Tag Archives: .poetry

Unknown's avatar Jeff Flesch 6:52 pm on December 27, 2020
Tags: .poetry, , , , , , holidays, , , newyear, , , , , , ,   

A Blogger’s Diary 12/27/20: On Writing, Goal-Setting, Systems, and the Holidays

Photo by Darius Bashar on Unsplash

Well, this past week, I had an insight about writing. An insight that was derived from some of the blogs I follow. Yes, some of you, so thank you. The insight? Sure.

Namely, to write and schedule posts in advance. I’ve not done something like this on a regular basis, yet I can definitely see the utility, especially when during normal work times, of which this particular time period is not. So?

Well, I’ll get to that in a moment. First, let’s take a look at this week’s writing. Here we go.

Writing

  1. The Framed Window
  2. Focus
  3. Joy
  4. The Sunshine Blogger Award
  5. Swing
  6. Christmas Day
  7. Friends
  8. Flow

Yep, lots of poetry. Fun. And, this week? Sure.

As I was writing about above, I already have two posts scheduled for next weekend. An article on leadership, and one on vulnerability. It’s nice to have those written and scheduled, which will allow me to get back to work on the leadership series, the reflection series, and the social construction series next week. Excited.

Photo by Isaac Smith on Unsplash

Goal-Setting

I’m present to goal-setting today, as I’ve created a new vision for some of my upcoming engagement on LinkedIn, and have set new goals within that vision. Of course, I’ve also created priorities that are connected to both the long-term, and short-term goals.

If goal-setting is something you’d like to learn more about, you can learn more about how I think about goal-setting in this article, Create A Vision For Your Future Self in 5 Minutes.

Photo by ThisisEngineering RAEng on Unsplash

Systems

And, when you have goals that live within your vision, whether that is personal or professional, you need a system to put it into. I’ve written a couple articles about creating systems, and will share my LinkedIn system with you here.

Venngage

There we go. That was fun. I do love venngage. Anyway, here we can see the department priorities, and then one way that I will take action next quarter to create more engagement through LinkedIn (LI). You will see there are some blog series listed, which are not actually a reality yet, however, that’s how goal-setting works.

First you create the vision, then the objectives, then the priorities, and then? Well, you get to work. I am excited about the opportunity to discuss the new series with you in the future.

Okay, let’s turn to holidays, shall we? Good. Here we go.

Photo by Andreas Dress on Unsplash

The Holidays

Wow, what a lovely time of year. I do love the holiday, as I’ve written about before. It’s more the time of year, when we are heading into deeper winter, and I can start to see the spring not far off.

Well, it’s still a ways off at this point, however, in the Pac Northwest, the days start to get noticeably longer in January. And, I do love longer days, and the possibility of more sun as we head towards March.

Though, we had a gorgeously sunny day today. Beautiful.

Though I didn’t travel this holiday, we did Zoom calls, like lots of people, and that was nice. I also spent time with my oldest son, playing frisbee golf in the rain and cold, yet it was so nice to spend time with him. We made a sweet potato and butternut squash chili, and had dark chocolate cranberry bread for dessert.

Yes, of course I made the bread from scratch! I love to cook and bake, which I don’t know that I’ve written about before. Anyway, the bread was delicious.

Alright, that’s all for this entry.

As we approach the New Year, I want to wish you all the best in the coming week, and in the coming year. I am so excited about this next year. Seriously. I am excited to continue to create and write, and continue to engage with your beautiful creations.

Stay healthy and well, and enjoy your week.

#poetry, #bloggers-diary, #blogging, #business, #diary, #goal-setting, #holidays, #leadership, #linkedin, #newyear, #objectives, #poem, #priorities, #systems, #videos, #vision, #writing

Unknown's avatar Jeff Flesch 9:36 am on December 27, 2020
Tags: .poetry, , , , , ,   

Flow

Photo by Mark Basarab on Unsplash

Comes and goes
A memory of a moment
When time stood still, and
Each step looked the same

As the one before,

Moving from the inside,
Guided by a light that burns
Bright
And never shies away

From the turmoil of this life

For, it’s inside the turmoil
Of life that coexists
A beauty
Beyond comprehension

In fact, language becomes
Hard to manage, yet it’s not
The description that matters

It’s the experience of life,
Each step, one and then the next,
Which catches our fancy,
Staying focused then

Is imperative, as is the connection
Within, which guides the way
As we continue to play
Each scene out

To the end, remembering
All the while, they
Are all connected, just as
We are protected

Even when fear arises

We must continue to
Play our tune, and have faith
In that impulsion, which we
All know, and

May call
Life’s flow

#poetry, #experience, #flow, #life, #love, #poem, #poems

Unknown's avatar Jeff Flesch 12:51 pm on December 26, 2020
Tags: .poetry, , , , , ,   

Friends

Photo by Torsten Dederichs on Unsplash

I saw you
That first time
From across
The playground,

Though there were
So many people around,

You
Sure did stand out

They called me shy
Back then,
So as our eyes met,
I turned on my heel

In fret

Of the unknown, which
You conjured
In, my, then
Burgeoning

Imagination

And, the anticipation
Of our first real
Meeting, which
Filled me

With so many
Strange
And never
Felt before feelings

Of mystery

Inside my own
Young history

And, when you did
Approach?

