butterfly kiss

the sky, mountain
high

sits in my heart
and at the center of time

you, my love

bleed
through my skin, pores

thin

and, transparent
a fragrance

clandestine, and
hidden

beneath

a butterfly kiss
upon my forehead, to me

you gave this final gift


butterfly kiss was inspired by the poem Something Stuck, by Tricia Sankey.


Photo by Layers, Pixabay


Submissions for the Nature Speaks of Love and Sorrow: 30 Poems in 30 Days Collaboration are still open. Please see the submission details here.



Jeff Flesch

Author, #1 Amazon New Release Nature Speaks of Love and Sorrow

Co-Author, #1 Amazon Bestseller, Wounds I Healed: The Poetry of Strong Women

Author of the Month, Jan/Feb 2022, Spillwords Press


#poetry, #30-poems-in-30-days, #butterly-kiss, #connection, #desire, #healing, #heart, #hidden, #kiss, #nature, #naturespeaks, #pain, #passion, #poem, #senses, #sensitivity, #uncover

#NatureSpeaks: 30 #Poems in 30 Days – Day 7: Fireflies, by Punam

The gift of love that you gave
burgeoned in my heart
its roots anchoring my unsteady life
calming all my inner turmoil

the pain of your sudden abandonment
left me bereft and alone. Yet, I stand tall
butterflies flit by, ignoring me
yet I know in the spring
when I am done with mourning
clothed in new leaves
self-love will resurrect me
with the ashes of pain swept away
I will then attract fireflies.


Image (From The Week)


Fireflies was inspired by the poem Butterfly Love. You can read more of Punam’s poetry at paeansunpluggedblog.wordpress.com.


Submissions are still open for the Nature Speaks of Love and Sorrow: 30 Poems in 30 Days Collaboration. The submission details are located here.



Jeff Flesch

Author, #1 Amazon New Release Nature Speaks of Love and Sorrow

Co-Author, #1 Amazon Bestseller, Wounds I Healed: The Poetry of Strong Women

Author of the Month, Jan/Feb 2022, Spillwords Press


#poetry, #30-poems-in-30-days, #alone, #determination, #fireflies, #gift, #heart, #love, #mourning, #nature, #naturespeaks, #pain, #peace, #poem, #resilience, #resurrect, #roots, #self-love, #stand, #transformation, #turmoil

#NatureSpeaks: 30 #Poems in 30 Days – Day 6: The Butterfly Poet, by Paula Light

Asleep in her chrysalis,
Small and insignificant,
She’s waiting,
Hesitating,
Unsure where she fits in.
Her dreams ebb and flow,
Gentle and slow;
Desire and longing
Lie obscured in the mist.
She’s safe in this womb,
Her cozy cocoon,
Where no judgments can drift.
But life teems all around:
The scents and the sounds,
Meter and rhyme forming verses sublime–
She breaks free and takes wing.
Adrift on a breeze,
She spies the nectar she needs;
Vast fields of inspiration
Fill her heart with elation.
Now proud and unafraid,
Her emotions are displayed
On the outside.
No more pseudonyms
And no need to hide–
She’s finally at peace
Inside her own skin.


The Butterfly Poet was inspired by the poem Butterfly Love. You can read more of Paula Light’s poetry at Light Motifs II.


Submissions are still open for the Nature Speaks of Love and Sorrow: 30 Poems in 30 Days Collaboration. The submission details are located here.



Jeff Flesch

Author, #1 Amazon New Release Nature Speaks of Love and Sorrow

Co-Author, #1 Amazon Bestseller, Wounds I Healed: The Poetry of Strong Women

Author of the Month, Jan/Feb 2022, Spillwords Press


#poetry, #butterly, #chrysalis, #desire, #dreams, #emotions, #flight, #heart, #inspiration, #love, #nature, #peace, #poem, #sensation, #strength, #the-butterfly-poet

liquid heart

I look up, and down
liquid heart

in pools, I drown

waiting for the sun to arise
again

in my heart

capitulation strong
and armed

with love

and light
a transformation
in kind

with the river, I flow with time


Photo by 12019, Pixabay

Twitter #vss365 prompt word used: liquid. Follow me on Twitter here.


Submissions for the Nature Speaks of Love and Sorrow: 30 Poems in 30 Days Collaboration are still open. Please see the submission details here.

