appreciation of life

Free Verse: Tame the Fire

/ Linda J. Wolff | Founder of Wolff Poetry Literary Magazine / 15 Comments

In this free verse poetry, “Tame the Fire.”

In this free verse poetry, I was a six-year-old girl. My family lived on a farm in the countryside of Hayden, Id. It was a perfect Saturday, the weather was cooler, we were heading into fall.

Image of Free Verse Poetry: Tame the Fire

It was perfect for burning trash in the old barrel on the side of the old shed. I was watching my brothers burning trash when something horrible happened. Life can change as quickly as a shift in the wind. I’ll describe through words in poetry.

Free Verse Poetry: Tame the Fire

At five and seven what did they
know of fire?
Nothing until that day.
Sticks and a barrel of flames.

Of fire that eats flesh, leaving you like
a sun-dried raisin.
Running, and laughing with fire,
it loves the wind and cloth.

It eats cloth.
It ate my brother’s leg.

He ran screaming, running from the
flesh-eating fire.
I ran too. I ran to get mother.

Mother was “the fire tamer.”

Mom threw him upon the
ground, like a rolling pin.
Rolling him back and forth,
like she was rolling out bread dough.

Bread she would make every Saturday.
Mother snuffed out the flesh-eating fire.

©2017 Linda J. Wolff
|Tame the Fire|

Urban free verse poetry

What is a Free Verse Poetry? Typically patterned by speech rather than meter, this form of poetry is very open to the author’s discretion and usually does not rhyme. Visual and sound effects are often employed.  It can have as many lines as the writer wishes.

THINGS TO DO HERE: 

—a digital art and poetry WordPress blog—

Tame the Fire, urban free verse poetry, poetry, enlightenment, life, daily prompt, inspiration, appreciation of life, children, playing with fire, fire

This could also be an ekphrastic poem for The Ekphrastic Review, of describing life among stars.

Daily Prompt for You:
Tame

Free Verse: Hibernation.

/ Linda J. Wolff | Founder of Wolff Poetry Literary Magazine / 9 Comments

 

In this free verse poetry, “Hibernation.”

This poem is from an observance of watching children from day to day and how the seasons play a role in their behavior. I believe the seasons have voices and stir the changes in one’s soul. Watching children throughout the year provide lenses for me to view not only the reactions that have offered inspiration but to experience life through their eyes.

Image of Free Verse Poetry: Hibernation

Free Verse Poetry: Hibernation

Hidden inside the groping,
fingers of fall, besides,
the old Pinewood apartments
we stand to wait for the yellow bus.
All year their excited voices rise and fall
like the changing leaves.
But here, they are quieted and still.
On the cusp of winter, cold air
penetrates like piercing ice sickles
in a foot thick of snow.
I insert my hands to the warmth
—Melting shivers, to the prickle of the wind,
and thankful for how peaceful they are,
capable of silence. Sometimes
I think there is another place where life,
cannot change us.
Each day we inhale and stop as the
yellow bus rumbles and grinds itself
along with pavement.
The sun crawls from tree to tree and dances across,
the frosty green slivers.
The earth spins in the grinding pavement.

©2017 Linda J. Wolff
|Hibernation|

Urban free verse poetry

What is a Free Verse Poetry? Typically patterned by speech rather than meter, this form of poetry is very open to the author’s discretion and usually does not rhyme. Visual and sound effects are often employed.  It can have as many lines as the writer wishes.

THINGS TO DO HERE: 

—a digital art and poetry WordPress blog—

Hibernation, urban free verse poetry, poetry, enlightenment, life, daily prompt, inspiration, appreciation of life, children, seasons changes, seasons

This could also be an ekphrastic poem for The Ekphrastic Review, of describing life among stars.

Daily Prompt for You:
Believe

Free Verse: Life Among Stars

/ Linda J. Wolff | Founder of Wolff Poetry Literary Magazine / 14 Comments

In this free verse poetry, “Life Among Stars.”

A subtle night of observing, the sites and sounds of nighttime talking. The eyes and ears. See and hear the stars stirring, a sky sharing a night show. White shooting lights speak in the darkest of night. I feel words rising a canvas surface.

