One Note at a Time

Published May 13, 2016 by Kathleen's Writings & Art

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On a warm spring breeze,
Birds chirp their greeting song,
Children play kick ball
On the green grassy knoll,
People laugh while embarking
on their Sunday afternoon stroll,
Tulips peak out from their flowerbeds and,
City lights sparkle in the night;
He strums the strings of her heart,
One small note at a time –
Erasing sadness encased,
Breaching a hedge of grief
Whereupon drapes her heart;

When he passes by her window
Waving to her one more time,
She aims to shed not one more tear,
And tries to wear an unending smile;
Yet, while the world sleeps
And she is on her own,
No use pretending,
She’s far away from home,
Far from the solace of his arms;

Lonesomeness consumes her heart,
Desiring to hold him one more time,
The tenderness of his gracious love and words;

He strums the strings of her heart,
One small note at a time –

City lights sparkle in the night.

Spirits in the Night

Published April 28, 2016 by Kathleen's Writings & Art

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There’s a story on the island

of spirits in the night,

a special place where they go to dance

on the sand in the midnight moonlight.

You can hear them singing

and laughing

as they hide in the fog,

they play hide-n-seek and

ride the surf’s roll.

You won’t see their faces—

but they see your soul,

they watch you and hear you

as the island winds blow.

Their seaweed hair wet,

limbs swaying in the mist,

the moonlight gone,

as the sand turns cold,

they return each night,

it’s their favorite place;

well—

that’s what I’m told.

(Photo and poem by:
Kathleen Stevens)

An Old Woman

Published April 28, 2016 by Kathleen's Writings & Art

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Beneath the shade of an old oak tree,

there sat an old woman

completely free,

humming and singing

an unfamiliar song,

with sounds so sweet

and words not long.

Her white sun-kissed hair

blowing like a running mare

on the tails of the wind,

and her tan leathery skin,

draped with a dress

vibrant in colors

and apparently unpressed.

A spell she cast on me

as I sat near,

how lovely, how serene,

with smells of sweet flowers

awakening in the spring.

A warmth filled my soul

as I closed my eyes,

how peaceful was the

never-ending blue sky.

I could stay there for hours,

no time was addressed,

I had no where to be

and,

I needed the rest.

(photo and poem by: Kathleen Stevens)

Love’s Attire

Published April 19, 2016 by Kathleen's Writings & Art

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Clothe me in your body’s gown,

Raise my spirit to heaven’s crown,

Through the years of solitude,

I watched the seasons change their moods.

High in the leaves of the old oak tree,

A blue bird sings a cheerful reveille.

My restless spirit fills the air,

The mountain’s presence everywhere,

I lift my hands wearing nature’s somber dress,

Dancing in the moonlight’s painted loveliness.

There is no pain or tears tonight,

As I lay in peaceful sleep once more,

Beneath the sky’s restful spell unfolds,

And as I wait the sun’s waking rise,

And by her side a morning’s fire,

You will clothe me in your love’s attire.

Never Ending Abyss

Published January 21, 2016 by Kathleen's Writings & Art

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Your unwavering stance

Occupied a barren region,

Lingering there like a withering flower

Before you ultimately departed;

I suffered–

Missing our laughs, and talks,

And trips to new places –

I endured your scarcity;

I mourn we loss the time

To conquer our declining bonds,

Previous to your leaving, and you

Finding a new dwelling place,

Somewhere I cannot visit-

The ever unfathomable crevice

Between us –

Befalls a mystery to me,

I meditate upon the why.

What threw us into that chasm?

Our not holding each other dear,

Dropping us into that never ending abyss –

I assumed it would pass with the rain,

Then we would have another day,

Another laugh, another talk, one more hug.

It never came to pass –

With great sadness –

Tears grasp around my throat, my mind, my heart.

I shake my head and I say, “Not”.

How I wish it naught!

(Painting and Poem by: Kathleen Stevens/2015)

Capture of a Moment

Published January 13, 2016 by Kathleen's Writings & Art

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The capture of a moment,

A song that is sung,

Words dancing across the page,

Began when I was still young.

