THE WORLD TO ME -- Blogophilia 17.6

Blogophilia Week 17.6 - On The Bookshelf

Bonus Points:

(Hard, 2 pts):   Incorporate a song title by Prince
(Easy, 1 pt):  Include a drink made with vodka

 

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THE WORLD TO ME

A wide open book
is the world to me,
each page an adventure
to places I've never been,
firing up my imagination
and setting me free
to roam,
to explore
places faraway
and nearby,
every day to travel
in every direction
under the sun,
oceans and deserts
and mountains so high
and touching the sky.

I can sail within the pages
on frigates and tall ships,
to places far-flung
all over the globe
and to the ends of the earth.
I can soar with my kite
above white puffy clouds
and swim with the dolphins,
and explore depths of the sea
as I happily read each word
of the books nestled
on the bookshelf
right next to me.

And somewhere between
awake and asleep,
as I close my eyes
for just a second
and put up my feet,
I put down my book
and sweet dreams
sweep in upon
a mountain breeze
and call my name,
as they overtake
my heart and my mind
transporting  me once again
to where I've just traveled
from my easy chair
through the pages
of the book I've read.

(c) barbara kausteklis 6-19-13

Written for Blogophilia 17.6/"On the Bookshelf"

https://www.facebook.com/notes/marvin-martian/blogophilia-week-176-on-the-bookshelf/574208122600409

GUESSES

TOPIC SUBMITTED BY:  Sharonlee

PICTURE SUBMITTED BY:  David II

PHRASES:  Back to back, role reversal, open book, opposites attract, back to the future, time warp, comical, shoulder to shoulder, avid readers, out of character, life is an open book, book ends, character actor, novel ideas, paperback writer, superhero, on the wall, mutual admiration society, friends, pulp fiction, opposites attract, odd fellows, checkered past, nose in a book, staring straight ahead, friends, paperbacks, through thick and thin, sitting up straight, shoulder to shoulder, shoulder high, imaginary friends, One Life to Live, Days of Our Lives, life stories, Biography Channel, Action Comics, action figures, superheroes, hero worship, book break, story time, silent reading, back breaking, life stories, past and present, life reading, light reading, story time, Odd Couple, out of character, losing face, two's company, can't tell a book by its cover, switching places, looks can be deceiving, shoulder blades, book cover, reading matters, Black Beard's Ghost, characteristic . . . . such fun and mental gymnastics guessing, but they are just that . . . . guesses. 

VODKA DRINK INCLUDED -- Mountain Breeze

PRINCE TITLE INCLUDED-- Call My Name

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Thanks always for your visits and comments.

Lots of Love and Big Hugs.

~barb~

TRANSFORMATION'S PROMISE (with photo)

 
TRANSFORMATION'S PROMISE
 
As the muted glow of evening
flows into the night,
I can't help but reflect
upon what I see outside
and how nothing ever
remains the same
from one day to the next,
changing,
evolving
all the time,
from minute to minute
growing,
transforming,
before my eyes.

And I reflect
upon the beautiful butterfly
as she puts me in a trance
within her iridescent winged waltz
among the roses of summer
and the precious blooms of spring,
of transformation's promises
fulfilled in symmetrically
kaleidoscopic ways,
my attention transfixed
upon the magic they weave
as they waltz among
the blossoms gracing
my garden and my heart.

And as I watch them
every changing,
I'm captivated and in awe
as spellbound by their beauty,
my heart skips a beat
and smiles,
my eyes awakened
as they continue to see,
stirred,
refreshed,
transformed once again
by their waltz as I join in.

For beneath the brilliance
of an afternoon sun,
my heart smiles
as awakened by the beauty
my eyes see,
stirred,
refreshed,
transformed
once again
from within
and without,
as a butterfly emerging
from sorrow and doubt,
the way more clearly seen,
again revealed within
the the butterflies
dancing among beads
of morning dew,
the self that was buried
so deep inside
transformed anew
on this summer morning
and kissed on the cheek
by golden rays of dawn.


