Saturday, August 20, 2016

WHISPERS' AUGUST ACTIVITY--THE FIBONACCI

Dear Whispers’ Friends,

We are pleased to present to you an array of Fibonacci poems for your reading pleasure.  It is interesting how these poets used the form to convey a wide spectrum of ideas with different voices.  Thank you to all contributing artists.  What a joy to read your words!

Sincerely,

Michael Escoubas
Whispers’ Activity Editor

Karen O’Leary
Whispers’ Editor

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ 

Advice

eat
cheese
chicken
worrying
too much will not help---
advice from a caring mother.

Sunil Sharma, India

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ 

Quarter Moon

Night
sings
alone
like a cat
swirling a gray tail
at the loneliest ankle boot.

Tricia Knoll, United States

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ 

Resolution

Day
breaks
for me
open wide
to give it a try
all the best I have to offer.

Tricia Knoll, United States

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ 

Time Well Spent

If
You
Pray to
the Lord, you
Will be able to
Spend time with him eternally.

David Fox, United States

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ 

On the Anniversary of the 1972 Olympics in Munich

Twelve
dead,
hooded
terrorists
pierce peace with pain and
mute cheers of joy on fields of blood.

Shelly Blankman, United States

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ 

Crescendo

Love
Sings 
Purely
Upon my
Awakening heart
Building symphonic rhapsody.

David Palmer, United States

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ 

Top Gear

Dress
me
O Lord
each new morn
in your attire-
to rescue others from the mire.

Brian Strand, England

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ 

Waiting

Blood
moon--
tonight
an old wolf
waits in dark shadows
where silent ghosts and spirits live.

Barbara Tate, United States

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ 

Bighorn Sheep

Brown
rock
rugged
barren slope
home for Bighorn Sheep
with crescent horns that crash in rut.

Michael Escoubas, United States

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ 

Garden

Lush
green
garden
in front of
my house gives immense
pleasure to my lamenting heart.

Dr. Satish C. Srivastava, India

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ 

Walk

Walk
as
if you
are kissing
the earth with your feet 
to reach your goal comfortably. 

Dr. Satish C. Srivastava, India

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ 

Dicey
Sharp
stones.
These paths
enveloped
in uncertainty,
my ever precarious life.

Pat Geyer, United States

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ 

Vet Visit

Caught
cat
emits
warning growls
resists carrier.
Tail lash tells us everything.

Suzanne Delaney, United States

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

Open Garden

Wild
blooms
beside
the roadway
A spot of beauty -
flowering for all who pass by.

Suzanne Delaney, United States

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ 

Forgiveness

What
if
we could
forever
exist alongside
ourselves absent of transgressions

Langley Shazor, United States

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ 

The Last Gardenia

One
bloom
blossoms
soft pure white
early in August
alone after all kin has died

Sara Kendrick, United States

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

The Summer Storm

The
storm
brings wind
some dark clouds
pouring cool raindrops
relief from summer's scorching heat

Sara Kendrick, United States

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ 

Opossum in Daytime

He
sleeps
beneath
my back porch
teeth sharp as razors
waiting to rumble in moonlight.

Michael Escoubas, United States

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ 

Kitten Feet

The
coy
spirit
vanished but...
left small feline prints,
a trace of your passing presence.

Annie Jenkin, England

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

Feathering

Your
light
touch and
warm fingers,
leave silken kisses
along the fringes of my dream.

Annie Jenkin, England

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ 

finding rainbows

life
sifts
like sand—
my brittle
fingers can’t hold back
ticking time…yet, my words flow on

Karen O'Leary, United States

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ 

Hugs, Come, I

hugs,
tears. . .
hero’s
returning
from deep space missions
embraced by great-great grandchildren

ayaz daryl nielsen, United States

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ 

hugs, come, II*

‘come
come
to earth
our reasons
for exploring space 
twisted by greed and politics’. . .
an invitation to alien conquistadors

ayaz daryl nielsen, United States
*This poem illustrates an extended Fibonacci; line 4 contains 5 syllables, line 6 contains 8, thus leading to a 13 syllable count for line 7.—Editor Michael Escoubas

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ 

Nature Shows the Way

Pines
bend
with the
storm's fury.
Watching them let go,
suggests our ultimate freedom.

