Tag Archives: Life

Unknown's avatar Jeff Flesch 6:00 pm on January 19, 2021
Tags: , letter, Life, , , , , wdys#65, ,   

A Letter

Image credit; Simona Sergi @ Unsplash

You’ve written
Before, and yet
No more,

Now,
I dangle a letter
To lure you back,

Though,
Unsure I am,
About the portended
Future

Will our existence
Be reminiscent
Of the letter
In hand?

Now a grandstand

An audience to
Itself, suspended
Mid air

A trifle, and flare,
Of opportunity
Encased in
Red

Just like the roses,
I gave you
When
We

Wed,
And you shook your
Head, in favour of a

Nod instead

And, though
I bled with anticipation

There really is
No mysterious
Cause
For my withdrawal

Only the wonder
Which I see
While in
Bed

As thoughts of
You
Give way to dreams,
Which are sometimes

Pleasant, and
At other times not
So, so,
Dear, give way to

My hearts present

Which is adorned, and
Ready to give way
While you stay
Away,

Only know I’m here

Which is where
I’ll remain
Until that day,

When you return,

And walk through that door,
Taking the note, now
Dangling no more,

And read about
The love that’s flourished
While you were gone,

Now holding hands, like
Time never elapsed,
As we await the dawn.

In response to the WDYS #65 prompt from Keep it Alive, by Sadje.

#poetry, #letter, #life, #love, #poem, #poems, #relationships, #wdys65, #wonder, #writing

Unknown's avatar Jeff Flesch 6:00 pm on January 18, 2021
Tags: , , Life, , , , , , thunder   

Thunder

Photo by Tom Barrett on Unsplash

I often wonder,
what it is about
thunder

that causes
such a
mysterious

sensation,
from deep within.

There are times
when I’m smitten
with a grin,
as I

ponder and reflect
upon
my life as a child.

Thinking
about the thunder
that would rain down

when we least expected
it.

And then?

Running,
hiding, and trying to find
a place to not be affected

by it.

And, as I write that last
stanza, it occurs to me,
the “it”
in compilation, is unseen

and hidden from view.

A mysterious, and, yes,
often ominous feeling,
even when the thunder
was not dealing it’s clatter.

Hiding under bed,
waiting, worrying, and
unofficially praying for a stead-
fast reprieve

form the hidden noise.

And, oh, what a joy!

When finally released
from the deluge
of noise,

which overwhelmed
my every sense
until, finally,
yes

poise,

did return.

And, I could crawl
out
from underneath,

and, once again,
breathe in
the

salty air
from the rain,
which did just fall.

Oh, thunder, you
are oft criticized, and
yet, are a part of
Nature, so I

do surmise,

you are elegant
in your ways.

And, I do always
pray, for a return
of the rain.

So if you must
also return,
very well,

I will prepare
as needed,
and,

see you thunder,
on the other
side of
the

season.

#poetry, #childhood, #life, #love, #nature, #poem, #poems, #seasons, #thunder

Unknown's avatar Jeff Flesch 8:00 am on January 18, 2021
Tags: , , , Life, , , ,   

Haiku #3

Blades of grass splinter,
A raven flies overhead.
Not separate. One.

Photo by Benjamin Davies on Unsplash

Photo Credit

#poetry, #connection, #haiku, #life, #love, #nature, #poem, #poems

Unknown's avatar Jeff Flesch 6:53 pm on January 17, 2021
Tags: , Baking, birthdays, , , Life, , , ,   

A Blogger’s Diary 1/17/21: On Writing, A 21st Birthday, and Overwhelm

Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

Well, as I mentioned in my last entry, last week was the first week of the term, and we were busier than we have been since the pandemic started.

I’ll have more to write about that in a minute. First, let’s take a look at the writing that occurred this week.

Writing

There we go.

It was great to put a period on the lengthy second installment of the Leadership Series. In installment 3, we will look at creating and developing teams. Will be fun.

Alright, and next week?

Well, I already have another Haiku scheduled, as well as a Tanka poem. I also have an article on intention and the last installment in My One Thing: Creating Alignment in Our Lives.

I also have some new ideas, which I’ll get to writing about in the next month or two. Here are a few of those ideas.

  • The Leadership Series Part 3
  • A new series on leadership, called Leading from Within
  • An article on the law of attraction
  • And, of course, I’ll have new entries in both the developmental moments and reflection series in the next few weeks.

Alright, how about birthdays.

Birthdays

Well, my oldest son turned 21 this week, and my youngest will turn 17 in May. Phew. It is hard to believe, and then not, that these boys are so grown.

I am so impressed with who they are becoming as young men, and am so proud of them both. A lucky father, am I.

Alright, Justin’s birthday was this past week, so he was over Saturday night, and I made a spinach salad with baked tofu (breaded with panko and slightly fried), and brown sugar butternut squash bread.

