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      • Arts & Entertainment, Poetry

        Poetry Corner: Fragile and Resilient

        • Kathabela Wilson
          • February 21, 2018
          • 2 comments
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      POETRY CORNER

      – 2/21/18

      Cloud Ridden watercolor (Photo - Michele L. Harvey).

      Cloud Ridden watercolor (Photo – Michele L. Harvey).

      Hosted by Kathabela Wilson

      These are the moments we always remember, sometimes they are very small instances that are signposts, strong insights that affect our thinking as examples, changing our minds and lives. Sometimes they are dramatic and almost always surprising. Occasionally they are everyday comforts, recalled for their impact and significance. They are the things that make us feel better about life, support our efforts and and encourage us. Observe the variety and depth of experience described by our four fine poets. Roy, Michele and Karla speak to us in “tanka” a short poem that is like a pearl, where all the power and beauty is concentrated. The poet Tzetzka Ileva has written a cherita. This is a tiny story that encapsulates the memories and warmth of her past. The poems will remind you of your own strong moments that give impetus to your own life and work.

      ~ Kathabela

      Pivitol moment (Photo - Roy Kindelberger).

      Pivitol moment (Photo – Roy Kindelberger).

      Roy Kindelberger

      the airplane
      departed without me
      a decision
      to stay one more day
      or maybe forever

      Sometimes pivotal decisions can be ruled by fear. When fear is let go, the free mind can make a clear decision and serenity prevails.Roy Kindelberger is a children’s writer, poet, and teacher from Edmonds, WA.

      Ο Ο Ο

      Michele L. Harvey

      he didn’t know
      he had given it to me…
      father’s approval
      of my artistic talent
      when he said my clouds move

      Like most other artists, Michele L. Harvey had to overcome the doubts of family and friends. When she invited her frail and widowed father for Christmas dinner, he took a late afternoon nap in the bedroom which also served as her studio. Upon rising and tottering into the kitchen he said, “Michele, Michele, your clouds…they moved!” He was referring to paintings, standing in the studio, being readied for the next show. Michele’s father never openly expressed his approval of her work, but his brief comment was enough to validate her years of effort. Throughout life there are turning points which serve as landmarks, marking an individual’s path. This indeed, was a memorable one.

      Ο Ο Ο

      Father and child (Photo - Tzetzka IlievaI).

      Father and child (Photo – Tzetzka IlievaI).

      Tzetzka Ilieva

      simpler times

      when Mom’s slow cooked
      “bad weather” soup

      and Dad’s “we-don’t-
      have-to-call-it-ice-cream-in-winter”
      could make my doll feel better

      Tzetzka Ilieva lives in Marietta, Georgia. She writes short poems in Bulgarian (her native language) and English, and takes countless photos of birds, flowers and bugs every day. She says: “No matter how old, busy, or serious I am now, I try to remember that it is the small things that make us feel loved and supported: the everyday conversations, the time spend together, the laughs. A hug cannot make all the pain go away, but it can bring just the right amount of courage so we can start working on making things better.”

      Ο Ο Ο

      Karla Decker

      mowed lawn
      wounded dandelion
      stirs
      broken petals
      try to bloom

      Karla Decker says: “When I was a small child I fell in love with dandelions. I remember the devastation I felt the first time I saw my father mow down my favorites. And then there are those who dig these beauties up and toss them on the refuse pile. And the sense of triumph I feel when I see these feisty little flower do all they can to survive. In light of the latest school shooting the feistiness of dandelions has added meaning. I have lived in Colorado, Wisconsin, and Minnesota but never felt at home until I moved to beautiful, unpretentious Nebraska. The plan when I move here was to stay for one year, fifty years ago and have never regretted staying.”

      Ο Ο Ο

      > We welcome and encourage your response especially in the form of short poems. You may reply by leaving a comment below.


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      668
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      Tagged: CheritaFragile and ResilientKarla DeckerKathabela WilsonMichele L. Harveypasadena poetrypoetry cornerRoy KindelbergertankaTzetzka Ilieva

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      Contributor

        • Author
        • Recent Posts
        • Kathabela Wilson

          Kathabela Wilson is a local poet/writer/artist and musician. Her Poets Salon has become an international respected must read in the poetry world. She's the creator and host of the Pasadena-based group, “Poets on Site.”

          Colorado Boulevard is your place for enlightening events, informative news and social living for the greater Pasadena area.
          We strive to inform, educate, and work together to make a better world for all of us, locally and globally.

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      Comments

      1. priscampbell says:
        March 7, 2018 at 10:44 am

        This is a fantastic issue!

        Reply
      2. Alex Nodopaka says:
        February 25, 2018 at 11:08 am

        I am impressed with the extreme shortness of the poems. Without fitting the Haiku form they are jewels on their own.

        Reply

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