If A Child.....

IF A CHILD....

If a child lives with criticism,
he learns to condemn.
If a child lives with hostility,
he learns to fight.
If a child lives with ridicule,
he learns to be shy.
If a child lives with shame,
he learns to feel guilty.
If a child lives with tolerance,
he learns to be patient.
If a child lives with encouragement,
he learns confidence.
If a child lives with praise,
he learns to appreciate.
If a child lives with fairness,
he learns justice.
If a child lives with security,
he learns to have faith.
If a child lives with approval,
he learns to like himself.
If a child lives with acceptance and friendship,
He learns to find love in the world.

--Dorothy Law Nolte--

Liberty

I created this image due to a challenge made by "Alfred Welsh" in his comment made on

White Tree at Twilight.  I hope it pleases him.

LIBERTY ENLIGHTENS THE PEOPLE

She broke her bonds and strode along the beach:
A metal titan with the strength to act
In judgment of the wretches who detract
From lessons they had lost the will to teach.
And on the slate she held was graven each
Colossal name of those whose holy pact
To build a nation still proclaimed the fact
Of storied greatness, late within our reach.
How many laurels grace the marble brow?
A race of giants had traversed the far
Face of the bannered moon. And turning now,
She smites the teeming refuse who would mar
What God has made, before they can endow
Old Glory with the Devil's waning star.

Ellin Anderson

 

Happy Valentine's Day

 

My Funny Valentine

My funny Valentine
    Sweet comic Valentine
    You make me smile with my heart
    Your looks are laughable
    Unphotographable
    Yet you're my favorite work of art

    Is your figure less than Greek
    Is your mouth a little weak
    When you open it to speak
    Are you smart?

    But don't change a hair for me
    Not if you care for me
    Stay little Valentine stay
    Each day is Valentine's day

    Is your figure less than Greek
    Is your mouth a little weak
    When you open it to speak
    Are you smart?

    But don't you change one hair for me
    Not if you care for me
    Stay little Valentine stay
    Each day is Valentine's day

Video Here

Pink Twilight

Pink Twilight

The blush of the early evening sky
falling across the porcelain snow
creating a hushed quiet,
a calm peace,
harmony within.

Barbara B. Baskin 2010

Apparition of a Butterfly

Apparition of a Butterfly

Upon a fuzzy vista - vision blurred -

I tried to focus; nothing ever solid

Came to view, but undeterred, I blinked

An eye to try again. Through the mist

A coloured hue; polychromatic flames

Had flickered at a whim; a rhythm bore

A thrumming too: a naturalistic hymn.

Behold! Were I to find a synonym to

Reproduce or recreate

The apparition of a butterfly,

Evolving through the waning vapour,

Drawing on a sigh from this romantic.

Glory be! The raging sun above

Had fired his furnace, flaming off

The hangers on. Now I saw the flare:

His time has come. He spread a tortoiseshell:

A scene of Mother Nature at her best.

I lay in peace in knowing I was blessed.

Copyright Mark R Slaughter 2009

Woman Suppressed

Photo credit to Preston Surface of Surface & Surface Photography

Stifled

When there were decisions to be made

The woman’s voice was stifled.

When there were opinions to be stated

The woman’s voice was stifled.

When there were rules to be made

The woman’s voice was stifled.

When there were thoughts to be expressed

The woman’s voice was stifled.

When there were ideas to be bandied about

The woman’s voice was stifled.

As if she were faded into the background--unimportant.

Barbara B. Baskin 2010

 

Hope for the Homeless

HOPE

I sit behind the bars wondering what I did to deserve this.
Why am I here? What did I do wrong?
Will I ever find a home?

I hear voices, I see people!
I bark, wagging my tail.
I scream out “Pick me, oh please pick me!”
But just like my luck they pass my pen choosing my friend.

I lay back in my cold, cramped cage.
Would someone come who’d care for me?
Love me?

Days pass by, continued by weeks.
Yet still I’m all alone in this pen.
I give up hope, watching as my friends find homes, yet I’m still here.
All alone.

