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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: Light and Dark (05/21/09)
Midwinter early morning
Waking in darkness to part reluctant
From your warm side,
Leaving behind my soft imprint,
To start the day, 
I wrap up in robe
To walk the gravel drive.

Our hilltop farm
Lies silent amid fallow fields
Moon shadowing
Broad across my path
Star sparks overhead
Tree lined yard shielding
The house from road.

In ink of early morning
I walk noiseless, winter-weary;
Step out to fetch the paper 
From the mailbox
Then abruptly startled:
A flashlight bobs
Approaching on the road-
An early walker and his dog
Illuminate my dawn disarray
Like a deer in headlights immobilized:
My ruffled hair, my sleep-lined face
Not ready for bright light
Nor relishing January’s endless night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Today bright spring sunrise
Waking early to streaming rays
Poured out on quilt and pillow.
I part from your warmth more
Ready for ritual walk.
Dew sparkling below
Rich foliage above
Road stretching empty
For miles east and west

Crossing to the mailbox
I reach for the paper
And glance across the fence to
Witness my neighbor’s cows lined up
Appreciative and nodding,
Tongues licking noses,
Chewing serene cuds,
Riveted by my bold approach.
They stare, then abruptly turn and scatter, tails in the air
When in rumpled robe woolen slipper
Reverie
I spin and twirl
A denouement at dawn
Celebrating my ordinary life
And extraordinary love

Surviving the dark and the light.
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This article has been read 1052 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
Lynda Schultz 
05/28/09
Love the descriptions.
Joanne Sher 
05/28/09
Lovely images. Great contrast and beautiful.
Lollie Hofer 
06/01/09
I liked the idea of taking something routine and showing the contrast of dark and light. Uniquely creative. I enjoyed the imagery as well.
Myrna Noyes
06/01/09
I love your title and how your lovely ending picks it up!

You created some beautiful images in this piece, and I especially liked the following:

"A flashlight bobs
Approaching on the road-
An early walker and his dog
Illuminate my dawn disarray
Like a deer in headlights immobilized:
My ruffled hair, my sleep-lined face
Not ready for bright light
Nor relishing January’s endless night."

Nice writing! :)
Linda Payne
06/02/09
Simply lovely. I felt as if I was there. Excellent word pictures.
Jan Ackerson
06/02/09
This is so simple and lovely! I wish, I wish I knew how to write poetry like this!
Janice Fitzpatrick
06/03/09
Awesome descriptions. I loved them. I wanted to follow the M.C. down the road even more, beyond the mailbox and the cows, maybe to a frozen pond or back to the barn to breath in the familiar smell of fresh hay and livestock stirring from a winter's sleep. Great writing here! Anything to do with nature captures my attention and heart. I absolutely love poetry-whether free verse or rhyming pieces. Again great writing hon.
Charla Diehl
06/03/09
I felt as if I was walking the driveway with you. Your words painted pictures for me of calmness and beauty in both scenes. Great job.
Sara Harricharan
06/03/09
simply delightful ^_^
Patricia Herchenroether
06/03/09
Very realistic descriptions; I love country mornings, and cows too! Thank you for a nice moment.
Loren T. Lowery
06/03/09
Daily life, beautifully expressed. I could see it all, cows, flashlight, terry robe,path to the mail box - everything including the love for this way of life.