Jeff Flesch

Author, #1 Amazon New Release Nature Speaks of Love and Sorrow

Co-Author, #1 Amazon Bestseller, Wounds I Healed: The Poetry of Strong Women

Author of the Month, Jan/Feb 2022, Spillwords Press


#poetry, #contemplation, #flow, #heart, #human-connection, #kindness, #light, #liquid-heart, #love, #poem, #reflection, #strength, #transformation

#NatureSpeaks: 30 #Poems in 30 Days – Day 5: My Blood, by Eunice Aformanor

They bloom with vibes
as grapes drive on vines,
butterflies welcome their
seasons in species,
My blood celebrate me.

But, when blooms derail
when transitions
cut off maturity,
and my blood
betrays me,
Can l announce
to denounce ?
Can any type
fit in tighter
than ‘A’?
Denouncing it
is denouncing
self and soul
denouncing it
is denouncing
my nature.

As healing rains fall
with water and fire
to take us higher,
so do l prepare
for the smooth,
the rough and
tough turns,
even for the never hoped for,
to be at peace with pains,
For no other can hide my
heartaches in smiles
than myself,
for Sorrow is a perfect Picture
of Love in progress.


Image from Vectorstock.com


My Blood was inspired by the poem Butterfly Love. You can read more of Eunice Aformanor’s poetry at UNIZ BISSIE.


Submissions are still open for the Nature Speaks of Love and Sorrow: 30 Poems in 30 Days Collaboration. The submission details are located here.



Jeff Flesch

Author, #1 Amazon New Release Nature Speaks of Love and Sorrow

Co-Author, #1 Amazon Bestseller, Wounds I Healed: The Poetry of Strong Women

Author of the Month, Jan/Feb 2022, Spillwords Press


#poetry, #30-poems-in, #acceptance, #blooms, #butterflies, #healing, #hope, #human-nature, #humility, #love-and-sorrow, #my-blood, #nature, #naturespeaks, #pain, #poem, #poems, #renounce

hope’s truth

I walk along the streets

a desolate
and desperate domain
filled

with shadowed pain

in the alleyways, and
along the riverfront

whispers

brought forth
turning my stomach end over end

like butterflies

arising again
under the brisk, and breezy moon
I see you

hope’s friend

our one and only truth


Photo by Prettysleepy, Pixabay


hope’s truth was inspired by the poem Hot Ashes, by Benjamin Nambu.


Submissions are still open for the Nature Speaks of Love and Sorrow: 30 Poems in 30 Days Collaboration. The submission details are located here.



Jeff Flesch

Author, #1 Amazon New Release Nature Speaks of Love and Sorrow

Co-Author, #1 Amazon Bestseller, Wounds I Healed: The Poetry of Strong Women

Author of the Month, Jan/Feb 2022, Spillwords Press


#poetry, #anxiety, #butterlies, #desolation, #excitement, #healing, #heart, #hopes-truth, #moon, #nature, #naturespeaks, #pain, #poem, #truth

#NatureSpeaks: 30 #Poems in 30 Days – Day 4: Winter Sunshine and You, by Sadje

It’s the winter sunshine
Pale and just warm enough
The tangy smell of citrus fruit
Warms my nostrils with anticipation
Lime and lemons
Oranges and kinoes
The perfect accompaniments
To the afternoon sun in winters
Sitting partly in shade, a little in the sun
I enjoy our futile debates on theology and politics
The memories stay forever in my mind
Winter sun, citrus and your invigorating company.


Photo by Victoria_rt, Pixabay


Winter Sunshine and You was inspired by the poem, Lemon and Limes. You can read more of Sadje’s poetry at Keep it Alive.


In the event you missed my interview with Victoria Onofrei of Bloomsbury Radio, you can tune in this week at 7 am, and 2 pm PT (USA) to catch the rebroadcast.

You can access Bloomsbury Radio here.



Jeff Flesch

Author, #1 Amazon New Release Nature Speaks of Love and Sorrow

Co-Author, #1 Amazon Bestseller, Wounds I Healed: The Poetry of Strong Women

Author of the Month, Jan/Feb 2022, Spillwords Press


#poetry, #citurs, #companionship, #connection, #conversation, #fruit, #heart, #huamnity, #life, #love, #mind, #poem, #sun, #warmth, #winter-sunshine