The Production - A Haiku

 

kittens like to watch
visits from pollinators
butterfly gardens

Writing prompt for you: "increase"

"Earth is abundant with plentiful resources."

I am very thankful for my husband John!

Spiritual Awakening

I present to you a good Friend's website, which I know will be helpful in these end times I've/We've found ourselves in.  Read it and wake up.  Find Yourself.  See that the end times don't exist.  Wake up to forever in the here and now.  Find your Love and dance!  See that there is nothing to be afraid of.  You'll see you've been living your whole life in fear when you didn't need to be afraid.

https://ourstairwaytoheaven.com

The Gift of the Fairy Folk - A Haiku

the northern lights shine

when the sky is having dreams

fairies sprinkle dust

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Today's writing prompt for you: "improve."

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I apologize to non-religious readers and others who follow a different religion, but I want to share a Bible verse that has brought me some comfort today.  I'm quoting from the World English Bible, as it is one of the few recent translations in the public domain.  The verse is John 16:33.

"I have told you these things, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have trouble; but cheer up! I have overcome the world.”

I haven't read much of the Bible, and I don't even know what is going on in the rest of the chapter or book of John because I haven't read it.  I only know that this particular verse brings me comfort.  It comes at a time when my depression has been more severe than usual.  I needed to hear these words.  It seems as if the world is falling apart.  People everywhere are dying from catastrophes and malicious killers.  Sometimes I feel like the world is coming to an end.  It feels like everyone hates each other.  The country is divided, and the world is at war.  Plus, diseases are going around.  It's a very scary time to be alive.

It occurred to me recently that these things are getting my attention and making me NEED God more.  I never really paid attention to Him, except when I was younger for a brief time.  I haven't prayed very much in my life.  I haven't asked God for help.  It was as if He didn't even exist to me.  In fact, for a while, I was an atheist.  I turned my back on God when I saw how many other Christians behaved.  I'm talking about the ones who pretend to love Jesus but don't care about others.  They just don't follow in Jesus's footsteps.  I turned away from God when it all became too much to witness.

Recently, I talked with God, and He's shown me that I can still be a Christian without paying attention to the bad behavior of the pretenders.  Their behavior is between God and them.  We all face Him in the end.

I promised God that I won't ignore Him anymore and that I will work on my relationship with Him.  I will talk with Him often.  I will ask for help when I need it.  I will thank Him more often.  After all, He's looked out for me all these years, and I've not thanked Him enough.  He gave me a good man for a husband.

So, if you want to call God my "Invisible Friend," go right ahead.

He still seems scary, and I am working on that feeling.  I know God is good, kind, and loving.  He wants to be loved in return.  He wouldn't have created us if He didn't.

Thank you, God.  I love You.

Back In the Day - A Senryu

 good old memories
of mom stitching clothes
while she was sewing

Fractal and senryu ©2022 Stacey Guenther

All Rights Reserved

Today's writing prompt for you: "finish."

Rise and Shine - A Haiku, PLUS a Writing Prompt for You!

 stretching and yawning
the lazy cat is awake
after a long nap

Fractal and haiku ©2022 Stacey Guenther

All Rights Reserved

I'd like to start offering writing prompts on this blog.  They can be used for poetry, fiction, non-fiction, memoirs, autobiographies, blog posts, or anything you like.  Today's word prompt is "objective."

Alphanumeric Fire

Greetings - A Haiku

high in the treetops

birds twitter tweet and trill
welcoming the day

Art and haiku ©2022 Stacey Guenther

All Rights Reserved

Revival - A Two-Verse Dreamku

i was a wizard

who had a spell-working wand

in last night's grim dream

i stepped on a toad

and waved my magic baton

it came back to life

This is based on one of last night's dreams.  In the dream, I was a wizard with a magic wand.  I carried the wand on my back.  I accidentally stepped on a toad and killed it.  When I felt it, I lifted up my shoe to see the dead toad stuck to the bottom of it.  I felt terrible and very saddened and sickened by what had happened.  I pulled out my magic wand and moved it in circles above the toad while repeating, "Come back to life!" over and over again.  The toad returned to life once more.  I felt glad.

Fractal and dreamku ©2022 Stacey Guenther
All Rights Reserved

Reminiscing - A Senryu

my third-grade teacher

i vaguely remember her

with sincere fondness

My third-grade teacher really liked me.  Her name was Mrs. Huffman.  I remember giving her a gift of a 45rpm music record of A-ha's "Take On Me" single.  It made her so happy.

Art and senryu © Stacey Guenther

Survival - A Haiku

beautiful wildlife -

elephants are earth's giants

that must be guarded

 Fractal and haiku © Stacey Guenther

Heat - A Haiku

 a midsummer day -
without air conditioning
i'd be sorrowful

Fractal and haiku © Stacey Guenther

Frustration - A Dreamku

OH no!  Windows 12?

So soon after 11?

I just updated!

I wrote this today, July 13, 2022.  It's based on a dream I had on July 11, 2022.  In the dream, Windows 12 had just come out and I was upset because I had just updated all my computers to Windows 11.

Fractal and dreamku © Stacey Guenther

"Computers are like air conditioners. They work fine until you start opening windows." ~Anonymous

The Change - A Dreamku

cleaning a warehouse

being turned into a goose

fairy tale of mind

This was written on June 30, 2022.  It's based on a dream I had on June 28, 2022. In the dream, I was cleaning a warehouse.  My boss didn't think I was doing a good job so they turned me into a goose.

Art and Dreamku © Stacey Guenther

 

Frightened By Fireworks - A Flash Memoir

Photo by Dynamic Wang on Unsplash

When I was a child, my mother and father would take my younger sister and me to see fireworks for the Fourth of July celebrations.  I was not too fond of the loud noises because they startled me.  So, I would always cover my ears with my hands to avoid the terrible sounds.  The pyrotechnics were pleasant to observe visually, nevertheless.

These days, as an adult, I avoid fireworks whenever I can.  To this day, when an unexpected bang is heard in the house as neighbors light fireworks, I jump in my seat.  But, I still try to shield my ears.  I'm just like the many pets that feel anxiety because of fireworks. 

Luckily, I live in a condo, and the homeowners' association has banned fireworks in the neighborhood.  However, in surrounding blocks, some people light them, so I am not free from them entirely.  The good news is that our two kitties do not seem to be bothered by them.

Fireworks are unavoidable.  They happen every year and sometimes without warning.  Occasionally, randomly they will occur throughout the year as people use their leftovers.  It never fails that I get startled, especially when the fireworks are unexpected.  I would be better off without fireworks, and I'm sure many furry or feathered creatures would agree with me.

© Stacey Guenther  July 2, 2022

Written for https://flashfictionforthepracticalpractitioner.wordpress.com/2022/06/29/flash-fiction-for-the-purposeful-practitioner-2022-week-27/

The Shape of Math - A Senryu

 

teenagers drawing
circles, squares, and triangles
geometry class

Fractal and senryu © Stacey Guenther

"Geometry enlightens the intellect and sets one's mind right."

~Ibn Khaldun