apples hang low
forgotten honey bees
tiny legs, heavy pollen
lemons make moving weary
overcast your eyes
spurs surge from pores
discerns a sense of being
akin to the caterpillar in cast
front legs, in cement crack
grow up you say
who are you
I recognize you not
To continue reading, go to Hotel Masticadores, and please be sure to like (if you do), comment, and subscribe.
NOTE FROM AUTHOR: This poem is based on an experience I had. Often, we are judged by those who genuinely don’t know everything about us, yet they hurt us with their words. I would venture to say many people in this fantastic community have tender hearts, so be gentle with your words. Perhaps save your thoughts if you have nothing good or nothing kind to say – Let the cleansing smell of the rain wash those thoughts away!
Here’s a Bible passage I’d like to share with you this Thanksgiving Day:
“Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”
James 2:12-13 NIV
I just finished reading the whole poem. It’s amazing.
Thank you so much Priscilla, may your day be blessed my friend. Love and hugs, Joni
You are so right Joni and you’ve chosen the perfect and precise words to express it. Happy Thanksgiving Day and all the best to you both!
May God bless you and Gül and thank you for your prayers – hope you two are with friends and loved ones today. Thank you both for reading Francis. Give my love to Gül. Sending many blessings to Güls mamacita as well. Muy entusiasmada con tu nuevo trabajo, me encantaron tus bailarinas tan hermosas. Las cosas están mejorando para el libro y estoy emocionado de comercializarlo con el trabajo de ambos.🌹
Thank you so much dear friend! Many blessings and peace to you both always!
May you both be blessed always as well my dear friends!
Thank you dear Joni and Scott! Blessings and love to you both.
Thank you so much dear Joni. Wishing you both many blessings, joy and peace always!
🙏🌹
Congratulations, Joni. Wonderful poem.
Happy Thanksgiving Tim and thanks for reading me on a day when many people are with family. Much of my family is on line. I am sending you and your lady lots of blessings today my friend. I bet it is cold there, we love that the weather is colder here and in the summer we have some wind and of course the only loud sounds are the cows given birth to their babies about a month ago. The stars are bright and so is the moon. love and hugs, Joni
Wow Joni,
you start us off slowly, visually,(where is this going?) and then Boom!! You knock us off our feet, with this searingly emotional ending.
«…language searing
clog my brain
with fearsome pain
grow up you say
my scars can wrap a mummy
in linen for a lifeline
my soul was old at six
grow up
grown up
just saying
still praying»
It left me breathless! Happy Thanksgiving dear Joni.. I give thanks for knowing you 🙏
I hope you had your beautiful children with you today, Alhamdulillah my friend. What a precious message dear friend. Your beautiful comment mean so much. Such is life my friend. We are blessed that you share the beauty in our lovely and blessed world through 3rd world. Your video «Gino Butterfly was magnificent and breathtaking.» You definitely need to watch on the big screen, such beauty and a lovely piece to watch today on youtube or your site. Thank you for reading my piece and again for your beautiful comment my friend. We are blessed with your gift and Scott was just speechless with the colors, doors, incredible fashions, the real like movement and photos of the family. The end of the life of this beautiful person shown at the finale with your family with outstretched arms on him was such a beautiful way to end this masterpiece and Dale is a genius too. Big hugs and Alhamdulillah my beautiful, talented friend.
Awww You’ve brought me tears sweet friend. We don’t celebrate Thanksgiving normally here, so this year we didn’t have one, but we have had them in the past and it’s a beautiful celebration of sharing and caring truly. Thank you for seeeing all the little details and the fact that Scott was so enthralled is just wonderful. The film was shot in 4K so it should blow up well on a TV screen:) I have never seen our movies that way…but someday perhaps we’ll break down and buy a smart TV hehe. I almost never watch it.. But really your poem, touched me also very deeply…I wasn’t prepeared for the ending and boy..it sure did grab me by the neck,,, Hugs you tight, for all you have lived in your life and for all your pain boyh phsyical and emotional that have surrounded you for so long. May you be pain free my dear friennd. InshAllah.. It is my prayer for you.
