Editor's Appreciation/The Beacon--By Karen O'Leary--United States

Dear Writing Friends,

I appreciate all those who have opened the pages of Whispers this month.  Each poem submitted, each page view, and each encouraging comment broaden our horizons.  Writing is about communicating ideas…such an honor to share contributors’ poetry with you. 

What a joy to work with Jack Horne from England and Inge Wesdijk (Daginne Aignend) from The Netherlands!  We blend together sharing ideas.  If you have some suggestions, please contact me at karenoleary1956@gmail.com

We celebrate 12 new writers this month—

                                    L.Shapley Bassen, United States

                                    Linda Imbler—United States

                                    Vivian Wagner—United States      

                                    Ellen Huang, United States

                                    Jack M. Freedman—United States

                                    Justine Johnston Hemmestad—United States

                                    Swapan Kumar Rakshit—India       

                                    Jessica Swafford—United States

                                    Robert Filos—United States

                                    James Dean Chase, United States

                                    Alicja Maria Kuberska, Poland (New Country)

                                    Sravani singampalli, India

Please stop by and congratulate our new poets and welcome them to Whispers.  Thank you to each and every one that has shared the gift of words for Whispers this month.

In closing, I would like to share my poem accepted by Inge Wesdijk (Daginne Aignend) for an individual poem to be published—

The Beacon

one

heart

thoughtful

and caring

lights up many  lives

                           touched

                           by love

                           share light too…

                           becoming beacons

Karen O’Leary is a writer and editor from West Fargo, ND.  She has published poetry, short stories, and articles in a variety of venues including, Frogpond, A Hundred Gourds, Haiku Pix, bear creek haiku, Shemom, Creative Inspirations and NeverEnding Story. Karen is our editor.  She enjoys sharing the gift of words.

Blessings to all of you,

Karen

City I--By Feby Joseph--India

City I

This is the house of metallic and steel sounds

            Of grinding machines rushing on to tomorrow

As the green fields and skies fade fast

            And the sun delays in its path on the morrow.

This dissonant symphony serenading deaf ears

            As truth from its way clears

            Marching steadily to a finale of sorrow

Yet if I smile, it’s only because of you

           That hope lives on, deep within this dark shell.

Your lessons of empathy and kindness

            Causes doubt in the face of gold to dispel

Your promises pull me past all the imminent sorrow –

            I can see on that beautiful morrow

            Butterflies thriving where moths now dwell.

Feby Joseph is a spiritual vagabond still trying to figure it out. He hails from the beautiful South Indian coastal state of Kerala seeped in green and poetry. He's currently working in a desert – counting other’s money while words waltz about in his head.

Special Feature Collaborative Poem--By Beth Winchcombe & Jack Horne--England

Childhood Memories

By Beth Winchcombe & Jack Horne

(In Memory of Beth Wincombe—

October 2, 2015)

The aroma of hops

wafting forth as I pass 

the High Street Brewery.

The white suspension bridge

with slatted wooden walkway,

the river flowing beneath,

puts fear in my childlike heart.

Grandparents living nearby

in their cosy cottage,

reflecting an image of quaint shops,

full of candy in jars...

Candy! My mouth salivates;

Granny quells my longing -

she buys me some to take home.

She loves me, I love her.

The nearby park, a square 

cordoned off with swings;

a playground full of happy delight.

I like to ride my red bike

around the pond with no ducks

Dad lets go and I fall off.

Wearing my cousins' castoffs or old clothes 

from jumble sales at the church where Gran works.

New clothes at Christmases or birthdays 

(that I'm not allowed to play in!)

School dinners, their smell instilling dread;

at least a welcome break from lessons.

The crowded playground,

its chatter and laughter carrying far.

I always add to the noise,

but I'd rather be at home with my mum

(although I'm in love with my teacher

and swear I'll marry her some day!)

Ah, so much has changed since then, 

but fond memories stay alive in my heart...

...forever.

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

Jack’s Thoughts—

For many years, Beth & I were close friends. We shared the daily dramas of our lives, laughing & commiserating with one another; and we shared our poetry & prose, offering one another honest feedback. We also enjoyed writing together (quite a few of those pieces have been published). 

Geoff, her husband, phoned one evening to me to tell me the awful news.  Beth had died that day. It was all so sudden. I had spoken to her the day before, as normal.  

With Karen's encouragement & Geoff's blessing, I decided to write with Beth one last time. Geoff chose a poem that Beth had written, & I have written & added my part to her words. I believe Beth would have liked this. 

Broken--By Maurice J. Reynolds--United States

Broken

She lies still, her body frozen

in a nightmare that repeats

itself day in and day out; her

breath faint, signs of life are

just pants; wings broken,

unable to fly; hope entangled

in a net woven to inflict fear

and false truth.  Her dreams

crushed under the weight of

mankind’s evil intentions to

satisfy flesh and greed.

