It seemed a good time to assess the past several weeks of verse by crafting a ReVerse. I had every intention of doing a sevenling daily in the new year for January…then work, duty, and caregiving got in the way. Still, it is a good start to a new year, one of which I am optimistically hopeful.
Even though 2023 promises to be a shitshow on the world’s stage. The inmates truly in charge of and running the place here in the US now, and elsewhere insanity is raging unchecked…unprovoked aggression and cruelty, war crimes, nuclear saber rattling by unhinged egomaniacs, lingering COVID. It’s a mess. But we are a resilient lot, we humans. And there is still, there is always a reason to be grateful for each second of breath, of life.
Take care of yourselves, be kind, don’t lose hope, embrace the moment. Peace to you.
A ReVerse - 8 January 2023
the trees will show me a wise soul will surrender in our hearts we know the winds come the sum of a life wisdom to ponder beauty in simplicity anything but bleak singed with loss, happy milestones, grief… for all these beautiful years…decades there's something in the air, conjuring the dawn in afterglow was it barbarians at the gate caused Rome to fall, or complicity?
~kat
A ReVerse poem (a practice I started many years ago) is a summary poem with a single line lifted from each entry of a collection of work over a particular timeframe and re-penned in chronological order as a new poem. Unlike a collaborative poem, the ReVerse features the words of one writer, providing a glimpse into their thoughts over time.
Hello dearies...it’s been a long dry spell, with only intermittent blips of light peeking through the dark of winter...and me taking time to breathe after holding my breath for so long. I have missed this place and you, and the Muse has been an elusive imp for several seasons now, giddy I suspect with the woods that surround my house and weary of my rote tiny existence behind these walls of COVID-induced shelter.
You may have heard. We had an election here in the US. Sanity won, but only by a heartbeat. The losers, sore and swift to cry foul, attempted a coup, failing, still loom, waiting for their golden god’s next marching orders. I am happy to say that I am learning to breathe again...big breath in...big breath out...my head filling again with words, tossing around and jumbled, ready for the picking. It feels good to be back...slowly but surely I am.
Sunday’s Long Overdue, Long-Winded ReVerse Poem - 4 April 2021
and me breathing... thank you dear strangers do not linger compassion prevailed their footprints in the dust long disbursed to the wind age of Aquarius dawning tick tock tick full cold moon on ice wash away the pain when the air swelled, when time shifted, words upon beautiful words whispering, the clouds fell to earth tonight it shouldn’t surprise us how you dance with the wind when tempests roar my weary bones need no persuading; liberated only in name bound in symmetry here on the brink only to be nipped now heartless, empty weary of promises, promises impossible to keep the irony of it not lost
~kat
A ReVerse poem (a practice I started many years ago) is a summary poem with a single line lifted from each entry of a collection of work over a particular timeframe and re-penned in chronological order as a new poem. Unlike a collaborative poem, the ReVerse features the words of one writer, providing a glimpse into their thoughts over time. I use it as a review of the previous week...or in this case, the past several months.
A look back at the last few weeks of verse by line. The nightmare is almost over. Four years of chaos is spiraling like a whirlwind. I suppose the most shocking thing for many of us is the number of people who voted for the chaos. America, we thought we knew you. Many of us believed, given the chance, you would choose decency, honesty and compassion over corruption, lies and hate. Those of us who declared, “this is not who we are” are learning that, for almost half of us, it is sadly who we are. Who they are. How we had hoped for reconciliation, for healing, for bridging the divide that has broken us. Half of us are okay with lawlessness, with separating children from their parents, locking them up like animals and throwing away the key, half of us are okay with racism, misogyny, white supremacy, isolating ourselves from the rest of the world, from our allies, aligning with dictators, our president turning a blind eye to a virus that is raging out of control, killing us by the thousands. It is shocking and heartbreaking to see the truth. The coming years will be challenging. And it may surprise you to know that I still have hope that we can do better…be better. It won’t be easy but at least for me, it means treating others with kindness. It is the least and the most that I can do. I hope you’ll join me.
Sunday’s ReVerse - 29 November 2020
innocence slipping away fading away in waves we shouldn’t be surprised at all the forever greenness of our minds when blood was thick and skin was deep we pick and choose what to believe but opinion can’t make it so
~kat
A ReVerse poem (a practice I started many years ago) is a summary poem with a single line lifted from each entry of a collection of work over a particular timeframe and re-penned in chronological order as a new poem. Unlike a collaborative poem, the ReVerse features the words of one writer, providing a glimpse into their thoughts over time. I use it as a review of the previous week…or in this case, the past few weeks.
