Friday, March 24, 2017

"How Lovely Is My Sweetheart's Voice" -- an 8X8

I am calling this form an 8x8; 8 lines, 8 syllables.  I don't know if this is an already established poetic form, or if I actually invented something. I am sure I didn't but this one was very special to me.

How lovely is my Sweetheart's voice
Echoing around canyon walls
In my mind; crying like the wind
A mournful song that moans sweetly
"I long for you, my Cherish'd One,"
As she moves in, around, and through
Me, seeking to make us be one,
Dissolving distance, You Are Here!

© 2017 David W. Palmer

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

Four Micro Poems in Honor of World Poetry Day, March 21

In honor of World Poetry Day, I present four Micro Poems, little bursts of lightning from the imagination.

Waves
are washing
over me

(C) 2017 David W. Palmer


Truth needs no
Defense
Because it is

(C) 2017 David W. Palmer


Insight
Is your gift
From poetry

(C) 2017. David W. Palmer


What did you see
In my poem
To make it yours?

(C) 2017 David W. Palmer



Saturday, March 18, 2017

haiku attempts on bees, blossoms and promises

I haven't written any haiku attempts in quite awhile. I decided it was time, once again.

Two haiku attempts on bees, blossoms and promises

ancient bonsai
dawn delight blossoms
bees dance creating

(C) 2017 david w palmer

bees in the blossoms
ask me to dance
dandelions wave

(C) 2017 david w palmer



Monday, March 13, 2017

SIGHTINGS SERIES: Sonnet #3 Abel

SONNET #3: ABEL (Genesis 4:1-16; Hebrews 11:4)
By David Palmer
8-December, 2005
Maple Valley, Washington

Repose richly rewarded faithful servant
Your final thought God-centered, bringing praise
For the Lamb-bridged guilt spanned, hands now raise
In majestic surrender to Love.  He plants
His knife cowardly, stabbed in your back; rants
Meaningless denials of guilt, so crazed
His jealous rejection of Redeeming Grace;
Dares God’s curse, marked man; for love, ever pants.
   Blood soaks the ground now, a mute testimony
   To the ages, which man must never deny;
   For this space now proclaims your message, to cry
   “Father forgive, forget his offense!  Holy
   Love now reach out to my wandering brother.
   Let sacrifice nail conviction asunder.”

(C) 2005, 2017 David W. Palmer


SIGHTINGS SERIES: Sonnet #2 Adam

SIGHTINGS: Finding Your Story in the Pages of Scripture

SONNET #2:  ADAM (Genesis 3:1-24;  1 Corinthians 15:45-48)
By David Palmer
8-December, 2005
Maple Valley, Washington

Love’s boundary was crossed in a Garden
Freedom’s tempting tart taste sours instantly
As peace is vanquished in pain permanently;
Hearts once responding tenderly now harden.
“All mine was yours, cries the Maker, “but pardon
Comes only at great cost, sacrificially,
From a source far beyond your capacity.”
Guilt gives grace no ground, but Love leaps that margin.
   Was it revenge you sought, Adam, to punish
   God for putting love to the test, reserving
   For Himself the set of your moral compass?
   So, removed you, yourself, from His loving
   Embrace?  Deny Him love due?  He will finish
   Reclaiming you on another tree, bleeding.

©2005, 2017 David W. Palmer


Saturday, March 11, 2017

Echoes (Sonnet #402)

Echoes (Sonnet #402)
By David Palmer
7-March, 2017
Renton, Washington, USA

I'll take my stand on towers tall to watch
Your coming like the dawn in bright'ning rays
Dancing, prancing footfall echoes stray
My eyes, awake, my ears your call to catch
Oh! Beloved, from trusting heart ne'er snatch
The glory of your beauty from my heart
Nor in abstentia sorrow to impart
But cultivate our roses' garden patch.
What keeps you, Dear from coming? This my plea,
Do you sense love in truth will give you wings
Or bind with chains free wings to soar on dreams?
Please, let us find the love free choice doth bring
Solitary freedom, a lying scheme
Kites to heights scale alone attach'd to string.

(C) 2017 David W. Palmer


Drawn (Sonnet #401)

DRAWN (Sonnet #401)

Love beyond the capacity of words
Not a feeling, though they are involved
The Greeks knew what it was, a deep soul movement
Like a river cresting o'er its dam and
Flooding the valley below thus I'm mov'd
By a power I cannot contain, much
Less understand, that toward you I'm pull'd
Nothing can stop me from reaching your heart.
Does this frighten you, at times it scares me
That such a force can bind our souls as one
Is this the love that drew Christ to the cross?
Is this the fierce force binding Church to him?
I know what it takes to love you, I'll do
For nothing is beyond our call of love.