Free Verse Poetry: Life Among Stars

Star’s radiant shine: dimmer.
Then bright. Still, I watch.

Even among the black.
Too much delight here.

A striking meteor fire of white glitter.
Furred wings flutter for bugs.

Owl’s soft who are you.
Coolness collides. Goosebumps rise.

I settle to the distant hum
of wheels on pavement.

September night, a warm merlot.
I listen and owl hoots.

©2017 Linda J. Wolff
|Life Among Stars|

Urban free verse poetry

What is a Free Verse Poetry? Typically patterned by speech rather than meter, this form of poetry is very open to the author’s discretion and usually does not rhyme. Visual and sound effects are often employed.  It can have as many lines as the writer wishes.

THINGS TO DO HERE: 

—a digital art and poetry WordPress blog—

Life Among Stars, urban free verse poetry, poetry, enlightenment, life, daily prompt, inspiration, appreciation of life, free verse poetry, stars twinkling, stars, nighttime

This could also be an ekphrastic poem for The Ekphrastic Review, of describing life among stars.

Daily Prompt for You:
Genius

Micro-Poetry: Deep

/ Linda J. Wolff | Founder of Wolff Poetry Literary Magazine / 16 Comments

A Micro-Poetry, “Deep.”

I always appreciate the depth of the one’s soul. And how we can either diminish (breaks into small pieces) or how we can exceed expectations, all is determined by the depth of our strength and passion we hold inside rib cages.

Image of Micro-Poetry: Deep

Micro-Poetry: Deep

Every time she is at the park,
The trees start to weep,
wishing they weren’t so tall,
cause her love is so deep.

©Linda J. Wolff 2017
|Deep|
A micro-poetry

What is a Free Verse Poetry? Typically patterned by speech rather than meter, this form of poetry is very open to the author’s discretion and usually does not rhyme. Visual and sound effects are often employed.  It can have as many lines as the writer wishes.

THINGS TO DO HERE: 

—a digital art and poetry WordPress blog—

They ask for a story about me, about losing something, about loss, about happiness, about me. In this poetry, I write this to you, Roderick Bates of Rat’s Ass Review.

Deep, Micro-poetry, poetry, enlightenment, life, daily prompt, inspiration, fear of the unknown, appreciation of life, strength, depth of passion for life, love, self-love, true-self

Daily Prompt for You:
Circle

Free Verse: Like a Dead Weight

/ Linda J. Wolff | Founder of Wolff Poetry Literary Magazine / 24 Comments

A free verse poetry, “Like a Dead Weight.”

The most difficult decision to make in a relationship is to walk away, I’ve had to make this choice twice. Sometimes, things just don’t work out, or the level of the playing field changes. I became a victim of verbal abuse, thrown like rocks against a soft surface.

Image of Free Verse Poetry, "Like a Dead Weight."

It penetrates. I catered to this negativity, thought all my love could save his soul, it didn’t change anything, only me. And when I was drowning in the bitterness of time, I looked into the mirror and saw my reflection. I had aged, with unhappiness written in lines across my face. With the last trip to the emergency room, suffering from hypertension and an anxiety attack that brought on a stroke. I could have died. I found me.

In this free verse poetry and digital art piece maybe you can see or feel the change of choices.

Free Verse Poetry: Like a Dead Weight

Like a dead weight, I felt it…
a heaviness bearing down on my heart; like the many times
of knowing what rocks felt like if you pack them far too long.

It felt awful. It anchored my soul.
(Anchored and not a dead weight.)

The yellow glow of words shared to you to encourage,
couldn’t change who you are.

My perceptive heart becomes aware of those same patterns; like pattering rain on a flat rooftop.

How I know of compilation

First, it’s just one. Then more adding like numbers getting bigger. bigger. Then, it eats away at your happy place; like weeds growing in a garden stealing color.

I couldn’t take it anymore. Today, I opened my heart and let the black crow free.

I hope you can find another resting branch.

A bluebird perched upon my branches today and sang.
And the trickling sun fingers touched my face.

I breathe long and hard and smiled for the first in awhile, life into mine soul again.