Footsteps can be heard; they stop near my jail cell.
I look up at the friendly face.
She smiles and says she wants this one.

I jump for joy.
“Oh yes, I’m free!”
She laughs and says, “You’re coming home with me!”

Finally I found a home; sweet home.
Somewhere I can play and roam.
Now I’m happy thanks to her.
I know I’ll show her all I know.
‘Cause I never want to go back there.
Back there where I had no hope.

Rachael Ann Drummond

Alone Time

A Little While

You don't understand me
I don't expect you to
This deep spiritual need I have
Directs me differently than you

I am a soul, born unique
Unusual it's true
And I have needs
That I must meet
To do the things I do

Peace at times
I must have
In order to create
Creation is the air I breathe
With no peace I suffocate

Please don't take offense with me
If at times it seems I hide
And shut the world out
Including you
As there's no offense implied

So let me have this time I plea
To do what I do differently
I will be back to laugh and smile
I just need a little while

-Neva Flores 2009  

Happy New Year!!

A Toast To You

May you have enough happiness to keep you happy.
Enough trials to keep you strong.
Enough sorrow to keep you human.
Enough hope to keep you thoughtful.
Enough failure to keep you humble.
Enough success to keep you eager.
Enough friends to give you comfort.
Enough faith and courage in yourself to banish depression.
Enough wealth to meet your daily needs.
Enough determination to make each day a better day than yesterday.

~~Unknown~~

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

Have yourself a merry little Christmas,
Let your heart be light
From now on,
our troubles will be out of sight
Have yourself a merry little Christmas,
Make the Yule-tide gay,
From now on,
our troubles will be miles away.

Here we are as in olden days,
happy golden days of yore.
Faithful friends who are dear to us
gather near to us once more.

Through the years we all will be together
If the Fates allow
Hang a shining star upon the highest bough.
And have yourself a merry little Christmas now.

Listen Here!

WHITE TREE AT TWILIGHT

WHITE TREE AT TWILIGHT

Shadowed by a sunless wood
Where loveliness should never grow,
Her branches spilled their starry foam
Like unexpected fall of snow.
A white spire singing of maidenhood
Beside a dead or dying tree
Shed quicksilver blossoms that trapped the light,
Kindling the thicket beneath the dome
Of the slow-descending, star-heavy night —
And hope soared up like a litany.

Ellin Anderson

THE RED BEAUTY

THE RED BEAUTY

The swift, red beauty,
the glowing red coat,
the beautiful eyes,
and those ears.

He is fast as lightning,
with those powerful legs,
he seems to prance
when he trots!

The red coat shines,
golden in the sun,
he looks like fire,
from where I watch.

Those beautiful eyes,
stare adoring at me.
His eyes filled with trust and love,
as he protects me.

Ears upright,
as straight as the ruler.
He stands there alert,
to hear for any danger.

The red beauty stands there,
guarding me day and night.
No one can separate our bond,
that is deep down our hearts.

Apoorva Rao

Wings of a Dove

Wings of a Dove

When troubles surround us, when evils come
The body grows weak
The spirit grows numb
When these things beset us, He doesn't forget us
He sends down His love On the wings of a dove

On the wings of a snow-white dove
He sends His pure sweet love
A sign from above
On the wings of a dove

On the wings of a dove

written by Bob Ferguson 1927-2001
Video  

Thanksgiving Delights

Thanksgiving Delights

On Thanksgiving Day we’re thankful for
Our blessings all year through,
For family we dearly love,
For good friends, old and new.

For sun to light and warm our days,
For stars that glow at night,
For trees of green and skies of blue,
And puffy clouds of white.

We’re grateful for our eyes that see
The beauty all around,
For arms to hug, and legs to walk,
And ears to hear each sound.

The list of all we’re grateful for
Would fill a great big book;
Our thankful hearts find new delights
Everywhere we look!

