan. Laura is showcasing Laura Purdie Salas' new nonfiction picture book, Finding Family: The Duckling Raised by Loons. 

I'm off to read all the poetic goodness provided by the Poetry Friday writers 

and then, join Laura Shovan's 11th Annual February Poetry Project.

Color My World SJT

Another month has passed as I try to be still, quiet, and grateful for life. I desire to color my world in colors that sparkle with joy and appreciation. Thanks to this month's Spiritual Journey Thursday's host Bob Hamera, aka arejha, for the prompt "think about the colors you project to others, colors that act as a guiding light".

My one word for 2023 is "be".  I wrote this line about my one word, Be is a guiding spirit. It follows that my word should interact with colors that affect me emotionally. Below, I tinted my "digital inspiration" with blues to signify calmness, something I highly desire.

******

In the Bahamas

be colored my world

with the warmth of yellow sunshine

the energy of foaming turquoise waters

the vibrancy of deep reds on pirate night

and the comfort of delectable beige bread

that affected emotions and moods

that energized each blessed day

that swept away stressors

existing in daily living-

coloring my world

bright and

j

o

y

f

u

l

©CVarsalona, 2023

******

Before the night is over, I reflect on my proposed action for "be": Prepare daily for change, renewal, and peace. Colors can help me bring a sense of serenity to my being and others.  Through research, I found a Guiding Light Color Scheme with a beautiful palette of five colors. They are B'Dazzled Blue, Sea Serpent, Pale Robin Egg Blue, Papaya Whip, and Cinnamon Satin. I shall ponder how these colors can lift my spirits during the winter months.

I listen to Colour My World by Chicago for the umpteenth time today, to find words to soothe the soul.

Colors

as time goes on

colors appear

backtracking

through eras

coloring my world

with blue hues

of the seas

of the sky

calmness

floats in a blue mist

touched by healing hands

of the Divine

I see

I  touch

I "be" in the

presence of peace

©CV, 2023

There are so many colors to discover in this world. It is my hope to find the colors that will brighten the sky and bring joy, not only to me but to others. 

Recalling Spring

My wonder pal, Christie Wyman, is hosting Poetry Friday at Wondering and Wondering this week. She invited members of the community to write a poem with a tree-related theme. Studying her photo below, I recall a long-ago spring afternoon filled with wistful wondering.

Photo of Fairyland Pond by Christie Wyman

Tucked away in the corners of my mind,

a long-forgotten memory surfaces.

Glints 

of sunshine

shine through trees

inviting me to breathe in

the freshness of springtime air.

I wander through lush countryside

wistfully wondering, finding the right angle

behind a camera lens. I seek nature's beauty

and notice majestic trees solemnly standing guard.

Their limbs lightly lift in the gentle breeze, gathering
my thoughts that race before me, in contrast to a slow pace.

Farmlands laden with red barns stretch out for miles. Wildflowers
growing abundantly wait for picking.  A solitary bench becomes an
ageless photo.

Time does pass.

Memories fade

like ink on
parchment

but nature
remains as
a constant.

©CVarsalona, 2019

In searching for poetry on trees, I found Joyce Kilmer, Trees, an all-time favorite, and a video of Nelson Eddy putting the poem to song. You can access that here.

Digitized photo of upstate New York in springtime

Christie's photo and mine will brighten the walls of the Splendid Spring Gallery collection that waits to be unveiled.