A little bit of sunshine {poeTry}

by: a.paige

a little bit of sunshine–

is it all we need

to coax a flower down a muddy field?

does it make a difference

that a gem is hidden in a rotting heap,

or that a bowl of rice appear

in tiny hands that multiply, then drop, like flies–

has our world really become a better place for it? 

still, we try...

the kind words tossed 'tween me and you

like icing, are they enticing?–

that we'd treat each other nice this way around...

the genuine smiles and joys devoid of sound,

do they really resound

much louder than all the rounds

of applause and rubbing faces, or kissing asses?

or are we just beguiled and disoriented, as we switch our ups and downs...

but we rebound...

when we're soaked in piss, knee-deep in shit

does a bit of sunshine really lift

all the gook off our slimy pits?

a warm hello, a hug goodbye...

do these make up for what makes us cry?

a gentle kiss for all our griefs

to lighten up our load–

does it convince our leaden souls again to bleed,

despite our sins? and, yet, we breathe...

Forgive they say, at least, to dispel despair

i raise a toast, instead, and say, "inhale

the air and swish a wand... invisible...

magic is invincible... a quip, a cup

of wits... words intrigue, you know.

amuse a funny bone, create a song

cajole the mind, bewitch with poems

to right the wrongs... to tame the beast, 

this terrible and beautiful thing we live...

so what if a rose has thorns?

or if sticks and stones

should break our bones,

as we stagger without the swagger, all broken and bewildered–

must the spirit succumb?

lest it lingers and ingest the seas and drown...

but to span the time and survive its scorn! –no need to be reborn...

the tides, the full moon brings–

might wash ashore the filth, the lies, we'll see...

should we shine a bit of light then

to disarm our fears?

we can only try, we can only try

to convince our souls...

alight.

Rose Garden.

by: a.paige

Go on. It's okay. You are well now, though you are the sixth child. You have been healed. For whatever reason, life didn't deliver the child before you.

Your mother is reborn; you meant every word you said. The weeding was tough, as though you gutted yourself..., yanking at your heart, which you held even tighter. Oh, the thorns! Still you trusted your mind and did not let it close..., letting it be guided by which you tried so hard to protect..., strengthening their bond, even as you began to release them... The mind and the heart in perfect union now, yet still allowed full independence. To think..., to act..., to feel..., to shed tears... To live again. You watered the barren ground and created a garden. And in offering your heart, your mother has revived hers. You gave her a garden, and a rose has grown there since.

Go on. It is all right now. Grow a rose garden. Write. Paint. Create. There is no one way. But act on it, as with anything else. Go ahead. Plant your seeds. Dig... Water... Prune... Then watch your garden grow.

***For her name is Rose, dedicated to my mother.

Ode to Nature (poeTry)

***In honor of National Poetry Day.

by amica paige


Nature, nature
Pensive stature
Reds, yellows, and oranges
Blues, greens, and violets.

We marvel at thy breadth
Mountain heights and ocean's depths
Morning dew on summer leaves
Icicles on winter trees.

Nature, nature
Golden stature
Dirt...hydrogen...oxygen...burns
Air...water...fire...and earth...

We marvel at thy breadth
Glorious heights and cosmos' stars
Moonlight shades of autumn wind
Early buds of April spring.

Oh, Cheri! (poeTry)

by amica paige

***I stopped at the park a couple days ago and was awed by the instant spray of pink that was not there a few days before, but now colored the park and nicely complemented its greens. Unfortunately, I did not have a proper camera to capture the wispy vista. The following copyrighted image is what I produced with my cell phone. Knowing how fast the Cherry Blossoms would disappear, I wrote a poem to keep a vivid memory of that unexpected meeting.***

©2011 Amica Paige;

"Cherry and my sidekick"

How fast you appeared!
Without any kind of warning
Save for the dewy Spring
Your blossoms fast ripening
Yet how awfully long the year!—
Since you last visited here.

How fast do we fall in love!—
At your enchanting pink delight
Yet, in the midst of April showers
Again you’ll swiftly escape
And amiss of your lure we’ll be
Surely the rest o’ the year—oh, Cheri!

Mohammad Karimi's Story

This beautiful story shows that sometimes all it takes are open hearts and willing hands for miracles to happen. Aol News has the full story.

Jessica's Daily Affirmation

Haven't checked in for a while, but here's one simple but great clip actually worth squeezing in time for. One of AOL's headlines and a Parentdish post, this is a clear reminder that happiness lies in gratitude and contentment. Sadly, we, adults, forget that bit of wisdom in our efforts to succeed and find life's greatest pleasures. We abandon the very thing we seek and snatch it away from our children. They get it, at least until the grown-ups immediately prepare them for life, that they might also find success, and thus happiness. We drag them to search with us, not realizing that we ourselves slowly stamp it out of their hearts. We chisel away at their innocence and, ironically, confidence--their belief to be great and do great things in life.

But once upon a time, we, too, knew happiness. We held it, just like this little girl embraces it. Sometimes it's nice to be reminded of the simplicity of wisdom by a child, that we may just believe again in its magic.

Vitamin

I love stories and poems about the unconditional love of a child. And for a parent like me, nothing can top this totally free and genuine love displayed in a child’s hug. A simple but genuine embrace demonstrating the unconditional love of the little person with the big heart sometimes even confounds the adult psyche, especially when you’re able to catch the moment it happens right before your eyes. This is an embrace apart from the guilt-driven ones from children who think they owe their parents unconditional love for raising them, regardless of their upbringing. It’s apart from the extra tight ones from children who are extremely excited and entranced with their presents. This embrace is easy, undemanding, uncomplicated, unfussy, sure, and true. It’s a simple hug that says I enjoy you…I like you...I love you. And it feels so good when given to you unexpectedly by your child. It’s the best vitamin any parent must take for sustenance by being completely cognizant when that moment occurs and your child comes your way and throws one right at you. Seize it. Feed off this vitamin and feed the nourishment right back to your child.