Tag Archives: dreams

Nightmares (Day 3, an Etheree Poem)

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An Etheree Poem follows a syllable pattern of 1-10 per line for a 10-Line poem.

Nightmares

Dreams

Return

Tidal waves

Swallowing me

Whole. No lifeguards out

Swimming in slow motion

Breathe one last breath before death

Screaming, gulping, emerge, crying

I awaken to a damp pillow

Wipe wet eyes and pray, “Stop COVID19.”

Ancestral Dreams (Choose art for Hispanic Heritage Month and write a poem that speaks to the artist’s work.)

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My poem was inspired by Carlos Almaraz’s pastels on paper called, “I Dreamed I Could Fly.” © 1986, Carlos Almaraz Estate

"I Dreamed I Could Fly" Carlos Almaraz, 1986

 

Ancestral Dreams

Standing tall and old
in front of my childhood home
was the tree that held the faces
of relatives long gone
of ancestors in chains
who called out to me
soundless
hands reaching
with love
eyes like guiding lights

Divine powers cloaked me
into sacred sap
down to invisible roots
“Fear not the flames
Nor the storms.”
Fires burned rooftops
Smoke billowed from windows
But heaven’s hallowed haze
Shifted to show me myself
Flying and free.

Back to School Nightmares (BTSN)

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My friend said he’s still having nightmares

After 23 years teaching

I thought

Every year of my entire teaching career

Before returning to my classroom

BTSNs devour my sleep

I’ve misplaced my classroom

I can’t talk when the students say hello

All the preparation is suddenly gone

My shoes are missing

I wore pajamas instead of my new clothes

A boy hits me and I hit him back

The principal decides to fire me

My lunch is rotten

My car is stolen

My alarm awakens me

I’m thinking I’ve found my car

But all I find is it’s time to wake up

And I haven’t even

Fallen asleep

Flawless Camouflage

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Behind flawless camouflage

lives

an unarmed soldier

naked

ashamed

of truth

wearing steel smiles

undetected metal

guarding her heart

joy-entrapping

black blinders

closed

until truth

gets leaked

between dreams

written in the dark

and words whispered

in the light

 

 

 

 

 

How to Remove Stains (Part 2)

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Every stroke of the brush

and the roller

up and down repetitions

hour after hour

permanently covering what was

revealing the beauty of what is.

A cool shade of grey

calm shade of blue

no signs of stains streaking through.

Organizing years of chaos

final phases of renewal

unidentifiable junk

unattached cords

broken bulbs

solicitation mail

forgotten dreams

trashed.

Photos

permanently stained

photos

of my babies’ love

photos

family facades

photos

in boxes

in albums

in frames

some display-worthy

some not safe for home

some ripped

like the bond

covered like painted walls

poured into drains

like murky water.

Peaceful awakenings

warm greetings

restful nights

stainless

wall-to-wall

heart-to-soul

tranquility.

Finally.

 

 

 

 

 

Tanka #20 Emerge

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Awakening from new dreams

old hallway sunshine drawings

light smothers darkness

fearlessly opening doors

where nightmares buried themselves

 

The Last Day of The 30-Day Poem

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Day 30

sunrays

I’m giving myself a chance

to dance again

to smile

or cry

thawing frozen feelings

reviving dead emotions

I never meant to bury.

Finding my gift of happiness

where welts warped its golden shroud

bows untied

releasing quiet pleasures

once trapped and tangled

stifled in shame

hearing my own laughter

I’ll never be the same.

Holding my hands

in prayer

holding my breath

in fear

holding my own

in preparation

for the day when you

finally fly

solo.

In the spirit

of loving forgiveness

I always pray

because anger

begets blocks

to blessings

to peace

to freedom

And I refuse to be silenced

noosed

bound

or trapped

behind the roars

of the

wounded.

Somewhere between

love and time

I fell into

darkness

between tics

and tocks

we

muted

the truth.

But as scripture says,

“The truth shall set you free,”

I also believe

that lies will keep you caged

and muddle

your life

in madness

in anxiety

in chaos.

God

loves me

enough

to

uncage me

and

soothe me

in

His perfect peace.

He will never

leave

me

and will not ever

forsake

me.

Does my face

show

secrets you hoped

no one would ever

know?

Or have I kept your

rusted anchors

down

low

where

genuine, honest, compassionate, kind, forgiving

love

should grow?

Being honest

with myself

permits me to accept

each time

your words cut

each time

my heart cried

each time

I believed

your lies

and knew some day

you’d see.

With open eyes

and clarity

my steps

leave prints

on new paths

toward destinations

where no hesitation

no condemnation

no frustration

can impede

what is meant to be

for me.