©2017 David W. Palmer

One-hundred Twelve Reasons (Sonnet #400)

One-Hundred Twelve Reasons  (SONNET #400)

I.
Beside a stream of sorrow, we found us
We did not know that at the time but sure
The hand of God reveal'd a love so pure
Arresting false trajectories in dust
We both on dangerous paths found we must
Recalculate and cleave to each other
A miracle of grace brought a wonder
I hear your spirit, you hear mine, how just.
Our deep love path passed through great sorrow
A trail of last choice, yet how I bonded
The day I thought I'd lost our tomorrow
Weeping waves relentless crushing hounded
Till I cried aloud, "Let grace be borrow’d
For her, losing her, crushingly profound”

II.
Harder could I not have cried had this
Been the funeral for my own mother
My eyes fell dark, desp’rate spirit smother’d
An angel on my soul bestow’d a kiss
In quietness my heart did rest in bliss
For I knew heaven heard my broken cry
And healing now was hers, I breath’d a sigh
Her living wondrous love, I’d never miss
Any woman’s smile can bring me laughter
But she who makes me cry shall own my heart
Superficial glee’s not what I’m after
So, she for whom the waves do roll will start
That long pursuit t'ward oneness which matters
From her my loving never shall depart.

© 2017 David W. Palmer

Moving (Sonnet #399)

MOVING (Sonnet #399)

Happiness awoke, my feet want to move
Everything I celebrate is cresting
Waves of joy while she and I are kissing
Wonder so amazing, she lights our love
My tongue tastes rhyme, my feet begin to rove
My ears see notes my fingers paint the keys
Music so alive beats my heart for me
Feet moonwalk the dance floor out to the grove.
Should I stop, rocks will cry out in protest
Adam and Eve dance once more in Eden
In a world made right by love we invest
Am I crazy? Join the dance which even
Gives our universe its one request
Restore her brokenness, she is pleadin’
As angels dance on stairs to heav’nly rest.

© 2017  David W. Palmer
inspired by the song by Justin Timberlake, “Can’t Stop the Feeling”
https://youtu.be/ru0K8uYEZWw

Rainbow People (Sonnet #398)

RAINBOW PEOPLE (Sonnet #398)

How gloomy in the winter’s chill this world
Can seem to be; cold, damp, miserable
‘Twould seem that hope, love and light are tabl’d
For some distant day’s agenda, untold
But preconceived notions break when bold
Cracks in the canopy appear, sunlight
Finds ways to discover spectrum delight,
Rainbow hues, God’s finger tips cast, unfurl’d
Someone cast aspersions, dark descending
Despair never designed for your wear
Usurp’d your throne its reign seems unending
In dark’s defiance cast away your fears
My love be the light to you revealing
All the colors this world needs see, you bear.

© 2017 David W. Palmer
Inspired by the song “True Colors,” written by
Billy Steinberg & Tom Kelly, as recorded by
Cindy Lauper and Phil Collins, to name two.

https://youtu.be/2FMtxACKlYM


Wednesday, March 1, 2017

Remembering Michael James Garland

The loss is felt so keenly right now I barely have the words to speak. Michael was a good friend, wonderful colleague, delightful poet. And we never met in person. But we worked closely together across several Google+ Communities. Aloha Michael! Mahalo, until we meet again.

Remembering Michael (Sonnet 393)

This was a kairos moment where life falls
Into the divide between I knew not
Yet, and sadly, mournfully, I do now.
Hail friend! Aloha! Colleagues, yet unmet.
One shares in spirit a recognized trait.
He speaks in a soul voice I recognize
Those having tasted divine fruit are chang'd
Knowing colorful flavors untasted.
Into your world you invited me then
For what joy can there be if it's unshar'd
Generously fed me heavenly bread.
Today you walk in Edenic delight
That far-off country describ'd, now is home!

(C) 2017 David W. Palmer



SIGHTINGS SERIES: Ash (Sonnet #392). For Ash Wednesday, March 1, 2017

ASH (Sonnet #392)

The mark which spans the separating gulf
Between a holy God and sinful man
Is bridged in eternal counsel plann'd
Sav'd are we from marauding hellish wolves
That mark in Him eternal life depicts
That we once barr'd from Eden's life come new
And feast upon heavenly bread so true
Alive are we in HIm e'er more transfixed
Receive with joy your citizenship mark
Recorded is your name in his life book.
A watching world needs hope like Noah's ark
'Tis not for self-salvation, them forsake
But point them to the Cross where wounds so stark
Communing hands whose blood they may partake.

© 2017 David W. Palmer
Written for Ash Wednesday, March 1, 2017
Lent, Day 1