White Noise

You never hear a word I say

made up your mind, you’ve made your choice--

now all you hear is background noise.

This fettered life in disarray--

still you ignore, while I implore,

and passion wallows in decay.

Seems I no longer have a voice,

you never hear a word I say.

© Ginny Brannan February 2012


Sharing at d'Verse Poets Pub Open Link Night 2/28/12

Hallowed Ground

Photo: G.Brannan

On hallowed ground today I stand,

come to the battlefield at last...

as voices echo from the past,

from depths of this historic land.

Swept back through time my mind can see

the Union blue and Rebel gray;

and hear the gunfire from that day

as both sides fought for victory.

For three long days the battle wore --

brother 'gainst brother, friend pit to friend,

not knowing how their fight would end…

wounded and weary to their core.

Names like Chamberlain, Grant and Lee,

and many more we do not know,

met on these fields so long ago

and turned the tide of history.

To Gettysburg today I’m drawn

to stand on consecrated ground,

to honor those to which we’re bound;

their spilled blood issued this new dawn.

© Ginny Brannan 2010 

Photos from author's personal collection. From a rocky outcrop on Little Round Top in the Gettysburg National Battlefields, the statue of Brigadier General Gouverneur Warren (5th NY Infantry) stands where the General himself was said to have stood during battle, July 2, 1863

Sharing at d'Verse Poets Pub Poetics--Sculpting a Poem 2/26/12
This is an earlier poem, written in 2010.

Tarnished

First glance isn't very impressive…

time and elements have

dulled the shine,

darkened the patina.

Used, broken once or 

twice; repairs have 

only strengthened.

While many share a vested interest,

only few realize its true value.

Yes, I wear my heart on my sleeve,

exposed for all to see….

but do you even notice

when you never look at me?

© Ginny Brannan February 2012


Sharing at d'Verse Poets Pub Open Link Night 2/21/12

Addiction

Image provided by Tess Kincaid/The Mag

slow slide to dark side…

temptation draws you deeper

twisting inside out

riding shattered highs

in life of smoke and mirrors

hopelessly engulfed

captured in the lie

one moment <frozen> in time

beauty’s voice falls mute

bared for all to see

the final cost…what was lost,

such a tragedy

©  Ginny Brannan February 2012

A series of four haiku/senryu formatted together. 
Sharing at "The Mag" #104 2/12/12. They provide the image, we provide the story.

Redemption

woodland becomes church

rugged mountains form steeple

redemption awaits

© Ginny Brannan November 2011

Sharing at d'Verse Poets Pub Poetics: Poetry & Philosophy

Red Kryptonite

With super-powers
on high alert, senses
finely tuned, wary of being
trapped again by familiar
enemy disguised behind a
different face, a different shell

My eyes scan you,

check how you carry

yourself, how you interact

with others, how you fit

into your environment

My ears listen for clues

telling me that you

are not exactly who 
you appear to be

So busy watching, listening,

did not notice when the

lead wall came down until

limbs grew weak,

heart beat faster

words stumbled,

and through strange

telepathic connection,

felt I had known

you forever

Looking back, I wonder…

was it red kryptonite that 

altered this life all those years ago

or the heart hidden behind it?

© Ginny Brannan February 2012

For my dear husband, Ray… who brought the wall down.
***Written for The Mag #103, they provide image, we provide story!
*Image: a grave at the Novodevichy Cemetery, Moscow
********************************************************* 
On seeing image, my first thought was Kryptonite--too many comic books read as a child, what can I say? Here are some of the curious facts about this:

*A Note on Red Kryptonite--from DC Comics database, by Brian Kurtz

 Red Kryptonite inflicts random effects on Kryptonians, typically creating an initial "tingling effect" in those affected, and causing, in part, some of the following:

• Loss of power
• Gained telepathy
• Losing his invulnerability (along the left side of his body)
• Unable to speak or write anything (but Kryptonese)
• Loss of balance and manual dexterity
• Mental transference
• Personality alteration

A 'Sweet' Recognition

One of the most amazing writers I have come to know and admire has presented me with this award. “Liebster,”  is translated from German as dear/dearer/dearest or sweetheart. To my very, very dear friend, Joe Hesch, whom I have come to know in this digital world and bonded with over both similar interests, and admiration of his amazing poetry, story telling and incredible writing skill, I am truly humbled and graciously accept this from you!

