COLOR-SPLASHED (with photos)

COLOR SPLASHED

There was a time,
not so very long ago,
when the colors
of the rainbow
were completely
hidden from sight;
I simply couldn't see
all the beauty in life;
blinded as I was
to what was right
in front of me.
Every day seemed
exactly the same
as it was the day before,
little joy to speak of;
the thrill had dissipated,
each day just bit more strife.

And then I finally decided
that I had had quite enough
and made a huge change,
reclaiming my time,
and my life,
and the me
who had somehow
gotten lost in the gray
of life's days.

And in a relative instant
I began once again to see
the colors of the rainbow
that had begun to elude me.
The gray of my days
burst into rainbowed colors
so vibrant and clear,
as though never having left me
as I had begun to fear.

And as I look out
upon this world
through these eyes
that had begun to overlook
what had been there all along,
I marvel at God's handiwork,
the colors of the rainbow,
the ever-changing blues
of sea and sky,
the vibrant greens
of grass and trees,
the golden sun,
the rich brown earth,
the reds and pinks
in the gardens I see.
And as this new day
begins to unfold,
I can only be thankful
for what I can now behold.




(c) barbara kausteklis 6-6-12

For CPC Wonderful Wednesday/
"Let's Make a Color Run."

http://www.friendburst.com/blog/90209/color-run-wonderful-wednesday-cpc/

NO REGRETS (with photos)

NO REGRETS

Remembering sweet times
puts a smile on my face,
recalling those moments
in our own special place;
memories warming
my heart and my soul
like those times we listened
to that good old rock and roll
when safe in your arms
my heart felt so whole.

We share precious memories
we never will forget,
a life spent together
without any bit of regret.
And though time continues
to fly by ever so fast,
memories beginning
to fade into the past,
I recall how the stars aligned
on the day we met
and treasure each moment
strolling down memory lane
and all the times we have ahead
to spend together even yet.





(c) barbara kausteklis 6-2-12

Thanks for the sweet memories
and for sharing your lines with me:
Angel Love, Diane, and Mindy.

A Collab written for the "Saturday Share/
"Strolling down memory lane (required line).

http://www.friendburst.com/blog/89857/saturday-share-30/

Lines Selected in addition to my own:

Strolling down memory lane (Angel Love) - REQUIRED
When life was simple not having to change (Diane)
Recalling the moments at our special place (Angel Love)
As we listened to that good old rock and roll (Angel Love)
Safe in your arms how my heart felt so whole (Mindy)
Times spent together without regret (Angel Love)
How the stars all aligned on the day that we met (Mindy)
Fond thoughts cross my mind time and again (Angel Love)
Time flies by ever so fast (Angel Love)

SANDCASTLES -- a June Acrostic Pic/Poem

SANDCASTLES

Sun-drenched sands
And surf running high,
Never-ending fun from
Dawn 'till setting sun,
Catching the rays of June
And riding the waves,
Sandcastles and sunshine
Tickling my toes.
Let's have lots of fun
Enjoying surf and sun --
Summer's finally come.

(c) barbara kausteklis 6-1-12

Written for CPC "Friday Fling/
The Friday Fling Discusses June Acrostically."

http://www.friendburst.com/blog/89716/friday-fling-discusses-june-acrostically/

Thanks always for your visits and comments.

~barb~

DREAM-FISHING

DREAM-FISHING

Endless summer afternoons
we spent at the river's edge,
fishing poles in hand
and wearing straw hats,
so patient we were back then.
We'd watch and wait for hours
for the biggest fish to strike,
just summertime kids,
freckle-faced and tan,
kids with nothing more
important to do
than to catch those fish
and make big plans.

While on those lazy afternoons
down at the river's edge,
almost all we ever thought about
was just how big those fish would be,
at the end of the day,
as the sun began to sink,
we'd head home with
the fish we caught
knowing that the river held
more fish than us kids
could ever catch.
There'd still be fish
there in the morning
when we'd go
back there again,
down at the river's edge,
fishing for our dreams
and making even bigger plans,
along with some fishing
we'd do along the way.