Mary Jo Balistreri, United States

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ 

Storing Wisdom

Books
packed 
in boxes
soon to be unwrapped--
the joy of holding each old friend.

Mary Jo Balistreri, United States

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ 

Breakfast on the Fly

Blue
birds
stationed
on high wires
watching for insects—
a swift dive, a crunchy breakfast

Elizabeth Howard, United States

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ 

Inseparable

Time
And
Again
I believe
You dwell in my heart
Though oceans do separate us

Maricris Cabrera, Philippines

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ 

Halcyon Days

We 
spend
our time
together
we dream, reach our goals
live glorious days forever.

Maricris Cabrera, Philippines

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ 

Joy

From
day
to day
these grey whiffs
of sadness fail to
upend the joy of just being.

Raamesh Gowri Raghavan, India

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ 

Arthur Murray Feathered Dancers

Six
white
seagulls
frolic with
surf along shoreline,
soon become a feathered ballet

Mary Couch, United States

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ 

Child’s Forgotten Footprints

I
saw
tiny
sneakered tracks
amid muddied grass,
now devoured by hungry meadow.

Mary Couch, United States

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ 

Wayside Story

In
The
Morning,
I saw a
Lost shoe by the road,
With its eyelets, moist with the dew.

Ralph Stott

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ 

Outback-Packer

On
The
Clear glass,
The viewing
Patform, was filled with
A warm draught of eucalyptus.

Ralph Stott

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ 

36 comments:

  1. A difficult form ,but I especially liked ..Open garden/Feathering/finding Rainbows/Inseparable/Joy/Wayside story and Outback.Great activity Congrats.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear ichthys
      So pleased you enjoyed the form and thank you for citing your favorites from the activity.
      Blessings,
      Michael

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    2. Dear Brian,

      Thank you for contributing to this activity. I'm glad to hear you enjoyed the column.

      Blessings,
      Karen

      Delete
  2. Many of these Fibonacci's allow the mind to dream and think, heart to smile, what joyful bundles. Thank you one and all.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Annie,
      Thank you for the poems you sent in, "Kitten Feet" and "Feathering." Your poems, along with all the other fine poems, made this activity something special.
      Blessings,
      Michael

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    2. Dear Annie,

      What a joy to have you a part of this wonderful column Michael put together for us to enjoy. It is so good to have you a part of Whispers.

      Blessings,
      Karen

      Delete
  3. Karen,
    These fibonaccis are great! I couldn't pick a favorite, I love them all!
    Yours truly,
    David Fox

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear David,
      Glad you enjoyed the activity; like you, I love them all.
      Michael

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    2. Dear David,

      You are such a light here at Whispers. Thank you for all the encouragement you give me and others.

      Blessings,
      Karen

      Delete
  4. A lovely cluster of varied Fibonacci poems, most of them being very inspired. Thank you for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Paul,
      I, too, loved the variety of poems that came in.
      Appreciate the comment.
      Michael

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    2. Dear Paul,

      Thank you for your kind words and for your ongoing support and encouragement here, at Whispers. Keep your light shining, my friend.

      Blessings,
      Karen

      Delete
  5. A beautiful collection of Fibonacci poems.
    I am really feeling proud to be part of it.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I am thankful to Michael Escoubas for his motivation and guidance to this new genre to me and I also wish to express my gratitude to Karen O'Leary for the opportunity offered to me.
    May God bless every success to "WHISPERS".

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Dr. Srivastava,
      My pleasure to walk down the path of Fibonacci with you.
      Enjoyed your poems and making a new friend.
      Michael

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    2. Dear Satish,

      What a joy to have you a part of Whispers! It is people like you that make our online journal possible. I am grateful to Michael, too. He will do a wonderful job as Activity editor.