Well…I waited a few weeks to have enough poems to do a proper ReVerse. I am not surprised at the twists and turns of each line and the ultimate hopeful tone.
The truth is, things are pretty chaotic right now with the pandemic raging out of control and our current President acting badly, lying, stirring his sycophants into rage and denial of reality. But oh…reality! It holds a spark of hope.
In the not too distant future we have a chance to get things right. We have a chance to move past the nightmare of the last few years and dare I say it…to dream again. Maybe even realize a few of those dreams…justice, equality, opportunity for all, restoration for our planet, mended relationships with our allies, accountability for those with hostile intentions, foreign and domestic. Not to mention the cracks in the glass ceiling more pronounced than ever…a woman vice-president for American girls, and especially girls of color to aspire to. The future holds a lot of promise and could be a reality if we nurture it and tend it. If we believe.
The last poem I wrote before today was inspired by a Celtic tradition, “telling the bees”, practiced by bee-keepers over the ages. It is customary to keep the bees in the loop especially in the wake of important news…births, deaths, marriage, and in this case, in my case the results of our recent election and the coming inauguration of our new “bee-keeper”. This is very important news indeed for the bees to know. Bees are a sensitive lot, messengers between us the the spiritual realm. The slightest thing can upset them, causing them to flee the hive, stop producing honey or worse, perish. Telling the bees keeps things in balance and sets the stage for good fortune.
I was sitting outside reading and rereading this poem aloud tweaking it here and there. To my surprise a honey bee showed up and landed on my hand. And stupid me…reflexively I shooed it away until I came to my senses and realized what I had just done. I called out to that little bee, and apologized for my rudeness and would you believe, it came back alighted on my hand once more. For a few seconds we shared a moment, the bee and me. It was magical. And believe me…it is true. Cross my heart, I’m not making this up.
Now I don’t know if you believe in this sort of thing, but I’m going to take that moment as a sign that my little friend heard me. That good fortune is on its way. And because of that I am feeling more hopeful than I have in quite a long while.
Here’s to a new week. To new beginnings. To life and health. To truth and compassion. To healing and justice. Namasté. ____________________________________________
Sunday’s ReVerse – 15 November 2020
their slow sad voices repeating it’s the trees clouds drench the hollow we have a voice in what’s at stake the cold air is thin but it will all be over soon we can cling to the promise of spring the dawn is coming we trust our higher angels to mend our brokenness, to reach to fill our honey jars of clay
~kat ____________________________________________ A ReVerse poem (a practice I started many years ago) is a summary poem with a single line lifted from each entry of a collection of work over a particular timeframe and re-penned in chronological order as a new poem. Unlike a collaborative poem, the ReVerse features the words of one writer, providing a glimpse into their thoughts over time. I use it as a review of the previous week (or in this case a review from several weeks’ poems).
Blue Ridge Mountain Foot Hills aka My Back Yard October 2020 ~kat
It is autumn. The trees are turning, letting go. I should let go too. After a lifetime of clinging to expectations, you would think I’d have learned a thing or two. About letting go. About not holding on for too long, way past the point of no return. It’s a hazard of course, of optimism, of wishful thinking.
A dozen of more leaves drift from the treetops, settling softly on the damp ground as I imagine myself turning, turning. No amount of angst will change what is. Time to let go. Time to ride the wind instead of leaning into it full-faced, stubborn, unmoved. I wish you peace and health and love.
Sunday’s ReVerse – 25 October 2020
aflame in red, amber, gold,
listen to the wind and chill
there is no calm, no eye
I keep forgetting to breathe
barely forming waves, the air
this life is not for the feigned of heart
but half of us are wide awake
wintering beneath the dust
~kat
A ReVerse poem (a practice I started many years ago) is a summary poem with a single line lifted from each entry of a collection of work over a particular timeframe and re-penned in chronological order as a new poem. Unlike a collaborative poem, the ReVerse features the words of one writer, providing a glimpse into their thoughts over time. I use it as a review of the previous week…or in this case, the past few weeks.
So it is easier for you to find all the parts/chapters of my ongoing fiction series, I created a new page that lists all the links. You can check it out HERE!
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