(c) barbara kausteklis 2011/2012

For CPC Thematic Attic/"Summer Time is Water Time."
http://www.friendburst.com/blog/89319/thematic-attic-thursdaysummer-time-water/

I can't even begin to believe that it's June 1st
and that summer is right around the corner.

Thanks always for all visits and comments.

~barb~

FRIENDSHIP'S SONG

FRIENDSHIP'S SONG

Friendship's song,
the sweetest sound,
delighting my heart
on this loveliest of days,
bringing joy and cheer
even to winter's cold
and throughout the summer,
as with vanishing showers
these warm days unfold.

(c) barbara kausteklis 5-30-12

Written for "Pic-Apart" Poetry.

http://www.friendburst.com/blog/89692/pic-apart-celebrates-elizabeth-barrett-browning/

SUMMER'S DELIGHT (with photos)

 
SUMMER’S DELIGHT

Summer’s flower,
such brief delight,
plucked with love
on warm days content;
dear birds sweetly singing
their joyful summer song
to brighten and cheer
and bring a renewed smile
to this heart of mine.





(c) barbara kausteklis 5-29-12

Written for Pic-Apart Poetry/
'Celebrating May With Elizabeth Barrett Browning.'

http://www.friendburst.com/blog/89692/pic-apart-celebrates-elizabeth-barrett-browning/

The idea of "Pic-Apart" Poetry (which is open now and throughout tomorrow) is to select 25 words from the featured poetry posted (this month two pieces by Elizabeth Barrett Browning) and to create a new piece using only those 25 selected words. The words may be used more than once and the tenses changed.


Thanks for all visits and comments.
 
~barb~

FOREVER THANKFUL -- Magic Monday

FOREVER THANKFUL

They cross my path
each and every day,
everyday heroes
simply doing what they do.
For no attention paid
they simply go about
the business of their day;
just ordinary folks
just like you and me,
doing extraordinary things
as they silently go
along their way.

They’re just ordinary people
doing the things they do
with their own special touch
and crossing my path
when I’m not looking
and when I least
expect them to.

But it doesn’t take long
for me to know
they’ve been here,
my world made
so much better
through their presence
and loving touch.

I’m so blessed by them
and by all that they do,
everyday heroes
simply doing
what they do
as they go
about their day.

(c) barbara kausteklis 5-28-12

Written for CPC Magic Monday/
"Do our Heroes Have a Certain Kind of Magic?"

http://www.friendburst.com/blog/85906/heros-kinda-magic/

Thanks always for your visits and precious comments
and for finding the pieces I post as so many of us are still so very invisible to one another.

Big Hugs.

~barb~

WITHIN THE FRAGRANCE OF PEACEFUL (with photo)

WITHIN THE FRAGRANCE OF PEACEFUL

Within the stillness
of this moment
toward the end
of a very long day,
I stop here
for just a moment,
retracing the steps
that brought me here.
I come here to this place
where the fragrance of peaceful
bathes my sometimes weary heart
in sweet waves of serenity.

I come here
to evening’s garden
that brings closure to my day
in bands of sunset splendor
painted across the twilight sky.
And as I linger
for just a little while
among the precious blooms,
my spirit restored,
my senses soothed,
peace once more returns
to my ever so restless heart.
And within the stillness
of this moment,
as the moon rises
above the hills,
I inhale the peace
of the garden
with the setting
of the sun.

(c) barbara kausteklis 5-24-12

Written for CPC Thematic Attic/
"Thematic Attic Celebrates Garden Meditation."

http://www.friendburst.com/blog/89314/thematic-attic-thursday-celebrates-garden-meditation/

IN MEMORIAM 2012

IN MEMORIAM 2012

They gave
their lives,
our freedoms
preserved.

Heroes rest here;
they sacrificed
for me.





(c) barbara kausteklis 5-25-12

A Septolet written for CPC Friday Fling/

“The Friday Fling Writes Memorial Day Septolets.”
http://www.friendburst.com/blog/89334/friday-fling-writes-memorial-day-septolets/

According to ShadowPoetry.com, "the Septolet is a poem consisting of seven lines containing fourteen words with a break in between the two parts. Both parts deal with the same thought and create a picture."

http://www.shadowpoetry.com/

We do have so many to remember 
and to thank for the freedoms that we enjoy.