(c) barbara kausteklis 6-17-13

 
Written for Apollo Blessed Challenges Abound/
Inner Metamorphosis Challenge

 
http://apolloblessed.ning.com/group/challenges-abound/forum/topics/inner-metamorphosis-challenge

 
Thanks always for your visits and comments.

 
Lots of Love and Big Hugs.

 
~barb~

SOMETHING IN THE AIR TONIGHT (with photo)

SOMETHING IN THE AIR TONIGHT

There’s something
in the air tonight,
can’t quite figure out
exactly what it is —
something that makes
my thoughts drift and wander
and encourages me
to think about things.

Part of me hopes
that the rain will come,
washing away
any residual sadness and fears.
And part of me hopes
that the sun shines bright
and chases away
all those clouds and tears.

I can’t make up
my mind at all
just how I want
this day to be.
So rain or shine,
I’ll be happy
and will welcome
whatever happens
to come my way,
whether rain’s pitter-patter
on the roof over my head
or sunbeams streaming
through the window
next to me,
rain or shine
will soothe
this heart of mine.

(c) barbara kausteklis 6-5-12

Written for Inspiration Nook/"Groovin' and Movin' With Bettie"

http://www.friendburst.com/blog/89762/groovin-movin-bettie/

Selected song titles used 
(from the list of them posted in the challenge):

IT WILL RAIN
PART OF ME
IN THE AIR TONIGHT

Thanks always for visits and comments.

~BARB~

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/

WORDS ALONG THE WAY

WORDS ALONG THE WAY

I find it really hard
to even find the words
to say just how I feel
when it’s time
to say goodbye.
There are no words
adequate enough
to begin to express
how I’m feeling
or exactly why
I feel this way.

So I’ll simply write down
these inadequate words
and say it like this:
I’m so very glad
that our paths crossed
as they did,
a most happy accident
that must have been
meant to be.

Goodbye isn’t a word
that’s really in my heart,
not a word I ever use
even when far apart.
Things happen for reasons
I seldom understand,
so I’ve stopped
the second-guessing
and trying to figure
them out.

You’ve taught me
such a lot of things
in so many different ways.
And there’s no way
to repay the joy
you’ve brought
to my heart.
And in the future,
should our paths cross again,
I’ll remember these times
and the smiles they brought.
And as I wish you well
on the journey ahead
I know that you’ll find
smooth sailing along the way,
that the paths you travel
will lead exactly where
you want them to go.

(c) barbara kausteklis 6-4-12

I've been so very blessed by all who have
crossed my path on this incredible journey
and wish them well on the new paths
they're traveling as I continue to hope
that we'll cross paths once again.

~barb~

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~

DINNER FOR TWO -- Blogophilia 14.5

Blogophilia week 14.5 - "In Order to Live with Myself"

Bonus Points:
(Hard, 2pts): use the words "Waiter! Check, please."
(Easy, 1pt): mention the Full Moon
Final date to post BLOG: June 2, 2012 - Saturday, midnight Pacific Time
Final date to post ALL GUESSES: June 1, 2012 - Friday, midnight Pacific Time
Please highlight or otherwise point out your bonus points attempts.

Guess correctly who submitted the topic... and a correct guess at who submitted the picture earns you additional points.

Guess correctly the secret "word or phrase" earns a chance at more points. Including the secret word or phrase within your blog content earns an additional point!!

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DINNER FOR TWO

The years have slipped by,
out of my grasp
and into the past.
Gone are those times,
life's canvas ever-changing
with the dawn of each new day,
each moment treasured,
good or bad,
and safely tucked away.

Those years have fallen away,
one by one,
almost unnoticed,
some as though they never were --
those days when I too often
presumed
and assumed
that everyone else was right,
that what I thought
didn't matter at all,
that I needed
everyone else's approval
for what I did,
for what I thought,
for who I was,
for who I would become.

