The Apology

The Apology

Implied devotion
spirals from my palms
vase of flowers plucked to thorns
hastily written words
left unread.

by Margaret Bednar, June 5, 2015

This is for "Imaginary Garden with Real Toads - Bits of Inspiration - Floral Explosion".  I used this quote for inspiration ""by plucking petals, you do not gather the beauty of the flower" Rabindranath Tagore

"Personal Statement"

Personal Statement

It looks good on him,
yet off color.  Perhaps too bright,
too vibrant, too loud?

There has been
a lot of change in the last year
and you may want to live
in your happy land of denial,
but I wouldn't invest,  however, I

assure you fatality is a condition
that with  proper care and rest
may show improvement.

Either way,

your next payment is due.
No time for tears in your cereal bowl.

by Margaret Bednar, March 19, 2015

These are excerpts from from my email's JUNK file for "Imaginary Garden with Real Toads - Spam poetry"

How lucky am I that a poem of Hedegwitch's happened to be there?? !  It is the third stanza and I will provide a link HERE to her Verse Escape Blog (which I follow via e-mail), and the direct poem "Love Letter" for you to see it in it's real context.  (Joy, I will delete if you want me to - I hope you don't mind).

I also got lucky with another poem by Tom of Quarry House as I subscribe to his feed as well.  It is HERE.  His lines are a bit more scattered throughout my "Spam" poem.

Some examples of SPAM poetry HERE.

This may be the first poem I wasn't able to come up with a photo prompt!  

"The Performance"

The Performance

Passionately unrestrained
her nightingale voice transforms,
blindly simmers, burns fury

while coal-dark, tumultuous eyes
skewer those who dare
cause grievance,

unjustly question her command.

The audience gasps, "Who is that?"
and I note to ask my little songbird
this very question after the show.

by Margaret Bednar, October 31, 2014




Most talented and successful actors find a personal connection with the characters they play.  Just where did my 6th grade daughter pull this character from?  Perhaps I shouldn't ask :)

This is linked with "Imaginary Garden with Real Toads - Bits of Inspiration" and
"dVerse Meeting the Bar - The things we see" and
"Imaginary Garden with Real Toads - Fireblossom Friday - Write Something Spooky".  

"Live"

Photo Credit - Toril of Second Cloud on the Left Farm

Live!

Yesterday and Tomorrow are for dreams,
for regrets - untouchable.

Today I can surrender insecurities,
grasp life, ride its rainbow,
worry not if my road isn't paved
with golden bricks.  Brave one foot
in front of the other, listen to my heartbeat,
make a difference whether big or small

before time runs out.  It's the only path I know
leads to a happy ending.

by Margaret Bednar, July 17, 2014

This is for "Imaginary Garden with Real Toads - Bits of Inspiration - The Yellow Brick Road".

I have a dear friend who has always inspired me - Toril, who is co-owner of Second Cloud on the Left Farm - also has a blog HERE and can be found on Facebook.   She took the above photo from her beloved farm nestled in the hills of Wisconsin.

Also, thank you, Laurie Kolp, for inspiring me with the Dalai Lama's quote.  He said, "There are only two days in the year that nothing can be done.  One is called yesterday and the other is called tomorrow, so today is the right day to love, believe, do and mostly live."

"Lacemakers of Old"

"The Lace Makers" 1885 by Robert Frederick Blum

Lacemakers of Old

Plain, often lauded
as steady & true,

more often bows
to flourish & desire -

A straight stitch,
simple & steadfast

fades beside a peasant's
delicate rosettes, tissue thin

twists & plaits, under, over,
left, right, slipped, pulled.

Declared priceless
yet a pittance delivered

to bleary eyes & weary palm
of its creator.

by Margaret Bednar, May 7, 2014

This is linked with "Imaginary Garden with Real Toads - Bits of Inspiration - Lace" hosted by Susie Clevenger.  I never knew lace had such a "dark" history - hop on over to the above link and read all about it.

Other art by Robert Frederick Blum HERE

"Stirrings"

Stirrings

When is the last time
you felt the warmth of a dirt path
beneath your feet, inhaled
the mustiness of a still pond, tickled
your palm atop the tips of tall grass, mimicked
the call of a Canada Goose?

Go, listen for the stirrings of spring
and don't forget - you're a part of it too.

Margaret Bednar, April 2, 2014

This is linked with "Imaginary Garden with Real Toads - Taking it to the Streets" hosted by Susie Clevenger.   Write a "street poem" offering a bit of wisdom, hope, encouragement, or something to bring a smile to someone's face.  I imagine my poem on the office wall - perhaps a few will leave for the weekend a bit earlier and head for the countryside?

For the month of April, I am participating in NaPoWriMo2014 or National Poetry Writing Month.  The website is HERE.

In celebration of this year's challenge, I will be giving away a free book of my poetry.  If you are interested in participating in this drawing, please click the red logo at the top of my side bar and leave your name and a means to reach (blog, email, etc) you in the comment section.

IGWRT's & Friday Flash 55 "Encouragement"

One of many statues and fountains found in Charleston, SC

Encouragement

A double edged sword, 

is encouragement,

offers comfort, 

acknowledges hardship,

both edges razor sharp, 

prods with love’s pointed tip. 

Honesty is keen, 

its hand caring, but firm,

fights for us, with us, 

teaches us 

to carry burdens 

with a smile upon our face.

Oh, sweet is the water 

pouring forth

from experienced, 

faith-filled hands.

by Margaret Bednar, April 18, 2013

This is linked with today's poetry challenge from Imaginary Garden with Real Toad's - Encouragement.    Also linked with Friday Flash 55, (a story in 55 words, no more, no less).

I flubbed the challenge a bit as I wrote about encouragement as opposed to writing encouraging words... so I added the quotes below:

“Our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be”  Ralph Waldo Emerson.

“If all we ever offer is blanket praise without any meaning behind it, kids will always seek approval because they'll never feel satisfied. If we offer genuine encouragement for their accomplishments, they won't need our approval; they'll approve of themselves.” 

― Kelly Bartlett, Encouraging Words for Kids

“We listened, as all boys in their better moods will listen (ay, and men too for the matter of that), to a man whom we felt to be, with all his heart and soul and strength, striving against whatever was mean and unmanly and unrighteous in our little world. It was not the cold, clear voice of one giving advice and warning from serene heights to those who were struggling and sinning below, but the warm, living voice of one who was fighting for us and by our sides, and calling on us to help him and ourselves and one another.” 

From a novel written in 1857 HERE

― Thomas Hughes, Tom Brown's Schooldays