April 2025 Poetry and Paintings

April is always a busy month for poets because it is NAPOWRIMO - National Poetry Writing Month. Of course it's international/ global but let's not get carried away with details.

This April was full of poetry and therefore a joy, even though Easter was late so I was very much in the mode of Lent and Holy Week. Below you can read the sixty or so poems I wrote through the month, excluding the ones written for Easter which are in a separate post here https://www.llmcalling.com/post/easter-and-holy-week-paintings-and-poems

I have shared below some of the paintings I created to accompany my poetry, but if you'd like to see them all then they are in this link https://photos.app.goo.gl/9c83yMdbsY6TLqeR8

In shadows dark where silence heals the mind

A month unfolds like petals sleek and rare

Each word a whisper caught, entangled, blind

The ink seeps out in whispers filled with care

Thoughts of freedom dance just out of reach While stanzas writ' with sorrow close me tight

In every line I seek for what they teach

To weave my grief into the light of sight

Rest beckons softly like a lullaby

To gather pieces thrown so far apart

I pause in stillness as the moments cry

To heal is a rebellion and an art

This is my journey and my quiet plea

Searching within myself I found the real me

...

Inhaling fresh air

Discovering peacefulness

Under boundless skies

...

Words will mean nothing

Without heartfelt intention

Actions speak louder

...

As I sail through ancient landscapes bold

I lose myself in stories yet untold

Whispers of the past drift on the breeze

Echoes of voices lost within the trees

Mountains rise like giants from the past

Each stone a keeper of memories amassed

Rivers weave their tales in shimmering flows

Carving secrets in places no one goes

Underneath time's soft embrace I roam

Following unseen paths that lead me home

In rivers the clues of future years unfold

Timeless epics hidden within the cold

Amidst these days my spirit takes to flight

Learning lessons each and every night

...

Unmaking the patterns

Unravelling the web

Unpicking the pain

Unlearning the lies

Unwinding the wounds

Undoing the distress

Unknowing the nightmares

Ungrounding the games

Unpacking the truth

Untidying the emotions

Unfolding my confidence

Unmaking myself

Then making myself again

#inpain

...

As soon as I wake

My bones ache

Sleep's healing is fake

...

Journeying towards the light

As creeping vines bend and sway

Clearing the saltwater tears

Obscuring the barriers placed in my way

Dusting the grains of misery

Choking the unknown words to say

Following the wind wherever it leads

To a place where peace brightens each day

...

As icicles melted on a frozen path

I took solace in an abandoned house one night

Surrounded by sandalwood and scents of sunshine

I became the keeper of the inner light

Each morning I walked long to clear my mind

Chasing butterflies within the seagrass plains

Gazing at satellites, moonstruck at night

Finding peace in memories of grief's refrains

The earth opened up and welcomed me whole

Embraced by memories of natural growth

Whilst roots of ancient trees played timeless tunes

Reminding me that love is an eternal oath

...

Exploring alternate realities

Beyond blindfolded perspectives

Discovering extraordinary events

Deciphered from ethereal dreams

Embracing long silences

Inhabited in quiet spaces

Creating fresh feline feelings

Tempted by tremendously tasty treats

...

Stitch social serenity

To the solitude of company

Rest with saplings

Whilst navigating tangled branches

Count shooting stars

Finding peace in sunbeams

...

Whispering in ripples

Allowing tears to fall

Letting go of devastation

Gazing at frothy clouds

Dancing across the sky

Free from expectation

Spotting shooting stars

Highlighted by the midnight moon

Praying for tomorrow

...

If the wind should ever let me go

Lost within the willow's sighs

The moon will burn a gentle glow

Breaking eggshells of fear under starry skies

Tempting observations far and near

The rustle of leaves whispers secrets sweet

In tranquil embrace my heart sheds its fear

Prioritizing peace where shadows meet

Oh fleeting breath that carries dreams afar

To dance beneath the ethereal light

With every gust I find who you truly are

Released from bounds in the darkest night

If the wind should ever choose to cease

Let love weave wild with threads of peace.

...

Alone with the sky

Wander where long shadows bloom

Seek serenity

Seek serenity

Igniting spiritual embers

Praying for rebirth

Praying for rebirth

Healing symphonies of pain

Alone with the sky

...

