Words from the Heart

April is here and one of the things I like best, besides spring flowers, is that it is National Poetry Month, which means I participate in the Poem-a-day challenge on the Poetic Asides site . Robert Lee Brewer is the editor of Poetic Asides. Each morning, he gives the participants in the challenge a prompt to inspire their writing.  He has a gift for giving prompts that really get the old brain cells churning first thing in the morning! As I have done in other Poem-a-day challenges, I am sharing some of poems with you.  CELTIC TRIUNE  innocence with red curls  magically grown to bear  a nation of beauties  until wizened, only eyes  show what is essential  MISREPRESENTATION    His note  short  three words  I miss you  Her reply  florid  heart opened  I am yours  His mistake  thinking  he won  this precious prize  Her choice  leaving  ...

The 30 Poems in November Challenge has begun! My first poem is dedicated to my newest grandchild.  The prompt was to write a "day after" poem, which came from the Poetic Asides website. So many great poets share their work there. The 30 Poems in November Challenge is a fundraiser for the Center for New Americans, at which I teach.  This is a non-profit organization with a mission that " provides the under-served immigrant, refugee and migrant communities of Massachusetts' Pioneer Valley with education and resources to learn English, become involved community members and obtain tools necessary to maintain economic independence and stability. "  If you are interested in supporting my efforts, please visit my Razoo site: https://www.razoo.com/story/Linda-M-Rhinehart-Neas    All donations are tax deductible. Thank you in advance for all your support in whatever form it takes.   ‪ #‎ 30poemsnov‬ 

 Visions of spring are everywhere!  From the blue skies with their puff white clouds...   the sun rising over the Enchanted cottage...   Momma Cardinal protecting her nesting spot... To hyacinths blooming profusely in the garden and   the new Robin's nest in the pines! To celebrate, here is my final poem of the Poem-a-Day Challenge . Bury the Winter   With spade and rake, I work like grave diggers of old, opening wounds in the garden, packing them with gauzy roots and pills of seed. Then, with surgeon’s skill, I close each lesion, dressing the area with fresh mulch. Standing back, I take pride in my handiwork, knowing with warmth and sustenance, my patient will recover.   © 2015 Linda M. Rhinehart Neas

The prompt yesterday for Poem-a-day was to write a historic poem, then today, we were to write a poem about a moment. This is my combination of both.   At the Turn of a Dime    Pacific blue held them as the day at sea began like so many others. Each man had duties to preform, each holding tomorrow dreams within. In a flash of airborne light, their reverie cracked, like their ship, as bombs and planes came raining down upon them.    My Dad, the greatest hero of my life, stood at his station when his CO, a young man, barely old enough for war, ordered him to help put out a fire at the bow. Snapping to in rote military fashion, Dad ran down the deck to the fire hose. As he turned to douse hell’s fury on the deck, a kamikaze slammed like an errant meteor full force into the destroyer steel of his station. From the bow, he turned to see the crumpled iron; where he had stood moments before lay torn open as if th...