One Day I Will Write A Poem

September 13, 2014September 13, 2014 ~ Elizabeth W. Marshall ~ Leave a comment

One Day I Will Write A Poem

Before my memory fades
Like shadows on the outskirts
Dim, pale watermarks of life
Growing fainter by the day

Before my words are lost
Somewhere in the forest, thick and dark
Dispersed among the pines and moss
Seedlings of a scattered memory

Capturer of the runaways
Gatekeeper of a million puzzle pieces
That tell a story
That is me
That is me

Before they steal away
Escape into a murky sea
Lost among forgotten things

Buried in the soil
Of remembering
Hidden from my poetry

Locked out
After every door is closed
And bolted shut

And there is no more
Poetry
That mirrors the
Soul of me

Before that final day
Without a memory

I will write a poem, one day

A Thousand Hands Have Passed By Here

August 23, 2014 ~ Elizabeth W. Marshall ~ 1 Comment

A Thousand Hands Have Passed By Here

Maybe hundreds more
But
There was no one there to count

A well-worn wooden handrail
Documents for us

But she will not give up secrets
Of all the living that has come by here
The hurried ones
Tiny pink bare feet
Scampering off to bed
To dream under a mountain quilt, tucked
Under
Crisp cool sheets
As trains go up and down
The mountain tracks
Singing them to sleep

The tired ones who will wake
Before the sun and putter down
The stairs, running wrinkled fingers
Along the smooth and weary rail
Worn by love and life and time
Holding up the aged, the weak and frail

Guardian of more than
One Hundred years of living
Well-traveled
Quiet story-keeper
Stairwell of this
Old home

Perhaps the next hand, left
Or right from generations
Coming up and down
Traveling through this place
Will be a hand of healing
Offering
Sacred grace

Pray blessing and forgiveness
Over those who’ll come here too

Perhaps
There will be a thousand more
Hands traveling down the rail
Bearing witness to
Humility and redeeming love
For generations still to come

For scores and scores of lifetimes
More
May scamper up to bed
Up, then down, down then up
Living, loving,
In this family place

A thousand hands have passed by here

So
Walk quiet now
Soft and slow and reverently
So
You may hear the tales
Echo in the halls
Wisdom from sojourners
Who came by here before
Pass on stories of
Their living
Loving strong and hard
For years and years

Within these pine-board walls

Joining Sandra Heska King for Still Saturday

Quietude

June 11, 2014 ~ Elizabeth W. Marshall ~ 3 Comments

Quietude

And I imagine underneath
What seems to be a placid sea,
Life churns the silted sands of time
Years and years
In the making
Marking
Grains of brokenness
Teeming now with signs of life
Cycles of the salty chains
Concentric circles
Connecting
Old and new, life
In the quiet, creatures spin
Watery webs of
Sea life, below a murky grey tinged
Surface, ceiling to their room
Dwelling there in the
Quiet

And I too
Live
Underneath a paradox of quiet
Swirling, churning, cycles of this
New growth
Birthing
Beginnings
Witness to ends and endings
Too
Too
Many to recount
In this space
This
Quiet

Preparing
I design my own
Land-locked home

And words leak out in advance
Of a watery avalanche
Story-telling prepares
To wash ashore

It will come
Perhaps
On the next high tide
Or the high tide after that
Perhaps

But waiting in the quietude
Life teems with
Pregnant thoughts

The words won’t wait forever

Quiet holds its breath
But for a season
Tides wait for no one

Won’t you come ride the swells
With me
Fueled by
Weeks of
Quietude
The dam prepares to burst

++++++++++

Joining Jennifer Dukes Lee for #tellhisstory

In Which This Blogger, Poet Asks For Help And Your Vote In A Big Deal To Her Contest

May 5, 2014 ~ Elizabeth W. Marshall ~ 3 Comments

So as a writer I dream a lot. And lately I have been dreaming of writing a book or books. Certainly this is not surprising to hear. And when I do write my book I suppose that I will come to you, my blog readers and announce the news with all kinds of excitement and joy. And I may ask you to come along with me on the book launch journey. To share the news, to spread the word and to help me celebrate this milestone in a writer’s life.

But today instead I am humbly asking for yall to vote for me in a poetry contest which I have entered. If you are on Facebook you may vote by LIKING my poems at The Library Hotel’s Facebook Page.

So thanks yall. I am so pleased to have three haiku make the Winner’s Circle round of the competition. I have three in this group of 21 out of over 350 entrees ( as best I can calculate and tell. Math is not my strongpoint.)

To vote and help me advance, just “LIKE” the haiku by @graceappears, my twitter handle written on the bottom of each of the three haiku. I am so hopeful about this. But honestly, if I do not win I have already won by making it to this point.

Friends, here is the link to the Library Hotel’s Facebook page. Scroll down to the Winner’s Circle (wow can’t believe I am typing that) and there you will see the three poems I have in this contest. They are highlighted below.

So very honored to have you walk with me through this contest.

Even if this is not about a big book deal or a big signing with a literary agent, I am excited to share this part of my poetry and writing journey with you. Perhaps that will all come in due time.

Oh and if you want to make this extra fun and cool for me, come back to the comments and tell me you voted. AND I WILL THANK YOU. We can do this. Or rather I can do this with your help. Honored to have such wonderful blog readers and subscribers.

Always grateful for your time spent here reading my poetry and prose.

Gratefully,

Elizabeth