Traveling Boots

In uniform, and
frozen in time
but the world
does
not
wait

Cautiously
we patrol
littered
unknown
dirt
streets

Shoeless children pour
out of shacks
and
into
our
mission path

Dusty boots
take careful
steps
making
footprints
in some
hearts

We smile with guns
trying to
protect
and
make
friends

The enemy hides
among
innocent
faces
of
despair

Grand mountains
stand tall
guarding
secrets of
pain,
terror

Hope sprinkles
into hearts
settling
the dust
of history
and loss

Together
we stand
against
the
evil
in the world

Peace slowly
blooms
with the
fragility
of a
flower

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For dVerse’s Adventures in Traveling.

This is a mix of memories from my times on deployment patrols. I remember the faces of people in Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan. A mix of hope and fear of our presence. The odd feeling of giving friendly smiles while holding rifles. We wanted to provide comfort to the good while fight the bad. However, you never really knew who was on what side for sure.

Fortunately, I was always on mild patrols where the heightened awareness and small incidents were the main forms of stress. I can only imagine the memories of my comrades who experienced much more intense scenarios.

To them, I hope they find the peace they wanted to help give.

The Fortune of Words

Open the cookie. Let your fortune foretell.

Of a life full of money or a lover’s spell.

 

My mind raced from fantasy to the utterly absurd,

But all my fortune said was, “You are a lover of words.”

 

I craved it would reveal a vicissitude so grand,

I’d live the most insouciant life in all the land.

 

I thirsted for passion, beauty and profound sagacity.

Instead I will be blessed with nugatory vocabulary?!

 

I presume my greed exceeded the New Year’s allotment.

So I’ll have to unearth and generate my own excitement.

 

I’ll traipse about, seeing all that God’s bestowed.

From an empyreal beach to an antiquated railroad.

 

My journey will uncover magnificent escapades,

with some turning out to be mere masquerades.

 

Overall though, my life can still be marvelous.

Even if I speak quite superfluous.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For Dversepoets’ ~ As the Cookie Crumbles. 

Cookie picture was found with a random image search and came back to another WordPress blogger:)

 

Hidden in the Dark

When I am gone, you’ll wonder why

Having no idea what’s inside

Cuz you never saw all my fears

And you never saw any tears I hid with lies

 

I smiled and acted-all was fine

Really, I was over the line

Darkness consumed all of my soul

Hiding from the world took its toll on all that’s mine

 

Never wanted to feel this gloom

Was like being stuck in a tomb

I looked for a way to the light

Didn’t want to die, tied to fight so I could bloom

 

I wanted to feel joy again

But the feeling would never end

You couldn’t help, I chose to die

I just had to give up the lie that I could mend

 

~~~~~~~~~~

For dVerse Poets Florette Challenge.

No worries readers, this is not a letter of intent.

It is merely a poem about the very real struggle some have with depression, and I am NOT recommending suicide. I have been through my own seasons of deep sadness and have known many who suffer from depression. I have also coped with loved ones/comrades attempting suicide. They do not chose their struggles and it is hard for some to find their way out.

 

If you are one of those suffering, please know you are not alone and it is OK to get help. Please get help. You are loved by more than you think. And, some of us really do understand your pain.

Falling Into You

Into you I fall

Each

And every day

I find that I adore

You

In every way

 

The way that you smile

The manner of your laugh

Your individual style

Your choice of life’s path

 

Your kindness, your voice

The caress of your hand

The way you look at me

Makes it hard to stand

 

I see your soul

As you work with pride

Always trying to improve

The man inside

 

Your mind is constantly

Thinking

Of ways to give

And how to honor God

With how you live

 

You, my love

Are all of my dreams

For a man like you

I have never seen

~~~~~~~~~~

For dVerse’s Open Link Night #160.

Lost Love-Dying Heart

Leaves floated like feathers, slowly sinking to the sandy ground like hope in a failing heart. The wind whispered a silky voice, taunting and teasing over the pastor’s murmur. Branches lifelessly hung, heavy with a sea of frozen tears. Grave markers stood proudly proclaiming their victory as a cold and empty face could only see one. Only one name screamed from the granite. Only one name ripped through the bleeding soul whose heart was so destroyed, it may as well be shattered glass washing away in the nearby tide. Voices sounded distant like they were inside of a conch shell on the empty shore. Their words were incoherent rumblings to her deaf ears. Whatever gibberish poured from their grey lips mattered not. The sea was calling, demanding she return to yesterday’s memory. Clutching a cold endless band, she stumbled to the welcoming frigid water. Trembling hands shook off today, this dreadful day. Tomorrow there would be no nightmares for she would be in her soul mate’s arms again.

Feet sinking into sand

Drowning heart fills with tears

Peace comes in waves

~~~~~~~~~~~

Posted for D’verse Poets Pub – Haibun Monday.

Prompt was Khalil Gibran’s quote: “Yesterday is but today’s memory, and tomorrow is today’s dream.”

 

This is a sequel to a prose poem I wrote for Writing 201. Read that one and you will understand the depth of this character’s love and passion for her soul mate. It explains her state after such a great loss.