I started for the door,
And you captured
My hand, and
Said, don’t

Be afraid, your
Safe with me
In the shade, of

Our first encounter
And, oh, what a joy
I did feel,
As my heart sped,

And then so did
My head

With thoughts of fancy,
And love
At first sight,
You were such a delight-

-ful being, grace and
Composure, a rock on
My shoulder, countenance
And magic

All rolled into one

For I did shelter in your
Embrace,
For many a year,
Through storms and triumphs,

All given with such grace
And composure
Even through
The most

Difficult

Exposure
To pain,

You were always
At my side, rain or
Shine,

I never did fear
You would slide away
Or hide, come what may

Why?

Because you were
The first,
For all the rest
Were measured against,

My true love,
And first real friend

#poetry, #friends, #life, #love, #poem, #poems, #writing

Unknown's avatar Jeff Flesch 8:00 am on December 25, 2020
Tags: .poetry, , , , , , ,   

Christmas Day

Photo by Chad Madden on Unsplash

Like no other
The preparation
Made good, the day
Is finally here,

My dear,

Weeks of anticipation,
Bringing us to this,
The final moment, and

Oh, what frustration
And melancholy
Did I once feel

For most of the duration
Of this last round of
Preparation

No matter, the weeks
Of turmoil, counting each
Paper link in the chain,
Red, and green,

Yes, they did alternate

Each
With the unwritten name,
Of a day
In the month

Unlike yours, of course
Which is, and
Forever will be
The most hallowed of all

The twenty-fifth

And though we may not
Have always had a lot
There was always
Something hidden

Under the tree,
At that one spot, which
Became a memory
Of a mostly unspoken

Love, shared between
Four people, yes,
With their own turmoil
In the air, yet

The love did see
Through the trying
Times, and even, in a way
Brought us closer

At once beyond repair
And wholy complete in
This life-long love affair

A paradox?

I think not, more like
A life lived at both extremes
As we continue to dream
About all of our cares

And desires for a
Brighter world,
Beyond the pain,
And suffering

We can all bear

And on this 25th?

At once,
Please take care
And remember,
You are loved

By many, my dear

Merry Christmas, everyone.

#poetry, #anticipation, #christmas, #life, #love, #poem, #poems, #writing

Unknown's avatar Jeff Flesch 1:00 pm on December 24, 2020
Tags: .poetry, , freindship, , , , , swing, swinging   

Swing

Photo by Lital Levy on Unsplash

Swing
Back and forth,
And back again
Just like an old friend

Though I don’t partake
Today, my memories are
Filled with blissful days
Made in your tender embrace

When times were tough,
Or a wonder,
There was always
A reason to seek your shelter

Carefree, swinging
In the wind
Worries and fears
Absolutely disappear

Without a trace of
Their presence,
Only ever the wind
Guiding me back

Up again, higher and
Higher, a beauty is calling
Me back in repose, yet
I catch more speed

And, off to the other side
I do go

Racing up towards
The heavens, it’s as if
The sky was pulled down
Just for me, as I sit on your

Lap and feel such glee

Now back towards the
Middle, where it started
When we were kiddos,
And, just then, we get a push

From a friend
That’s not done watching,

And, ditto, for my friend, as
Their now joining in, and

Now we swing together,
Just the three of us, racing
Back and forth, again

And, again, there’s no time
So, let’s begin again

Time has no pulse
In this endeavor,
For it’s all about impulse

As we live our life
With not a care in the world
Only the three of us now,
You, I, and the swing

We now share

#poetry, #childhood, #freindship, #life, #love, #poem, #poems, #swing, #swinging

Unknown's avatar Jeff Flesch 4:26 pm on December 23, 2020
Tags: .poetry, , , , , ,   

Joy

Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

I think of you
And smile,
Even if it’s been a while

You’re always awaiting
My return, when lost
And even when I feel
A bit cursed

I don’t have memory
Of your not being there,
Even in the times of my
Greatest despair

A rock, solid and caring
Never taking, only ever
Holding my hand without
Any fanfare

Trust that is deep
As the ocean, and clear
As the sky, on a very bright
And oh so sunny daytime

Love so immense,
I’d never second-guess
What’s coming, especially
When I can feel your forthcoming