THIS MOM'S PRAYER . . . . LOVE, MOM (with photos)

THIS MOM'S PRAYER . . . .

When each one of you
were born into my world,
time stood still
while my heart
skipped a beat
with the wonder
of it all.
I savored each moment,
your tiny hands and feet,
miracles in every way
and treasures I'd always keep.
And as I've watched you
grow and thrive each one,
and become what
was certainly meant to be,
not children anymore,
I'm reminded on each birthday
and on every day in between,
how much my life has changed
since you came into my world,
as I never for one moment
doubted what you'd become.

And as you have developed
into your independent selves,
I couldn't be more thankful
that so many dreams
do indeed come true.
For as I look
into your eyes today,
still so clear and blue,
I still see the wonder
and the magic that has been
there all the time,
that innocent amazement
that I first saw in your eyes
when you first arrived
into my world.




And my prayer for you,
each one of you,
now that you are grown,
is that you never
lose even one tiny bit
of that inner child
that sees so much
of what so many of us don't --
through eyes that see the rainbows
even on cloudiest of days,
and the blue skies
that always re-appear
after each and every storm;
through eyes that see
what things are like
before time and life
can get in the way.
And that is my hope
and dream for you
on this another day.

Love, Mom

(c) barbara kausteklis 5-23-12

Written for CPC "Wonderful Wednesday
Writes About The Wonders Of Babies."

http://www.friendburst.com/blog/89393/wonderful-wednesday-writes-wonders-babies/

RENDEZVOUS AT DAWN -- Magic Monday

RENDEZVOUS AT DAWN

They gather together
in that quiet place
at the first breath of dawn,
where the silence of the morning
speaks in a hushed whisper,
where a renewed canvas
awaits our gathering,
where the colors of the day
begin to assemble one by one.

And I meet them there
where they gather.
And I listen carefully
to what they have to say,
those ideas gathered together
in that quiet place at dawn.
And I try to understand
as they converse
amongst themselves,
the birds just beginning
to sing their morning songs.

I try to make
some sense of it all,
those ideas I hear
as the sun begins to rise.
And I catch snippets
here and there,
random thoughts,
impressions,
images,
words dancing
across the empty spaces
of this morning’s canvas.

And I jot them down,
some of those ideas
that delight
in confounding me,
before they have a chance
to slip away,
to evaporate
into a busy day.
For it is
in the quiet
of my morning
that those ideas
of yesterday
and today
and sometimes
even of tomorrow
slowly find their way
to my hand
and to my pen
and to this blank page
that lays on the desk
in front of me.





And so it it is
that the lines and words
that tumble ’round and ’round
within this blank space,
making little sense all alone,
but begging for company,
meet together at dawn
and try to make some sense
of life’s bits and pieces
as the birds begin to sing
their melodies of a new day.





(c) barbara kausteklis 5-21-12

Written for CPC Magic Monday/
"Creating Magic With Your Ideas."

http://www.friendburst.com/blog/85897/creating-magic-ideas/

LESSONS RECALLED (with photo)

LESSONS RECALLED

Driving past the park
last Friday night,
I couldn’t help but notice
all the fancy cars
stretched out
tricked out,
lined up in a row,
hand-polished to perfection
and almost blinding
in the late-afternoon sun,
on display for all to see –
limos of all shapes and sizes,
would-be princes
and princesses
dressed up
(or down)
to suit their fancy,
cameras flashing,
flowers blooming,
last-minute alterations,
parents beaming.

I wondered to myself
(but certainly should have known),
what occasion on a Friday night
could possibly bring out
such a huge crowd.
And then I remembered,
(how quickly we can forget)
the time of year,
this night on the town,
what occasion it was –
the Senior Prom,
of course,
and I should have known.

What happened to those days
when we decorated the gym
with pastel streamers
and crepe paper flowers,
when our parents drove us
and dropped us off
and picked us up again
at precisely ten?

And the limos
drive off
one by one,
and the parents wave
and hope for the best,
knowing that there will be
many lessons learned
and that things
aren’t always
as they seem to be
on prom night.

(c) barbara kausteklis 5-18-12

Written for the Friday Fling/
The Friday Fling Has a Fable-ous Time At The Prom
(this week featuring a fable/poetic story with "moral" format).

http://www.friendburst.com/blog/88898/friday-fling-fable-ous-time-prom/

Thanks always for your visits and comments.

