First Poetry Renderings

I have never been a big reader (or listener) of poetry, mostly because my inclinations have been more to music and prose. I do remember poetry being introduced in English literature classes throughout high school, but it never caught my attention...although some memorable limericks do come to mind. I have always enjoyed writing, whether personal letters or academic manuscripts, and of late my reflections have taken on a more poetic flavour. So, I have started experimenting with this style of writing and offer my first original poems such as they are. NB: While these are "final" drafts, they likely will be tweaked (at least one needs a better title).

Seasonal Fickle Lover (temporary title)

Hot and attractive you are,

Wedged between renewal and letting go,

You bring radiance and life,

In a brief tantalizing dalliance.

Your warm embrace surrounds,

Nourishing the bounty that grows afield,

A companion to multitudes,

Whose respite is timed during your visit.

Oh, but a temper you can have,

Growing dark and menacing at times.

Fiercely roaring like the Leonine sign

That coincides with your visit up north.

Easily bored in no time,

Like a fickle uncommitted lover,

You cool off and, no warning,

Depart without so much as a good-bye.

But I know, dear sweet summer,

You cannot resist returning again,

Tempted by change of seasons,

You will return next year with new promises.

A Powerful Four-letter Word

Such power that’s held in a four-letter word,

Is both amazing and mysterious.

Transformational or disruptive be,

Impact and consequences serious.

It’s something that people often cling to,

Or completely yield in abject despair.

For many, it’s faith all encompassing,

And, for most, an aspiration to share.

When strong, the force can reshape attitudes,

Move personal mountains and spirits raise.

But, sometimes, it can be false and fleeting,

And, perhaps, feed a delusional phase.

Yet, in its absence, vacuum of purpose

Or meaning or will may be created.

Feelings of loss and dreading magnified,

And, sometimes, life becomes futile or hated.

Sparking a rollercoaster of thought, can

Drive emotions through twists, valleys, and heights.

To exhilarate and/or extinguish,

Ones motivations, desires, and delights.

The core part of a gambling addiction,

An element key for many to cope,

Whether it is lost or springs eternal,

Such is the power of four letters - hope.

Best Intentions

What are “best intentions”?, one might ask,

For we are party to them in daily life.

A good deed that is witnessed in others,

Or a vocalized excuse after an intended act,

Or, sometimes, a commitment left unfulfilled.

If viewed as a judgement of another,

The observer may correctly assume,

The person means well in whatever they do.

When follows the associated deed,

No matter the result the intention was good.

The Good Samaritan is such an example,

Whose good deed is directed to one in need,

A selfless act of mercy or kindness.

Whose action is one with best intentions and

A measurable outcome is the result.

But what of a best intention without action,

What purpose does it serve?

Unlike the deed of a Good Samaritan,

No action can be observed or evaluated;

It remains only a thought…hidden and undone.

When uttered aloud, an intention is but a wish or hope

That falls on the ears of others to,

Perhaps, raise expectations or impress.

And if no action is intended or follows,

It merely remains an unfulfilled aspiration.

But a hope raised in false expectation is hardly “best”,

It will only leave others disappointed.

And if a voiced intention is meant to impress,

The lack of results will become evident,

Like the promises of so many politicians.

So, “best intentions” are, I believe,

Well-meant desires, hopes, and wishes that are

Followed through in action with conviction and purpose.

For best intentions without action remain nothing but

Aspirations without consequence.