Sunday, June 15, 2014

Poet of the Month--Sheri Stanley

Soft, Silence Sings, A Sonnet

By Sheri Stanley

Hear - in the silence an orchestra plays
In a whisper, in a moment, ballets
Soft transcendent symphony crescendos
Through the air, in the mountains, where it grows

Feel its power linger there as it builds
There is a magic in the humming fields
Wafting to the sky in a lullaby
Calming oceans, burning sunsets, feng shai

The cadence, the tempo, the pulsing beat
Realized accented measures so sweet
In the movement the flow comes as we go
Kissing tree tops rising, falling, and so …

Realized in a moment of splendor
Master Guru to whom I surrender

Note: Feng shai: Chinese/ feng: wind, shai –water
Total: balanced energies

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From the editor--A talented poet, artist and musician, Sheri shares her gifts in a variety of ways including at her website, Poetry and Beyond.  She has been so encouraging to others at Whispers, commenting on nearly all the poetry published at the site since she contributed her first poem. Sheri has promoted Whispers at her site and recommended talented people who are now contributors.  She has written collaborative poems with other writers which have been featured at our online journal.  Her talent shines through her words and is appreciated by readers.  It is a pleasure to award Sheri June’s Poet of the Month!
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Thoughts on “Soft, Silence Sings, A Sonnet”--I asked Sheri to submit a poem for her honor and was drawn to the relaxing sounds.  As the poem progresses, the artist’s view flows from line to line in an effortless way that is a challenge to achieve.  Rarely, does one find a poem that uses sounds so extensively to convey ideas.  Yet, this poem works with a depth that leaves the reader something to ponder about.
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Congratulations and thank you Sheri!  I appreciate all you do and have done for Whispers.

Sincerely,

Karen O’Leary, Editor

38 comments:

  1. Dear Sheri,
    How I love your beautiful sonnet! If we gaze upon nature's beauty, there does seem to be a song of serenity building within and the way tree tops gracefully move in the wind is like a magical ballet. Congratulations on your well-deserved honor of being selected "Poet of the Month." Thank you for all you do to provide encouragement for poets. You are a special lady, dear.

    Love you,
    Carolyn

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    1. Carolyn, thank you for the wonderful comments and all the moral support that comes from you! God bless, my friend, Sheri / www.poetryandbeyond.net

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  2. Thank you, Elizabeth Winchcombe, for the following--

    May I be one of the first to comment on this clever piece, this is music to my ears being a pianist myself. Music and poetry go together hand in hand just as Sheri's poem flows along.

    Best wishes,
    Beth

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    1. Elizabeth, your comments are very inspiring! Thank you! Sheri / www.poetryandbeyond.net

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  3. Thank you, Jack Horne, for the following--

    How I love this beautiful poem - it lowers the blood pressure just reading it. Big congrats on your honour.

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    1. Hello, my new friend! Thank you for the awesome comment regarding this sonnet....... God bless, Jack..... Sheri / www.poetryandbeyond.net

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  4. Thank you, Robert Hinshaw for the following--

    "Sheri, I was delighted to see that you were selected as Poet of the Month on Whispers! I enjoyed your very creative poem that accompanied your selection. Congratulations! The best to you as you continue your poetical journey." Bob Hinshaw

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    1. Hello, Robert! Another new friend - it is wonderful to meet you here on Whispers! Thanks for the inspiring comments, too! Sheri www.poetryandbeyond.net

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  5. From Sheri--

    Sheri is having computer problems and has asked me to post this in response to all who comment:

    I am thankful and grateful to Karen for this blessing and honor! Thank you so much for taking a moment to comment. And, I thank you all for your gracious comments. Blessings to all. Sheri

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    1. Karen, I may have this matter resolved at this point. Thank you for posting this. I know your schedule is pretty heavy and so I appreciate even more that you took time to post this notice......... blessings to you, my dear friend! Sheri / www.poetryandbeyond.net

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  6. Dear Sheri,

    It was a pleasure to honor your with June's Poet of the Month. Your support and encouragement mean a lot to me. What a blessing you are!

    Karen

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    1. Karen, believe me, the pleasure is all mine! To be awarded such a grand honor on this wonderful and international on-line journal, Whispers, is just that! An honor! It is also my privilege and pleasure to patronage and comment. Thank you for this! Sheri / www.poetryandbeyond.net

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  7. Sheri,
    You have a special gift with words -- I myself have written only one sonnet -- which was with my friend Cathy I knew from a nursing home who is currently a resident in a coma. I cannot post it here because I don't know where it is! But enough about me, thank you so much for featuring me on www.poetrybeyond.net, I hope you will submit to my magazine (if you don't mind paying to be published which I explained on your site). Much continued success!
    Your friend,
    David Fox

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    1. Well, fancy meeting you here, my friend! I think some of your elves are doing their mischief, or is that YOU? I enjoy publishing you on my site, did you run out of poems? Perhaps you don't like my accompanying digital artwork? I would love to publish on your site, just message me and let me know where.........? Thank you for commenting here on Whispers! That is so awesome! Sheri / www.poetryandbeyond.net

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  8. My beautiful Sheri, you have done it again with your lovely sonnet that takes my breath away. Everything is so visual and sensual to the humaness in our hearts and you know how to reach that spot so easily. Congratulations poet of the month it is very well deserved. blessings zona.

