“Poetry is an orphan of silence. The words never quite equal the experience behind them.” Charles Simic

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Today I Caught a Glimpse of Spring

by Thomas E. Squiers
All rights reserved.



As the Saturday morning sun appeared
   and my body began to wake
I stretched, I yawned, I got out of bed
   the morning coffee I did partake

As part of my morning ritual
   I opened the blinds over the kitchen sink
And beheld a scene I had waited for
   my eyed did not even blink

There, in the back yard, on the ground
   were those little, yellow flowers
Some call them weeds - I saw them as hope
   of Spring's forthcoming showers

I have always taken great delight
   in viewing these tiny gems
They stay very close the earth
   for they barely have any stems

They remind me, as they pop up here and there,
   of God's presence in the Land
Like a painter with a brush
   dobbing yellow dots by hand

After facing the scorn of Winter
   it was a beautiful scene to see
These little, courageous flowers
   looking back, joyfully, at me

As I peer out of the window
   to the World beyond my sight
I can't help but hope others with stop
   and gaze at these creatures in delight

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

The Enemy

by Thomas E. Squiers
All rights reserved.

The ticking of the clock
The barking of the dogs
The wind
-- all make themselves known
   and I notice them all
   wishing I could divert my attention elsewhere

Noise
It is everywhere today
And my mind seems magnetized
    toward everything in its path

Escaping
For a moment I pretend
For a moment I am elsewhere
-- on an island with clear waters
   and warmth on my body
   and silence - Sweet Silence

The bipolar waves crash around me
I am paralyzed for a moment
I begin to sink
-- the waters are deep
   I lack buoyancy
   Alas! I begin to float up

Noise
It is everywhere today
And yet I work to escape it
    knowing the day has an end