Tag Archives: dVerse Poets

The Shift – a poem by Paul Vincent Cannon

At dVerse Mish is hosting the Quadrille with an invitation to write a poem including the word shift or any of its forms.

dVerse Poets – Quadrille – Shift

“Life is always moving, changing, shifting into its next shape.” Melody Beattie

The Shift

A little tectonic
or factory floor,
maybe the goal posts,
something gauzy,
packing boxes,
another house
though perhaps not yours,
third gear, down fourth,
deckchairs,
cattle to the top paddock,
hit enter,
blame,
the sun
its shadows,
environmentalism,
a shift in place and time.


Copyright 2023 ©️Paul Vincent Cannon
All Rights Reserved ®️

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Filed under awareness, Free Verse, life, poem, Quadrille, quote

No Temple Or Steeple – a poem by Paul Vincent Cannon

At dVerse Ingrid is hosting Poetics with an invitation to write about place and space.

dVerse Poets – Poetics – Place and Space

Photo: State Forest at Kirrup

“Nature is not a place to visit. It is home.” Gary Snyder

No Temple Or Steeple

What place
would capture my heart,
make me take off my shoes
and in silence commune?

No temple or steeple 
has ever,
nor memorial,
though all speak in hallowed ways.

Instead I go where the air moves,
where the sun and moon speak,
while the bed I walk upon never sleeps,
and the breeze whispers its translation 
through leaves of understanding.

Here I rejoice in the chorale 
of feathered song,
the trilling brook, and
even granite's imposing, stony silence.

It is here I take off my shoes,
speak in a language of soul,
feel this place deeply
as Lovers are wont to do.


Copyright 2023 ©️Paul Vincent Cannon
All Rights Reserved ®️ 

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Filed under awareness, bush walking, Free Verse, life, nature, poem, quote

In This Moment – prose by Paul Vincent Cannon

At dVerse Merril is hosting Prosery (144 words of prose) with an invitation write a piece of prose which must include the line –

“In space in time I sit thousands of feet above the sea.” from ‘Meditation In Sunlight’ by May Sarton.

dVerse Poets – Prosery – Meditation

Photo by Admiral General M. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ GodShepherdly 33277089*: https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-a-man-sitting-under-the-tree-737586/

“Breathe and let be.” John Kabat-Zinn

In This Moment

In space, in time, I sit thousands of feet above the sea. I can see everything, all things are passing through me, I can feel it all. In this moment I weep for the joy of everything, while yet I am weeping in sadness, a grief for all things. I notice the tiny wren’s nest, the perfection of a dewdrop, the great leviathan in the deep, a robber fly in the damp corner. That child’s face who is its heart, a mixture of feelings finding a way. The noise of humanity, louder than any nest of squawking hatchlings celebrating life and the urgency of desire. Here I lightly sit, taking it all in, right in that tender moment between the inward and outward breath. It is unconscious, beyond the mind. There is no soaring, no looking down, this is embodied, the journey deeply within.

Copyright 2023 ©️Paul Vincent Cannon

All Rights Reserved ®️

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Filed under meditation, mindfulness, prose, quote

There Goes The Family Again – a poem by Paul Vincent Cannon

At dVerse Laura is hosting Meeting the Bar with an invitation to write a tercet, choosing from a list either a compound word, or three words connected. I chose Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

dVerse Poets – MTB – Three Way Split

Image found on pinterest.com

“The world is charged with the grandeur of God.” Gerard Manley Hopkins

There Goes The Family Again

1. Typical father, running late of excuses,
drove his son to the Bethlehem saloon
for his starring role in a nativity play,
and the customary custody handover,
or Mary would let him have it.

2. What is it with Spanish mothers,
is it true that every second male is 
named Jesus, for god's sake why?
Are they all fishermen at play,
pulling coins from the mouths of fish?

3. The father ordered a second round,
the bar tender leered long at Mary,
dad drew and shot him full of that
one hundred percent  proof 67 spirit,
that got him cupid in the heart.


Copyright 2023 ©️Paul Vincent Cannon
All Rights Reserved ®️ 

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Filed under Free Verse, life, poem, quote, Spirituality

Today I Set Aside My Sensible Shoes – a poem by Paul Vincent Cannon

At dVerse Lisa is hosting Poetics with an invitation to write about play.

dVerse Poets – Poetics – Playtime

Image by Hands off my tags! Michael Gaida from Pixabay

“Every path hath a puddle.” George Herbert

Today I Set Aside My Sensible Shoes

Intrusive clouds
collected
in the hollows,
dull grey puddles,
reminders of
stepping over,
stepping around,
onwards,
the weight on my wrist
ever calling,
but,
today
I set aside
my sensible shoes
for a splash or two,
recalling laughter,
reclaiming joy 
between my toes.


