Words in Motion 2014- Feature Poem of the Day for National Poetry Month

Winter Breaks, Spring Fixes

The wan sun, he takes no prisoners

In this, the prolonged, painful, retreat

Forget that here is the winter’s solstice

Dark makes Light all the more sweet

A cup of cider, hot in my closed fist

The drums hammering like a heart

Here I am, sleepily; seeking… soaking

Falling together, as near as falling apart

The musician has his guitar and pick

The poet has her feathered pen

Play on!  Just play.  Teach me something.

Warm me up, and then…?

Here the charge: the synaptic spark

The reason for coming or going

Trying is the only way of being.

Seeking the only way of knowing.

The ice is a pure as it is cold

Its perfection makes it clean.

When you have tasted th’ truth

You will know what I mean

No place can lie even when it says

What you know had been wrong

The brilliant electric aurora borealis

Does her dance.  Sings her song

Up the shining steps, to the holy place

There is where I must, now, attend

Where I find me, in aspects and shades

Where I find you, just you, my friend.

                         Nathan Berube

Words in Motion- Feature Poem of the Day for National Poetry Month

One Brief Moment


Eyes glitter from the side
of the road, face illuminates then
disappears. I slip through
hollow grasses that whisper,
into the night hunting what moves,
breath held, heartbeat suspended,
through still of darkness with you.

Night air moist, I hunger
for warmed, salt-blood, for freedom from light,
from societies’ rules—reborn primal. Carry
me with you; show me what I have put aside,
forgotten in haste.

Over the hum of tires an owl hoots,
calls my name, and I drive on
into the night.

                                          Cathy Yard

Words in Motion 2014- Feature Poem of the Day for National Poetry Month

Moth


She was a moth.
Dusted with mildew, and a slight tint of grey.
Ashen in the past,
she flew to the light.
Hoping to fall into an abyss that lead to waterfalls.
To clean her wings,
it was all she thought of.
She found the wings heavy, and full of heat.
Burnt her back, and opened wounds,
she pulled, and tugged with every bit of might.
With all she had, the wings stayed tight.
They were filled with glitter, and were dusted with diamonds.
She looked at them with contempt,
they swung to a tune.

                                                            Julia Bennett

Words in Motion 2014- Feature Poem of the Day for National Poetry Month

Dirty Water


Rub-a-dub-dub
Three men in a tub
The politician, the entrepreneur 
and the undertaker
Rub-a-dub-dub

Wet heads together 
They make slippery deals
Dirty the water while passing the soap
that never cleans, even when scrubbed
Rub-a-dub-dub, three men in a tub 


Into a huddle they make
splash and foam until
the politician climbs out  
promises tucked close to chin, 
while the entrepreneur scrambles
with tax laws and penalties, 
as the wrinkles set in.
Rub-a-dub-dub, two men in a tub


The soap now a sliver 
as thin as the promises given, disappears 
Water cools and businesses fold
as the entrepreneur sinks under 
the soap-scummed water 
Rub-a-dub-dub, an undertaker in a tub 
wearing nothing
but a grin.

                                     Cathy Yard

Words in Motion 2014- Feature Poem of the Day for National Poetry Month

Longings


Oh small bird
no debts to pay
Go where you want
Come when you may
Eat when you’re hungry
Fly as you please
Would that I could be so at ease.

Each year you fly south
With the strength of your heart
I’ve a will of my own
But we’re worlds apart...


Trade for a while
And let me be free
To fly in the wind
And rest in those trees...

Would that I could be so at ease.

           Sharon Cordes Okrasa

Words in Motion 2014- Feature Poem of the Day for National Poetry Month

Rhapsody

I fulminate my own words and 
annihilate this absurd verse,
like it's a guitar verses two chords
with the same note, played in reverse.

This is poetry, I don't need to rehearse.
I'm where the Dictionary gets words.
Every ill rhyme is a sick curse.
Bleeding out my pen, we need a Bic nurse.

Spilling innocent ink 
one cartridge at a time.
Singing in sync
I’m beginning to think,
these are slick lines.

You want to hear it all, so
you got the mute paused,
but you can’t hear me because
I pen to papered this whole rap song.

These words I’m writing off,
erasing the cause because,
it’s too scripted to speak of,
these vowels between us
delegating sentences.

Let us collaborate recourse 
to restore accordingly order 
and stop reading this dead horse.

                             Jody Pratt

Words in Motion 2014- Feature Poem of the Day for National Poetry Month

Failure


Today I sit by the darkness,
And the darkness sits by me, 
There is no hope for light, 
And my tomorrow daunts me... 
The wound in my heart still hurts today, 
As I remember those days of dismay... 
When everything was within my reach, 
I could have achieved... 
Closer! Closer I went! Still closer! 
Ah! Missed. 
It was too late for my striving fingers, 
When I realized that my time passed by and by, 
And all I could do was sigh... 
The thought of failure, 
Still shakes me up from inside, 
It was the day when my only hope had died!

