penandpatience

WRITERS WORDS: “One ought, every day at least, to hear a little song, read a good poem, see a fine picture, and, if possible, to speak a few reasonable words.” – Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe, Writer

NOVEMBER 2019 MONTHLY MUSING

ARE YOU A POET?

Many readers may have heard this funny saying with many variations, “I’m a poet and I know it, look at my feet, they’re Long-fellows.” (Longfellow was a famous poet). Well, I’m not a Poet and my feet are “Short-fellows.”  Occasionally, I do read poetry and have a few cherished poetry books in my library bookcase. Although my writing focus is not poetry, I often read the small collections.

Writing this Musing on Poetry had me pulling the few books from the shelf.  Upon opening a first cover, I noted Dr. Ann K. Marfey signed and gifted me her book, “Shake Hands, Touch Hearts” in September 2014.  Dr. Marfey penned a collection of first impressions that offered a unique glimpse into personalities of people experienced at the moment of a simple handshake. She provided the reader with a personal account of meetings with well-known personalities including Charlie Chaplin, Carl Sagan, Martin Luther King, Jr. and many others, as well as accounts of insignificant moments that made deep and lasting impressions on her. After putting her cherished book aside, I dove into the next one.

“Favorite Inspirational Poems” was also a gift; my notation on the first page indicates 1978. It’s an inspiring anthology, favorite poems from any ages containing classical and contemporary voices, famous works and those of lesser known poets. As I peruse the book, memories flood back when I turn to poems with folded page corners marking my favorites.

However, I previously wrote about Margaret Weldon, in an earlier Musing. “Marge” was my sister’s mother-in law- she was family. When “Marge” began writing in her high school years, she put writing on hold while raising two sons. After she moved to a ranch in Oregon, she resumed writing during her early retirement years. She wrote poetic thoughts on slips of paper and stuffed them inside a growing pile in a bureau drawer. Her sister and daughter-in-law rescued the poems from the drawer and “Random Thoughts” by Margaret E. Weldon was published and Margaret was awarded the Silver Poet Award from the World of Poetry located in Sacramento, California. She was in her early eighties. This poem is one of my favorites:

TO A MOUNTAIN LILY by Margaret E. Weldon

The fragrance of a lily

Wooed us to the spot

It wasn’t far around the bend

To this quiet wooded lot.

Wet with dew, pure and white,

It stood there unrelated

To creeds that victimizes minds

Leaving bodies mutilated.

In this quiet secluded spot,

We whiled away an hour,

Away from turmoil, care and fear,

Enraptured by a flower.

The reason that we tarried here

Was just because of Love,

Created by a lily and the cooing of a Dove.

Okay, although I don’t write poetry, I attempted to write a poem for a family member who was celebrating his 90th birthday. This was a struggle, but my goal was to make him laugh on this special day and I inserted the poem in his birthday card.

To Bill on his 90th Birthday.

I HAD A VERY GOOD TIME – Gaye Buzzo Dunn

When I was twenty, I was young and foolish,

I had a very good time.

When I was 30, I was mature but a little reckless,

I had a very good time.

When I was forty, I was over the hill—What hill?

I had a very good time.

When I was fifty, I was still going strong,

I had a very good time.

When I was sixty, I chased away the aches and ignored the pains,

I had a very good time.

When I was seventy, I enjoyed happy hours with my friends,

I had a very good time.

When I was eighty, I had a cuppa tea in the morn and toddies in the afternoon,

I had a very good time.

When I reached ninety, I was still walking on the right side of the grass,

I’m having a very good time!!!

I mention again. You may be a poet and don’t know it…regardless of your foot size!

Postscript:  If you love poetry, you will enjoy a Chapbook titled “Peeping Sunrise” written by Poet, Carole Mertz, and recently published by Prolific Press.   http://www.prolificpress.com/bookstore/chapbook series.

To Readers and Writers: May you and yours have a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving Holiday.