Tanka – after Luther

With a feeble reach
I attempt to touch Heaven,
It beyond me stands;
But Jesus extends Himself,
I am lifted by His hand.

Lit Anew

This day arose from

The dark negativity

Which tried to destroy

Whatever is left of me,

But I chose dawn’s rising light.

I stood up before,
I am standing once again;
I will not allow
Anything coming against

Me to break my heart’s resolve.

I come from a line

Of fighters and survivors,

We do not give up;

The naysayers may slow us

But like the rivers, we flow.

Anyone who loves,

Who wishes to rise higher,

May join the battle

To reclaim every day
From the forces of despair.

I will be a light,

If I only dimly shine
At least one may not

Stumble into the trouble
Loveless darkness often spreads.

I never do well at challenges, but today starts the 2017 November PAD Chapbook Challenge, which happens to be the tenth one. You can find it at 2017 November PAD Chapbook Challenge. I will see how I do, and you may join in.

Thank you so much for visiting Haphazard Creative. I hope you will either click the follow button or come again soon. Take care and be safe.

Grace be with you,

Jo Ann

Two Poems, Two Pictures

1 Hope's Portrait

And Ago

The house at the edge
Of the world is empty now,
But once it held love;
It was a place of mirrors
Constructed of other’s eyes,
Wide open, truth-telling, real,
Unlike glass speaking vain lies.

All were happy there
Loneliness was destroyed
By companionship,
But no structure, human-made,
Can prevent time’s erosion
Working to comport bodies
Ever, always, toward death.

So now the shadow,
Ghoulish, unburied, dim blight
Lies uneasily
Over the house at the edge
Of yesterday, tomorrow,
And we must glean from today
Enough love to inspire life.

2 Time Out

Is It Enough?

It is easy to
Get along if you play
To the popular crowd,
But if you are creative,
Original, one of your kind,
You may find yourself living
A separate, distinct,
Isolated existence
On society’s edges,
Where you may just discover
Those who love you are enough.

I hesitated to bring only poems and pictures here. I wanted to do something inspiring, but coming up with articles is not always natural for me. More than anything I am a poet. So excuse me.

As a prompt try to capture an overwhelming feeling in something you create, whatever that may be.

I am so glad you took the time to visit Haphazard Creative, and I hope you will either click the follow button or come back again. I will try to be more productive and share more often. Have a great one and do take care out there.

As ever grateful,
Jo Ann

Beyond Pain

When our hearts have been
Broken a few too many
Times and we feel just
Too destroyed and all alone,
We hold tight, never give up.

Because mercy falls
With endless grace from Heaven,
Christ reaches for us
He will all our burdens share,
And carry us through despair.

We have victory
Love makes us each champion,
Jesus is with us,
Even should we totter, fall,
We will, in time, rise again.

When darkness surrounds,
We recall it only takes
A crack for the light
To break through and give sweet sight
Of all beauty which survives.

Never defeated,
We are children of the King
We keep our eyes trained
On the purpose, precious love,
Love, love; we never give up.

Between Fortune & Disaster

There is an old road
Carved so deep between fortune
And sad disaster
That no one wants to walk it,
But some never have a choice.

The skies above it
Are of a brilliant blue hue
The sun endless bright,
But those who know the road best
Will advise, avoid it at night.

Dancing in meadows
The soon bewildered do not
Comprehend what lies
Beyond the carefree places
Where such life was meant to be.

One never knows when
Raven black shadow will fall,
The Reaper’s scythe stands
Set to capture wandering
Ones, who are unsuspecting.

This old violent road
Has over ages stolen
Many weary souls,
For life pushes some onto
It and allows no escape.

Stay safe, always clear,
Never walk the road, please hear,
Too many bodies
Are buried at the crossroads,
The danger lies everywhere.

The devils, demons,
Laugh at those who lose their way,
Many dispossessed
Are thought to be damned, but no,
Even Hades shuns these lost.

There is an old road
Carved so deep between fortune
And sad disaster
That no one wants to walk it,
But some never have a choice.

Sometimes imagery is the way to deal with unspeakable things. I have used it here in illustration. If you have something to say that seems too hard, you might try this method. I had an excellent entry on Friday, but the business of life took over, and I never completed it. Perhaps after daylight.

Thank you for visiting Haphazard Creative. If you would like, follow the website by clicking the button. I hope you will come again and that you will share the address with your friends. Take care and be safe.