©Linda J. Wolff 2017
| Like a Dead Weight|
An urban free verse poetry

What is a Free Verse Poetry? Typically patterned by speech rather than meter, this form of poetry is very open to the author’s discretion and usually does not rhyme. Visual and sound effects are often employed.  It can have as many lines as the writer wishes.

THINGS TO DO HERE: 

—a digital art and poetry WordPress blog—

He asked for a story about me, about losing something, about loss. In this free verse poetry, I lost a part of innocence, I saw love and hate hang from a wall inside a small chapel. I saw them slap GOD’S name on it to condone their rituals. It was wrong.

So I write this to you, Roderick Bates of Rat’s Ass Review.  I’m walking you through this horrific day through these lines.

Like a Dead Weight, urban free verse poetry, poetry, enlightenment, life, daily prompt, inspiration, fear of the unknown, appreciation of life, free verse poetry, love, romance, relationships, lovers

This could also be an ekphrastic poem for The Ekphrastic Review, of describing the hearts hanging like dead weights.

Daily Prompt for You:
Witty

Free Verse: The Crying Brown Paper Bag

/ Linda J. Wolff | Founder of Wolff Poetry Literary Magazine / 15 Comments

In this free verse poetry, “The Crying Brown Paper Bag.”

Being a teenager living in the countryside had its challenges, yellow buses didn’t just come to your doorstep, there was always a long walk to have the privilege of being picked up by the bus. My walk was 3/4 of a mile.

Image of free verse poetry,

Granted whether it rained or shined, hot or cold. It was my 3/4 of a mile. I enjoyed it, except for the bitter cold days. I was 16, and summer was almost upon us when I heard “the crying brown bag.” And this is my free verse poetry to tell my story in lines.

Free verse poetry: The Crying Brown Bag

Like a bee to a scented flower; I was drawn to it. An instinct as old as time itself: my first pings of mothering.

A brown paper bag. A cry for help. (A cry and not a bee.)

Country roads weren’t a place for innocence, and innocence without guidance, predators lurk. After many afternoons of walking three-quarters of a mile to get home, from being dropped off by the yellow bus. I knew they didn’t belong here.

The old pavement road was quiet that afternoon, and the cries for help echoed. Eyes wandered to the sound beating in my ear. To the brown paper bag alongside the road.

Cries rang out from brown the closer I approached. Kneeling down, I spread open the bag.

My heart melted there on the pavement, eight brown eyes as big as saucers peered up at me. Four tiger stripe felines meowing…I’m hungry and scared. They musta been no older than about 6 weeks of age.

I carried them home to my mother. She took one look at the bag and went straight to work putting together a home for four lucky kittens.

The once hungry and scared felines now have names; Harley, Nana, Baby, and Rascal.

Who in their right mind abandons 6 week old kittens, that day when I found that brown grocery bag with those kittens, I for the first time felt the cruelty of humanity. It left a sadden, sickening feeling in my gut, in my heart. Maybe it why I write, cause we can be these little kittens, abandon by society, our state, our family.

We really must stay in tune to humanity and care about our world, our animals, our children, nature itself.

©Linda J. Wolff 2017
| The Crying Brown Paper Bag|
An urban free verse poetry

 

What is a Free Verse Poetry? Typically patterned by speech rather than meter, this form of poetry is very open to the author’s discretion and usually does not rhyme. Visual and sound effects are often employed.  It can have as many lines as the writer wishes.

THINGS TO DO HERE: 

—a digital art and poetry WordPress blog—

He asked for a story about me, about losing something, about loss. In this free verse poetry, I lost a part of innocence, I saw love and hate hang from a wall inside a small chapel. I saw them slap GOD’S name on it to condone their rituals. It was wrong.

So I write this to you, Roderick Bates of Rat’s Ass Review.  I’m walking you through this horrific day through these lines.

The Crying Brown Paper Bag, urban free verse poetry, poetry, enlightenment, life, daily prompt, inspiration, fear of the unknown, appreciation of life, free verse poetry, kittens, abandoned, abandoned kittens

Daily Prompt for You:
Launch

Ekphrastic Poem: Under the Petals of Fluorescence.

/ Linda J. Wolff | Founder of Wolff Poetry Literary Magazine / 12 Comments

In this Ekphrastic poem, “Under the Petals of Fluorescence.”