In accepting this I am asked to:

1. Show my appreciation to the friend (blogger) who shared this with me by linking back to him. (An honor to do so!) Joe’s blog can be found here at A Thing for Words He writes eloquently and from his heart of family, home, and life as he observes in his town, his surroundings-- touching us in ways we can all relate to.
2.  Reveal my top 5 picks to receive this award, and let them know I have selected them as I have been selected. (Five is such a small number, just a glimpse actually of all of the wonderful blogs I follow, but am choosing a few of the folks whom I’ve come to know, whose writing speaks to and inspires me every day!)
3. Post the Award on my blog, (where you are seeing it now!)
4.  Accordingly, accept and bask in the love and support of friends and peers in the “Blogosphere” (without people like yourselves who read what we write, who inspire us, who offer their critique, their praise, their friendship, where would we be?!!!)
5. And finally, have fun and spread the karma! (No problems here! I love sharing what I am passionate about, and I am passionate about these writers!!)

Here are my choices:

• Susie Clevenger (Twitter handle: @wingsobutterfly)  Susie describes herself as “…much like the butterfly she loves, going through metamorphosis in her life, and letting imagination guide.” She  “hears, dreams, and breaths” poetry with every breath, and is ”living in a poem.” Susie is a prolific writer and an amazing woman. She and I share a love of words, an appreciation for music, and the incredibly, the same birthday! A friendship meant to be! Find Susie at Confessions of a Laundry Goddess

• Steve King~~I have come to know Steve through his writing and amazing poetry shared on such sites as d’Verse Poets Pub. His classic poetry and amazing writing style is in a league of its own. I am happy to call him ‘friend’ and to share his blog with you here, that you might understand what it is that has captured me so with his words! You can read Steve's words at Excursions and Diversions

• Christi Moon (@christi_moon) Christi’s words capture and captivate. Her writing has a smooth, almost lyrical style; her word choices always impeccable! She is not only is an accomplished poet and writer, but also a patient tutor, always willing to share her time and knowledge with those, like me, that are still honing their craft. Beautiful inside and out, am honored to know her and call her friend. Find Christi’s lovely words and verse here at Letters to the Moon 

• Brian Miller (@ bmiller007)   Brian is just an incredible guy--husband, father, trying to figure out what life has in store next, and enjoying the journey. He is a writing machine--covering such topics as events,  current and past, that touch and affect him (and us), and sharing his heart in words that have captured and swept us away! Brian has to be the busiest man in the business, because he not only works, is an active family man, and writes prolifically, but always has time to share a comment or word of encouragement on every post he reads! Read Brian’s writing on his blog, Waystation One

• Finally, my lovely Welsh friend Julie aka Carys (@caryspoet ) Her incredible and sensual words flow as smooth and seductive as the beautiful sea and the mountains near her home. She writes both free verse and structured poetry, and her structured poetry, primarily her Villanelles, reign as the best I have ever read. Her words and work have inspired my own writing to grow, my choices to expand. Am so honored to know her and call her friend. ddiolch 'ch , cara (Trusting the ‘on-line’ translator!!) Find her incredible words here at Rockpool Poetry

Just a note: To you, my friends who are the purists, the ones who choose not clutter your blog with awards but let you poetry stand on its own, no problem! I have still chosen to share your talent here because your writing, your words, your poetry are a continuing source of inspiration to me! Thank you all!!!

Deluge

Darkness descends without notice,
catching us all unprepared;

who carries umbrella on premise
when days render peaceful and fair?

Our eyes slowly scan the horizon,

low rumblings have offered a clue;

but seeking out shelter in sunshine

is not what we normally do.

Then clear sky quick-changes to yellow then black;

the signs were all there; and there’s no turning back.

The gates to the heavens open up wide,

mere mortals unsafe from the wrath of this storm;

as ancients and moderns once more collide;

we finally conclude no-one’s safe from its harm.

Caught in the deluge, disguising our pain

the storm finally passes...our tears, or just rain?

©  Ginny Brannan February 2012
*Image: Drawing by Jarek Kubicki www.braincellsoup.com.archives/caught-in-the-rain
My inspiration? d'Verse Poetics Meeting the Bar, A Martian Sharpens his Knife (Using metaphor & words in new ways to express yourself) Did not complete in time to share at"Meeting the Bar"  so sharing here instead at Open Link Night. 

Weather (or Not)

To hang our hope for early spring
on such cute, furry critter...
then learn, alas, his shadow seen--
now six more weeks of winter!
©Ginny Brannan February 2, 2012
*Image Credit: WashingtonPost.com
*Groundhog Day, an annual tradition held each February 2nd in Puxatawny, PA. There, amongst much pomp and circumstance, this poor little critter is pulled out of his customized burrow to predict by his shadow which it will be: if no shadow, an early spring; if he sees his shadow, then six more weeks of winter!! 
(Admittedly, his predictions are even better than our local weather station!!)