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Winter's Antidote

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O Winter, why this desolation? Trees, once verdant now stand bare Flowers, long in hibernation; clouds that frown with ominous stare, Bleak winds chill the rain-soaked bones and blow the leaves from yard to yard Winter is for hardy souls whose skin is thick when life runs hard. Come quickly, Spring, just weeks away, fulfill your promise: life anew A ring to give, a vow to make, a oneness where there once were two A fleeting, tragic, rain-drenched moment. One is gone, just one is left. Foul Winter, taking one too soon, and leaving one too soon bereft. Intrepid one - my dear, strong niece - you face the future minus one Yet Spring is poised to soon return with yet another hope-filled sun I throw a penny of good wishes in your fountain of love lost What's this? Another penny there; another, and another tossed... By end of week a million pennies tossed by those whose love pours out A million small expressions of compassion for your winter drought You're not alone, O precious one, you live enveloped by so many Hope is winter's antidote; and love is spring's eternal penny. Written the week my niece's 29-year-old fiance died in an automobile accident, 2 months shy of their wedding day. Written 8 Mar 2015

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Sam Kauffman

Date: 7/8/2022 10:00:00 AM

"Spring's eternal penny," "hope is winter's antidote," "I throw a penny of good wishes in your fountain." John, you have so amazingly combined a hug of solace and a vision for the future in the symbol of the penny. This is just out of the park and into the parking lot magnificent and shines a light on your poetic gift!!! This is a beautiful offering of compassionate expression. Blessings dear friend!

Andrea Dietrich

Date: 7/8/2022 9:38:00 AM

soupmail for you

Valsa George

Date: 7/7/2022 9:52:00 PM

What a tragedy to be met with ! Seasons do tell upon one's mood and spirit ! The dull winter with the trees denuded of leaves, animals in hibernation, men shut indoors and a chill biting into the bones is a miserable time especially for one beset with such an unsxpected turn of fate. Let the love, you and her loved ones pour on her keep her sane. Definitely another spring will come for her. This poem ringing with subjective elements leaves a greater impact, dear John. So touchingly narrated !

Christuraj Alex

Date: 7/4/2022 5:16:00 AM

"You're not alone, O precious one" - Great solace. Congratulations!

John Watt
Date: 7/4/2022 1:07:00 PM

Thank you for this kind and thoughtful comment, Christuraj. I'm glad you found solace in these words ~ John

Jenna Logan

Date: 7/4/2022 3:40:00 AM

John, I was not on site when this was originally posted, so it makes me doubly glad to read it now on the marathon winning list. Congratulations! It's a terribly sad telling of the tragedy that touched your family. Thank you for sharing the thoughts in your heart.

John Watt
Date: 7/4/2022 1:07:00 PM

Thank you very much, Jenna. The wonderful thing about this marathon contest is the opportunity it affords us to visit some of the older poems that maybe slipped by our radar, or were posted before we started here. Thank you for your touching comment, always appreciated my dear friend ~ John

Susan Ashley

Date: 7/3/2022 9:01:00 PM

My dear PoBro, it's such a pleasure to return with my heartiest congratulations for your excellent win in Mark's contest. I relished the chance to partake of this deeply emotional, beautifully expressed poem once again, the tragic impact of which is not diluted with multiple reads. I'm so glad to see in your response to John Hamilton that your niece is now happily married. How wonderful for her! It's an honor to share the podium with you, my inspiring friend. Both your genuine heart and golden pen shine, John. Warmest wishes and hugs.. ~your PS-PS

John Watt
Date: 7/4/2022 1:05:00 PM

Thank you dear PS-PS! My heart is afloat in the warm waters of your compassionate friendship. This was a hard write, though very cathartic. I hope it helps others who are in a situation of consoling the grieving or who are themselves grieving. I was going to officiate their wedding and we were scheduled to meet the day after the accident happened. I have rarely been hit this hard by death, but my remarkable niece has recovered well and is thriving, thanks to the support network surrounding her. Grace and peace to you ~ PoBro

Andrea Dietrich

Date: 7/3/2022 11:33:00 AM

I am glad this personal favorite of yours made the winner list, John. It's so hard to know which poems to submit. I have tons that I want to submit and yet, picking the one that will please the sponsor, THAT is the real trick!! Big congrats, my friend.

