After a weekend of seeing our brilliant youth and their adult mentors in the church’s summer musical, then ministering on Sunday morning with the Edge Band, you’d think I’d be all tuckered out. In truth, it’s those busy weekends that sometimes set me behind the 8-ball of posting to last week’s prompts! Ye,t last night, I was up until 3 writing to a prompt from Joseph Harker (see last post, an ekphrastic poem), bitten by that late-night manic muse.

Here are two poems written for three sites. Enjoy, as I bask in cool air here in Wisconsin, an increasing rarity these days.

FOR ABC AND REAL TOADS:

Depression Hates Sunlight

Cloistered in my corner
Life passes by bay windows
Fresh air beckons

Big sis is on her horse today
Rides her farm, inspects the hives
Middle sis building a new home in the woods

I should be peeking at a wedding at the Gardens
Instead, birds taunt from the broad tree out back
now aglow in the burnt orange hues of sunset

Frozen in place, in space, I remain
tethered to an uneasy chair
Hiding from rays of healing

© 2012 Amy Barlow Liberatore/Sharp Little Pencil

For ABC Wednesday. This, written for the letter D, is about my Big D, Depression. Also for The poem’s imagery comes from Teresa of Razzamadazzle, hosting the prompt at Imaginary Garden With Read Toads. If you’d like to see the images from which this poem arises, please click HERE, as I didn’t have time to write Teresa for permission to reproduce them on my blog… believe me, they are stunning photos. If you’d like to read more of Teresa’s work, try here: Razzamadazzle.

FOR THREE WORD WEDNESDAY:

Empty Nest

A mother nurses her newborn
Emotion wells within me; my aging womb falters

I long to touch the face of my only child
even as she is grown, gone to graze in new pastures

Later, in the night sky
even stars mock me as they glimmerglow,
each seems a crystalline soul out of reach

None will glow within my empty nest.

© 2012 Amy Barlow Liberatore/Sharp Little Pencil

Image from Breastfeeding.com. I strongly support moms who nurse their babies in public. We have enough “Wardrobe Malfunctions” on TV; why are folks repulsed by what Mary did for her baby, a ritual as old as time, and always practiced tastefully, lightly covered. I also know some women aren’t lucky enough to experience this bonding, and my heart goes out to them.

For Three Word Wednesday (yeah, I’m running behind on this Monday morning!), giving us the words Emotion, Falter, and Touch. Thanks to Thom at 3WW for hosting this wonderful weekly challenge!

Peace be with you all. Amy


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