In PhotoShop, I wanted to create an image that gives a 3D effect. One of depth in the first layer of a grainy sky that fractured into a dreamy landscape, the second layer of huge fluorescence blossoms, and the third layer of miniature gold-tipped geese in fantasy land. How many geese do you count? How many flower blossoms do you see?

Image of Ekphrasis poem "Under the Petals of Fluorescence."

Fantasy with its gigantic efflorescence, in the Emerald meadow, flourished. Air-infused with stagnated fragrance and pollinated particles, the trees wore a gray gown when the breeze tossed leaves waiting for my mother to breathe.

She grabbed at the corners of lace in a pocket, sneeze, sneezes again. When she finally quits wiping dripping perfume off her nose, with moisten eyes she sees them.

This wasn’t a run-of-the-mill meadow, it was magical, everything was not of what it seemed, a fool’s paradise for dreamers. Objectifying of extremes.

Today the meadow’s noisy. Emerald got a flock of geese. A rare, unique gold-tip feathered breed under the petals of fluorescence. Geese of miniature stature. Mother could hold them in the palm of her hands if she wanted, she didn’t.

Blue became filled with honking serenade. They didn’t stay long though.

It will be another year by chance we might see them again. In the meadow, blossoms sway in dance.

©Linda J. Wolff 2017
|Under the Petals of Fluorescence|
An urban ekphrastic poem

What is Ekphrastic Poem?

Poets.org expresses it like this: Ekphrastic poems are now understood to focus only on works of art—usually paintings, photographs, or statues. And new ekphrastic poems have shrugged off antiquity’s obsession with an elaborate description, and instead have tried to interpret, inhabit, confront, and speak to their subjects.

THINGS TO DO HERE: 

—a digital art and poetry WordPress blog—

Under the Petals of Fluorescence, urban ekphrastic poem, poetry, enlightenment, life, daily prompt, inspiration, appreciation of life, free verse poetry, fantasy, digital art, stories, flowers, nature

Daily Prompt for You:
Mighty

Urban Ekphrastic poem: Obsession with Roses

/ Linda J. Wolff | Founder of Wolff Poetry Literary Magazine / 11 Comments

In this Ekphrastic poem, “Obsession with Roses.”

Growing a rose garden is as challenging and rewarding as raising children. The pruning, nurturing, watering, the guidance, and more. An ekphrastic poem and digital art piece as I describe the appreciation of mothers. Hope you enjoy this!

Image of Urban Ekphrastic Poem - Obsession with Roses

My mom says there’s only one way to grow a rose garden and that is through love. Love opens her thighs & seeds thrust forth from branches

Seeds from branches blooming like a new bud. Seeds from branches colorful & personalized, open mouths laughing,

our fragrance in the air perfumed with blood isn’t that what they’ve tried first, miniature roses.

Roses, Climbing pink, Hybrid tea, Tiffany, my mother fertilized every seed till she grew a perennial garden from her heart & it reached the sky blue

& the happiness was the site of fluttering butterflies.

Every night heat rose from her garden, she carried her heart like a rosebud & dreamt every night of more seeds. Every petal opening a soft mouth & a suckling tongue, pink and brand new.

Hunger driven and sweet as pink petals in sunlight. Wasn’t it inevitable, she dreamed of the sun stirring stars in the night, that opening of pink or white, that I bounced in her arms.

©Linda J. Wolff 2017
|Obsession with Roses|
An urban ekphrastic poem

What is Ekphrastic Poem?

Poets.org expresses it like this: Ekphrastic poems are now understood to focus only on works of art—usually paintings, photographs, or statues. And new ekphrastic poems have shrugged off antiquity’s obsession with an elaborate description, and instead have tried to interpret, inhabit, confront, and speak to their subjects.

THINGS TO DO HERE: 

—a digital art and poetry WordPress blog—

obsession with roses, urban ekphrastic poem, poetry, enlightenment, life, daily prompt, inspiration, appreciation of life, free verse poetry, raising children, babies, rose garden

Daily Prompt for You:
Crumb

Urban Ekphrastic Poem: In the Air

/ Linda J. Wolff | Founder of Wolff Poetry Literary Magazine / 22 Comments

In this urban Ekphrastic Poem, “In the Air.”