Both were super tasty, though I will write that the bread was a little sweet for my tastes. Here is the recipe for the bread, and a couple of pics.

Corvallis, Oregon 2021

Fun!

Overwhelm

As I already mentioned, last week we had our busiest week of registration since the pandemic started. Of course, this also means that the team was super busy, and, each of them, at different times and at different levels, experienced overwhelm. Yes, me included.

On Wednesday it occurred to me, though not for the first time, that we are all inundated with stimulation, and it occurs differently inside of the pandemic. Meaning, many of us are on technology more than ever before; and it is needed and necessary to move our work forward.

However, being aware of creating quiet space is also needed and necessary. I think it is needed more now than ever before, and necessary to keep us centered and in balance.

Thus, I sent the team the following message on Wednesday. Subject line: Please read today: Taking the time needed.

Hi all,
Phew, what a busy week!
I am so impressed by each of you, by the work and possibilities we continue to create for our community. 
A record number of registrations continue to come in!
And, just as our record number of registrations is a beautiful thing to see and be a part of, we have all felt, in some way this week, overwhelmed by the work we are engaged in.
I’ve said what I am about to write, in just about every meeting this week. 
We all need to create time to put the work down, and just be. Be outside in the sun, if it is sunny as it is today, be in a quiet space in our homes, be, well, wherever you can create time for yourself that is away from technology and stimulation.
I am asking each of you to continue to create this time for yourselves when needed. You will see on my calendar today at 1 pm, a walk scheduled. I will be away from my computer and phone for 45 minutes.
Please do the same when you can. It can be 10 minutes, 20, or longer, just take that time, and be.
Great work this week, team!!!!!
Jeff

CORVALLIS, OREGON, 2021

Now, I’ve written before about being overstimulated, and being overwhelmed is similar, and, in fact, can function the same way.

We all need time away from everything and everyone.

As you move throughout your week, I invite you to create this time for yourself. Create time for yourself, to be with yourself. Just for you.

And, take that time to breathe, witness all that surrounds you and is within you, and just be.

Have a wonderful week.

#poetry, #baking, #birthdays, #bloggers-diary, #blogging, #life, #love, #overwhelm, #selfdevelopment, #writing

Unknown's avatar Jeff Flesch 6:00 pm on January 16, 2021
Tags: , , Life, , , ,   

Fire

Photo by Fredrik Solli Wandem on Unsplash

I sit
Transfixed
By your beauty

Behold,
The sparkling movement
In your form,

Just like the day
I was born,

I am always
Mesmerized, and
At the same time

Surprised

At the way
You linger,
In my imagination

It’s
As if
My plate
Is full of magic paper

Which
You are fed
Until there is not a shred
left,

And,
I turn my
Head, and wonder
Where you went, or

Who
You may send
In your
Stead

The whisper
Of
Your glow

And the magnificence

Of
The smoke
That billows out
From your coals

Of life, for they
Do suffice, to continue
Your magic, until,
Of course,

There is no
More, and, yes,

That can feel
Tragic

Yet, you’ll
Be there in the dawn

Because your
Sister, is awaiting
In arms, to rise

Up
And provide
Us a new day,

And, upon this,
I can now lay

At your feet

For you’re the fire,
The existence,
Of my life sweet

#poetry, #beauty, #life, #love, #nature, #poem, #poems

Unknown's avatar Jeff Flesch 6:00 pm on January 14, 2021
Tags: , , Life, , , ,   

Haiku #2

The absence of thought,
Like a dew drop in repose.
Floats away, not caught.

Photo Credit

#poetry, #haiku, #life, #love, #nature, #poem, #writing

Unknown's avatar Jeff Flesch 6:00 pm on January 13, 2021
Tags: , gateway, Life, , , , , wdys#64   

Gateway

Image credit; Timur Kozmenko

Before us, stands
The gateway,
To another
Time

When life was full
Of promises, which
We held close to heart,
Even in times

That gave us a start, and now

As we prepare to cross
That boundary once again,
Dear friend,
Let’s remember

To let go of our preconceived

Notions of what life
Is supposed to be,

You see
Those illusions are based on
Something else

Altogether, reminiscence, yes,
Yet, all so very different

And now?

Before us, we have
A real chance
To start again,

Entering a new realm
Of possibility,
Where hope
Languishes in the air

Just like when life was simple,

And the flowers bloom
With a malodorous
Effect, which, I suspect,

Creates more potential
In each and every
Pupil

Of life,

All one has to do,
Is cross the threshold,
And behold, all that’s
Awaiting you

Just on the other side
Of that gateway
Where your
Life

Will continue to unfold

In response to prompt WDYS#64 from Keep it Alive, by Sadje.

