A Compass...a Track?

It's Spiritual Journey Thursday, hosted by Ruth at There is no such thing as a God-forsaken town, where we are reviewing our One Little Words for the year.  How are you coming along staying focused?

For most of last year and this I have been speechless.  I had no word.  I had no words.  Things have flown by me, over me, under me, around me...and I have been a passenger on this earth watching people and events whiz by.  No words came to me...well, except maybe "help!"

It is now time for a word that will actually help me.  The first word that came to mind just a few seconds ago while writing this was "compass".  I am in need of a compass.  I am in need of something with a constant and a direction.  I will be continuing on a new and uncharted path, and for the most part, alone.  It must be a good compass.  A weighted compass that will not fly off in the windstorms that are sure to come.  Maybe it is "track".  I am on a track now...am I ON track?  I am trusting that I am.  I certainly feel like I am on a train with an unknown destination.  Maybe I do not really need the compass.

Right now there are so many ways life could go...will I let it take me there, or will I be determining parts of the path?

I feel like Dorothy at the crossroads - only she got to pick a direction.  I'm not sure I'm supposed to be choosing a way to go.

I'm not sure of the direction to take, no indicators of the destination.  I have no set way to go yet, and I believe the path will reveal itself as I move along.  There is no way to tell what September will look like - where I will be, who I will be with (if anyone), or why I am there.

Perhaps God will answer my plea to know a little more about the plan.  Perhaps He will not.  So far he's kept most of this part of my journey a secret from me.  Such a strange place...curiouser and curiouser...

But I'm pretty sure I am "on track", to something that has been laid out for me just around the bend.  I think I'm supposed to sit back and watch, and make some other lives comfortable along the way if the opportunity presents itself.

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." Jeremiah 29:11

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:5-6

 Way to ramble, Donna. 

 

 

Birthday Cards

 Mug Shot

This is a card I made for my daughter for her May birthday.  I've taken to making a small, postcard size, watercolor for a birthday card.  Quick.  Write a poem on the back.  Quick.

This one has flaws, but so do I.  So that's what you get with me. Lol!  But it's fun and it keeps me out of trouble!

Happy birthday to my girl,

The one who loved to dance and twirl,

The one who grew up in a day -

As old as I now, 

I must say...

I don't know how this came to be...

Wait! No! 

I think I'm 33!

Yup, you're much older than I am now

There's no explaining why or how!

by Donna JT Smith

Happy birthday, Michelle!  Happy Poetry Friday, everyone!  June is soon!

More poetry connections are at Michelle Kogan's!

Madness! Poetry

If you are wondering what to do today because you have read all the poems being shared for Poetry Friday, what better way to extend the fun, than to to to Madness! Poetry and read 64 new poems created.  Cast a few votes, or many votes to encourage all the poets who have submitted their creations (under duress!)

I will warn you, it is addicting...and the contest runs through May with new poems created weekly.  You need to stay tuned to get the next round!  Each poet has 36 hours to create a new piece using their given word.  It is not a contest to be taken lightly - however, you kinda have to!

Today at 5 my bout with RJ Clarken closes.  Our word was "suave"!  It is so interesting to see how these words get woven into poems - and to see the strange theme or character occurrences in two battling poems.

I do hope you get on over there - not just for MY sake, but for all the poets and all the poems begging to be read!!

I'm going to put a poem here in just a minute...or two...here we go...done.

An old Squiggle I drew...

Happy Spring!

Run and sing!

Catch a frog!

Jump a log!

Such delight -

Days wax bright!

Warmish breezes!

Summer teases!

Grab a swing -

Raise toes to spring!

by Donna JT Smith, 5/14/2021

 

Poetry Friday offerings are here with Irene Latham, who is hosting at her blog, Live Your Poem.

Madness!Poetry is here.  My poem is about a couple of roosters...