By Joanna Fuchs

Desire’s Rise

Desire's Rise

Overwhelmed by

passionate sensations,

pulsating at the core

of her being.

Intimate longings,

imposing on her

consciousness…

She’s wanting him.

~~~~

Fervent desiring,

permeates the thoughts

surfacing from

hidden depths within.

Rapturous awakening

yet, surprising in it’s

forcefulness…

She’s wanting him.

~~~~

To look into his eyes

And see his heart responding

To know he feels the same -

an inexpressible bonding…

~~~~

But alas, ’tis not to be

Far too late their paths did cross

And those feelings must return

whence they came – she grieves their loss

stryka66

WALK ON THE BEACH

WALK ON THE BEACH

With each of my footsteps
Upon the sand
Cool now;
Near days end,

I am refreshed, renewed
Inhaling the salt air
As the light breeze
Rustles through my hair,

Hungry gulls scan the bounty of the sea
I stop and gaze
Gathering the peace and tranquility,

Another sunset seen and I am in awe
As if never allowed
The privilege before,

A silent prayer of thanks
Upon my salty lips
And contemplation of millions of sunsets,

I am mesmerized
Tears forming in my eyes
As I hear the seagulls cry.

Nancy Ellen Crossland

The Veil

The Veil

You've lifted my veil

You look like you've seen a ghost...
Your face, so white and pale
Don't be afraid of what you see
It's just another hidden part of me.

I'm not a different person now,
My other dimension has just been found.
So I'm through with my disguise.

Unless it is too much
confusion for you to touch
You can lower the veil
And we can pretend
Without betrayal.

Author Unknown

Happy Halloween!!

(I 'built' this image myself--no photos involved)

The Witch's Hour

As a mysterious colored moon glowed above
Fog blanketed the damp marsh ground below.
Thick white images swirled about the cove, 
And haunting sounds echoed frightful woes.

Swish, a group of bats flew over the meadow.
That creepy, batty noise pierced a pain of fear. 
For, it was the night of the witch’s marrow.
No one dared to venture without someone dear.

Pumpkins and goblins decorated every lawn.
The tales of Jockey horror tapped on each door
Children cried trick or treat until early dawn
Candy filled their sacks quickly and more.

The darkness remained ever young to all.
Will Linuses great pumpkin rise tonight?
Then one wonders, how evil demons call?
Only on Halloween is there such a fright.

Once it is past the ghoul’s hour of midnight,
All mortals of foul revert to there place,
The moon above returned a normal sight,
And the smog lifted from any kind of trace.

Monica Engeler

Moon Magic

I thank  Montucky  for the use of his photo,  October Moon,  for the background.

Moon Magic

Moonbeams glide into my room,

Weaving the spell of a magic rune,

Capturing the soul of me,

Enrapturing the whole of me.

Gateway to the world of dream,

Clothed in silver all agleam,

Guide me softly with your light,

Through the mystic maze of night.

Mistress of the surging sea,

Creating tides of destiny,

Pulsing through the lives of all,

My deep self rises to your call.

O Queen of Heaven, stars form your crown,

Smile on us when you look down.

O ruler of the wondrous night,

Bless us with your gentle light.

Alan Pert

Winter Sunrise

Winter Sunrise (excerpts from)

I turn to the window, and out of a low cloud
is a brimming--over of brightness; dazzling the eye
with levelled brilliance, fiery--fresh, the sun.

As in absent thought with dreaming eyes I gaze
on sudden shadows gliding across the rime
a vision comes before me in utter silence

the earth is moving, the earth is rolling over
all that is usual all that goes unquestioned
is taken from me
wider, wider the doors of vision are opening

let me not be so stunned that I cannot feel . . .
Imagination is but a little cup
it can hold but a minim part
can a little cup contain an ocean?

My dreaming eyes return
the flower of winter remembers its own season
and the beautiful shadow upon the pale wall
is imperceptibly moving with ancient earth
around the sun that timeless measures sure and silent.

Robert Laurence Binyon (1869-1943)