Resolve

In the silent refraction of a New Year sun
as slowly in the thin Eastern sky
its distant yellow rays struggled,
January arrived to a silent world

Almost as if in slow motion, life passed
as through my window with early eyes
a perception of a whispered promise
echoed across a vacant sky

And the curl of a smile gathered pace
calming like a summer breeze
spoke long vicissitudes
with wisdom to a sleepy morning

©Jemverse

Photo – Jempics

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Of rainbows and promise (revisited)

9 of 12 in ‘The of…’ series from Jemverse 2022

The promise over our house today
in the sky right after the rain
gave us both a feeling of joy
when it with its radiance came

The colour was vivid, the arc of it wide
and though brevity saw its demise
its purpose was clear, one of promise and hope
beneath it revealed to the wise

©Jemverse

Series pic – jempics

[Of rainbows and promise was first posted in December 2019]

Over the years I have titled several poems with the preposition ‘of’ – so this last Jemverse mini-series of 2022 pulls some of those back together again

Winter IV

It came so fast, the iron chill as winter took a hold
and shivering we huddled to hide from bitter cold
Sometimes we would venture out for food or other things
but mostly hibernation from the numb the winter brings

And so it stayed for several months
this cocooned way of life
Long Johns, hats and gloves and scarves
whilst that bone chill was rife
Yet through it all the hope remained
a tiny spark yet still
one bolstered by a promise
that protected us from ill

The promise of a warmth to come when white turns into green
and life begins again from all the barren we have seen

©Jemverse

Photo – Jempics

Ubi sunt for summer

Where are the sunshine days
now winter's cold hand clasps?
Still there though faded now and weak
as summer never lasts

Yet there in the circle promise lies
and breath bated with a smile
knows with reassurance it
will come back in a while

©Jemverse

Photo – Jempics

[An ‘ubi sunt’ poem poses a rhetorical question derived from the Latin “uni sunt qui ante nos fuerunt” (Where are those that went before us?). Indicating nostalgia,  an ‘ubi sunt’ poem is about the transient nature of things].

A revitalisation of cheer

Hiding in long shadows
of a small gig still I stood
listening to the music
but wishing that I could
find there the enjoyment
that my friends and others there
clearly understood as in
the moment there they shared

Yet despite the disappointment
in the long shadows here with me
a certain feeling lingered
that I knew with certainty
Said I was meant to be here
as this venue and this place
was testament and evidence
of promise born from grace

A promise of live music
in whatever shape or form
could once again be heard and felt
and be again the norm
So despite the fact the music
here was not my cup of tea
I knew one thing for certain
and with utter clarity

And it definitely wasn't hiding
in long shadows or elsewhere
as it had something to shout aloud
with vibrancy right there
That this time this place this venue
this gig this music here
is what the heart has needed
to revitalise my cheer

©Jemverse

Photo – Jempics

Beginning VII (aka Tri-tanka VIII-beginning)

7 of 12 in the Jemverse ’12 months IV’ series
(& 1 of 7 in Tri-tanka week)

And so March begins
The promises multiply
from nature and man
for spring time and other things
providing wisdom remains

And so March is here
with sunshine already strong
its lack-lustre passed
as it pushes to summer
encouraging new growth

And so March begins
May we please use it wisely
and bring fruition
for it has been a long year
and we are so very close

©Jemverse

Picture – ‘Hayase’ by Yoshida Hiroshi (1933)

Summer to share

The warmth on my shoulder
as I sit here and write
is really quite lovely
in this winter sunlight
It feels just like summer
and if I close my eyes
I can see myself there
with no little surprise

But it’s February now
and though it’s still cold
it won’t be that long
if I may be so bold
before Springtime gathers
and the weather prepares
as its garners itself
the summer to share

©Jemverse

Photo – Jempics

For when winter is done

A shaft of the sun
hit our north-facing garden
with a word just to say
for a beg of my pardon
A brief glimpse of promise
when the winter is over
and the sun is back out there
for days bathed in clover

Not long to wait now
just eight or nine weeks
as each day gets longer
and sunshine it tweaks
The promise of Springtime
in that shaft of sun
in our north-facing garden
for when winter is done

©Jemverse

Photo – Jempics

Beginning V

5 of 12 in the Jemverse series ’12 months IV’

To the New Year a promise
here made to ones self
to remain true to form
and with all of my wealth
to capture from life
one day at a time
its essence in words
and transpose to line
Resolution here made
with every intention
to keep and to hold
and daily to mention
for these are my words
and this is my gift
from a poet to you
your spirits to lift
So with new beginning
I’ll start with intent
for here is a promise
wholeheartedly meant

©Jemverse

Photo – Jempics

2020

Reminiscing at conclusion
of this year that has now been
I think back over all that we
have done and all we’ve seen
As it started fairly normally
at the beginning of the year
when none had any reason
to think we’d shed a tear

But just a few weeks later
all the pubs and shops were closed
with people social distanced
diametrically opposed
the world ran out of toilet rolls
and pasta which was strange
as to a locked-in world
our lives we re-arranged

The gigs we’d booked and paid for
slowly changed their dates
and some cancelled altogether
which made us quite irate
But the world outside our window
as the summer it arrived
held promise of a better place
if the virus we survived

So when Pfizer found the vaccine
the whisper turned to shout
and we realised the gifting
this gave to quell the doubt
And as the year concludes now
though in lockdown we remain
there’s hope on the horizon
for a trust to all regain

Twenty twenty all considered
is a year we’d soon forget
but as it draws to a conclusion
none of us have cause to fret
As twenty twenty-one now looms
and we can see the sun
rising on a better day
that has now just begun

©Jemverse

Photo – Jempics