DROP BY DROP -- a Photo Haiku

DROP BY DROP

Thoughts gently falling
within the center of Now
in search of myself.

(c) barbara kausteklis 5-16-12

A Haiku (5-7-5) written for Wonderful Wednesday
which today celebrates Asian beauty and culture
and features Haiku and Senryu poetry format.

http://www.friendburst.com/blog/88651/wonderful-oriental-wednesday-2/

WILDFLOWER ELOQUENT (with photos)

WILDFLOWER ELOQUENT

Muted elegance
of a springtime afternoon,
catching my eye
and touching my soul,
the wildflowers of spring
that speak so eloquently
to my heart as I inhale
their sweet fragrance
and count their petals
one
by
one.


So perfectly understood,
the language that they speak,
their straightforward simplicity
and what they say to me
as nurturing and safe,
they’re so fragile
yet so strong.


I watch them as
they sway
and bend
but never break
in the sweet breezes
of this afternoon;
and I marvel
once more
at their resilience
and their strength,
inhaling their fragrance
and eloquent presence
as they speak in silence
to something deep
within me.

(c) barbara kausteklis 5-14-12

Written for CPC "Magic Monday/
"Give Us The Magic in your WildFlower Power."

http://www.friendburst.com/blog/85889/magic-flower-power/

Thanks always for all visits and comments.

~BARB~

TWO FEET OF HAPPINESS

In celebration of FEET . . . .

A bit of fun with feet
in a rather Dr. Seuss-ish way.





TWO FEET OF HAPPINESS

Oh the people you meet
and the great fun you’ll have
when you head out the door
and use your two feet.
They’ll take you wherever
you’d ever want to go
when you open the door wide
and just take a step outside.
One foot in front of the other
then two steps, then three.
It will be so much fun,
just you wait and see.

There’s no need to dress fancy
or to put on high heels;
barefoot will do just fine
depending on how you feel.
Just go as you are,
open the door
and step outside;
your feet will be happy
and you’ll be smiling inside.
Your feet will be ecstatic,
and jumping with glee,
running here
and running there
and running everywhere
for there’s just
so much to see.

So open the door
and explore what’s outside;
just a few steps to start
and you’ll certainly see
how happy you
and your two feet
can possibly be.

(c) barbara kausteklis 5-11-12

Written for the Friday Fling/
"The Friday Fling Fetes Feet Seuss-Style."
http://www.friendburst.com/blog/88378/friday-fling-fetes-feet-seuss-style/

TICKLING OUR TOES (with photos)

TICKLING OUR TOES

I love that feeling
of soft grass on my feet;
I love how it feels
as it tickles my toes.
It simply makes me giggle
as my toes begin to wiggle,
feeling free as a bird
as a gentle breeze blows.

It’s such a beautiful day,
no time to feel blue;
spending a day
romping in the grass
has to be one of
my favorite things to do.
So cool and soothing
from the summer heat,
it’s a sweet sensation
that absolutely can’t be beat.

So let’s go dance in the rain
and let the wet grass
slip through our toes;
let’s dance among the raindrops
and beneath the arches
of magical rainbows.
Let’s dance with the wind
and leave all our stress behind
drifting off with the fragrance
of orange blossoms
floating upon the breeze.

Let’s dance once more
to the music of life
and the feeling of soft grass
as it tickles our toes.




(c) barbara kausteklis 5-6-12

Thanks, PALS, for sharing your wonderful
lines with me: Angel Love, Diane, Michelle K,
Scotorum, Flossie, and Me, Barbara K.

A Collab written for this week's CPC "Saturday Share."

http://www.friendburst.com/blog/88132/saturday-share-26/

Thanks always for your visits and comments.

~barb~

DANCING WITH THE SEASONS (with photos)

DANCING WITH THE SEASONS

Summer breathes a sigh,
shadows of late afternoon
giving way to Autumn,
leaves floating to the ground,
waltzing upon the breeze
as I marvel at their grace.
And as leaves of fall
have blanketed the ground,
crystalline snowflakes glisten
in a winter morning’s sun;
I join them in their dance
as they waltz into my heart.