      Blessings,
      Karen

      Delete
  7. What fun!! Thank you Michael & Karen, I am thrilled to be included.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Barbara,
      Indeed, this has been a labor of love.
      What a pleasure including your poem, "Waiting" in this month's project.
      Blessings,
      Michael

      Delete
    2. Dear Barbara,

      Thank you for your kind words and for participating in this Fibonacci activity. Wishing you ongoing success in your writing journey.

      Blessings,
      Karen

      Delete
  8. Wonderful. Thank you for this

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Martin,
      My pleasure -- this was a fun activity and glad you found joy in reading the poems.
      Michael

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    2. Dear Martin,

      Michael deserves the congrats and thanks for putting this activity together. Thank you for stopping by with your kind words. I invite you to become a Whispers' contributor.

      Blessings,
      Karen

      Delete
  9. All the Fibonacci poems were so varied each one with an interesting story or truth to tell and all so very well written. Jo Balistreri's poem was very fitting with her current circumstances. Thanks to all.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear J T,
      Thank you for your comment and how beautiful were Jo's poems which directly reflected her current circumstances as she relocates, just one of poetry's blessings and benefits.
      Michael

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    2. Dear JT,

      Thank you for your kind words. Michael did a great job with this activity. JT and Michael--thank you for pointing out Mary Jo's poetry. She is supportive even when she has challenges of her own. She is a light in the poetry community.

      Blessings,
      Karen

      Delete
  10. Thank you Michael and Karen for leading us once again. And thank you JT.

    A very nice collection of poems here. Most enjoyable.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jo,
      Your poems, "Nature Shows the Way" and "Storing Wisdom," so on-target given for this month's activity. Thank you for your thoughtful and timely poems.
      Blessings,
      Michael

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    2. Dear Mary Jo,

      Michael sure did a wonderful job with this column. I'm grateful for your contribution. You bring joy to the life of others with your encouragement, my friend. Thank you for the light that you are.

      Blessings,
      Karen

      Delete
  11. Enjoyed the activity so much; responses are amazing to read! Thank you Michael, for being a great editor and for making mathematics interesting! :-) Ralph

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    Replies
    1. Dear Ralph,
      My pleasure and appreciated so much your contributions to the activity--hoping for many more going forward.
      Blessings,
      Michael

      Delete
  12. Thank you, Isha, for the following--

    Such a delightful collection of Fibonacci (a term I was not familiar with) : each one is pleasurable to read, therefore, I cannot say there is a favourite as each is unique.

    Simply a lovely experience to journey through these "poems".

    Yours sincerely,
    Isha Wagner

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Isha,
      I'm an echo of Karen's remark. It is always satisfying to know that something fresh has been added to a life. Glad you enjoyed reading the activity poems.
      Blessings,
      Michael

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    2. Dear Isha,

      Thank you for your kind words and continued encouragement. It is people like you that make Whispers possible. I hope you join us for next month's activity. I agree with you, Michael did a great job with this collection.

      Blessings,
      Karen

      Delete
  13. The unique variations of the human mind and spirit couldn't be more accurately depicted than in this marvelous collection of thoughts. The one thing that ties them together so cleverly is the form. Thanks Michael and Karen for keeping us writing.
    Sincerely, Suzanne.

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    Replies
    1. Dear Suzanne,
      What a pleasure to receive you gracious comment. Loved your poems, "Vet Visit" and "Open Garden," both poems contributed nicely toward making the whole activity something special.
      Blessings and hope to hear from you next time.
      Michael

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    2. Dear Suzanne,

      I agree with Michael. Thank you so much for sharing your words for this column. I hope you will join us for September's activity, too. Having Michael is the staff role as Activity Editor will ensure we have creative activities in the future. Thank you for your lovely comments and ongoing encouragement.

      Blessings,
      Karen

      Delete