Oh thank you my dear friend. Also, thank you so much for your prayer, InshAllah . . . Scott found a site for me today with more Muslim words and their meanings. Yes, the movie is beautiful on the big screen, it covers every inch so beautifully and the gorgeous fashions were breathtaking too. We were both so touched that for 35 years you were all family. Again, the ending of your and Dale’s work with the movement and color were so magnificent. I had to watch the butterfly leave it’s chrysalis on the bed and fly through the wooden pillars of the roof of the house three times, just so beautiful. The detail of each painting must of taken days for each card, months and months of collaboration from two very talented individuals that have shared 20 years of making these breathtaking environments with such beauty. I think the reason I can’t watch your work without crying, which we both were crying together through much of this piece, is the sheer beauty and love that you watch and you can’t help but say – God made this beautiful world why can’t we just love one another. Some day my friend there will be peace and a world we all share that will be more beautiful then any of us can imagine. Love you sweetie and may the rest of your week be special and filled with inspiration. InshAllah
Love you too and your beautiful wishes for the world. InshAllah peace will prevail. 🙏🙏🙏
🙏🙏🙏 InshAllah peace will prevail! Goodnight my friend. Blessings to your beautiful family and friends.
A beautiful and thoughtful poem! Stay blessed! Happy Thanksgiving!
Dearest KK thank you so much and blessings to you my friend. May life bring you joy and light each day my wise friend. My husband cooked home made pizza and made apple cookies for Thanksgiving. We try to remember to give thanks for our shelter, food, safety, and the rights we have and hope that all people will one day have the safety, healthcare, shelter, food, and love that we are blessed with this day. The inequality in our world seems to get worse almost daily and as we think of the Native Indians and how we almost wiped out an entire nation of people that originally lived in North America, we continue to suppress cultures all over the world that are different then white Americans, it is also a day to feel sadness. Native Americans loved nature and respected all creatures of the earth. I am grateful to have such a wise friend like yourself. Sending you big hugs dear friend. Love Joni
I’m overwhelmed by your generous and heart touching words. Consider me as a fellow Indian. In fact as human beings, all are alike irrespective of caste, creed, race, gender or nationality. Inequality or discrimination in any part of the earth is the shame to humanity.
I agree, we should be thankful for whatever we have received so far. Your husband seems to be a good cook, you should be proud of him. You’re a pure hearted person, and it’s a pleasure to meet you on this platform. Thank you for your wishes that I heartily reciprocate. Much love to you!
What you said is so true, my friend, and thank you for speaking the truth, as you always do. I have always read your work because of the wisdom that is clearly there. You are so right, no one should ever be judged based on caste, Creed, race, gender, or nationality. Discriminatory practices are a shameful practice in the world and have no place in humanity. We should also be careful not to judge others. I know you are thankful for what you have. It comes across in your post all the time my friend. Yes my husband is a very good cook and I love to eat what he prepares. Thank you for your kind words about me I feel the same way about you, and I’m grateful and thankful to have you, and call you my friend. Many blessings, KK. ❤️
You’re welcome, always! Love and blessings to you ❤️💐
❤️🌷
Joni…I don’t comment often as life is hectic…but I read and appreciate your poetry!
No family to celebrate with, but our 55+ community put on a marvelous dinner and we met new friends! Thank you for being ‘out there’ for us. Blessings!
Dearest Virginia you are a blessing indeed! I am so touched that you chose to let me know that you picked me to share this beautiful comment and to read my work. I am touched truly. Some times those in the community become our family for all kinds of reasons. People are blessed to have friends that are like family. I have always said if you can say you have two dear friends you are a blessed soul. Sounds like you had a wonderful gathering and making new friends is such a wonderful blessing indeed. I am indeed out there with my truth and as long as God gives me a voice and the ability to use my hands I will continue to tell my truth. I know millions of people are affected by injustices all over the world and one day love for all will prevail. God bless you and your friends. I sure am grateful for my friends on line, each and everyone. Thank you for this kind comment again and Blessings to you!!
Congratulations! I left my comment over there.
Thank you so much Dawn. You seem like me, it is hard to comment on the day people write. Often I have to go back, but in this cause I am very tardy because of our sick doggie. Hope you are having a blessed day. I am going to catch up on MasticadoresUSA and of course read Hotel. I wish I could read more as there is just so much great writing going on. Blessings to you always, Joni
Yes, it’s overwhelming sometimes. I feel like I’m always behind. Have a beautiful Xmas today!
Women do most of the working – or have things changed that much. Haha had to say it. There are way too many expectations in both men and women these days. Let everyone wait on you the rest of Christmas. Big hugs 🥰
I wish . . . But I wish the same for you!
🦋✨🦋