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    1. Hello, Zona! Thank you for all your moral support, my dear friend! I love what you have to say! Sheri / www.poetryandbeyond.net

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  9. Congratulations Sheri for receiving this well deserved honor. you are a talented artist, writer and more importantly, w wonderful person. Thank you Karen for naming Sheri Poet of the Month for June 2014. I love your Sonnet Sheri, it demands the reader focus and feel the sound of Nature, very creative. A treasure for readers of all ages. Bob

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    1. My dear sweet friend, Roberto! How wonderful that you came by Whispers to comment - just for mwah? I am so pleased and so grateful, dear friend! Thanks, too, for patronizing Whispers with your gracious appearance and comments! Love you! Sheri / www.poetryandbeyond.net

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  10. Congratulations, Sheri, on being awarded the Poet of the Month award. I love that you have connected all these beauty and harmony to the Master Guru. So beautifully written.

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    1. awalkinhaiku - !! Thank you for your lovely comments and appearance here on Whispers. This online journal is so fabulous and all the loyalty and patronage is incredibly wonderful! Thank you, thank you! Thank you, as well for all the enlightenment on feng shai !! Love it! Sheri / www.poetryandbeyond.net

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  11. Beautiful Sonnet Sheri! What a way to start a person's day. My first read this morning very relaxing. Congratulations!!! You should win
    everyday. Mary

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    1. Hello, dear, sweet and precious Mary! Thank you, hon, for your sweet and gracious comments here on Whispers and on my behalf! Love you! Sheri / www.poetryandbeyond.net

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  12. Hi Sheri. Blessings to you! Congratulations on being named the "Poet of the Month" here at Whispers. You are amazingly awesome and deserve this honor. I am not that familiar with sonnet poetry, but you make it seem effortless. It is a joy to read your work and be your friend. Continued blessings! -MJ

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    1. Well, some would argue with that definition of me......... but, I know you are sincere in the statement and I am so thankful to Karen for bestowing the honor. I am also thankful and grateful that you are my friend! God bless, Reverend! Sheri / www.poetryandbeyond.net

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  13. Congratulations Sheri on being selected Poet of the Month! Lovely sonnet! Thanks for sharing your talent. ~Chris

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    1. Christine! Thanks for the lovely comments and your loyal patronage here on Whispers! God bless! Sheri / www.poetryandbeyond.net

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  14. Thank you, Isha Wagner, for the following--

    A remarkable sonnet which sings softly. To me, Sheri is writing about the music of the spheres, the vibrational tones in Indian terms called the Shabd. Music that we can be conscious of each second that passes. Sheri has managed to put beautiful words together to describe that which is indescribable.
    Thank you, Sheri.

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    1. Isha! Beautiful, Isha! Thank you for defining this lovely oneness in such a beautiful and inspiring way! I would love to collab with you on such a poem! Is this a possibility? I would do my best to extend the loveliness of your own thoughts on the subject! Thank you for the lovely and much appreciated comments, dear friend! Sheri / www.poetryandbeyond.net

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  15. Hi Sheri! Congratulations on your being selected "Poet of the Month". This poem deserves praise, too; it is beautiful and teeming with energy. I love the sound of silence. // paul

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    1. Paul, thank you so much for taking a moment to comment here on Whispers! The camaraderie here is so amazing! Thanks again, Sheri / www.poetryandbeyond.net

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  16. Hi Sheri.

    Congratulations on being Poet of the month and you certainly deserve it for being so encouraging to all the poet's on Karen's site here as well as your own uplifting website. I enjoyed how you created this musically inspired sonnet on nature well done!. You are a very talented lady keep up the wonderful work you do.

    Love Sandra

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  17. Yes, that is an awesome honor to be awarded such on this very classy and elegant site! Thanks for the acknowledgement and generous comments, too! Beautiful words from a beautiful lady! Sheri / www.poetryandbeyond.net

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  18. Thank you, Joe Maverick, for the following--

    I was really pleased at the quality of Sheri Stanley's soft, silence, sings a sonnet..' I think her choice as poet of the month was a really worthwhile reaction to the content of her work that I have seen in this visit to whispers, wishing her all the best Joe..'

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  19. Wow, Joe Maverick! I don't believe I have had the privilege of "meeting" you prior to your awesome comment regarding my sonnet. Thank you so much for visiting this awesome site, Whispers, and thank you again for I literary input. Blessings to you, Joe! Sheri / www.poetryandbeyond.net

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  20. Congratulations on being Poet of the Month for June Sheri! An honor that you truly deserve. Your poetry lends a peaceful aura that is both inspiring and beautiful. I thank you for being a shining star in the poetry world and for sharing your lovely poetry with us all. Blessings, Connie

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  21. Oh, Connie, that is so sweet of you. I am not familiar with your penname, Connie, but it is an honor to meet here in these Whispers' halls! The halls are so vast and I am sure we've bumped into each other poem-wise! Thank you for the lovely comments. Sheri / www.poetryandbeyond.net

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    1. You have seen me around...Connie Marcum Wong. I go by Lotus as it is easier and helps out with my carpal tunnel when it gets bad. I always enjoy reading your poetry. Blessings

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  22. Hello to all! Thank you all so very much for your lovely and precious comments! You make me feel so humbled! I also want to thank Karen for hosting such a lovely on-line journal and give me, (us) the opportunity to read others from around the globe. I feel so blessed to be a small part of this rhyming, blending community! Thank you many times over! Sheri www/poetryandbeyond.net

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