Seek quiet solace

As the gentle breeze whispers

Stillness echoes peace

...

The sun soothes the soul

Lighting the ocean at night

As the pain melts away

As the pain melts away

I notice fearful places

Some wounds are too deep

Some wounds are too deep

Yet I heal around them

The sun soothes the soul

...

Each morning I rise

Assess the bodily pain

I lay down again

I lay down again

Noticing God's fingerprints

In my humming bones

In my humming bones

I miss the me I used to be

Each morning I rise

...

Summer days lengthen

Bioluminescent hopes

A ladybird sings

A ladybird sings

Long forgotten love poems

Hidden behind metaphors

Hidden behind metaphors

Sunrises scintillate souls

Summer days lengthen

...

Behind closed doors we find relief from living under the microscope

Letting go of questions never quite remembered

Whilst gazing out of windows at lakeside vistas

Where imagination gallops wild and free

There's not enough colour in the world

Despite the fact that sculpted imaginations echo dreamlike convocations

So we turn to the skies where stardust soothes the soul

As surprises escape from aurora borealis to be stitched onto colourful comfy cushions

...

As spring days lengthen

Migrating birds hide amongst

Pink blossoms on boughs

Breezes create confetti

Sentient life celebrates

...

Wistful lantern dreams

Imagined in firelight

Under shattered stars

...

Your word is a lamp

Leading me every day

Whenever I ask

Whenever I ask

You answer by providing

A light on the path

A light on the path

Even on the darkest nights

Your word is a lamp

...

Eternally present in every place and moment

Peacefully effervescent yet powerfully persistent

Molecularly undeniable though seemingly invisible

Absolutely essential yet often deemed inconsequential

Overwhelmingly serene whilst delicately forceful

Ever changing and transforming in a cycle of renewal

Creating life in barren wastelands of greed

Refreshing weary souls on the lips of those in need

Calming anxious minds when storm clouds draw near

Sustaining hope and love within vast deserts of fear

...

Hope is almost forgotten

Yet it is a fragile courage

Saving us from oblivion

Kindness sustains hope

Beyond imagination

As certain as dawn

...

Historic moments melt within pressurised chambers

Combining calamity

Swirling magma boils and burns for millennia

Refining reactively

Colours smelt in combinations previously unimagined

Inspiring imagery

Molecular shapes twist and turn transformatively

Risking redundancy

Deep boundaries break then reform repeatedly

Anticipating activity

Excited energy embraces the reality then bursts transformatively into atmospheric actuality as a river of superheated serenity

Cooling creatively

...

Love: a subtle art

Woven from life's loosened threads

Explored together

...

Mike

You are my rock

Not a comet in night skies

But always there to lean on

You are my star

Not an object at a distance

But a light in my dark days

You have my heart

You are my other half

I love you to the end of the universe

...

Flowers in the sun

Awaken exploration

Blooming lovely

Blooming lovely

Bird song carried at sunrise

Across April skies

Across April skies

Impressionism reflects

Flowers in the sun

...

Tenderness blooms in places unexpected

In warrior hearts often conflicted

In fragile souls imperfectly protected

In graceful movements honestly reflected

In rebellious actions silently requested

In tiny margins invisibly tainted

In lingering looks vulnerably averted

In joyful moments barely detected

In courageous words prayerfully presented

Around the world in a myriad of ways

Tenderness blooms to brighten dark days

...

I am consistent

In my inconsistency

Different every day

...

Every sense sharpens as the spring rains bless the parched ground with refreshment

The petrichor aroma intoxicates as it indicates the awakening from dormancy

You can almost taste spring on the tip of your tongue inviting expressions of joy

Eyes fill with tears as pupils are drenched in sunlight long forgotten

Birds call in words sensed within hearts more than understood

As you advance a step closer you plant your feet on the earth

Connecting once more with the eternal cycle of life

...

World Art Day

Celebrating creativity

Filling the internet with colour and joy

Inspiring imperfection

Expressing emotions with light and shadow

Encouraging exploration

Inviting everyone to give painting a go

...

Surviving

What ever happened to thriving

Should life really be such a struggle?