So many times we hold ourselves back from success, or opportunities. Why do we let a little thing called doubt stop us? Thinking we are not good enough, a few days ago, I submitted a poem to a professional online journal, the fella emailed back saying my poetry isn’t good enough, it didn’t speak to him. At first, I was bummed, but then I thought about it for a moment.

Image of Urban Ekphrastic Poem:

Then I said to myself, “Who the heck is he, he’s just an opinion of someone who’s got his own ideas of how poetry should be written, it doesn’t mean his thoughts are perfect, or imperfect. It just means my poetry doesn’t fit into his per spectrum or criteria.

I know of myself, and what I can achieve and write, so I will be diligent and find other professional online journals to accept my poetry. I am stubborn. Yet, I am willing to learn a new mindset to perfect an art.

In this digital art piece, here’s is what I’ve come to surmise in the viewing of what I have created. Hope you enjoy! Never give up on something you enjoy or love to do, it might be your future to success.

Urban Ekphrastic Poem: In the Air

Uncover a sky
from white.
Tuck it inside my eye.
I don’t want to stand here.

I want to fly.

I want to soar the wings
out of my arms,
Swoop them out
of feathers,
Move a screech out
of your mouth
and it’ll come out
of the blue.
Airborne a freedom from
your soul
and it’ll escalate
and rise like a phoenix
you’ve never seen.

Yourself aeronautical.

Don’t let the dove be befuddled by
your exhilaration if
found, is nothing but your heart
Full of regrets.

©Linda J. Wolff 2017
|In the Air|
An urban ekphrastic poem

What is Ekphrastic Poem?

Poets.org expresses it like this: Ekphrastic poems are now understood to focus only on works of art—usually paintings, photographs, or statues. And new ekphrastic poems have shrugged off antiquity’s obsession with an elaborate description, and instead have tried to interpret, inhabit, confront, and speak to their subjects.

THINGS TO DO HERE: 

—a digital art and poetry WordPress blog—

In the Air, urban ekphrastic poem, poetry, enlightenment, life, daily prompt, inspiration, doubt, appreciation of life, free verse poetry, success, opportunities, self-doubt

Daily Prompt for You:
Tentative

Ekphrastic Poem: I See the Glass

/ Linda J. Wolff | Founder of Wolff Poetry Literary Magazine / 22 Comments

An ekphrastic poem, “I See the Glass.”

Look deep into the glass window, on the other side is a story. In this digital art piece, I wanted to show layers, layers of a face, of pain, bitterness, homelessness, of somebody. Hope you enjoy the story behind the piece of art.

I See Glass

Ekphrastic Poem: I See the Glass

Streets have mirrors.
I see the glass.
Long-lashes stare from windows.
Pupils are cold.
She lives hard like pavement.
A conduit, of bitterness and cracks.
A grocery cart compacted—pieces of chapters.

McDonald’s was two blocks down,
I drove the drive-threw,
Twenty dollars bought a piping feast,
I went back.
She still possessed space.
An open parking stall found me.
Quickly, I hopped out.

Cautiously I approached.
Coal eyes stared and blurted: “What you want?”
A peace-offering and a twenty dollar bill.
Grabbing tines swooped, tearing open the
brown “M” bag, she tore at the paper of the offering.
Gobbling hamburger, and tears streaming.

And muttered with a voice stuffed
with food and appreciation; “Thank you!”

©Linda J. Wolff 2017
|I See the Glass|
An urban ekphrastic poem

What is Ekphrastic Poem?

Poets.org expresses it like this: Ekphrastic poems are now understood to focus only on works of art—usually paintings, photographs, or statues. And new ekphrastic poems have generally shrugged off antiquity’s obsession with an elaborate description, and instead have tried to interpret, inhabit, confront, and speak to their subjects.

THINGS TO DO HERE: 

—a digital art and poetry WordPress blog—

I See the Glass, urban ekphrastic poem, poetry, enlightenment, life, daily prompt, inspiration, homeless woman, appreciation of life, free verse poetry, humanity, homeless

Daily Prompt for You:
Glorious

Urban Ekphractic Poem: Bird Under Canopy

/ Linda J. Wolff | Founder of Wolff Poetry Literary Magazine / 29 Comments

An urban ekphrastic poem, “Bird Under Canopy.”

