Thunderbird & Morning Dove -- tandem poems by Maricris Cabrera & David Palmer

+maricris cabrera and I set a personal challenge to each other this evening to write verse in response to this photo of the sunset at my Daughter's home in Maple Valley, Washington.  I said the lighted clouds looked like a Thunderbird, Maricris said it looked like the Morning Dove.  We agreed to write tandem verse in our own personal photo prompt.

The Menominee Native American tribes of Northern Wisconsin have the legend of the Thunderbird which I relate in this verse.  The Thunderbird are the gift of the Sun to this world in the ongoing struggle of good vs. evil. The thunderbirds live on a floating mountain far to the West and keep watch over a world plagued by dark forces represented by the great horned serpents known as the Mishikinubik. When they do battle and drive those serpents which represent chaos and death, back to the underworld, then we hear the thunder and see lightning as those vanquished lifeless serpents are cast down to the ground by the victorious Thunderbirds. That sacred myth is what I based this Sonnet on.

Thunderbird (Sonnet #370)

On a floating mountain far to the West
In the eyrie provided by the Sun
Dwell the great guardians of life’s run
Distrusted, feared, o’erlook’d, e’en by the best
Defenders of earth’s life, right from their nest
Watchful are they ensconced on their perch
For the great horned serpents always do search
Conspire toward chaos, destroying rest
When battle rages, don’t we all know it?
Flashes of fire and clap of broad wings
Talons and beak pierce scales like a rivet
Coils in death throws, yet fang-poison brings
Slice open the chaos, talons pivot
Life streams abundant, free from serpent’s stings.

© 2017 David W. Palmer
Photo Credit: 2017 David W. Palmer


Morning Dove

What will his future hold, this Morning Dove
Where does his Sweetheart, go for so long
His wings gracefully unfolds, one sweet song
Cooing a tune for his endless true love.
Sunlight beckoning his nostalgic flight
Forlorn, enslaved their hearts never be free
Soaring high and down below perch on the tree
Feathers exposed against beauty in sight.
Only to find out, his search to an end
Keeping his eyes and heart to rescue her
Dying, she couldn't, pecked her white collar
Black eyes, ebony slender beak attend
Love and passion promised long time ago
Protection, warm embrace until the end.

(C) 2017 Maricris Cabrera

For Graham Eads, In Memory (Sonnet #368)

In sad, but fond memories of my Facebook Friend, Graham Eads who's sojourn amongst us sadly passed last Tuesday, February 14.  To Evie and Heather and the family, my sorrow for your loss and prayers for healing memories of him be yours in abundance.  Please accept this humble verse in tribute to the great man he yet is.  We will ne'er forget you, Graham.

For Graham Eads, in Memory (Sonnet #368)
A Byron Sonnet

Let the pipes be played, the colors fold
That Scotland may weep the loss of her son
For now we pause to reflect his race won
We in life’s shadows share stories he told
History proud lived on in his brogue
And gaps in my knowledge of sweet heritage
Were fill’d with delight through his tutelage
Through him did I cherish my nascent blood home
Now across Highland moors his spirit strolls
With Wallace and Knox and best of the fray
We’ll see him in Spring through heather’s sweet fold
Encounter his guard in castle keep ways
Sense breath on our souls ‘midst Aberdeen’s cold
And witness his power in storms o’er Moray.

©2017 David W. Palmer
19-February, 2017
Covington, Washington

Bemuse (Poetry of Maricris Cabrera, shared with Permission)

I am privileged to share once more the beautiful poetry of Maricris Cabrera, my dearest friend. She writes as one who is intimately acquainted with beauty and writes that we may understand it better. I share with her permission, of course.

Bemuse


Struggling into
the unfathomable
ocean of my mind
through the violent waves
of my imagination
in a quest for my beloved
Muse, drifting down
the current holding on
with my diction as my float
I see the Muse far away from me
guarded with heavy
accents and  stresses
and pronunciations.
I stumbled against
a rock of rhyme
Bemused,
I whispered a prayer
and found myself lying
on the shore of poetry
and then I opened my eyes
I see my beloved Muse
looking down at me.

(C) 2017 Maricris Cabrera

Bemuse (A Fibonacci Sequence)

Written originally for Maricris Cabrera in the Words Community

bemuse

love

has

many

faceted

faces it presents;

like a diamond, poets say;

but sometimes, I find it to be a kaleidoscope

with refractions and patterns just to bemuse me, so I reach softly for your hand, Dear!

©2017 David W. Palmer 

Irresistible (Sonnet #367)

Irresistible (Sonnet #367)

What do the sages mean when they describe
Life-long growing love? Does it grow deep roots
That reach the bedrock of the soul? The truth?
Those roots reach and break obstacles in time.
Stone may scoff at water, granite at the wind
But no more irresistible than these
The mighty Colorado Canyon form'd
Stone cannot hinder that which must break through
E'en so, we know the truth that love like ours
Tender soft is fierce opening our path
No matter what forbids us forward go
Impossible, that first false lie cowers
Mighty is the course of love, desire
Kisses truth, as we shall be inspired

© 2017 David W. Palmer

Thoughtful Gifts (Sonnet 366)

Thoughtful Gifts (Sonnet 366)

Remember growing up, having secret
Wishes for your birthday or for Christmas?
There was always something special, wishes
Told to no one but fervently hoped for
Somehow, tonight, I know there is that one
True gift you long for me to bless you with
And that one priceless treasure is to know
That I am always proud of you daily
I stand in awe to know that in your hands
Language soars on angel's wings exalting
Life not as it is but how it can be
If by our hearts we live and breathe and love.
The truth I see confirmd in ev'ry line
Is in you, great poetry lives for me.

© 2017 David W. Palmer

Te Quiero (I Love You) Resharing the Poetry of Maricris Cabrera

Maricris Cabrera has been a colleague and best friend in several Poetry communities. I am proud to share her poem, "Te Quiero" with her permission.  We both wrote our poems of the same name tonight in response to a word challenge in the WORDS Community.

Te quiero

Words which we have said
and what we are about to say
love is but one language
spoken by our hearts
we love each other like
how the sunlight cuddles the earth
how the river meets the sea
let there be no oceans between us
just you and me.
Te quiero muchisimo
I love you very much.

(C)2017 Maricris Cabrera