John Watt
Date: 7/4/2022 12:59:00 PM

Thank you very much, my friend. You have left many comments here, because you know how much this one means to me. You are incredibly supportive. Congrats to you too, your marathon is going very well!

Mark Massey

Date: 7/3/2022 8:26:00 AM

Beautiful and tragic John, this is a very emotional piece. Well done. Congrats on the placement and good luck in the rest of Mark’s race.

John Watt
Date: 7/4/2022 12:57:00 PM

Thank you for the visit and encouragement, Mark. I hope you continue to do well in this marathon, it's been a pleasure to read your amazing poetry.

Mark Toney

Date: 7/2/2022 3:06:00 PM

What a tragic event for your niece, you, and the rest of the families involved. Based on your comment to Andrea below, writing the poem seems to have been a healing experience and spiritual experience too. Thank you for sharing your heart with us, John. Congratulations on your win on Mile 5 of my 2022 Poetry Marathon Contest. Mile 6 has already started, and guess what? You're currently tied for 6th position overall! You can find the current standings in my blog post.

John Watt
Date: 7/4/2022 12:56:00 PM

Mark, thank you for the generous placement and the contest update. Mostly, for your compassionate reply. This was a hard one to write and post, but cathartic. And I hope it helps others who find themselves in a similar situation.

Andrea Dietrich

Date: 12/20/2020 4:14:00 PM

Just returned to see what you consider one of your very best. I can see why you think so, John because it was SO heartfelt. And I think also you told me it flowed from you, right?

John Watt
Date: 12/20/2020 4:41:00 PM

Exactly. It's as though somebody else wrote it and whispered it in my ear. Very healing experience for me. Thank you, dear friend for coming back to this one and encouraging me so much. I need it.

Andrea Dietrich

Date: 11/8/2020 11:38:00 AM

I'm so glad this one won with Constance. You were robbed on that first contest!

John Watt
Date: 11/8/2020 10:35:00 PM

Thank you for thinking so, Andrea! Hugs ~ John

Constance La France

Date: 11/8/2020 5:19:00 AM

John, congratulations on your win in my HM's and NA's October 2020 Challenge with this excellent and emotional poem _Constance

John Watt
Date: 11/8/2020 10:34:00 PM

Thank you for giving this one a second chance, Constance. I so appreciate the placement ~ John

Susan Ashley

Date: 11/6/2020 7:52:00 PM

My dear friend, it is my pleasure to return to one of my fav poems and offer you my congratulations for your fine win in Constance's contest. John, it was wonderful to revisit this poignant emotional gem again. Warmest wishes always.. ~Susan

John Watt
Date: 11/6/2020 11:07:00 PM

So grateful, dear friend for your warm and generous affirmation. You always inspire me by your lovely comments. You are kind to return to this, and to remember it from before! Many thanks, and have a great weekend!

Eve Roper

Date: 11/6/2020 10:52:00 AM

John, you've created a beautiful imagery for this heartfelt poem. Congratulations on Constance contest. Hugs Eve

John Watt
Date: 11/6/2020 11:24:00 AM

Thank you for the read and heartwarming comment, Eve.

John Hamilton

Date: 9/26/2020 4:48:00 PM

A wonderfully sad composition, too bad I didn't read this 4 years ago, a fabulous write, so sorry for your niece and the situation, what a tragedy! How is she doing now after 4 years passed?

John Watt
Date: 9/26/2020 5:26:00 PM

Thank you for the kind words, and for asking about my niece. She is happily married and as sunny a person as you'll ever meet. I saw her just this morning, in fact. Her resilience is legendary. It was one of the saddest days of my life, and the poem just wrote itself.