In my heart of memories

There is a special revise,

Seizing steely rains

Rippling through dark and

Forging angry skies-

Issuing me a process

To thrust Heaven’s gate wide,

Escorting in the sunshine

To the chambers of my mind,

Allowing me to capture words,

At times along with goodbyes,

And yet, stringing them together,

Fashioned and designed,

Freeing them to dance,

For moments at a time.

(Poem and Photo by: Kathleen Stevens/2016)

A Winter’s Wish

Published December 29, 2015 by Kathleen's Writings & Art

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I yearn to lie down

On the soft green grass,

And feel the sun’s warmth upon my face,

Allowing my mind to find a peaceful rest,

And put the day’s troubles in a box

Stored away for another day.

I long to hear the birds sweet songs,

And watch the harmony of the leaves

Dancing and floating by the wind’s soft breath.

A sigh released from deep within my chest,

I close my eyes,

And rest.

A Poet’s Pen

Published December 13, 2015 by Kathleen's Writings & Art

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A cold winter night-

in my sentiment my muse arose

depositing poetry at hand,

with way of my pen—

my contemplation obtaining shape,

my face against the wind,

my essence engaging in words realigning,

together with stillness of reason

and spirit unconfined,

language assembled,

selected in the same way as a trusted friend-

with my muse, I write.

(photo by: Kathleen Stevens/2015)

Where Did You Go?

Published December 6, 2015 by Kathleen's Writings & Art

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When the night is dark,

And the moon is absent from the sky,

And a choir of crickets sings their own lullaby,

Where do you go?

When my arms remain empty

And the wind gently whispers my name,

And I gaze upon the stars,

Where do you go?

When my heart aches to feel your breath

And the warmth of your soul,

And the silence is heavy,

Where do you go?

When I’m no longer here

To feel completely alone;

Where did you go?

HOME

Published December 1, 2015 by Kathleen's Writings & Art

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It is elevating to retrace my footsteps

In the direction of the mountains,

To gaze at the new fallen snow,

To witness the glistening of icicles

And how they form in the sun –

In my spirit I have returned home,

I fathom my journey at this moment,

And it ensued into a long-lasting one.

I appear as before in outward view,

A few more lines, a few more pounds,

A softened heart, I wear no mask,

And childlike notions—I allocated—

I outgrew.

In my own right on a midsummer night,

In my sentiment—mountains reminiscent of,

My muse arising depositing poetry at task.

By way of a pen—my contemplation

Obtaining shape,

My face against the wind,

My essence engaged in words realigned,

Together with a stillness of reason

And spirit unconfined,

Mysterious language assembling,

Selected in the same way

As a trusted friend,

In my spirit I have returned home.

Happy Thanksgiving

Published November 25, 2015 by Kathleen's Writings & Art

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HAPPY HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

May all my family, friends and followers have a great and wonderful day!!

May we all find our blessings and give thanks!!

May we all look upon the skies and land around us,

and find the beauty of life!!

Hugs to all!!

signed with affection,

Kathleen

A Child’s Play

Published November 11, 2015 by Kathleen's Writings & Art

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I watch you play upon the stairs,

Lost in your childhood games,

Built by your imagination,

With freedom and no restraint.

Today you are a sailor,

The captain of your ship,

Sailing on the ocean sea,

Procuring a long summer trip.

You sing a song

That you have loved,

Words of an old lullaby,

You sing a song on the stairs today,

Singing loud—you’re not shy.

The stairs are now a jungle,

A land that you explore,

With a monkey and a zebra,

A tiger and a vicious wild boar.

You pretend you’re on a skyscraper

High up in the sky,

Playing like you’re really there,

And wishing you could fly.

Once again, you’re hungry,

Therefore, you stop and eat your lunch,

You’ll be a chef in your own shop,

There’s not much time to stop.

The stairs are now a cherry tree

In your own loved backyard,

With grass and flowers, and bumble bees,

Except in this tree, you cannot scrape your knees.

The stairs yet again, a mountain top

Reaching high into the sky,

But all too soon, it’s evening time

And now, no more time to climb.

(painting by: Kathleen Stevens)