Kopal Garg
Grade 10, Westwood Community High School

Words in Motion 2014- Feature Poem of the Day for National Poetry Month

The Eagle has Landed

I am an eagle.
Extraordinary eyesight,
giant wings,
my sound is heard from
far away.

The sky is grey, grumpy and grim,
Deadly cold winds make a zip sound.

The wind feels so cold against my wings;
The eagle twitches as he flies
more and more.

I must fly as low as I can
to avoid the winds.

The weather freezes my wings
while flying down,
The eagle flys down like a rapid bullet;
The cold winds is frostbite just when you get outside.

The coldness can hurt so bad,
it’s a broken friendship.

Nathan Nicholle
Grade 6, St. Martha School

Words in Motion 2014- Feature Poem of the Day for National Poetry Month

I Love Kittens!


I love kittens!
Cute, cuddly, playful kittens,
Willow, Thunder, Lightning and then there’s Brittany
Those were my favourite, don’t you see.

Some are mommies,
Some now are daddies,
Then there is … my Brit-ta-ny.
She is light on her feet,
Tearing up bed sheets
Going to places she ought not to be,
I wonder what will become of she.


I love kittens!
I love cats!
Sweet, tired, lazy cats.
One’s in heaven, up above.
One’s tearing up, all my gloves,
The others just, give me lots of love!

I love kittens!
I love cats!
Even those that are sometimes brats!

Kyla Roche
Grade 3, Father Turcotte School

Words in Motion 2014- Feature Poem of the Day for National Poetry Month

The Biggest Gift the World Gave To Me


The biggest gift the world gave to me has to be the best of all
It can’t be any ordinary toy or it can’t be my favourite doll.
The biggest gift the world gave to me has to be from the heart. 
You can’t break it, you can’t bend it, you can’t tear it apart
The biggest gift of all has no start or end
It is a gift that you can easily lend
It is friendship
A gift that we all share
We can help each other and we certainly care
The biggest gift the world gave to me is friendship
It can’t be sold, it can’t be bought, it has no price
It can only be taught
The biggest gift the world gave to me is friendship for sure
If you’re sad
That’s the only cure
So I hope you all have friends
And I certainly hope your friendship never ends!

Tanisha Kadia
Grade 5, Timberlea Public School

Words in Motion 2014- Feature Poem of the Day for National Poetry Month

The People

The people in the village, all cozy and warm
The little children building blocks with a funny form
The people in the city at a shopping mall
Their pets altogether, walking down the hall
The people in the country, in a barn so tall
The farm animals in a barnyard stall
All the people, different heights, all have one fright…
The fright of losing purpose
The fright of the wrong way
But just remember there is always one more day
Gather together

Chloe Tagg
Grade 4, Timberlea Public School


Bully Beware

Bully bully please beware,
I don’t like when you pull my hair.
Bully bully please STOP!
Or I will tell my
Mom, dad, teacher or a cop.
I will use “I” statements
to tell how I feel.
This will help to
make my heart heal.
I will stand up for everyone
So people in our school can have lots of fun!
And now our song is DONE.

Miss MacKinnon’s Class
Grade 2, Timberlea Public School

Words in Motion 2014- Feature Poem of the Day for National Poetry Month

.      


It's kind of like the truth
wrapped up around some lies;
like the sadness only
found in long good-byes.

It's devotion to a star
that isn't in your sky;
like having no excuse
for needing an alibi.



Interpret this way;
or is it like the sunrise;
changes every day.

It is kind of like a war cry
or a peaceful protest in the park;
like a horseback ride
on a blinded stallion in the dark.



It will stab you in its light
like a flame eager to expand,
like a jagged shadow in the night;
a cryptic dagger in its hand.

It's like a secret that no one has ever heard;
the chirping of a single bird, bird, bird.
A whisper only spoken by the wind,
like a breath from deep within.

                                          Jody Pratt

Words in Motion 2014- Feature Poem of the Day for National Poetry Month

The One-Legged Goose

poised like a ballerina

daintily crops around

its single mudguard foot

hops aside briefly

when a two-legged goose curses,

then hops back, head down

still munching.

the one-legged goose knows

what the two-legged geese will never know:

that grass still tastes the same

on one leg or two

that when the worst happens

you keep your head down

you learn to hop

you keep munching.

                                      Jane Jacques

Words in Motion 2014- Feature Poem of the Day for National Poetry Month

Wooshing Upon a Star


Our little guy is four years old and he loves his cars and trucks
He likes leather and wood, and electric seats, (he prefers to ride deluxe).
And he’ll push all the buttons and buzzers and switches and anything else that adjusts
But the best of all – and he’ll tell you if you ask – is the bell on a downtown bus.

