Poetry For Now

Truthful, humorous and insightful poetry to uplift and brighten your day. Hosted and written by Martin Strasmore. The resounding gongs, played by Kassandra Strasmore, offer an experience of peace and tranquility. Good poetry can open up the mind and heart to new ways of seeing the world, accepting difficulties and embracing opportunities for transformation. Each episode is intended to support and uplift the world and to renew our respect for each other and nature.

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Poetry For Now

NATIONAL POETRY MONTH

April 05, 2022 • Martin Strasmore • Season 2 • Episode 21

This episode has 3 poems:
"National Poetry Month" is a humorous poem about poetry book titles.
"Go to the Page with a Heart as open as the Heart of God" takes this title from a line in a book by Elizabeth Stroud.
"Journals" is about what goes into our journals and where they all go!

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Welcome - Here in the USA April is NATIONAL POETRY MONTH

so I cannot think of a better title for this episode 21 of season 2.

NATIONAL POETRY MONTH

Its my time to compose a poetry book

What is the recipe? said the cook

Maybe pick an unusual title

Like making a surprising trifle

Looking at the library’s poetry pile

these book titles made me smile.

Listen carefully please

Here’s a few Titles picked out for you

line 1 is really true

line 2 is my new view

1. Shine your icy crown

2. don’t slip and frown

1. Live oak and moss

2. use lichen to floss

1. Falling towards the moon

2. Space tourists coming soon

1 Angels of Ascent

2. Giving up death for Lent

1. Still life with two dead peacocks and a girl

2. Two herons and an alligator in a whirl

1. Like falling through a cloud

2. Sky diving is very loud

1..Holy moly carry me

2. waiting for my new knee

So Martin’s book title is:

Milking the cow

or should it be

Poetry for Now!

GO TO THE PAGE WITH A HEART AS OPEN AS THE HEART OF GOD

(Advice given in Elizabeth Stroud’s book “my name is Lucy Barton”

As I sit quietly on the bench

Absorbing these words

the shiny black grackle

with iridescent turquoise wings

and piercing yellow eyes

struts in close to me

asking for a seed, or three

Noticing the gardenia bud

discarded on the grey deck

instead of about to blossom

I wondered if he was guilty

removing each bud one by one.

Those simple white blooms

with the intoxicating aroma

carry me across the world,

the sweet smells of gardenias

and night flowering jasmine,

to the holy marble courtyard

Of the ashram in India

where we are so easefully drawn

into the open heart of God.

ALTERNATE REALITIES

Appearing and disappearing

before our eyes:

Wars and wildfires,

death and destruction

floods and hurricanes.

Yet here we sit

in our protected and connected world,

praying and chanting,

across wires, airwaves and wifi.

Praying for peace

talking about food

Sharing memories

of good times.

I have given up

understanding

how human beings

forgetting their humanity

can so easily, so quickly

hunt and kill each other.

I pray

that compassion returns

that contentment and gratitude

awaken in everyone’s hearts

and love and respect

rise again with each dawn.

JOURNALS

As the pen runs dry

on the very last page.

this journal is complete

to be sent to that place

the place where 50 years

of thoughts and words

remain forever in many books,

different sizes, colors and shapes

memories of countries and cultures

people and changing relationships

times of joy, sadness,

boredom and adventures

The best moments - the special experiences

experiences of insights and awareness

On top of the mountain

walking through the swamp

On the beaches

Through ancient forests.

With wild creatures

turtles, tortoises

Pelicans and skimmers

tolerating my presence.

Sitting in the pure silence

opening my heart to the great spirit

moments and experiences to hold forever

a citizen of this earth

beyond religion

forever grateful.