Copyright 2023 ©️Paul Vincent Cannon
All Rights Reserved ®️ 

29 Comments

Filed under awareness, carefree, Free Verse, life, play, poem, quote

Last Gasp – a poem by Paul Vincent Cannon

At dVerse De is hosting the Quadrille (44 words) with an invitation to write a poem using the word, or a form of the word, gasp.

dVerse Poets – Quadrille – Poetry is a Kind of Gasp

Photo: A stretcher bearer provides a cigarette to a wounded soldier, WW1, found at stokesentinel.co.uk

“He lighted a cigarette, and in the curling smoke of it caught visions ….” Jack London

Note: a gasper was in old English parlance, a cigarette, especially amongst the military.

Last Gasp

Gaspers for bullets
to disappear pain,
nineteen to the dozen,
while the hack digs my wound.
"No filter" he said
as I screamed.
What a drag, I thought
as I sucked the stub,
hoping for visions of heaven
exhaling life
with my last gasp.


Copyright 2023 ©️Paul Vincent Cannon
All Rights Reserved ®️

22 Comments

Filed under death, Free Verse, poem, Quadrille, quote, war

To Minna – a poem by Paul Vincent Cannon

At dVerse Lillian is hosting Open Link Night – the night we choose a poem to post. Lillian has dedicated this OLN to the late Glen Butkus a friend of many at dVerse. If you knew, or even if you didn’t know Glen, there is more information about his work, some examples of his poetry and a link to his work when you follow the link below.

dVerse Poets – OLN – An OLN Memoriam to Glenn Butkus

“Dying is an art, like everything else.” Sylvia Plath

To Minna

I gather that this may well
be our last correspondence,
I'm sorry to leaden this moment
with such a feel of finality,
but you have been so free to say
(which is true of you)
that you are on your way,
and you have been telling us all
for quite some time now,
that this moment would arrive,
sooner than we'd like and 
probably when we're all in the 
middle of something busy,
and here it is,
and here you are,
and there you will be.

Godspeed my Dear Friend,
Until ....



Copyright 2023 ©️Paul Vincent Cannon
All Rights Reserved ®️ 

29 Comments

Filed under awareness, death, Epistle, epistolary, poem, quote

I Just Won’t – a poem by Paul Vincent Cannon

At dVerse Punam is hosting Poetics with an invitation to write about friendship I’m using a line from the poem Tug O’ War by Shel Silverstein as the opening line as that spoke to me.

dVerse Poets – Poetics – Friends In Blogosphere

I chose the line “I will not play at tug o’ war.”

Photo: cdn.idntimes.com

“I have learned that to be with those I like is enough.” Walt Whitman

I Just Won't

I will not play at tug o' war,
but then,
truly,
friends don't.
More to the point,
I won't play as a matter of principle,
even with those who seek my downfall,
no one is ever declared a winner,
all are stained by the muddying of meaning,
all are gathered up in their own motives.
Facts are never facts
they are always someone else's lies,
perceptions aren't truth,
friends know this,
friends hold ego lightly,
forgiveness is the language of friends
whose wholeness lies 
in unconditional love,
and the art of sitting alongside.


Copyright 2023 ©️Paul Vincent Cannon
All Rights Reserved ®️ 

24 Comments

Filed under awareness, Free Verse, life, poem, quote

Nothing By Half – Haibun by Paul Vincent Cannon

At dVerse Frank is hosting the Haibun with an invitation to write prose about Mezza Luna or half moon.

dVerse Poets – Haibun – Mezza Luna

“There can be no vulnerability without risk ….” M. Scott Peck

Nothing By Half

I like to play with moon, we have such fun together whatever we choose to do. Tonight she called out by half, indeed she cradled me, such was her shape for loving. She had that look, which is to say, that despite appearances, nothing was by half with her. She appeared velvety, like a piece of cacao in a Viennese cafe, waiting to be softly grated into my cup. And I sighed long in anticipation of the pleasure.

It takes a certain vulnerability to drink down this draught of love so rich in texture, it seems to coat the tongue with memory and warm the heart to an opening unanticipated. To feel that warmth, that connection, is beyond any words. All at once, nothing can be said and yet everything can be said. Moon just smiled and I melted in her froth tonight. I am mezza to her half.

slowly drinking moon
pouring love generously
heart strangely open



Copyright 2023 ©️Paul Vincent Cannon
All Rights Reserved ®️ 

24 Comments

Filed under erotic, Haibun, Haiku, love, moon

Plum Sugar – a poem by Paul Vincent Cannon

At dVerse Kim is hosting Poetics with an invitation to write about kissing.

dVerse Poets – Poetics – Prelude to a Kiss

Photo: found on pinterst.com

“Kiss me and you will see how important I am.” Sylvia Plath

Plum Sugar

When the plum is ripe
I don't cut it nicely,
I plunge straight in
savouring each piece of
soft, deep, red flesh
so sweet upon my hungry lips,
until, finally the centre is 
sundered, caressed, 
its juice surrendered, 
devoured, for all its worth,
and I ache for more,
an always kiss,
never ending.


Copyright 2023 ©️Paul Vincent Cannon
All Rights Reserved ®️ 

24 Comments

Filed under erotic, Free Verse, love, passion, poem, quote, romance