"I Toast Today"

I Toast Today

I toast today with Parrot Bay Coconut rum and Bailey's Irish Cream,
Banana & Pina Colada riding smoothly upon my tongue
while palm trees sway, due not to over-indulgence
but Atlantic's coastal breeze bending fronds back and forth
in rhythm with rip tide's beat upon the beach

reading Carlos Ruiz Zafron's version of the wind; shadows, intrigue,
ill-fated infatuation, death.  Sip and read beneath sun's caress,
exposed flesh fast becoming delicate pink, convince myself
I won't regret it as I quietly sink into this Adirondack chair as time

simply disappears.

by Margaret Bednar, April 1, 2018

This is for "Imaginary Garden with Real Toads - April One/One Love - write with a chaotic cacophony of words!" - the beginning of National Poetry Month".  Write a poem a day for the month of April.

Cacophony means "explosive consonants: B D K P T G and sometimes C CH Q X.  

The Shadow of the Wind, a novel I am reading by Carlos Ruiz Zafon.  He writes like a poet ...

I will be on spring break for the first few days of April and will schedule my poems in advance - I am unable to figure out how (if I even can) visit and comment on my phone's "BlogTouchPro" app ...
I can post but Mr. Linky does not show up.   

So I thank you all for visiting me and commenting and I promise I will visit and comment when I return.  

A joyous Easter to all those who celebrate.

"Walls"

Walls

Hadrian's Wall was built for war,

now weaves its way through cozy hamlets,

rolls past castles, forts, and Roman remnants,

along East River to the Irish Sea.

The other day I basked in winter's sun,

back against a wall, wind blocked,
secure, content as thawing limbs
frolicked upon its canvas.

Walls are built for protection,

and yet as late my mind keeps pondering

what it means for those who reside

on the other side.

by Margaret Bednar, February 9, 2017

I so would love to walk this path, along this wall some day...

This poem is linked with the challenge over at "Imaginary Garden with Real Toads - Music with Marian - Wall"

Hadrian's Wall - Timewatch by klidstone1970

"Cleansing"

Cleansing

It's captured in a sigh
this first blush of day -

nursling of eve's brooding sky
and midnight rain,

where tired dreams
and tiny thoughts

evaporate
with mountain mist -

become buoyant
beyond my window;

wish (or two) refreshed
with a swish of mares' tails.

by Margaret Bednar, August 25, 2016



This is linked with "Imaginary Garden with Real Toads - Music with Marian - Little Tiny".  Our inspiration the above song.  I hope you enjoy the above song by Brandi Ediss.  She is also a photographer HERE


Note:  Mares' tails are wispy, ethereal clouds with a classic trailing shape

"From One Butterfly to Another"

From one Butterfly to Another

No shame
I don't remember your name,
for my mind recalls
gingham dress, wind-blown hair,
fragile, slender arms.

Remembers
how beneath blue skies
you fluttered away before being crushed

and I take note the dusty road
boardered with wildflowers and weeds
may not lead to paradise,
but certainly escape

for which I too may claim.

by Margaret Bednar, July 31, 2015

This poem is for "Imaginary Garden with Real Toads - Music with Marion"  Watch the video and become inspired... I just voted down my reaction to this song by "The Lemonheads" and this is what transpired.  The few clips of Johnny Depp in this video - does anyone know what movie this is?

"Appalachian Night"

Appalachian Night

Blue haze drifts o'er mountain's back,
chords strummed, tempo set

rhinestones polished.  "Get out the try"
a game lovers and losers play

roll the dice, game faces on,
husky voices, hidden feelings

as moon's shadow hides a kiss.
Another sighs as stakes are lost,

mountain's blue dips into black
and love loses its shine.

by Margaret Bednar, October 10, 2014


for "Imaginary Garden with Real Toads - Music with Marian - Donna the Buffalo "I See How You Are"  Listen to the clip below and follow your inspiration…   I had 10 minutes to "play" with this - and it just so happens I was up in the mountains this past weekend where Bluegrass was born.

"Tower of Faces" Holocaust Museum, Washington, D.C.

"Tower of Faces" United States Holocaust Memorial Museum - HERE for website
Photo NOT taken by me 

Tower of Faces - Holocaust Museum, Washington, D.C.

In black and white

A boy rides a chubby pony

Farm girl gathers eggs
Young man shows off shiny new bike
Woman poses hillside, new coat, new gloves, wind in her hair

Children play outdoor games
Distinguished gentleman sits on wooden chair 

Mother leans over a crib
Young boy's first day at school, book open

Teenagers beachside, faces sun-flushed
Chubby baby, proud older sister 

Lad fast outgrowing wooden rocking horse
Couple on hammock, smiling

Three sisters, embroidered dresses, lipstick lightly applied, hair shining

Horse and farmer battling snow

Four young men in a convertible

Family celebrations, tables laden with food and drink

Handsome man with cane, wavy hair, sexy eyes

Sled party, fur trimmed collars and sleeves, laughing

Three women with shawls, heads together

Toddler clutches well-worn teddy bear

Old lady, threadbare scarf, wooden bucket

Pair of strapping men with axes, one with dimple, dangling cigarettes, coats, hats

Flowered scarf adorns dark, waist-length hair, pendant nestled in v-neck dress

Father holds cherub daughter, soft hair pressed against stubbled cheek

Pearl earrings dangle from delicate ears

Two grandmothers sit on pillared porch, clutch purses, hats tilted 

Slender girl with white dress billowing, walks along gravel, country road

Woman poses for lover, he photographs her lying in grassy field.