Maurice J. Reynolds is a freelance writer who has had material published in various publications. He is the owner of To God be the Glory! Publications, a literary ministry that produces the poetry publication Creative Inspirations.  More information can be found at: www.tgbtgpublictions.com

Heavenly therapy--By Andrew Ntchindi Jere--Malawi

Heavenly therapy

Weary of self-trials in lifting off hardships

My head tilted up into the sky; knees bowed

Constant prayer resonates from my lips

Looking for a speck of dark cloud

My open hands raised up into worship

Waiting to receive a light of heavenly hope

From the Lord of great stewardship,

Like Israelites traveling to a land of milk and honey

My tongue denied a taste of any deliciousness

No food piles up my stomach base;

Craving for a comeback of righteousness

To manifest in spirit from paradise

My eyes turn red from lacking a blink

As they peruse through the Christian dictionary

Searching for an understanding to fill the blank

So that I am no longer earthly stationary

The confession of my in-depth worries

To the greatest therapist in heaven

Frees my mind full of problem series,

Success and restoration attained through His sessions

Andrew Ntchindi Jere is a youthful Malawian poet. His poems have been extensively published in his country’s leading local newspapers, magazine and online publications. He is an alumnus of Mzuzu University, Malawi. He believes that God is his source of creativity.

Train Frozen--By Diane Webster--United States

Train Frozen

The petrified train emerges

from the rock formation

with the caboose still hidden

within the wind/rain imagination.

Fog pretends smoke from the stack;

thunder mimics the iron horse

rolling across tracks not yet laid.

An old train display frozen

in the national park museum

where juniper trees cordon off

the area so visitors do not touch,

and a mountain wren

whistles in the distance.

Diane Webster's goal is to remain open to poetry ideas in everyday life or nature or an overheard phrase. Many nights she falls asleep juggling images to fit into a poem. Her work has appeared in Philadelphia Poets, Illya's Honey, River Poets Journal and other literary magazines.

Dreams--By Peggy Dugan French--United States

Dreams

In younger days they would reflect a simple longing
Then I moved on to loftier thoughts
like finding true love
and friends to spend my time with
Once found
My dreams turned to the future
and building a foundation to launch them from
Now I just want us all to be safe
Sit across the table and share stories from time to time
Dreams now soar on loves wings

Peggy Dugan French is a California girl with Minnesota roots. She has been the editor of Shemom since 1997. She welcomes this opportunity to share her work with the Whispers readers and thanks Karen for starting such a wonderful shared space. 

Rise Up and Follow Me--By Allan Ball--England

Rise Up and Follow Me 

Slowly without relish

Dawned a brand new day

Long ago he realised

No one cared in any way

Unloved by anybody 

Called out one final time

Jesus, can you hear me

I'm not guilty of this crime

You know that I am innocent

A victim of circumstance

I was in the local vicinity

Lord, I never stood a chance

He felt his heartbeat quicken

Soon to take his final breath

A lonely anguished figure

Only seconds from his death

An inner voice of reassurance said

My son, I heard your heartfelt plea

You asked for my assistance

Rise up and follow me.

Allan Ball has retired from a career in the Banking and Financial sector. Writing is both peaceful and rewarding, the written word allows our hearts to speak. His poems have been published in Anthologies.

The Afterglow--By Arthur Turfa--United States

The Afterglow

In your purgatory the flames plagued you,

especially in the year of silence.

Did my words deliver any solace

to you as you wandered in the wasteland?

My orisons rising, crashing like waves

against a distant, unresponsive shore.

When you reached the ridge leading to the light,

the downward path proved easier. Once more

you smiled. Healing poured over you in waves

of light. Again, you shone with the brightness

of unending sunlight and loving warmth.

The afterglow burst upon me, giving

renewed hope and rejoicing beyond words.

As best as I can, I give them expression.

Arthur Turfa lives in South Carolina, but his poetry reflects the many places where he has lived or traveled.  His next book, Saluda Reflections, comes out from Finishing Line Press in June 2018. He has two other books of published poetry.

My world--By Sravani singampalli--India

My world          

I always wondered about strange things

I had my own fantasies

In my endearing little world

I would wander like a dandelion

Among the blooming trees.

There were fishes which could sing

Birds which could dance like me

And flowers which could talk to me.

I had wings to fly high

In the sky of rainbow colours.

I had no desires

I had no impure thoughts  

No secrets to be kept

In my world, I was a perfect person

At least I had the freedom

To be truly myself and

No fear of being caged

In a desolate cave of limitation

Sravani singampalli is a published writer and poet from India. She is presently pursuing doctor of pharmacy at JNTU KAKINADA university in Andhra Pradesh, India.

Translation Poetry Feature--By Karen O'Leary, United States and Inge Wesdijk (Daginne Aignend), The Netherlands

Haiku--

By Karen O'Leary

the pilgrim pauses

for a silent moment...

twilight whispers

~~~~~~~~~~

Dutch translation--

By Inge Wesdijk (Daginne Aignend)

de pelgrim pauzeert
een moment van bezinning ...
schemer gefluister

~~~~~~~~~~

January Activity Featuring--The Brevette--Hosted by Jack Horne--England

Dear Writing Friends,

It was a delight to read your Brevette poems today.  The form was developed by Emily Romano, a talented short verse writer.  I hope those that participated found this a enjoyable experience.  Thank you, contributors, for sharing your thoughts in different perspectives.

