SPINNING STRAW (photomorph) & THE STRAW MAN (non-dream free verse poem) by Roswila

THE STRAW MAN

and so the old fool realizes
she's been even more the fool
than she'd begun to believe:
he touches any woman
this way who will let him
and no matter how deeply
she insists her life be a fairy tale
in which wishes come true,
there's no way to spin
these bits of straw
into gold


[non-dream free verse poem written 10-19-16. Photomorph "Spinning Straw" (10-7-14 009v35) by Roswila]

PLEASE NOTE: in most browsers you can click on the above image for a larger version. Also, the photo accompanying a post is not necessarily meant to illustrate it, but to reflect some small, even slant aspect of the verse, similar to Japanese haiga (illustrated haiku).

There are many other sorts of posts on this blog. I indicate which are about or influenced by dreams. Some non dream focused posts are book reviews, "regular" poems (some by other writers), scifaiku, writing exercises, Tarot haiku, photos, haiga, and so on. However, most of those are in much older posts. There's a listing by month going back to early 2006, at the end of the sidebar.

* * * *

until next time, keep dreaming,

[a/k/a Patricia Kelly]
**** If you wish to copy or use any of my writing or poems, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”). Roswila's other blog (dedicated to her photos only, i.e. no poetry or other writing; daily post); TRYING TO HOLD A BOX OF LIGHT.

WHEN THE DEEP PURPLE FALLS (photomorph) & A NEW BLOOM (free verse dream poem) by Roswila

A NEW BLOOM

a tender new princess flower bloom
untwists, opening slowly toward the light,
its delicate veins like reaching arms

will this newest blossom make it all
the way into the sky's wide embrace
or will it fall short as all those before,
back into the shadows, like a small
deepening purple bruise,
to die on the vine


[free verse poem based on a dream of 10-18-16. Photomorph "When the Deep Purple Falls" (10-20-16 008v3) by Roswila]

PLEASE NOTE: in most browsers you can click on the above image for a larger version. Also, the photo accompanying a post is not necessarily meant to illustrate it, but to reflect some small, even slant aspect of the verse, similar to Japanese haiga (illustrated haiku).

There are many other sorts of posts on this blog. I indicate which are about or influenced by dreams. Some non dream focused posts are book reviews, "regular" poems (some by other writers), scifaiku, writing exercises, Tarot haiku, photos, haiga, and so on. However, most of those are in much older posts. There's a listing by month going back to early 2006, at the end of the sidebar.

* * * *

until next time, keep dreaming,

[a/k/a Patricia Kelly]
**** If you wish to copy or use any of my writing or poems, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”). Roswila's other blog (dedicated to her photos only, i.e. no poetry or other writing; daily post); TRYING TO HOLD A BOX OF LIGHT.

GET THE MESSAGE? (photo) & THE MORE THINGS CHANGE (mixed format dream poem) by Roswila

THE MORE THINGS CHANGE

a woman tells her
that the top she's wearing is known
to be dangerous
that it can be seen right through
and reveals too much cleavage

the young woman
defends her choice of clothing
saying patiently
that's why she wears it over
its matching purple tank top

the accusing woman
keeps insisting that it's unsafe
as it's not labeled
"CAUTION" somewhere clearly
as recent law requires it to be

'til now I've only been listening
but can no longer stay out of it

I stridently defend the wearing of the purple outfit
adding that far more danger's risked any day at UCSB*

and that no matter how a woman looks
it's still up to a man to control what he does

a long time woman friend and I literally
bump into each other as we leave the scene

"Seems like old times, ey?" she comments, and I respond
"Yes, the more things change, the more they stay the same."


[three tanka and five two-liners on a dream of 10-19-16. *UCSB = University of California at Santa Barbara, which is only a walk from where I live. And I'm often a little aghast at how the young women (kinda, sorta) dress. Even as I recall how I used to scandalize my father with how I was dressed to go out dancing when I was a teenager. However, I'm sure this dream was precipitated by having watched the third Presidential debate last night and having to tolerate Trump. Which re-emphasized the flotsam and jetsam I've been struggling with for some time now from the sexual abuses I suffered in childhood through to my late teens. I've done a tremendous amount of healing over the years, but I'm still faced with the scars and bits of wreckage from it all every so often. Including that sense -- untrue, but there nevertheless -- that I was somehow responsible. Photo "Get the Message?" 10-11-16 020v2) by Roswila]

PLEASE NOTE: in most browsers you can click on the above image for a larger version. Also, the photo accompanying a post is not necessarily meant to illustrate it, but to reflect some small, even slant aspect of the verse, similar to Japanese haiga (illustrated haiku).