 

It's time for the amazing Madness! Poetry, a time of writing poetry under the constraints of word assignment (the words are ridiculously challenging), length of creation, and time restrictions (36 hours to create and submit - 36 hours to vote on each bout).  The 64 competitors eventually - beginning of June - pare down to a single winner of the Thinkier Award!

Here's my poem I submitted as an entry for Ed DeCaria, the creator/mastermind of Madness! Poetry.  It got me a seat in Round 1!  Let's hope the words flow for Tuesday, when the bout begins for RJ Clarken and me! 

Madness

Demons be within our brains
Prodding us to wax inane;
Inventing verse and astute stanza
With words like dame ‘n’ extravaganza!
Oh, to live as those who’re sane, or
To be at one with life mundaner.
But no… the sobriquet of poet
Is our lot, and we all know it.
Polish pens, unearth slick paper,
Prepare for the wildest poetry caper!
This Madness comes but once a year,
We’re loco, though, for life, I fear.

By Donna JT Smith 4/18/2021

I hope you can join us in reading and voting on your favorite poems each time the new batch appears.  Watch for Becky Herzog and Heidi Mordhorst, too!!

Don't forget to log in to vote on all the poems!  

Meanwhile, Happy Poetry Friday!  Read more poems right now by visiting Bridget Magee at wee words for wee ones.

Progressive Poem

Oh, my word!  How could I have done this.... I have gotten so caught up in "stuff" lately, that the Progressive Poem, for the first time ever, was forgotten about!!!

I hadn't even read a line before just now at 3:30 pm Easter Sunday!  Can't believe it!

But here I am scrambling, rambling... ready to roll!

Each poet is offering two lines from which the next poet can choose, then that poet is offering two lines, and so on.

Let's see what we've got....

I’m a case of kindness – come and catch me if you can!

Easily contagious – sharing smiles is my plan.

And now I've been given the choice of two lines from Mary Lee...

I'll spread my joy both far and wide

Or

Puppies, babies – what makes you giggle?

I think I am going to go with -

                                                        I'll spread my joy both far and wide

 

So:

I’m a case of kindness – come and catch me if you can!

Easily contagious – sharing smiles is my plan.

 

I'll spread my joy both far and wide

 

And now my lines to contemplate, Irene!  Which do you like?  Either way, it's a couplet!

 

Let me cleanse the world like a rising tide

or

 

As a force of nature, I'll be undenied

 

I'd say more...but I'm LATE!!!!

Take it away, Irene!!!

April 1 Kat Apel at Kat Whiskers
2 Linda Mitchell at A Word Edgewise
3 Mary Lee at A Year of Reading
4 Donna Smith at Mainely Write
5 Irene Latham at Live your Poem
6 Jan Godown Annino at BookseedStudio
7 Rose Cappelli at Imagine the Possibilities
8 Denise Krebs at Dare to Care
9 Margaret Simon at Reflections on the Teche
10 Molly Hogan at Nix the Comfort Zone
11 Buffy Silverman
12 Janet Fagel at Reflections on the Teche
13 Jone Rush MacCulloch
14 Susan Bruck at Soul Blossom Living
15 Wendy Taleo at Tales in eLearning
16 Heidi Mordhorst at my juicy little universe
17 Tricia Stohr Hunt at The Miss Rumphius Effect
18 Linda Baie at Teacher Dance
19 Carol Varsalona at Beyond Literacy Link
20 Robyn Hood Black at Life on the Deckle Edge
21 Leigh Anne Eck at A Day in the Life
22 Ruth Hersey at There is No Such Thing as a God-forsaken Town
23 Janice Scully at Salt City Verse
24 Tabatha Yeatts at The Opposite of Indifference
25 Shari Daniels at Islands of my Soul
26 Tim Gels at Yet There is Method
27 Rebecca Newman
28 Catherine Flynn at Reading to the Core
29 Christie Wyman at Wondering and Wondering
30 Michelle Kogan at More Art 4 All