He doesn’t like the yellow and black ones. “They’re School buses, Dad,” he’ll say.
And he doesn’t really like the oil sands coaches – they take Mommy away every day.
But he loves the idea of big, wide windows and a bell to ring when it’s pushed.
And he’ll ask, as we see them go past our home, “Daddy, let’s take the Woosh.”

He calls them all ‘Wooshes’ and if those are his wishes I haven’t the heart to correct him,
Cause he watches them whoosh by and wishes to know how to ride ‘em or even collect ‘em.
You’re still far too young son, have a Hot Wheels in lieu son, and for now let’s just go out and ride them.
And maybe one day son, then it might be okay son, to get your license and learn how to drive them.

                       Kevin Thornton

Words in Motion 2014- Feature Poem of the Day for National Poetry Month

Who You Are


Who were you before you forgot who you were?
Before you disappeared in the dance of your life.
What made you laugh and your heart sing?
Your eyes know the answers
if you have the courage to look.
They tell a distant tale of laughter and light, 
Of past hopes and dreams and forgotten truths. 
Be brave and look into your eyes
And feel with your heart.
For a spark glimmers deep in the recesses, awaiting a soulful kindle. 
The forgotten 'you' lies within the sanctity of the soul. 
Cast off the cloak of invisibility,
let your true self shine.
For it is not you alone who is lost when you keep yourself hidden 
from who you are before you forgot who you were.

                                                Samantha James

Words in Motion 2014- Feature Poem of the Day for National Poetry Month

So Blue it Mirrored the Turquoise Tiles


When I met the orb-web spinner I
should have known better than to sit on
her art. I sought only a moment’s rest. Confused
by sky mirrored in the turquoise tiles
of the swimming pool, I paused.

How was I to know which lines were
sticky? There wasn’t time to blink
my multifaceted eyes
before she pounced. No
chitchat this one, no negotiation, down
to business she went, bit and wrapped
my remains with her threads.

As the orb-web spinner drained my life,
over her furred shoulder I saw
a razored beak. Feathers
gathered the air – a perfect strike.

                              Cathy Yard

Words in Motion 2014- Feature Poem for National Poetry Month

Awe

Stillness beats at tree and sky
Where finer things sit bare, on
Moments standing humbled
By an echo in the air.

No time for tongue to pulse and grope
At fret or plucks of scorn
As truth has earnest company
When conscience walls are torn.

Its effortless communion
Not one cell tunes away.
That simple breath inhaled, where
Eternal strikes its day.

                  Kimberly Jean Fiske



The Artist

The Hand takes the brush
to the colour I see,
And the canvas evolves
as a part of me.

I see where I’m going
I know where I’ve been,
I want now to paint
to invite you in.

The hand of the woman
that brings you to me
Is the heart of the woman
I want you to see.

Sharon Cordes Okrasa  

Words in Motion 2014- Feature Poem of the Day for National Poetry Month

Sometimes, the Sun

Sometimes, the Sun lays heavy

Like a large egg waiting to crack;

Its pregnant curves spilling forth

With a blinding je ne sais pas –

Swelling with life and glory,

Gushing golden joy out its sides.

Sometimes, the Sun lies lonely,

A single eye framed by sullen clouds,

A solitary lamp in a dark room.

With no love, it sits, a white-hot aperture,

As though the tablecloth of humankind

Could be pulled off the bald earth

Quietly through this hole.

Sometimes, the Sun doesn’t want to be seen:

A pensive neighbour, it hides behind

And tiptoes across the clouds’ billowy curtains,

Tired of being a light in a dark world,

An ember in the interstellar noir.

And sometimes, the Sun forgets

That it is not alone.

It forgets that I too, am at times,

Effusive, brooding and lonely, yet

No less a brilliant flame

To warm cold hands and a heavy heart

On a bitter winter’s day.

Joshua Samuel

Words in Motion 2014- Feature Poems of the Day for National Poetry Month

Innocence 

In my mothers’ cold cellar
there was always enough reserve
to carry us through a winter;

the pickles were plentiful, onions too
September potatoes didn’t grow eyes till February
And we never noticed
that beets faded in the light...

...Bread had jams and berries
ice cream has preserves;
The freezer held fish and rabbits
and corn and beans and zucchini
and tons of tomatoes and peas.

Soups were good then
And gasoline was cheap.

And I was still naive enough
to believe everyone everywhere
lived like this.

Sharon Cordes Okrasa

Words in Motion 2014- Feature Poem of the Day for National Poetry Month

Alexander the Great

They say he stood upon the shore
And wept into the sea
For fear he’d conquered all the world
At only thirty-three.

Yet had he known untrammeled soil
Lay just beyond his hand,
He would have wept a flood to think
He’d never see that land.

Though we may weep at gaining all
With nothing left behind,
More often still, our tears are shed
For worlds we’ll never find.

Jane Jacques