But now the years have passed
and I finally,
after all this time,
have a new best friend
and know exactly who I am.
It's taken a long time,
but the time has finally come,
that I'm comfortable with myself
and I don't want
or need to be
anyone else
but the me I see.
With all my quirks
and all my faults,
I know I'm just like
everyone else,
just human
and just right.

And when I look into the mirror
and see my own blue eyes,
I know I've finally met
and become my own
very best friend.

So tonight,
as the full moon shines
through the window of my heart,
I set a table for two --
candles
and flowers
and music
just so,
for I dine tonight
at this table for two
in the company of the one
who has finally become
her own best friend.

I dine together
with Myself tonight
as we're finally enjoying
each other's company
and able to look each other
right in the eye
in order to live with
my own best friend,
Myself.

In celebration, My Friend,
dinner tonight is on Me
So Waiter, check please!
I'm more than thrilled
to cover this bill.

(c) barbara kausteklis 5-31-12

Written for Blogophilia 14.5/
"In order to live with myself."

http://www.myspace.com/blogophilia/blog/545791392


GUESSES


TOPIC SUBMITTED BY: Sharonlee

IMAGE SUBMITTED BY: Christopher





PHRASES:

Porta-Potty, hitched, Hitch, parking stall, Johnnie on the Spot, toilet trike, toilet tricycle, toilet seat, pit stop, bathroom stall, one-seater, three-wheeler, road commode, locked up, on the line, crossing the line, all the necessities, porcelain throne, bathroom break, tricycle stand, rest stop, restroom break, taking a break, hitching post, biobreak, office on wheels, tipsy, top-heavy, all the all the comforts of home, Clueless in L.A.

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Thanks always for all visits and comments.

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.

WITHIN THE REALM OF POSSIBILITY -- Blogophilia 13.5

Blogophilia week 13.5 - "Absolutely Never ... well ... MAYBE"

Bonus Points:
(Hard, 2pts): include the words "haunting numbers" .... and a pair of dice showing 2 and 6
(Easy, 1pt): include something that needs liquid fuel

Final date to post BLOG: May 26, 2012 - Saturday, midnight Pacific Time
Final date to post ALL GUESSES: May 25, 2012 - Friday, midnight Pacific Time

Please highlight or otherwise point out your bonus points attempts.

Guess correctly who submitted the topic... and a correct guess at who submitted the picture earns you additional points.

Guess correctly the secret "word or phrase" earns a chance at more points. Including the secret word or phrase within your blog content earns an additional points.

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WITHIN THE REALM OF POSSIBILITY


So many times
thoughts have passed
through my head,
daydreams and musings
about things that I've read
or heard or simply
wondered about.
And I've taken a brief look
and to myself have said,
"Never, no never,
would I ever do that.
Not a chance in the world;
at no time and no way
would I do such a thing.
No, I'd never do that."

For I'd love to be able
to spread my wings and fly;
to soar with the seagulls





to waltz among the flowers
with the butterflies of spring.
I'd love to be able
to fly like a kite,
holding on tight
and so colorful and bright.



And what fun to be able
to sit on the edge
of a puffy cloud as it floats
across a pale blue summer sky.
And I'd love to paint patterns
across that summer sky,
flying in that little plane
up so very high.




And suddenly it occurs to me
that while I've always said
that you'd never ever find me
behind the controls
of a single-engine plane
or in the basket
of a hot-air balloon,
or dangling from a parachute,
my feet way up off the ground,




it's certainly
not out of the question
and could be
a very grand adventure
for me.

In fact,
It might only take
one crazy
roll of the dice
a whim,
a dare,
a couple of
haunting numbers,
the pair of dice
showing two and six



(a rather interesting mix),
what used to be
absolutely never,
well, maybe in the future
and not beyond
the realm of possibility.