There are many other sorts of posts on this blog. I indicate which are about or influenced by dreams. Some non dream focused posts are book reviews, "regular" poems (some by other writers), scifaiku, writing exercises, Tarot haiku, photos, haiga, and so on. However, most of those are in much older posts. There's a listing by month going back to early 2006, at the end of the sidebar.

* * * *

until next time, keep dreaming,

[a/k/a Patricia Kelly]
**** If you wish to copy or use any of my writing or poems, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”). Roswila's other blog (dedicated to her photos only, i.e. no poetry or other writing; daily post); TRYING TO HOLD A BOX OF LIGHT.

WHAT'S THE POINT (photo) & BUT TO DRINK (non-dream free verse poem) by Roswila

BUT TO DRINK

true, I always knew it was there
why else would a hummingbird
dip its long beak into the bright sharpness
of a bird of paradise but to drink

however, today, as I bumble along
with my wheeled walker and pause
by a bush of these blossoms,
for the first time I actually
see in one its clear sap
shining with white gems
beneath the sun's hot regard

that scintillating sweetness at the heart
existing only to be imbibed


[non-dream free verse poem written 10-18-16. Photo "What's the Point?" (10-4-16 010v2) by Roswila]

PLEASE NOTE: in most browsers you can click on the above image for a larger version. Also, the photo accompanying a post is not necessarily meant to illustrate it, but to reflect some small, even slant aspect of the verse, similar to Japanese haiga (illustrated haiku).

There are many other sorts of posts on this blog. I indicate which are about or influenced by dreams. Some non dream focused posts are book reviews, "regular" poems (some by other writers), scifaiku, writing exercises, Tarot haiku, photos, haiga, and so on. However, most of those are in much older posts. There's a listing by month going back to early 2006, at the end of the sidebar.

* * * *

until next time, keep dreaming,

[a/k/a Patricia Kelly]
**** If you wish to copy or use any of my writing or poems, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”). Roswila's other blog (dedicated to her photos only, i.e. no poetry or other writing; daily post); TRYING TO HOLD A BOX OF LIGHT.

NO ENTRANCE (photo) & THAT TEARS IT (mixed format dream poem) by Roswila

THAT TEARS IT

her abusive tone
triggers my rage like a bomb
that tears it, I say,
you're no friend of mine, and I'm
giving you notice to move out

but, she says, I've just
invited Anne to stay with us awhile,
you like her, don't you?
I respond, fuming, what does liking
have to do with trusting someone ...

I've really liked you
and look at what it got me:
more casual abuse


[two tanka and a dreamku on a dream of 10-16-16. This was dreamed right after the somewhat more "up beat" one I put up a poem about yesterday. Photo "No Entrance" (9-15-16 019v2) by Roswila]

PLEASE NOTE: in most browsers you can click on the above image for a larger version. Also, the photo accompanying a post is not necessarily meant to illustrate it, but to reflect some small, even slant aspect of the verse, similar to Japanese haiga (illustrated haiku).

There are many other sorts of posts on this blog. I indicate which are about or influenced by dreams. Some non dream focused posts are book reviews, "regular" poems (some by other writers), scifaiku, writing exercises, Tarot haiku, photos, haiga, and so on. However, most of those are in much older posts. There's a listing by month going back to early 2006, at the end of the sidebar.

* * * *

until next time, keep dreaming,

[a/k/a Patricia Kelly]
**** If you wish to copy or use any of my writing or poems, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”). Roswila's other blog (dedicated to her photos only, i.e. no poetry or other writing; daily post); TRYING TO HOLD A BOX OF LIGHT.