Lives in full color.

You, them, me … we fool ourselves there's a difference.   It's really only "us".


by Margaret Bednar, August 1, 2014


I just returned from Washington DC with three of my daughters.   We visited the Holocaust Museum for the second time and have yet to finish it.  The next time I go I will start where I ended this time and hopefully will finish this museum experience.   I was quite taken this time with the "Tower of Faces".

We all suffer when we treat others with hate, prejudice, indifference.  I'd like to think one day that "…all the children of Abraham Will lay down our swords forever in Jerusalem" (from Steve Earle "Jerusalem" from "I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive).   The "Tower of Faces", if we really look, is our story of family, that each of us have images in our family albums of loved ones doing these exact same things.    We are not different.  We all belong to the same family.

This is a response to the challenge from "Imaginary Garden with Real Toads - Music with Marian - Jerusalem".     

"The Mandolin" & Sir Paul McCartney

The Mandolin

At heaven's gate
mandolins play Slovak tunes
for dark eyed sons lost to war

and angelically strum
classical expressions
before the face of God.

Far below the chords ignite
in bluegrass bands 'n jazzy tunes
where nomadic spirits roam

and the curtain between
yesterday and today
lifts for a gypsy tune.

by Margaret Bednar, June 28, 2014

This is for "Imaginary Garden with Real Toad's - Dance Tonight".   The challenge is to be inspired by Sir Paul McCartney's music video - we were given permission to pursue "whatever wonders this video offers up".   

"Why"

M. Bednar iPhone

Why?

"Dad, why does the wind wrinkle the water?"
one of many "wondering" thoughts
he earnestly asks while on a ten mile bike ride
wandering up and down (one too many) hills.

Dad finds the words; he always does,
which sends him off pondering whatever he spies
next, while I enjoy a winsome view of the two
holding hands, wildly content to welcome this respite.

by Margaret Bednar, April 27, 2014


This is linked with "Imaginary Garden With Real Toads - The Letter W" hosted by Marian.  I used 14…  We DID take a hilly, ten mile bike ride today and my six year son did ask questions non-stop.  We just kept laughing at his inquisitiveness.  I enjoyed watching my husband answer every single one.  (He didn't really ask about the wrinkly water, though.  - that's artistic license :)

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.

PLEASE INDICATE YOU WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DRAWING OR I WILL ASSUME YOU ARE JUST COMMENTING.  THANKS. 

"A Picnic"

Burnside Bridge

A Picnic

We dip our toes

where rivers ran red

and souls took flight,

tread fields

where cannons shook stalks

and mighty men fell.

Picnic upon plaid,

gaze upon cotton shaped clouds,

re-tell strife of yesteryear.

Do we hear

the moral of the story,

can we feel a ray of light?

Margaret Bednar, April 18, 2014

I visited the Antietam Civil War Battlefield - (a battle fought on farmland of corn and wheat) a couple of years ago and it still lingers - the quiet can be sliced with a knife - perhaps because it has been so well preserved - I felt like the past was going to rise up and replay itself before my eyes…

What is cool, is my photograph is about the vantage point of the battlefield artist, Edwin Forbes, below!

This is linked to "Imaginary Garden of Real Toads - Imagined by Marian" - loosely based upon the music video presented by Marian - or at least the train of thought it triggered.  

Battle of Antietam - a (long) overview.

Edwin Forbes - battelfield artist

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.

PLEASE INDICATE YOU WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DRAWING OR I WILL ASSUME YOU ARE JUST COMMENTING.  THANKS. 

IGWRT's - Beautiful Mother "Wendy"

Peter came back for Wendy, but she's now a mother.  It is Jane's turn.
My son, Will as Peter Pan (2005!)

Wendy

She soared toward the second star,
veered right, free-fell for a season
before jealous maiden, Time, swooped in,
snatched away fancy, moonlight, adolescence.
Threw them like pixie-dust into shadows, unretrievable,

yet remembered,

her voice floating lyrical with stories of thimbles, 

marbles, fairies, planting happy thoughts
in dearest daughter's heart of mermaid lagoons, 

pirate caves, Indian braves, a boy's beautiful smile,

while gazing toward her land of nevermore.

by Margaret Bednar, July 13, 2013

This is for Imaginary Garden with Real Toads - Beautiful Mother.

The prompt mentions a new play, "Peter Panties" a "radical re-imagining" - a new way of looking at our differences.  I tried to google and see HOW the play portrays this, but wasn't successful.  I must confess, I'm a bit "protective" of this classic story - don't think it ever needs tampering with. :)

Perhaps my poem does not reflect the true nature of the prompt, but it did bring on my thoughts on Wendy, so I went with it.   Wendy had to grow up as that is the way of motherhood...

Peter Pan has a special place in my heart as in 2005 my son portrayed Peter Pan and my daughters were the brother, Michael, Fairy, Mermaid, Indian...

One of my daughters as a mermaid

Great memories... the cast of Peter Pan 2005.