Sometimes

I feel God in the driver’s seat

holding me under His wing

around every turn

every hill

up or down

Then there are those moments

when His silence prevails

waiting for me

to take the wheel

and I know

He trusts me

when I drive.

I’m taking care of me

designing my future

painting pictures

in vibrant colors

writing poems

with high-definition

emotions

and looking in my eyes

without tears.

No more black-out years

no more financial fears

no more eggshells

to walk on

no more

denying me

for you.

I can’t be what I once was

I can’t become

who I’m destined to be

unless I replace

the life I can’t live

with one that

I can.

My new normal

embraces mornings

smiles in sunshine

heals after prayers

and tucks me in

layers

of

love.

I never knew

the power of preferred silence

meditating on the moment

listening to musical heartbeats

and sleeping soundly

in my own peaceful rhythms.

Waking to prayers of gratitude

sparkles of dust

dance on morning sunbeams

reminding me of spirits

that moved

while I slept.

Hate when my dreams

still spit fire

because it means

my sanity sessions

remain mandatory

until I awaken

to white smoke.

So many anticipations

of uncertainties

of victories

of falling facades

and sandcastles I kicked over

rebuilding belief

in the power of loving

myself.

In my private womb

preparing

to push

way down

through the canal

where renaissance

awaits.

My heart will beat melodic rhythms

and new favorite songs

will color rainbows

on walls

where faded pictures

of my old story

once hung.

I won’t ever deny

28 chapters

of my truth

with plot twists

and characters

who change

amidst a climax

of unexpected endings.

My spirit thrives

while carrying burdens

while covering inadequacies

while choking back tears

while building walls

that eventually come

tumbling

down

my spirit thrives.

Like the phoenix

rising

like the sun

I ascend

in a pink-ribboned sky

of limitless

possibilities.

Like the innocence

of a child

believing

nothing could be better than

popsicles

cotton candy

and rose-scented

grandmas.

Like the love story

with an ending happier

than I imagined

Like my favorite song

playing in rotation

forever

Like cookies baking

and I never have to hide

any

for

me.

Taking back

what is rightfully mine

looking back

only to smile

pushing back

worry or fear

standing back

as you go.

I deleted

pages

chapters

stanzas

that bled through bandages of lies

to write my new song lyrics

after our last goodbyes.

Magical melodies

resound

on the wings of my heart’s hope

on sighs of a quiet wish

on halos of light

now dancing

all around me

in

victory.

Day 29 of The 30-Day Poem

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Day 29

_DSC2021

I’m giving myself a chance

to dance again

to smile

or cry

thawing frozen feelings

reviving dead emotions

I never meant to bury.

Finding my gift of happiness

where welts warped its golden shroud

bows untied

releasing quiet pleasures

once trapped and tangled

stifled in shame

hearing my own laughter

I’ll never be the same.

Holding my hands

in prayer

holding my breath

in fear

holding my own

in preparation

for the day when you

finally fly

solo.

In the spirit

of loving forgiveness

I always pray

because anger

begets blocks

to blessings

to peace

to freedom

And I refuse to be silenced

noosed

bound

or trapped

behind the roars

of the

wounded.

Somewhere between

love and time

I fell into

darkness

between tics

and tocks

we

muted

the truth.

But as scripture says,

“The truth shall set you free,”

I also believe

that lies will keep you caged

and muddle

your life

in madness

in anxiety

in chaos.

God

loves me

enough

to

uncage me

and

soothe me

in

His perfect peace.

He will never

leave

me

and will not ever

forsake

me.

Does my face

show

secrets you hoped

no one would ever

know?

Or have I kept your

rusted anchors

down

low

where

genuine, honest, compassionate, kind, forgiving

love

should grow?

Being honest

with myself

permits me to accept

each time

your words cut

each time

my heart cried

each time

I believed

your lies

and knew some day

you’d see.

With open eyes

and clarity

my steps

leave prints

on new paths

toward destinations

where no hesitation

no condemnation

no frustration

can impede

what is meant to be

for me.

Sometimes

I feel God in the driver’s seat

holding me under His wing

around every turn

every hill

up or down

Then there are those moments

when His silence prevails

waiting for me

to take the wheel

and I know

He trusts me

when I drive.

I’m taking care of me

designing my future

painting pictures

in vibrant colors

writing poems

with high-definition

emotions

and looking in my eyes

without tears.

No more black-out years

no more financial fears

no more eggshells

to walk on

no more

denying me

for you.