DECISION POINT (photo) & A DIFFERENCE IN VISIONS (dream tanka trio) by Roswila

A DIFFERENCE IN VISIONS

she says she's taking
me to have my cataracts removed
and footing the bill
I'm quite surprised to say the least
as this gift comes out of nowhere

we approach the steep
stairs down to the street as our ride
will be coming soon,
while I deeply doubt I can get down them
she asks about my recovery needs

I want to accept
this hugely generous windfall
but can I manage?
I'm all too aware of my limitations,
while she sees only what needs to be done


[tanka trio on a dream of 10-16-16. I kept singing snatches of "Your Eyes Are the Eyes of a Woman In Love", from the musical "Guys & Dolls" (the link is to a music video of the movie version). The idea of correcting/fixing my vision is multi-layered. I.e., not limited to but certainly encompassing the romantic, as the song would imply. Not to mention that my actual cataracts are becoming increasingly annoying. Photo "Decision Point" (10-15-16 017v2) by Roswila]

PLEASE NOTE: in most browsers you can click on the above image for a larger version. Also, the photo accompanying a post is not necessarily meant to illustrate it, but to reflect some small, even slant aspect of the verse, similar to Japanese haiga (illustrated haiku).

There are many other sorts of posts on this blog. I indicate which are about or influenced by dreams. Some non dream focused posts are book reviews, "regular" poems (some by other writers), scifaiku, writing exercises, Tarot haiku, photos, haiga, and so on. However, most of those are in much older posts. There's a listing by month going back to early 2006, at the end of the sidebar.

* * * *

until next time, keep dreaming,

[a/k/a Patricia Kelly]
**** If you wish to copy or use any of my writing or poems, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”). Roswila's other blog (dedicated to her photos only, i.e. no poetry or other writing; daily post); TRYING TO HOLD A BOX OF LIGHT.

THE FIRST STEP (photo) & PATROLING (dream narrative) by Roswila

PATROLING

even while dreaming I recognize
this setting as one more version
of a recurring one in my dreams:
a large building, mall like, white, airy,
and sunny, maybe bigger than in any other

and I note another recurring element:
I don't know my way around, can't find
the elevators even, to make my way
to the upper floor

this time, however, I wander out
of the side of the structure to the back,
an unusual move for this recurring scenario,
and find a water scene, a sort of harbor
that makes me smile and tempts me to linger

but I turn to clamber back up the little hill
to get back to the building and can't make
it up the mound of earth, recalling
with a verbal "tsk" that this, too,
has happened many times before
in dreams

however, this time, there's a small
cut down area, like a cut away curb
for wheelchairs, on the left
with a step-like rock at it's base
and so I'm able to hobble up

back in the huge building I head
for a church-like space within it
and wander through the small store
in its atrium, until I'm drawn
intensely to a display
of small, stained glass pictures

as soon as I stop in front of them
to more thoroughly appreciate
the constantly changing stories
each one tells, small dark things start
flying directly at them, colliding with
and nearly breaking one particularly
beautiful piece of stained glass

even as I sigh with relief that the art
has survived the assault, I find myself
waiting to cross a wide boulevard,
looking toward the traffic sounds,
off to my left down the several lanes
that look like parallel rivers

the sounds come from more dark
things, but this time humongous, and like
fighter planes in formation they fly low
over the lanes as if on patrol

their noise hurts my ears to the point
of wincing and tears, but it's the only
damage from their passing
for they are headed elsewhere
to take care of crucial business,
about which outsiders know nothing


[narrative on a dream of 10-15-16. Yep, a long one and I even left out a good sized section as I couldn't make it "work" within the narrative as a whole. It's also possible it was a separate dream altogether and recall jumbled it together with what appears above. After all, it was clearly a very busy night. (Unusual for a full moon night, as my recall usually goes way down at this time.) I may draft the section I left out as a separate piece later. And, yes, I was vaguely lucid (aware I was dreaming, as I was dreaming) in the first half of this dream. An odd sort of lucidity that I've had before: referencing other dreams from other nights. Photo "The First Step" (10-15-16 011v2) by Roswila]

PLEASE NOTE: in most browsers you can click on the above image for a larger version. Also, the photo accompanying a post is not necessarily meant to illustrate it, but to reflect some small, even slant aspect of the verse, similar to Japanese haiga (illustrated haiku).

There are many other sorts of posts on this blog. I indicate which are about or influenced by dreams. Some non dream focused posts are book reviews, "regular" poems (some by other writers), scifaiku, writing exercises, Tarot haiku, photos, haiga, and so on. However, most of those are in much older posts. There's a listing by month going back to early 2006, at the end of the sidebar.

* * * *

until next time, keep dreaming,

[a/k/a Patricia Kelly]
**** If you wish to copy or use any of my writing or poems, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”). Roswila's other blog (dedicated to her photos only, i.e. no poetry or other writing; daily post); TRYING TO HOLD A BOX OF LIGHT.