Special thanks to Jack Horne, Whispers' Activity Features Editor, for gathering our poems and for making the opportunity possible.  I hope you enjoy this garden of poetry.

Sincerely,

Karen O'Leary

Whispers' Editor

_________

love

s p r e a d s

hope

Gert Knop, Germany

_________

words

f i l l

pages

Gert Knop, Germany

_________

strangers

b e c o m e

friends

Gert Knop, Germany

_________

Mirror

r e f l e c t s

me

Barbara Tate, United States

_________

Pumpkins

w a i t i n g

harvest

Barbara Tate, United States

_________

Shoppers

h u n t

bargains

Barbara Tate, United States

_________

Hope

n o u r i s h e s

dreams

Paul Callus, Malta

_________

Grandchildren

r e j u v i n a t e

grandparents

Paul Callus, Malta

_________

Flowers

a w a k e

inspiration

Paul Callus, Malta

_________

Love

k i s s e s

hearts

Linda Imbler, United States

_________

Bereavement

U n i t e s

Families

Sunil Sharma, India

_________

guitar

t r e m b l e s

strings

Inge Wesdijk (Daginne Aignend) the Netherlands

_________

rabbits

n i b b l e

carrots

Inge Wesdijk (Daginne Aignend) the Netherlands

_________

bonbons

c h e r i s h

tongues

Inge Wesdijk (Daginne Aignend) the Netherlands

_________

he

s h o w e r e d

gifts

Charlene McCutcheon, United States

_________

she

g l o r i f i e d

him

Charlene McCutcheon, United States

_________

love

c o n q u e r s

fear

Charlene McCutcheon, United States

_________

sundown

s t r e t c h e s

shadows

Martha Magenta, England

_________

death

e a t s

life

Rajnish Mishra, India

_________

life

e a t s 

time

Rajnish Mishra, India

_________

time 

p u k e s

history

Rajnish Mishra, India

_________

winter

p r e c e d e s

spring

Mary Gunn, Ireland

_________

                                 

wine

c o m p l e m e n t s

food

Mary Gunn, Ireland

_________

                                                                               

procrastinators

d     e     l     a     y

decisions

Mary Gunn, Ireland

_________

Birds

E x h a l e

Condensation

Sara Kendrick, USA

_________

Spring

b r i n g s

blossomings

Andrea Dietrich, USA

_________

Baking

b e c k o n s
friends 

Annie Jenkin, England 

_________

terrorism

b l e e d s

sorrow

Karen O'Leary, United States 

_________

hugs

c o m f o r t

friends

Karen O'Leary, United States 

_________

love

s o o t h e s

pain

Karen O'Leary, United States

_________

Heart

T h u m p s
Emotions.

By Dr. Upma A. Sharma, India

_________

neighbors

||==B==U=||=I==L=||=D==I=||=N==G==||

fences

Robert P. Hansen, United States

_________

whispers

si^brle^eaknc^inge

Robert P. Hansen, United States

_________

philosophers

s e e k i n g

TR__TH

Robert P. Hansen, United States

_________

Manners

M A K E T H

Man  

Carol Butson, United Kingdom   

_________

Politics

R U I N 

Democracy

John Butson, United Kingdom

_________

Love  

C O N Q U E R S  

All  

    

Godfrey Ackers, United Kingdom

_________

Sheep  

C H E W   

Grass

Godfrey Ackers, United Kingdom

_________

bananas

t e m p t

monkeys

Nick Spargo, United Kingdom

_________

losers

s c r e a m

insults

Nick Spargo, United Kingdom

_________

monkeys

c o v e t

bananas

Nick Spargo, United Kingdom

________

Thief of Dreams--By Alicja Maria Kuberska--Poland

Thief of Dreams

I was silent, smiling, undemanding.

You did not expect that I would take without consent.

I was too close, and everything was within the reach of my hand.

Like a thief, I stole your glances and loneliness.

Your thoughts, I tied in a myriad of knots, creating a dense net,

And from dreams, I wove a gentle curve of a woman’s figure.

I stoked the spark of passion in your eyes, and a fire erupted.

I wrapped us in a sweet scent of flowers in my hair

And we glided towards many, distant nights.

Day has no right to enter the precipitous depth.

It is a place, in which the contours of black shadows fall asleep.

Only at the bottom of the abyss, can dreams and starlight be seen.

You are from Mars, I am from Venus.

Far planets are the bright points on a firmament of tenderness.

Our words and hands attract to the force of gravity of life.  

Alicja Maria Kuberska – awarded Polish poetess, novelist, journalist, editor - she writes both Polish and English. She has been published in numerous anthologies and magazines worldwide. Alicja is a member of the Polish Writers Associations in Warsaw, Poland and IWA Bogdani, Albania, she's also a member of director's board of Soflay Literature Foundation.