The Muse You Give
I searched for her in Delphi's sacred hush,
in Homer's sea, in every star above,
in ancient scrolls, in dawn's first golden blush,
and found instead a smaller kind of love.
She came the evening you sat down with me,
no lyre in your hands, no laurel crown,
just kindness poured as simply as the tea,
and time that gently laid my burdens down.
You asked me how I was, and stayed to hear.
You did not hurry me, or count the cost.
And something woke that I had held in fear,
a small bright song I feared was long since lost.
So this, I learned, is the Muses' truest way:
not thundering from mountains, robed in flame,
but in a hand held out at close of day
that calls the weary poet by his name.
The elders said it long before my pen:
"A person is a person through the rest."
And every verse I offer, now and then,
is yours: the muse you gave, my grateful best.
Ndiyabulela, I give thanks, dear friend.
The muse you give is the muse that will not end.
Spare me some love, Fidelis—
the way a beggar spares a coin
from the hand of a saint,
or rain spares one roof
while drowning the village.
Give me what you have left
after you have fed the wolves,
after your heart has paid its taxes
to every stranger
who called it home.
I do not ask for the moon.
It has disappointed me enough—
always hanging above the ruins
like a witness too beautiful
to testify.
Give me a cup of your silence.
I have learned to drink from empty things.
I have kissed the rim of absence
until my lips forgot
what warmth was supposed to mean.
Spare me some love, Fidelis—
not all of it.
Only what remains
when the house is quiet,
and the last door closes.
Your colors matter
Wear the ones that speak to you
Bathe and eat them
Color can give you comfort
Artisans know this
They stimulate your dendrites
Right colors will inspire
Some are not given to massive flows of words.
They manage with meditations and musings.
Most of their thoughts never become words.
They are often boring and far less amusing.
They have no grandiose drive to be great.
They value the ability to be unique, to create.
They don't rush in where angels fear to tread.
Their hearts are full, but few are their words.
Most mental processing never produce words.
Their facials may not appear to be stunning.
Their inwards are singing harmonius words.
Give them time; you will hear them humming.
Give them time to unveiled inspirational words.
Give them time, and their lips will be singing.
Give them time and like a rose, they will blossom.
Give them time, and they just might be awesome.
Ten years have passed since that June day,
When we both vowed that, come what may,
We would stay true as man and wife:
Be ever faithful all through life.
Now I sit alone and wonder
How such love was cast asunder.
Still time before you close the door.
Will you stay on and try once more?
There long ago was soul,
Daring and bold,
Who shifted more weight than was told.
They made available themselves props
For the battles they immobilized and noticed
Their power taking hold.
Give yourself props, don't delay
You've achieved every step of your way.
When you delay and take heed
You'll see your own bull's eye
Has carried you day after day.
"Give yourself props, don't be reserved-
You endured what they swore you'd deny.
When you stop and take note of the strife you
Out-wrote
You'll see you're the reason you fly
Give yourself props- funny thing
How we clap for the minuscule of wins.
But the truth that you miss is you've
Interacted all this-
With grace that deserves violins.
What is it be human, complexity structure breath
Are we just dust of earth, breath without a soul
Molecular atoms functioning one thing keeps alive
Heart of being, emotional rollercoaster we breathe
What purpose to breath he give we walk
With reason right or wrong determines destiny
Good or bad shatters influence to great creation
Beauty bestowed upon with grace to mortality
To live pleasures of world outside of the spirit
Ghost without feeling dead inside depths darkness
Smile brings joy even through tears falling wet
But do we live heart or world inside it exist
Is our love more ourselves before others we place
Only together we survive achieved success in strength
What are we if not ourselves single functional organism
Breath He Give, out of love gave his only Son
Not perish, live life forever amongst hearts of mankind
He seen greater opportunity, breath he give;
just for you experience
Love in beauty and shared bond in heavens of peace
Breath he give, could be last; make everyday count
Like soul that breath's, even if just air we live
How to give.? Why give? In giving we can reach out..Renewal springs from giving..Giving
Is more powerful if from a glad spirit.' In
Fertile increase beleive.' For giving echoes of abundance.' God is truly so.' Rich in all things, both spiritual and physical..Give and reap in the Name above all names, feed the spirits of those you meet, give to
Your animals, speak soothing words to them, open your spirit to God, and He will
Open your spiritual ears and eyes ever more, for He is the source of all that uplifts, He dispenses all that endures in
Goodness, praise Him as you rise, as you
Work.' As you prepare for sleep, let blessings be upon your lips continually
Praise the Lord for He alone is worthy.!
Dad in a chair in the dark
in a room of wooden walls
and dusty DVDs
and an empty glass
by his sensitive feet
My sister slashing colors,
and redefining direction
on canvas
in a house by a highway
a fat cat looking bored
by the door
My other sister
never made
the same mistake twice
a teacher, a wife,
a lady who barely touches
tequila
or thrives on sarcasm
(like me)
I run in circles
on a vinyl record
on repeat
comforted by redundancy
and the even turns
of an even road
of an even life
Mom, when you are telling a story
you don't stop between sentences
to breathe,
so, you run out of air
I love that about you
The sky scattered her shards of clouds
this afternoon
the cicadas rattle for the sake of living
Leaves drop undramatically
from crepe myrtle trees
NEVER GIVE UP
We still have many stars and planets above and far
from us so go ahead, put a friendly message in a bottle
and throw it to the water keeping your thought open like
a book
Whatever you do and wish, get out of your box to socialize
and never give up- this is a message from the Lord which all
need to hear
Long as you leave your box then unbottle your feelings and hopes
there is no true reason to give up or even into discouragement
no matter where it comes from
So, strum a guitar and go somewhere to dance or take lessons
with a smile taking caution not to fall into a pile that’s not sterile
Do something you have never done before and worry not
what others think of you-Never Give Up!
P=People live their life one day,
A=After the other.
T=Tests come in different shapes and sizes.
T=Today will be gone soon,
E=Emerging a new day of challenges.
R=Ready to run the race to the end,
N=Never giving up, Amen.
Eileen's Poem was put to song in Honor of her heartfelt and deeply talented work. I haven't noticed her participation in the soup lately, so offer up my prayers for her and her loved one to be safe. God bless Eileen and Thank you Eileen for this emotionally riveting song.
If you failed love,
Make friends.
Out of them,
One you may choose.
From there,
Forge to develop true friendship.
Then, learned to love again.
Don't just give up the whole forest
Just for one tree.
give me the wilderness
fox, deer, beaver, skunk
moss, mushrooms, violets
maybe a small stark cabin
like Thoreau
rustic and remote
with electricity and internet access
I have a thousand reasons not to work,
but I have only one reason to work, and that is my dream.
I have no motivation, no discipline anymore,
I only have a dream. I worked yesterday, I work today, and I will work tomorrow.
A thousand failures stand in my way,
yet for the sake of one victory, I refuse to give up.
I am enduring every defeat, every insult, every humiliation,
because one day, my time will come.
I am breathing for one reason alone,
because one day, this dream will come true.
I have no reason to live,
yet I am still here because I have a dream.
Sub Categories
Looking for the formal definition, structure, and history of this poetry form? Visit the Poetry Dictionary entry below. Then return to explore how PoetrySoup members bring the form to life through their own poems.