I can’t be what I once was

I can’t become

who I’m destined to be

unless I replace

the life I can’t live

with one that

I can.

My new normal

embraces mornings

smiles in sunshine

heals after prayers

and tucks me in

layers

of

love.

I never knew

the power of preferred silence

meditating on the moment

listening to musical heartbeats

and sleeping soundly

in my own peaceful rhythms.

Waking to prayers of gratitude

sparkles of dust

dance on morning sunbeams

reminding me of spirits

that moved

while I slept.

Hate when my dreams

still spit fire

because it means

my sanity sessions

remain mandatory

until I awaken

to white smoke.

So many anticipations

of uncertainties

of victories

of falling facades

and sandcastles I kicked over

rebuilding belief

in the power of loving

myself.

In my private womb

preparing

to push

way down

through the canal

where renaissance

awaits.

My heart will beat melodic rhythms

and new favorite songs

will color rainbows

on walls

where faded pictures

of my old story

once hung.

I won’t ever deny

28 chapters

of my truth

with plot twists

and characters

who change

amidst a climax

of unexpected endings.

My spirit thrives

while carrying burdens

while covering inadequacies

while choking back tears

while building walls

that eventually come

tumbling

down

my spirit thrives.

Like the phoenix

rising

like the sun

I ascend

in a pink-ribboned sky

of limitless

possibilities.

Like the innocence

of a child

believing

nothing could be better than

popsicles

cotton candy

and rose-scented

grandmas.

Like the love story

with an ending happier

than I imagined

Like my favorite song

playing in rotation

forever

Like cookies baking

and I never have to hide

any

for

me.

Taking back

what is rightfully mine

looking back

only to smile

pushing back

worry or fear

standing back

as you go.

I deleted

pages

chapters

stanzas

that bled through bandages of lies

to write my new song lyrics

after our last goodbyes.

Day 28 of The 30-Day Poem

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Day 28

standing tallflower

I’m giving myself a chance

to dance again

to smile

or cry

thawing frozen feelings

reviving dead emotions

I never meant to bury.

Finding my gift of happiness

where welts warped its golden shroud

bows untied

releasing quiet pleasures

once trapped and tangled

stifled in shame

hearing my own laughter

I’ll never be the same.

Holding my hands

in prayer

holding my breath

in fear

holding my own

in preparation

for the day when you

finally fly

solo.

In the spirit

of loving forgiveness

I always pray

because anger

begets blocks

to blessings

to peace

to freedom

And I refuse to be silenced

noosed

bound

or trapped

behind the roars

of the

wounded.

Somewhere between

love and time

I fell into

darkness

between tics

and tocks

we

muted

the truth.

But as scripture says,

“The truth shall set you free,”

I also believe

that lies will keep you caged

and muddle

your life

in madness

in anxiety

in chaos.

God

loves me

enough

to

uncage me

and

soothe me

in

His perfect peace.

He will never

leave

me

and will not ever

forsake

me.

Does my face

show

secrets you hoped

no one would ever

know?

Or have I kept your

rusted anchors

down

low

where

genuine, honest, compassionate, kind, forgiving

love

should grow?

Being honest

with myself

permits me to accept

each time

your words cut

each time

my heart cried

each time

I believed

your lies

and knew some day

you’d see.

With open eyes

and clarity

my steps

leave prints

on new paths

toward destinations

where no hesitation

no condemnation

no frustration

can impede

what is meant to be

for me.

Sometimes

I feel God in the driver’s seat

holding me under His wing

around every turn

every hill

up or down

Then there are those moments

when His silence prevails

waiting for me

to take the wheel

and I know

He trusts me

when I drive.

I’m taking care of me

designing my future

painting pictures

in vibrant colors

writing poems

with high-definition

emotions

and looking in my eyes

without tears.

No more black-out years

no more financial fears

no more eggshells

to walk on

no more

denying me

for you.

I can’t be what I once was

I can’t become

who I’m destined to be

unless I replace

the life I can’t live

with one that

I can.

My new normal

embraces mornings

smiles in sunshine

heals after prayers

and tucks me in

layers

of

love.

I never knew

the power of preferred silence

meditating on the moment

listening to musical heartbeats

and sleeping soundly

in my own peaceful rhythms.

Waking to prayers of gratitude

sparkles of dust

dance on morning sunbeams

reminding me of spirits

that moved

while I slept.

Hate when my dreams

still spit fire

because it means

my sanity sessions

remain mandatory

until I awaken

to white smoke.

So many anticipations

of uncertainties

of victories

of falling facades

and sandcastles I kicked over

rebuilding belief

in the power of loving

myself.

