Magpie Tales #79 "What a Difference a Day Makes"

What a Difference a Day Makes

How fast smiling faces
turn to tears
and eager young dreams
disappear...

Day by day,
month by month,
and year by year,
the nightmare endured

and played itself out
upon the stage of

Europe's city streets
and the Pacific's coral reefs,
in Libya's scorching deserts,
and Burma's steamy jungles.
Up in Norway's jagged mountains

and in our hearts, those of us
left behind, "safe" at home
were part of the tragic production;
a detached audience we were not.

Day by day lists reviewed,
sighs of relief,
but too often, grief.
No one left untouched, unmoved.

Upon the final curtain's close,
sixty million people
no longer smiled.

Sixty million people
unable to see our tears
and shattered dreams.

We all remember the day
they arrived at the door,
medal in hand, beloved name on a list.
Wishing to move the hands of time back
a day, a week, a year.

Tears eventually turn to smiles
and new dreams appear.  But
black and white memories
of yesterday we do hold dear.

By Margaret Bednar, Art Happens 365, August 25, 2011

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This is for Magpie Tales #79.  Click here to see other AMAZING entries for the above photo prompt.


And here is one for In Tandem #7:  Jinksy gave the following digital art for a writing prompt and it reminded me of a poem I created in February.  But I think I'd rather run into her alligator any day!  :)

Artwork courtesy of Jinksy for "In Tandem"

Calm, still.  Poised to strike.

Outward manner deceiving.

Dangerous anger.

by Margaret Bednar, Art Happens, 2-7-11