#poetry, #gateway, #life, #love, #poem, #poems, #possibility, #wdys64

Unknown's avatar Jeff Flesch 6:00 pm on January 11, 2021
Tags: , choices, decisions, Life, , ,   

Left or Right?

Photo by Oliver Roos on Unsplash

I’m always wondering,
Should I go left, or
Right,

And, though I know
Either way is alright,

It’s still a consideration,
Made without pause,
Or, rather, with

A minute gaze
Upon the thaw
Of the decision maze

Without any notice,
Or applause

As we consider
A simple decision, and know
It’s ours to create

In times when they
Are rough, and in times
When they are just
Enough

We can consider
For a millenia
Yet,
What I’ve

Found, is that
You’ll end up in the
Same place roundabout

No matter the
Selection made
About the gain

We’d like to make

Left or right, then
Remember, friend,
It’s alright,

And all is tight, yes,
With anticipation,
However, your

Destination,
Is preset, so let go,
And take the path,

Which feels best

#poetry, #choices, #decisions, #life, #love, #poem, #poems

Unknown's avatar Jeff Flesch 6:00 pm on January 9, 2021
Tags: , , Life, , , , ,   

Water

Photo by iam_os on Unsplash

Your majesty,
I do see while
sitting under the
shady tree.

As I look out
at Your crests,
and hold true to
the feeling in my chest.

A beauty beyond
comprehension.

On land,
we only ever see

a fraction

of Your love
and devotion,

which You send
to us all, even
when we least expect
it.

And, that’s when it’s
most detected
by the senses,
even if we don’t

know

what’s protecting
us
in each moment.

You know,
and always have,
for your Grace is
everlasting, like

a strand
that goes on
forever and ever
until the very end.

And, then?

It all starts again.

#poetry, #beauty, #life, #love, #nature, #poem, #poems, #water

Unknown's avatar Jeff Flesch 9:30 pm on January 8, 2021
Tags: , haikus, Life, , , , ,   

My One Thing: Writing Haikus this Weekend

Photo by Masaaki Komori on Unsplash

Alright, so I recently took up writing haikus, as many of you know, and am having a fantastic time. I’ve posted one thus far, and have three others scheduled, and then this weeked?

Well, along with the other writing I’ll do, I plan to spend time reflecting upon new ideas for a few more haikus.

What am I learning? Good question. A lot actually. Let’s take a look.

Haikus

A haiku is a poem, which was created in Japan in the 9th century, that contains a 5-7-5 syllable sound pattern, which is elegant, beautiful, and challenging to craft. There are a few distinctions between traditional haikus, and more contemporary haikus.

For instance, in traditional haikus, there are some very explicit rules. Here is an example, taken from Your Dictionary.

  1. There are only three lines, totaling 17 syllables.
  2. The first line is 5 syllables.
  3. The second line is 7 syllables.
  4. The third line is 5 syllables like the first.
  5. Punctuation and capitalization are up to the poet, and need not follow the rigid rules used in structuring sentences.
  6. A haiku does not have to rhyme, in fact usually it does not rhyme at all.
  7. It can include the repetition of words or sounds

Here is an example of a traditional haiku.

“The Old Pond” by Matsuo Bashō

An old silent pond

A frog jumps into the pond—

Splash! Silence again.

Read Poetry

And, here is an example of a contemporary haiku.

Joyce Clement “Birds Punctuate the Days”

Period

One blue egg all summer long

Now gone

Read Poetry

As you conduct more research, however, you find that contemporary haikus are less strict, and can take on numerous forms, as you can see from the above example. It’s super interesting, and a lovely learning experience.

Tanka

There is also a poem called the tanka, created in Japan in the 7th century. Unlike the haiku, which is 17 syllables, the tanka is a 31 syllable poem, typically in the syllable sound pattern, 5-7-5-7-7.

Here is an example of a tanka poem.

八雲立つ 出雲八重垣 妻籠みに 八重垣作る その八重垣を

Layers of cloud in the sky
I am here, ‘Izumo’ country
to protect my sweet wife
I will make layers of fences
eight layered surrounding our home

Medium

Gorgeous.

Now, I am just taking up writing haikus, so tankas will have to wait, yet there are similarities between the two; and, in fact, a tanka (the 7-7 sound pattern) can be added to the haiku. It might, then, look something like this, using my first haiku as an example.

Slowly, the rain falls,
we rejoice in the moment.
And then it is gone.
I await the next moment,
frenzied feeling of delight.

Haiku #1

Wow, that was fun.

Alright, that’s my one thing this weekend, so I wanted to share, as it is such a joy to continue this poetry journey with all of you.

Have a lovely weekend.

#poetry, #haikus, #life, #love, #myonething, #nature, #poem, #poems