In my private womb

preparing

to push

way down

through the canal

where renaissance

awaits.

My heart will beat melodic rhythms

and new favorite songs

will color rainbows

on walls

where faded pictures

of my old story

once hung.

I won’t ever deny

28 chapters

of my truth

with plot twists

and characters

who change

amidst a climax

of unexpected endings.

My spirit thrives

while carrying burdens

while covering inadequacies

while choking back tears

while building walls

that eventually come

tumbling

down

my spirit thrives.

Like the phoenix

rising

like the sun

I ascend

in a pink-ribboned sky

of limitless

possibilities.

Like the innocence

of a child

believing

nothing could be better than

popsicles

cotton candy

and rose-scented

grandmas.

Like the love story

with an ending happier

than I imagined

Like my favorite song

playing in rotation

forever

Like cookies baking

and I never have to hide

any

for

me.

Taking back

what is rightfully mine

looking back

only to smile

pushing back

worry or fear

standing back

as you go.

Day 27 of The 30-Day Poem

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Day 27

file7601267334526

I’m giving myself a chance

to dance again

to smile

or cry

thawing frozen feelings

reviving dead emotions

I never meant to bury.

Finding my gift of happiness

where welts warped its golden shroud

bows untied

releasing quiet pleasures

once trapped and tangled

stifled in shame

hearing my own laughter

I’ll never be the same.

Holding my hands

in prayer

holding my breath

in fear

holding my own

in preparation

for the day when you

finally fly

solo.

In the spirit

of loving forgiveness

I always pray

because anger

begets blocks

to blessings

to peace

to freedom

And I refuse to be silenced

noosed

bound

or trapped

behind the roars

of the

wounded.

Somewhere between

love and time

I fell into

darkness

between tics

and tocks

we

muted

the truth.

But as scripture says,

“The truth shall set you free,”

I also believe

that lies will keep you caged

and muddle

your life

in madness

in anxiety

in chaos.

God

loves me

enough

to

uncage me

and

soothe me

in

His perfect peace.

He will never

leave

me

and will not ever

forsake

me.

Does my face

show

secrets you hoped

no one would ever

know?

Or have I kept your

rusted anchors

down

low

where

genuine, honest, compassionate, kind, forgiving

love

should grow?

Being honest

with myself

permits me to accept

each time

your words cut

each time

my heart cried

each time

I believed

your lies

and knew some day

you’d see.

With open eyes

and clarity

my steps

leave prints

on new paths

toward destinations

where no hesitation

no condemnation

no frustration

can impede

what is meant to be

for me.

Sometimes

I feel God in the driver’s seat

holding me under His wing

around every turn

every hill

up or down

Then there are those moments

when His silence prevails

waiting for me

to take the wheel

and I know

He trusts me

when I drive.

I’m taking care of me

designing my future

painting pictures

in vibrant colors

writing poems

with high-definition

emotions

and looking in my eyes

without tears.

No more black-out years

no more financial fears

no more eggshells

to walk on

no more

denying me

for you.

I can’t be what I once was

I can’t become

who I’m destined to be

unless I replace

the life I can’t live

with one that

I can.

My new normal

embraces mornings

smiles in sunshine

heals after prayers

and tucks me in

layers

of

love.

I never knew

the power of preferred silence

meditating on the moment

listening to musical heartbeats

and sleeping soundly

in my own peaceful rhythms.

Waking to prayers of gratitude

sparkles of dust

dance on morning sunbeams

reminding me of spirits

that moved

while I slept.

Hate when my dreams

still spit fire

because it means

my sanity sessions

remain mandatory

until I awaken

to white smoke.

So many anticipations

of uncertainties

of victories

of falling facades

and sandcastles I kicked over

rebuilding belief

in the power of loving

myself.

In my private womb

preparing

to push

way down

through the canal

where renaissance

awaits.

My heart will beat melodic rhythms

and new favorite songs

will color rainbows

on walls

where faded pictures

of my old story

once hung.

I won’t ever deny

28 chapters

of my truth

with plot twists

and characters

who change

amidst a climax

of unexpected endings.

My spirit thrives

while carrying burdens

while covering inadequacies

while choking back tears

while building walls

that eventually come

tumbling

down

my spirit thrives.

Like the phoenix

rising

like the sun

I ascend

in a pink-ribboned sky

of limitless

possibilities.

Like the innocence

of a child

believing

nothing could be better than

popsicles

cotton candy

and rose-scented

grandmas.

Like the love story

with an ending happier

than I imagined

Like my favorite song

playing in rotation

forever

Like cookies baking

and I never have to hide

any

for

me.