Cultivated desert roses in a garden. Photo by Meggie from Pixabay.
A Desert Rose
Our little world envelops us in love,
transcending chaos that surrounds us now,
safe haven from earth’s dark duplicity,
a green oasis, peace in desert heat.
Affection in your eyes, my hand in yours,
a gentle word, a loving touch…encouragement
along our earthly path’s uncertainties.
Your inner strength sustains my fainting heart.
When threats of war surround on every side…
vile pestilence, pollution, and unrest,
ambition fades, possessions matter less,
but love endures and blooms, a desert rose.
This poem is dedicated to Robert, who fills my everyday life with happiness and joy.Robert in a park on the Myakka River. Photo by Cheryl Batavia.Desert rose in the African Sahel. Photo by bory67 from Pixabay.
Like the Shakespearean sonnet, BLANK VERSE is a sixteenth century form of poetry written in iambic pentameter. Unlike a sonnet, blank verse is unrhymed. It was used extensively by Shakespeare in his plays and is found in the work of John Milton and other poets of that time.
Robert’s cataract surgery is scheduled for February 1st, and the hectic schedule of appointments begins. I may be very erratic on WordPress in February. Thank you to all who sent good wishes to Robert.
Astronauts walking on the moon in 1969, Planet Earth is in the sky. Photo by Joe Han from Unsplash.
Beyond Earth
Hidden by the moon
are stars brighter than the moon…
our earth-perspective.
Beyond the boundaries of earth,
we explore wider vistas.
This morning I woke with a poem I wrote when I was about sixteen years old running through my mind. I wrote the tanka poem above, paraphrasing the poem I remembered from nearly sixty years ago, an update for today. I don’t have a copy of that old poem,”Stars,” but I have reconstructed it from memory and posted it below.
Full moon and stars. Photo by Josh Miller from Unsplash.
Stars
Hidden by the moon
are millions of stars
brighter than the moon.
Because we are small,
it is so.
Because we are wise,
we understand.
Space suit worn by a Russian Cosmonaut, Moscow museum. Photo by iman_os from Unsplash.
When I was eight years old, Russia launched Sputnik, the first satellite, and the “space race” began. Antique relics from early space exploration are on display now in museums. In 1969, when I was twenty, Americans landed on the moon. For the first time, there were photos of the whole earth taken from space.
Planet Earth from space. Photo by NASA from Unsplash.International Space Station. Photo by NASA from Unsplash.Space Shuttle. Photo taken in Mexico by Ivan Diaz from Unsplash.
Now, in 2022, fifty-two years after astronauts landed on the moon, unmanned spacecraft routinely photograph distant planets and send the images back to earth. Satellites are used for spy missions and international communication. They show us hurricanes from above, and help to predict weather. Commercial Space travel is in its infancy. Drones are used in warfare and by amateur photographers. Many dead satellites and other “space junk” orbit the earth.
Andromeda Galaxy seen from Russia. Photo by Tengyart from Unsplash.
Humans have much bigger dreams for future travel in space. Before us lie some important lessons about restoring and protecting this beautiful Planet Earth and living in peace with our neighbors. If, in the future, we settle in new worlds, we need to remember those lessons, respect and preserve those new environments, and live in harmony with any civilizations we discover. Star treks, yes…star wars, no!
Sunset in Goa, India, one of the beautiful places on Planet Earth. Photo by Ashutosh Saraswat from Unsplash.
After two failed root canals, a tooth extraction, and extensive testing of his eyes with different eye drop prescriptions, Robert has finally been cleared for cataract surgery. Numerous appointments have been scheduled for February. I may sometimes be absent from WordPress in the weeks to come. We look forward to Robert’s pre-cataract vision being restored. Many thanks to all of you who have expressed concern for Robert.
My Children…Ellen, Joe, and Katey. Joe’s service dog BABY.
Joe advocates for the rights of disabled people and disabled people with service dogs. During the pandemic, when homeless shelters closed their doors, Joe prepared hot food and delivered it to homeless people on the street. He helps homeless people whenever he can, finding information for them, giving them food, a pair of socks, or a haircut…
Gulf Coast Poet 