Tag: Dad

Posted in Choka

Summertime Saturdays

Posted on by Leonas Lines

Freshly cut grass lawn

Sound of a lawnmower

The smell of freshly cut grass

Childhood memories

Of summertime mornings

And Saturday chores

Mom cleaning the whole house

Dad working in the yard

Me trying in vain to sleep in

Cus my sheets gotta be washed

Choka

Thursday is usually the day the landscapers cut the grass here in the complex where I live. Since today was a warm sunny day ( in the 70’s) I was outside tending to my plants and experienced that smell of freshly cut grass, which I love, and it also brought back some childhood memories of summertime Saturdays. 😊

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Posted in NaPoWriMo 2020, Reverse Etheree

I Am -Self Portrait

Posted on by Leonas Lines
Leona-name Art
Alphabet Art by Leona J. Atkinson

I am my mother’s face in the mirror,

As I speak her favorite quotes

To myself, that “This Too Shall Pass”.

I am dad’s voice echoing,

“Don’t Forget, Smell The Flowers”.

I am God’s Spirit,

Reflecting Him

To the world,

At this

Time.

Reverse Etheree

#NaPoWriMo 2020–Prompt: Self Portrait Poem

This will be the 7th year that I will be participating in #NaPoWriMo April Poetry Poem A Day Challenge.

If you would like to participate also click this link to visit their website:

http://www.napowrimo.net/day-one-2/

Posted in July 2019, Syllabic Verse

Scent-A-Mental Memories

Posted on by Leonas Lines
Our Old House 1959
Our Old House 1959

My childhood alarm clock was varied, often ‘twas
Waking to the sound and smell of coffee perking.
Blurp, blurp, goes the old aluminum peculator,
A signal it was five am and mom was awake,
Bustling about the kitchen, making toast with jam.
I snuggle under the fresh smelling sheets and blankets,
Knowing I have another hour before I hear
Dad’s voice calling, “Leona! Time to get up.”
Those sounds, smells and sights are now memories
Of carefree days in my Illinois country home.

Syllabic Verse

Posted in April 2019, NaPoWriMo 2019, Syllabic Verse

Scent-A-Mental Memories

Posted on by Leonas Lines

Aluminum Percolator

My childhood alarm clock was varied, often twas

Waking to the sound and smell of coffee perking.

Blurp, blurp, goes the old aluminum percolator,

A signal it was five am and mom was awake,

Bustling about the kitchen, making toast with jam.

I snuggle under the fresh smelling sheets and blankets

Knowing I have another hour before I hear

Dad’s voice calling,“ Leona! Time to get up!”

Those sounds, smells,and sights are now memories

Of carefree days in my Illinois country home.

Syllabic Verse

#NaPoWriMo 2019–Day 13–Off Prompt

Posted in April 2019, NaPoWriMo 2019, Villanelle

Past and Present

Posted on by Leonas Lines
My Dad 1967 standing near what was left of his childhood home in Sisseton, South Dakota

My Dad 1967 standing near what was left of his childhood home in Sisseton, South Dakota

My people are all gone away

Leaving me with memories

That live on and stay

Siblings can no longer play

Under the South Dakota trees

They are all gone away

I alone stand today

With active sensories

That live on and stay

Under the heavy clouds of gray

I see them in reveries

They are all gone away

My pen searches to convey

Words filled with remedies

That live on and stay

Reaching to grasp each past day

I stand yet float feathery

They are all gone away

That live on and stay

Villanelle

(“They are all gone away” line taken from:”The House on the Hill” by Edwin Arlington Robinson—a Villanelle Poem)

(“They are all gone away” and “That live on and stay” are two phrases that oppose each other)

#NaPoWriMo 2019–Day 5-Prompt: today we’d like to challenge you to write a poem that incorporates at least one of the following: (1) the villanelle form, (2) lines taken from an outside text, and/or (3) phrases that oppose each other in some way. If you can use two elements, great – and if you can do all three,

Posted in April 2019, NaPoWriMo 2019, Sonnet-Modern Unrhymed

Reflections

Posted on by Leonas Lines
My Dad 1943 US Army
My Dad 1943

In the spring of 1910 a new life was

Born in Sisseton South Dakota,

Just in time to be counted in

The Census taken April fifteen.

Roberts County gains another boy

And I, yet unknown, a future father.

A good man who would love nature,

Poetry, and baseball, a man

I would meet on a summer day in June

1944, when he came home from the war

To spend his time teaching a girl

How to hit home runs, name trees

By their leaves, track animals in

The woods, but not how to forget him.

Sonnet (Un-Rhymed)

In memory of my Dad, Erling Claremont Cliff, (4-4-10—1-1-85)

#NaPoWriMo 2019 Day 4 Prompt: sad, Sonnet

Posted in June 2015, Tanka

Bouquet of Roses

Posted on by Leonas Lines
Roses--Tanka poem
Original Poetry and Photograph by Leona J. Atkinson ©2015

Saw this beautiful rose bush growing along the sidewalk as I was on my way to the library.  I was reminded of the quote “Take Time to Stop and Smell the Roses”.  I did that and also took time to photograph them.  Beautiful addition to my summer day. 🙂

Posted in April 2015, Mirror Cinquain, NaPoWriMo 2015

Starlight Nights

Posted on by Leonas Lines
Mirror Cinquain poem about constellations and childhood memories
Original Poetry by Leona J. Atkinson ©2015
Image Credit: http://www.telescopeking.com/guides/ursa-major-constellation-big-dipper/

NaPoWriMo–Day 2–prompt:  constellations

This prompt inspired me to write this poem of childhood memories of clear night skies out in the country where we lived, looking up at all the stars and listening to dad tell us about the constellations and point out which ones we were seeing.

Posted in August 2013, Rhyme

Take Time

Posted on by Leonas Lines

“Take time to smell the flowers.”
My dad used to always say.
Stop in the middle if your busy life,
And take some time to pray.
Cease your constant rushing,
And focus on today.
For you often miss what’s important,
As you hurry along the way.
Your life will be much richer,
If you take some time each day,
To stop, look, and listen,
To what the things around you convey.

Rhyme
Leona J. Atkinson
08-02-13