My first attempt at an Ekphrastic poem, here I wanted to create a piece of digital art, that illustrated a brown hawk trapped within a canopy of branches. Like woven metal of chicken wire, entrapment. It took three separate images to create this abstract digital art, some transparencies, blends, and effects, then cropping out a bird soaring into a blue. I believe that this piece displays this.

Bird Under Canopy

Urban Ekphrastic Poem: Bird Under Canopy

Inside the abstract sky—a delicacy of color—
Phalanges touch, axis across offshoot,
intermingle. Underneath its canopy,
of woven intersections, I see him.

Long-wing spanned speckled brown hawk.

Swirling, diving, confined.
Eyes are darting up and about,
searching for an escapeway.
Screeching, shrieking, with urgency, another swoop again.

I saw it before him, the realm, within which openings invite blue. 

Shifty, darting eyes eventually lock on, around the underside and up
straight into blue and white. He’s gone.
Inside this covering, I find where life and enchantment
coexist in nature and not. Inhabitants hide.

©Linda J. Wolff 2017
| Bird Under Canopy|
An urban ekphrastic poem

What is Ekphrastic Poem?

Poets.org expresses it like this: Ekphrastic poems are now understood to focus only on works of art—usually paintings, photographs, or statues. And modern ekphrastic poems have generally shrugged off antiquity’s obsession with an elaborate description, and instead have tried to interpret, inhabit, confront, and speak to their subjects.

THINGS TO DO HERE: 

—a digital art and poetry WordPress blog—

bird under canopy, urban ekphrastic poem, poetry, enlightenment, life, daily prompt, inspiration, fear of the unknown, appreciation of life, free verse poetry, birds, nature,

 

Daily Prompt for You:
Recreate

Silent Voices Suspended in Artistic Web

/ Linda J. Wolff | Founder of Wolff Poetry Literary Magazine / 8 Comments

An urban free verse poetry, “Silent Voices Suspended in Artistic Web.”

Is history male or female? In some places it could be, it holds both, the old abandon places, still carry their voices, laughter, and love. The stories of the times, you and I will be a piece of something, a story left behind to be passed on through generations. Have you made your mark or left your gift to be remembered by somebody. Here’s an urban free verse and digital art piece to inspire.

Silent Voices Suspended in Artistic Web

Urban free verse poetry: Silent Voices Suspended in Artistic Web

The old Institute does its “nostalgia” so well
That other abandon places only lie—
See, an old church with its steeple stares at the sky
When I photograph in black and white,
I shudder at it blacken eeriness.

It’s windowed dark, speak of whispered tales or horrors,
of nothing or something,
I’m, enchanted by its habitat of gray lines,
compelled to know more of its history,
I give myself to feeling it’s emptiness and depth.

In its stalemate form, I am
comforted in shattered glass, not ready to walk away,
and turn into blue and green cheeriness, I wander upon its steps.
The creaking boards speak of neglect.
I feel pain here; I feel a love of what once existed.

Somebody’s grandmother, grandfather, son,
or daughter, someone wandered these hallways,
now silent voices suspended in an artistic web.
Somebody is being missed, longed for,
I know of this aching, I know you.

I long for preservation, your landmark of time.
I want to hear echoes of your stories painted on walls,
The forgotten, to be unforgotten,
The French architect “Eugene Viollet-le-Duc who believed in
Restoration of bringing the past to the present. I want this.

©Linda J. Wolff 2017
| Swallowing Blackness|
An urban free verse poetry

What is a Free Verse Poetry? Typically patterned by speech rather than meter, this form of poetry is very open to the author’s discretion and usually does not rhyme. Visual and sound effects are often employed.  It can have as many lines as the writer wishes.

THINGS TO DO HERE: 

—a digital art and poetry WordPress blog—

Silent Voices Suspended in Artistic Web, urban free verse poetry, poetry, enlightenment, life, daily prompt, inspiration, appreciation of life, free verse poetry, abandon buildings, history, historical buildings

Daily Prompt for You:
Thorny