WHISPERS’ OCTOBER SPECIAL ACTIVITY--FORM--NINETTE

Joann Grisetti, an accomplished writer, generously offered to be the activity editor for October.  She was gracious in thanking each contributor for sharing their ninette poems.  The criteria for the form follows--

The ninette starts with one syllable, then two, then three up to five, then decreases. Ninettes begin and end with the same syllable count for a total of nine lines.      

I would like to thank Joann for selecting these creative poems for publication and all the contributors that participated in this activity.  It is a growing experience to try new things and a pleasure to see so many wonderful poems below.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

                                            --Karen O’Leary, Whispers’ Editor

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No Go

No
It won’t
Work out right
Just will not fit
The gap is too small
Should I make it
Bigger to
Fit tight
Yes!

By Patricia Ann Farnsworth-Simpson

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Go Stay

Go
Do try
But just be
Careful that you
Don’t overdo it
Take it slowly
To make it
Tight to
Stay

By Patricia Ann Farnsworth-Simpson

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hush
believe
the world sings
it cries no more
because of its pains
laughs and dances
just pretend
for now
sing

By Jim Teeters

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kneel
and pray
pray for me
pray for yourself
seek the brightest light
in the heavens
for healing
for health
rise

By Jim Teeters

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

day
after
sordid day
I plod along
in a rut that grows
slowly deeper
swallowing
up the
night

By Robert P. Hansen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

lost
among
memories
scattered across
long-forgotten days
your guiding hand
the only
thing i’ve
found

By Robert P. Hansen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Freedom

Price
Freedom
Is costly
Some families
Give more than others
Don't disrespect
Sacrifice
Give thanks
Grave

By Shirley Smothers

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sleep

Sleep
Eludes
Me often
The frustration
Of my life invades
My nightly dreams
I stay up
Depressed
Wake

By Shirley Smothers

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

first
robin
welcoming
warm days of spring
builds her nest in the
evergreen tree
sings a song
home at
last

By Barbara Tate

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

long
shadows
and clouds of
a coming storm
are gone with the wind
in half darkness
the days are
getting
short

By Barbara Tate

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pain
and strife...
challenges
that can flower
and enrich others.
Words like petals
uplift lives
and bring
hope.

By Karen O'Leary

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

True
love is
the one thing
that changes you,
shaping who you are,
and yet does this
so subtly,
it don't
hurt.

By Emile Pinet

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Red
sky, that
reflects off
the blue river.
Distant rolling hills:
gently weaving
their paths of
ever
green.

By Ralph Stott

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Up
in the
sky, in a
hot air balloon.
The hurricane's path
is traced by the
trees that have
fallen
down.

By Ralph Stott

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

wet
eyes with
salty tears
flowing freely
my heart is breaking
trust this trial
for your good
my eyes
dry

By Charlene McCutcheon

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

lost
fearful
bewildered
anxious and praying
answers come slowly
as hope springs up
faith grows and
love is
found

By Charlene McCutcheon

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

still waters

still
waters
and stiller
these thoughts of mine
far in the sunset
the flamingoes
taking off
one by
one

By Raamesh Gowri Raghavan

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

yellow

with
the sun
on the rise
o'er the sea
is this yellowing
leaf yellower
in the bright
white of
day

By Raamesh Gowri Raghavan

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

dawn
lily
pond reflects
orange yellow red
autumn trees’ glory
so brilliant now
then fading
into
dusk

By Kelley White

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

high
above
our cottage
tree branches creak
in the heavy wind
threatening all
huddling down
small scared
low

By Kelley White

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

True
friends are
so precious
like diamonds.
Always treasure them!
They’ll support you
every day
of your
life

By Jan Allison

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

clouds
gather
overhead
rain pouring down
little by little
clouds pass away
sky turns blue
and then
sun

By Elizabeth Howard

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

dark
settles
suddenly
fierce voices call
fear overwhelming
I lie sleepless
till at last
comes the
light

By Elizabeth Howard

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Grief
Washes
Over me
- a tsunami
Of pain that soon ebbs.
Cleansed, I embrace
Life with a
Dance of
Joy

By John Daleiden

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Swing
it babe—
sheathed in silk,
she promenades
the Miracle Mile
amid the stark stares
of plain folk’s
gaping
eyes.

By John Daleiden

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 
Your
silence
shouts silent,
eternal sounds—
surging surf washing
my dreamless nights
into long,
empty
days.

By John Daleiden

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

tears
falling
missing her
remembering
carefree happiness
may be found yet
there is hope
for new
smiles

By Jack Horne

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

life
too short
to worry
we are meant to
love wholeheartedly
someone special
each moment
before
death

By Joann Grisetti

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