Monday, December 31, 2012

Dreamwish 2013

Street art - Seattle, WA
photos © Jennifer Wagner






























...


if your dream
doesn’t fit the page
color outside the lines

... 


Copyright 2012 Jennifer Wagner

Linking to imaginary garden with real toads and d'Verse.  Happy 2013!

Friday, December 28, 2012

New



in awe of His promise
to make all things new
even me


Copyright 2012 Jennifer Wagner


Happy New Year :)

Thursday, December 27, 2012

Inspiring Blogger Award



The lovely and amazingly gifted poet Janet Martin, who writes at Another Porch, has nominated me for the Inspiring Blogger Award.  What an honor!  She inspires me. 

So if I understand this right I am to give 7 facts about myself and then I have the privilege of nominating some bloggers for the award as well.  


My 7 facts:

  1. I’m pretty good at Texas Hold ‘Em, if I do say so myself.
  2. In my opinion ‘I Love Lucy’ is one of the best TV shows.  Ever. 
  3. I enjoy Agatha Christie mystery novels.
  4. My favorite food is a tomato right off the vine.
  5. I (heart) baseball.
  6. I do not (heart) squirrels. (don’t ask…)
  7. book, blanket, fire = happy, happy me :)

You know how you get excited to see what some bloggers have come up with in every new post?  Here are a few I consider to be inspiring.  My nominations:

Margaret Bednar at Art Happens 365.  Poetry.  Photography.  Inspiration.  And she’s a mom of 6!  What can’t she do?  Amazingly brilliant lady.

Lolly at Look for a Lovely Thing.  Hers is a newly discovered blog for me.  She absolutely nails the ‘haiku moment’.  Her haiku are among the best I have ever read.

Yelena at moonlitpoetic.  Every time I read something she’s written I feel as though I’ve just witnessed something incredibly beautiful and delicate.  What a poetic gift she has.

So again, thank you Janet!  I’m honored and humbled and smiling straight from my heart!

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Snowdrops and Sleigh Bells




snowdrops splashing
like citrus squeezed
onto feathered ice


---


snowdrops
dripping from the tongue
of the moon


---


sleigh bells
and a hush of snow
almost silent night


---


sleigh bells jingling
even the snowman
smiles and waves


---


the sky flinging snow today
just to hear
children laughing again



Copyright 2012 Jennifer Wagner

Friday, December 21, 2012

Winter Solstice



frost sparkles on
maple leaf confetti
autumn’s party ends


Copyright 2012 Jennifer Wagner

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Wintertide



snow,
heavy,
slush-like,

weighing down
burnt orange leaves
raked

and scooped
and heaped
in hardship

wishing now
to pull them out
turn them green

glue them back
one by one
onto trees

to rustle softly
an enchanted echo
hushed

in winter’s tide




Copyright 2012 Jennifer Wagner

For Three Word Wednesday where we were to use the words echo, hardship, and softly...and for  Poetry Jam where Brian had us take a walk and write.  Here's what I came up with.


Tuesday, December 18, 2012

26


26 reasons
to remember why
He came



Copyright 2012 Jennifer Wagner



It’s Christmas, but I find it difficult to feel celebratory.  I know most are probably feeling the same way with hearts heavy and broken from last week’s devastation.  And yet I am reminded of why He came.  He came not because He wanted us to decorate trees and drink egg nog and rack up credit card debt giving gifts.  He came because we are in darkness, and He is the Light of the world.  John 8:12  Come, let us behold Him.  Perhaps we have never needed to more.






 

Saturday, December 15, 2012

Frozen Yesterday


I tied his little-kid size 12 gray converse shoes
while he crunched almonds
and bragged between swallows
about beating me at Go Fish.
I hid my grin
and tried to look disappointed
for losing.

Zipping up his green hoodie
we left
for afternoon Kindergarten
at 11:55.
He was concerned
that his friend wouldn’t be at school—
he’d made a paper Christmas tree
and put it into an envelope,
scotch-taped a blue candy cane to the outside
for a little present.

Walking him to the line,
I said “have a great day, buddy,”
then waved and watched as he walked through the doors,
backpack almost as big as he is, bouncing.

I thought of how many parents did this today,
leaving their hearts
in a five year old body
on cold tile floors.

And I couldn’t leave the parking lot.



Copyright 2012 Jennifer Wagner 

Dear God, dear God…more tears than words for all who are gripped in this horrific tragedy in Newtown, CT.
Got the jump on this prompt with Brian’s post yesterday.  Linking up with the amazing poets at dVerse Poetics.  I'll also be linking to The Poetry Pantry.


When words are few, perhaps there is a song.


Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Ornament (Beauty for Ashes)



adorn me with your breath,
i will flower and grow

underneath the overgrowth
of black trees

that bear no fruit
and needle the ground

sleeping
in winter’s graveyard



Copyright 2012 Jennifer Wagner

Friday, December 7, 2012

Letter to Santa


Dear Santa,

The pizza delivery guy
drives the pizza to my house.
I tip him,
though he had nothing to do
with making it.
And I’m sure he keeps it all
for himself.

Next year I’m writing to the elves.

Signed,
New Perspective



Copyright 2012 Jennifer Wagner

For Words Count with Mama Zen at Imaginary Garden with Real Toads.  The challenge:  A 50 words or less letter to the big guy.

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Slave (The Calling of Manumit)



One lung full while the other
constricts,                      
shrivels,

crushed beneath this weight
I can’t think, can’t  resist,
weakened
by the purchase of screws
I held myself down for
and bled my tears
listening to the
sweet sound
of mourning doves.

I have forgotten You
and I confess
sometimes I think You are gone,
abandoned me
for greener fields
of those more faithful.

But You say I am Your temple—
chained as I am to memory,
so please keep holding out keys
to this puzzle of wings

I am putting together
to fly away from ghostly apparitions
that visit me in my dreams.
They kiss me on the forehead

and keep me from the tiny living temples
that matter at all to me.

Serpent of haunting,
you’ve bitten, but you are crushed,

and I, while breathing in a whisper from the moon
through windows
streaming enlightened threads

in reflection of daylight,
in the back of my mind
I hear it

in each pump of blood
from my heart
I know
I know

I was meant to be free.
 



Copyright 2012 Jennifer Wagner

I'll be linking this to Poets United Poetry Pantry

Forest



chestnut-backed chickadee
on the hemlock branch
chatters my arrival



Copyright 2012 Jennifer Wagner

for haiku my heart friday at recuerda mi corazon

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Hollow



deep in the wintergreens
of twilight
it grows
 where birds of song
vacate homes in season’s passing,
gathering shadows of keeping;
 and berries, frozen—
are bejeweling 
the trampled floor
of the forest wide and deep
 of her glacial heart




Copyright 2012 Jennifer Wagner