Return, as if you ever left

No, that’s my confusion
At best, and,

It’s okay
To sometimes be confused
And unsure,
It happens at times, my friend

In those times, remember
This truth, if I may be so bold,
And convey this last sentiment

Joy is always there,
A part of you and I
On it we can rely

Simply look within,
And remember the feeling
Of joy when often repeating

And bring forth that joy
Thereof, which is always
Within you, my love

#poetry, #joy, #life, #love, #poem, #poems, #writing

Unknown's avatar Jeff Flesch 5:56 pm on December 22, 2020
Tags: .poetry, , , , , , , , wdys#61   

Focus

Tim Hüfner @ Unsplash

Though we may
Have been told this
Long ago
It’s

Likely we’ve forgotten,
And say it’s
Not so

Inner-child, what
do you mean?

I’ve been taught
To look outside
For all that’s serene

To chase after this,
And that, in hope of
Finding happiness at last

Yet, I continue to fall flat

Frustration building,
When that next thing
Doesn’t bring me closer,

Rather, only more heartache
And, yes, that’s what’s at stake

Yet, there is another way
Filled with love and joy
And all the protection
One’s heart could possibly employ

Where does it start?

Well, just as we were
Told oh so long ago,

The answers

Are already inside you
My friend, a shift in
Perspective is all that’s
Needed

A shift from focusing
On the external, to
A focus on
The

Internal, which is, and,
Always will be
Eternal

In response to WDYS#61 from Keep it Alive, by Sadje.

#poetry, #contemplation, #focus, #introspection, #life, #love, #poem, #poems, #wdys61

Unknown's avatar Jeff Flesch 6:38 pm on December 21, 2020
Tags: .poetry, atplay, boys, , , , , , , theframedwindow   

The Framed Window

Photo by Niloufar Nemati on Unsplash

It started out
In that one house
Looking out at history
In the making

Both you boys
Prancing,
Flitting, tossing, and
Turning about

Without a care in the world

As the train rolls by,
And the window shakes
Yet, there’s no distraction
In the moment, as I continue to stare

At your fervor
For love and comradery

Which is not a mystery
At all, only ever a deep, and
Profound sense of enjoyment
For this one moment

Watching you two play
Chasing
And being chased
In tandem, and, yes

Always with great fandom

Throughout each, and
Every season
That changes, and

Now looking through the window
There’s only ever exchanges
Of a love so deep
It brings a tear

To my eye and I sometimes weep

With anticipation
Of the morrow, when
Once again, I’ll sit and watch
Two boys

Who will eventually become men

Through that beautifully
Framed window
In that one
House

Where my love once began

#poetry, #atplay, #boys, #children, #joy, #life, #love, #poem, #poems, #theframedwindow

Unknown's avatar Jeff Flesch 12:28 pm on December 20, 2020
Tags: .poetry, , , , , , ,   

Grace

Photo by Chloe Si on Unsplash

Is a space,
Created for you and I
As we balance our place

On this planet

Which can sometimes
Be precarious
And even, at times,
Make us furious

With anxiety, and, yes
Even anticipation

Of what’s to come
Tomorrow under
The setting
Sun

Emotions like these
Are normal, for you and I
Are only mortal

Yet, there’s more
To the story
Of, yes
A

Profound glory

Where mortality
Meets the Divine
And always sublime

Presence

Of something grander

And all the while
We fit with our emotions
And, at times stumble
And bumble our lines

We can call upon this
Presence and it’s
Magnificent essence

Of our collective humanity

And extend ourselves
The Grace as needed

#poetry, #emotions, #grace, #life, #love, #poem, #poems, #presence

Unknown's avatar Jeff Flesch 8:06 am on December 19, 2020
Tags: .poetry, , , , , , , , , , ,   

Shadows

Photo by Brantley Neal on Unsplash

Linger in places
We dare not
Look, and

Yet they continue
To follow, like a
Mirror

Top to bottom

You move this way
It moves that
Way-

-ward toward another
Glimpse of beauty
In repose
Of

The splendor at
Your door

Afraid to answer
One and all
And, yet

The call comes again
And, again,
Without
A

Forestalled lingering
Imagination
Full
Of

Contemplation, and, yes
Even remorse
And, of
Course

Alone you are not
In your journey
Toward the
Lighted

Hall
As your shadow
Dances at the ball
Intertwined with

You,

Hand-and-hand
Just like a
Prefect

Symphony
As they play their
Last tune, and the
Music fades to black

The shadow is part
Of you, friend,
Embrace it
With a

Fervor of no
Compare
And, rest easy

In knowing this
Dance will last

As the shadow plays
With light in
A splendid
Contrast

#poetry, #beauty, #dark, #imagination, #journey, #life, #light, #love, #mirror, #poem, #poems, #shadow