(c) barbara kausteklis 5-23-12

Written for Blogophilia 13.5/
"Absolutely Never ... well ... MAYBE"

http://www.myspace.com/blogophilia/blog/545754587


GUESSES:

Topic Submitted By: Christopher

Image Submitted By: Steve/slj



Phrases: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, Dazed and Confused, Rocky Horror Picture Show, The Three Stooges, Cinderella, Fried Green Tomatoes, Clueless in L.A.
Something that needs liquid fuel -- A plane

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Thanks to Marvin for all his hard work
and to all the Blogophiliacs who submitted the wonderfully challenging prompts and themes and images as I look forward to the new series of Blogophilia challenges which begin next week.

~barb~

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.

OF SIX OR FIVE (OR MAYBE EVEN FOUR) -- Blogophilia 12.5

Blogophilia week 12.5 - "When I was just a child"

Bonus Points:
(Hard, 2pts): Incorporate gauché as a feeling or an anime character
(Easy, 1pt): Include the word "Placebo"


Final date to post BLOG: May 19, 2012 - Saturday, midnight Pacific Time
Final date to post ALL GUESSES: May 18, 2012 - Friday, midnight Pacific Time

Please highlight or otherwise point out your bonus points attempts.

Guess correctly who submitted the topic... and a correct guess at who submitted the picture earns you additional points.

Guess correctly the secret "word or phrase" earns a chance at more points. Including the secret word or phrase within your blog content earns an additional point.

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




OF SIX OR FIVE
(OR MAYBE EVEN FOUR)

I was barely six
or maybe five or four,
when I learned these things
and really so much more
as my mother sat us down
(my brothers and sisters and me)
on the floor at her knee
and read those stories
that I so very well recall.
She read to us of Peter Pan
and Mary Poppins
and a bear named Pooh.
Christopher Robin
became my best friend
as I listened to those stories
when I was just a child
so very long ago.



I learned about places
where I never thought I'd go,
Timbuktu and the North Pole,
the Rive Gauche of Paris,
Mushroom Planets in the sky
and voyages way down
to the bottom of the sea,
all so very intriguing to me.
It was the best medicine
in all the world
for a kid like me,
no placebo necessary
for my mother's stories
were quite enough.

I learned the color
of the evening sky,
"skybluepink" it was,
my mother said,
and as the day
melts into the night
I recall those words
she told me when
I was just a child
of six or five
or maybe even four.



I learned to listen
and I learned to imagine
and I learned to ask
the reasons why.
All these things
and so much more
I learned way back then--
when I was just a child
of six
or five
or maybe even four.



(c) barbara kausteklis 5-16-12

Written for Blogophilia 12.5/"When I Was Just a Child."
http://www.myspace.com/blogophilia/blog/545718891

GUESSES:

TOPIC SUBMITTED BY: Christopher
PHOTO SUBMITTED BY: Dahlia


PHRASES: Fly Away Home, A Diamond is a Girl's Best Friend, Diamonds are Forever, Diamond 13, Blood Diamond, A Bugs Life, Loose Diamonds, Diamond Dogs, Ladybugs, Ladybug Ladybug, The Pink Panther, Flashdance, Diamond Head, Black Diamonds, Splendor in the Grass, Red-Handed, The White Diamond, Diamonds in the Sand, Barbie and the Diamond Castle, Rules of Engagement, A Very Long Engagement, The Five Year Engagement, The Engagement, The Notebook

GAUCHE -- Used La Rive Gauche -- Quoting Wikipedia,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rive_Gauche_%28Paris%29

La Rive Gauche (French pronunciation: [la ʁiv ɡoʃ], The Left Bank) is the southern bank of the river Seine in Paris. Here the river flows roughly westward, cutting the city in two: looking downstream, the southern bank is to the left, and the northern bank (or Rive Droite) is to the right.

"Rive Gauche" or "Left Bank" generally refers to the Paris of an earlier era; the Paris of artists, writers and philosophers, including Pablo Picasso, Arthur Rimbaud, Paul Verlaine, Henri Matisse, Jean-Paul Sartre, Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald and dozens of other members of the great artistic community at Montparnasse. The phrase implies a sense of bohemianism and creativity. Some of its famous streets are the Boulevard Saint-Germain, the Boulevard Saint-Michel and the Rue de Rennes.

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/