And together we dance
to meet the dawn of spring,
winter melting away
as we greet this day
sheer unbridled joy,
a dance of new life
flowers blooming
and buds bursting
and birds singing
a brand new song.





(c) barbara kausteklis 5-2-12

Written for CPC "Wednesday Meet and Greet/
Dancing My Heart Away."

http://www.friendburst.com/blog/86752/dance-heart-away/

Thanks always for your visits and comments.


~barb~

MOTHER'S LILACS OF SPRING (with photos)

 
MOTHER'S LILACS OF SPRING

Mother loved the lilacs
that bloomed every year
the pride and joy of her garden --
I remember them so very well.
They filled up
the once-empty corner
of our big back yard
and our hearts,
and their sweet fragrance
always meant to her
(and to me)
that the deep snows
of winter had melted away,
that life was returning,
that indeed it was spring.



But nothing in life
ever remains the same;
and eventually we moved away
from the lilacs of spring.
And every year since
those sweet spring days,
I've looked for the lilacs,
so few to be found.
But today I went looking again
for the lilacs of my youth,
the fragrance I'd never forget
and the wonderfully subtle colors
that always meant it was spring.
And I found them
in a most unlikely spot
and inhaled those memories,
planting them in my garden
as I recall my mother
and her lilacs of spring.



(c) barbara kausteklis 5-3-12

Written for "Thematic Attic/Mother's Favorite Flower."

http://www.friendburst.com/blog/87894/thematic-attic-thursday-celebrating-mothers-favorite-flower/

Thanks always for all visits and comments.

~barb~

UPON SPRINGTIME BREEZES -- Collab with Photos

UPON SPRINGTIME BREEZES

Fields of butterflies
flying so free in the Spring,
free as the wind blows
and as the sun is high,
they float upon breezes
before landing at my feet.
Their colorful beauty
catching my eye,
the butterflies touch my heart
as they playfully pass by.
Wings in flight connected
as we all become one,
miniature painted canvases,
they sparkle in the sun.

On this springtime afternoon,
as I watch them spread their wings,
we soar together in my mind
up past the clouds,
way up in the sky.
And I waltz with the butterflies
as they float through the air,
not a dry eye in this flight so fair.
But soon our tears will dry and fade
as spreading their wings,
they’ll fly high and away,
leaving us their beauty
and memories rare and sweet,
as out of their cocoons
they’ve emerged and left
treasures behind for us to behold,
as the butterflies are free.
most precious gifts
to each one of us.



(c) barbara kausteklis 4-28-12

Thanks to the following Pals
for sharing their lines with me:

Angel Love, Bettie, Michelle K, Mary Margaret,
Flossie, and Me, Barbara

Lines selected in addition to my own:

Butterflies are free (Angel Love)
Fields of butterflies flying free (Bettie)
Free as the wind blows and the sun is high (Bettie)
Their colorful beauty catches my eye (Michelle K)
As I do gauge as they pass me by (Bettie)
Flights of wings connected all becoming one (Mary)
The beautiful sights as we pass by (Michelle K)
Soon these tears in our eyes will dry (Angel Love)
Tomorrow will be a brighter day (Angel Love)
Out of the cocoon in a new world to see (Michelle K)
Spread your wings and fly free Flossie

****************

Thanks always for your visits and comments.


~barb~

IMPASSIONATA'S TRANCE (with photos) -- Magic Monday

IMPASSIONATA’S TRANCE

Flames dancing
with a magic
and life of their own,
consuming my emotions
and spinning them around,
their delicate dance
igniting a passion deep within,
enlightened moments
within the flames
enveloping my soul.

Emblazoned against
a velvet midnight sky,
every fear swept away
and into the night
as enraptured by
their hypnotic spell,
I’m drawn once again
into their lyrical dance,
flames finding their way
through winding passageways
so long concealed
and into my heart
as I’m mesmerized
within the trance
of midnight’s blaze
and Love's impassioned dance




(c) barbara kausteklis 4-30-12


Written for CPC Magic Monday/
"The Magic of Our Passionate Hearts"

http://www.friendburst.com/blog/85337/magic-passionate-hearts/

Thanks always for visits and comments.

~barb~