The Storm (September 13, 2023)

 

Gently the mist

Caresses my face

Wiping tears away

As I look up.

Knowing

The skies will blacken 

Before clearing up

Like my soul. 

On the horizon 

Gathering storm clouds 

Block out the light. 

Sinking

Ever deeper

Into myself.

As the wind howls

Transforming mist

To a soul destroying rain.

Carving channels

Visible to the naked eye

Across my soulscape.

Watching 

In real time

The land disappear

Underneath me.

Tumbling

I struggle to tell 

Up from down 

In this surry.

Time

Becomes meaningless

Beyond the next breath.

Until nothing

Only silence

As I laid awake

In my bed.

Realizing

Had just endured

A night terror.

Author's note: About the 4th day of this, I realized that I had intertwine least 2 different poems. So last night, I deleted all, but the first 3 stanzas. The things that we do for art (like no sleep).

Posted to http://newwhatsgoningon.blogspot.com

 

Merci/Thank You

 On this day, 131 years ago, Canada was formed. Sadly, this birthday has been marred by 440+ forestfires across the vast expanse of this nation. Multiple times, the skies of eastern North America have sootty smokes from the fires burning in NE Ontario and Quebec.

Overwhelming, the local (often volunteer firefighters) and provincial firefighters, as various provincial governments have been forced to ask for military assistance, in fighting the and evacuating the  remote threatened communities.

Even still, over 220+ fires burn out of control. I fear that this number would be much higher and far deadlier, without the global support that Canada has received. From our Commonwealth sisters (South Africa, New Zealand and Australia),  European Union (France, Portugal and Spain), the United States (federal and state level) and the Americas (Brazil, Costa Rica, Chile and Mexico).

Please forgive me, if I have forgotten any country's assistance. 

For this, I give everyone helping my country, a heartfelt thank you/merci. Knowing, in the past that Canada has shared its resources, globally, in fighting other country's forest/bush fires.

A Whispering Of Hope (March 8, 2023)

All good stories

Begin with

Once upon a time....

Where our dreams Are

Like faerie tales

Given breath

To life.

Acts of revelation

Of hope and protest

Made flesh.

In a world

Filled with hate

And ignorance.

Where hope is

A fragile butterfly

Fluttering against

Furious winds.

And yet

We fight.

Knowing

Real change

Is generations

Away.

Author's note: Written for International Woman's Day 2023.