Laura Leiser

Date: 9/26/2020 11:01:00 AM

Came back to revisit this excellent poem, John. It’s beautifully written, sad and poignant. I am putting it in my faves! Ps. I saw that I had first responded to this back in 2016, and had encouraged you to write for PS contests...look at you now! Yay! :)

John Watt
Date: 9/26/2020 3:24:00 PM

Thank you for that first visit, 4 years ago. You really were a huge support to me then, and now. I learned a lot from you about the value of leaving a kind, uplifting comment. Thank you also for the revisit and fave and sweet thoughts. You are such an encourager!

Andrea Dietrich

Date: 9/26/2020 10:19:00 AM

Aha, and I see you took the poem from one of my FAVES!! Awesome.

John Watt
Date: 9/26/2020 3:20:00 PM

Thank you for reminding me of that. You sure know how to support your poetry buddy!

Andrea Dietrich

Date: 5/25/2020 1:45:00 PM

and ANOTHER fave of mine from before!! Yes, I HAD seen all the poems on your list. soupmail.

John Watt
Date: 6/8/2020 9:56:00 PM

You are very good to me!

Michelle Faulkner

Date: 5/14/2020 11:56:00 AM

This flows with such a melancholy melody - I am glad she has found love again - your words here are so graceful and nurturing-

John Watt
Date: 5/14/2020 1:11:00 PM

Bless you for your compassion, Michelle. She really is an amazing individual, so resilient and talented, positive and uplifting. One of her many talents is directing plays and she greatly encourage my daughter to act and sing in a community play she directed. So giving. Thank you for your kind visit and words ~ John

Gary Radice

Date: 4/18/2020 6:41:00 AM

As poignant as it is brilliant.

John Watt
Date: 4/18/2020 8:13:00 AM

Grateful for your read and very kind words, Gary.

Susan Ashley

Date: 3/13/2020 11:03:00 AM

Yet again, I am beyond impressed by your beautiful, soulful and inspiring talent, John. Your poem is a metaphoric beauty filled with such sad imagery of mourning, longing and loss.. and hope. I loved every emotional line that seeped deeply to fill the depths of my heart, and I especially loved the loving embrace of the last impactful line of this magnificent piece. Your poet's note is heartbreaking and sears the soul when reading this piece. A poetic and emotional gem and a Fav! Warmest wishes always, my dear friend.. ~Susan

John Watt
Date: 3/30/2020 1:01:00 AM

Susan, I sadly let this beautiful comment slip by me and just now found it. Your compassion is deeply felt, my friend. As I mentioned to Andrea, my niece Laura is married, happy, and moving forward with life. This is one of the few poems in life that felt like an out-of-body experience. Very little work, no editing, it seems as though the words were whispered in my ear. Thank you dearly for taking time to read and comment on this with such a benevolent spirit and encouraging pen. Hugs ~ John

Andrea Dietrich

Date: 2/27/2020 7:57:00 PM

wow, John. this is so sad what happened, but you made such a beautiful poem out of the circumstances. Did all those pennies of love touch her soul? Is she married today and happy? Back here in 2016 you were showing marvelous ability with meter and with metaphor. FAVE

John Watt
Date: 2/27/2020 8:05:00 PM

Bless you for your read, fav and compassionate reply, Andrea. She is happily married now, and yes I must say she was very touched by all the expressions of love. Hugs ~ John

Laura Leiser

Date: 5/25/2016 12:52:00 PM

Such a beautiful sonnet here, John! I love the imagery and metaphors as you describe winter...such excellent description! I'd love to see you enter a poetry contest for more exposure to your poems...just a thought :)

John Watt
Date: 5/25/2016 6:39:00 PM

Thanks for the encouragement, Laura! I appreciate your taking the time to read and comment. I have entered 2 or 3 contests; we'll see how they turn out...