Relish The Good
A setting sun
tugs at the seams
of my life like an
angry seamstress.
Time fades,
as scars rise
from a cruel rape
when I was eighteen.
Hope peeks earnest
as burnt red skies
flirt with memories
of a lost childhood.
Freedom as hair flies
on a rusty bike down
an unpaved road to
cash in pennies for candy.
Gasps from subtle
lack of my heart’s
normal beat
stretches like aging skin.
A youngster lost
in the viscera of
booze and abuse
calling to her Savior.
To continue reading, please visit Hotel Masticadores, and I would be honored if you enjoyed this piece, if you would like, comment and share. Thanks again to Michelle for this publication and for being such an advocate for fellow artists in our community.
Please also be sure to keep the Philippines in your thoughts and prayers as they continue to recover from two typhoons that have thus far killed over 100 people and displaced more than one million people.
Have a wonderful weekend, and enjoy a couple of additional photos taken along the Roanoke River from the Blue Ridge Parkway!
Heartfelt words!
Thank you so much Sara for reading and your kind comment. It truly means a lot. Many blessings to you.
It’s my pleasure Joni! Your words are powerful and I can ‘feel’ them!
Thank you so much Sara. It means a lot. ❤️
❤️🤲
Wonderful that your heart-touching poetry is published on HM, Joni. Congratulations!
Thank you so much for reading dear Timothy. I hope you and yours are having a wonderful weekend my friend. Many blessings. 🙏❤️
It’s wonderful that your heart-touching poetry is published on HM, Joni. Congratulations!
Thank you my friend for reading my work. It means a lot. Little snippets of memories of our lives buzz by and many of the bad ones are cloudy as we get older and reminders of the blessings remain. Thanks again my friend. 🙏❤️
You’re very welcome, Joni. My comment didn’t show up, so I entered it again, making it a repeat.
That is ok, two comments are an extra treat. Thank you Timothy, you are so kind.
ooh… congratulations Joni, I am going to head over now to finish this piece.
Thank you dear Nigel. It is always a pleasure to be on Hotel. Happy Saturday my friend. Hugs from VA. ❤️
Blessings, Joni darling
Happy weekend my friend. Big hugs from both of us.
Cheers hun.
You to. We both seen hugs, prayers and love.
Beautiful and profound as always, Joni. Every stanza tells a tiny story, and each leaves an indelible mark on the soul. Your imagery sets you apart from all other poets–it’s just that good. There’s so much emotion here, too, and your style is so recognizable. Another Joni Classic. And your nature photos are stunning and gorgeous. Superb stuff, my friend.
Wishing you and Scott the best, as always. 😊
Mike, you always make me smile with your extremely kind comments. I am so glad that you enjoy this style of mine. Moments or snippets of time, memories that come to me during the day. Some days it is melancholy and I think of something beautiful as I look outside at the life in the trees and hear them talk but then sad memories flood through as well, as so much of nature was part of both good and bad memories. I think you understand this too. I try to write with my own style and it is just the way my mind works. Thank you so much Mike for commenting on both sites and for your compliments of the photos as well. Sending our love your way, always. ❤️
Heartbreaking. 💔
Dearest Anna, thank you so much for reading and your comment. It is kind of you to read this piece as I know it is difficult for you. It is heartbreaking for all those who really can’t just ignore the memories. There is just too much trauma. Happy Sunday to you dearest Anna. Sending my love, appreciation for your friendship and prayers for family. Joni 🙏❤️🙏
<3 <3 <3
Each word so visceral of your young self strung of your raw heart which truly pierces the incredible horror of having to go through that. “Hope peeks earnest as burnt red skies flirt with memories of a lost childhood. Freedom as hair flies on a rusty bike down an unpaved road to cash in pennies for candy.”
Brilliantly written, my friend! xx
Dearest Cindy, thank you for this beautiful and well thought out comment. It is strange how these moments in time still hit me at times and bring the memories vividly back. I had a dear friend when I was still young that had grown up similarly but she was more like my age now, “Wait till you get older, these thoughts and times get harder to digest.” She was a very successful artist in New Mexico and I was able to forgive both of my parents which I am unaware if she ever found forgiveness. However, for me it was easier, I think, because before I was thirty both of my parents had committed suicide. This allowed me to eventually find forgiveness and realize that they had grown up with their own demons, and the blessings that I had of books and therapy was never something available to them. If there is Grace for me there is certainly Grace for them. Thank you again, so much, for this very thoughtful comment. Love Joni