I long for long days exploring

Improving whilst journeying

Towards places as yet unknown

I remember hours full of learning

Oh how my heart is yearning

For the energy to immerse myself in wisdom

Have I sacrificed becoming

On the altar of existing

Might I ever again live free of endless insecurity?

...

I notice blessings

Reflected in your actions

The cycle of hope

...

Words cradle feelings

Unfolding each part of life

As tenderness blooms

...

Exploring and understanding

Reading and regenerating

Listening and resonating

Campaigning and advocating

Loving and recomposing

Resting and recuperating

Creating and captivating

Praying and persevering

...

Six word stories:

You are loved for being you

You can always count on me

These chains will break one day

You are worthy of unconditional love

Everyone has value in their humanity

Life is a journey of love

A day without creativity is empty

...

Hatred dressed as love

Peculiarly poetic

Obscuring the lies

Obscuring the lies

Veils of vindictiveness

Hatred dressed as love

...

The cathedral of grief contains many chapels

Each available as required, no invitation needed

The first envelops visitors despite their protestations

A place of open welcome with zero expectation

The second has a notice saying "not easily offended"

No sound escapes it's boundaries so everyone can vent

The third is a softer place with people ready to listen

A reminder that there's nothing wrong with feelings of depression

The fourth has a reflective pool and lots of books and pens

A perfect place to write thoughts down or think them through again

The fifth is waiting eagerly inviting visitors to rest

With a reminder that every chapel, welcomes repeating guests

You might notice in this cathedral, that people mill around

You see, there is no route to take, no pointers on the ground

Instead every door is open, to visit or to stay

Never closed or keeping score, you will find your perfect way

...

"Wow don't you look well", that's the story my face tells

But it is not my reality, it is a faded mask protecting me

It hides my truth, battered and bruised, offering an easier view

Only the closest few get to see my absolute truth

Those I trust, whatever the weather, to put me back together

.

My mask is faded

Jaded

Dejected

Evicted

I am revealed naked

...

Some days feel heavy

Emotions steal my thunder

Then spring brings new leaves

Sprouting the muse in my heart

Everything is cyclical

...

Blessings

Flutter away

Upon cherry blossoms

Barely noticed by anxious minds

Slow down

...

How did it come to be... that the weakest in society

Are blamed for economic problems

Whilst the richest sit on private islands

Counting their growing bank balances

Can no one see the manipulation

Touted by media moguls and political vultures

That the poorest are destroying our culture

When it's greed which steals from those in need

How long will this abuse go on?

What human damage will it take?

Before we wake up to the deception

And realise people can't bend, instead they'll break?

...

Despite spikes of hate

Flowered kisses bloom with truth

Kindness costs nothing

...

Listen lovingly

Oscillate occasionally

Vent vociferously

Evolve energetically

...

When down in the dumps

Recognise the deeper notes

Double bass resonates

Double bass resonates

Anchoring orchestral works

Walking with jazz riffs

Walking with jazz riffs

Celebrate good vibrations

When down in the dumps

...

Under smouldering skies

Love creates a perfect storm

Offering new hope

...

Waterfalls of grace

Relax anxious minds and souls

Divine blessings rise

...

At night when shimmering waters gleam

A hermit crab lives in an aquatic dream

Safe in it's shell wherever it roams

Exploring the rock pools from inside it's home

But as days become long under a sun burning gold

It's shell grows too tight and needs to be sold

Yearning for space where the sea currents sway

It's seeks a shell with room enough to play

As colours dance in the sun's warming light

The tiny explorer skuttles left and right

Over stones and sand where the tide line starts

It admires natural pieces of shell based art

At last it discovers a potential shell

A colourful home where it can live very well

Observing for a while this beautiful place

It's confirmed to be empty with no owner to chase

At last comes the time to upgrade it's home

The crab with excitement enters it's new dome

Moving into the space it stretches with glee

"This is perfection, a new shell for me"

...

Never judge a bird

By the colour of feathers

Listen to their song

...

April breezes gust

Decimating cherry blooms

Pink confetti falls

April breezes gust

As spring blooms

Pink confetti falls

A haiku (5-7-5) and a lune (5-3-5) on the same subject

...

The world loves to categorise us

Define and classify us

Allocating us to groups

To better understand us

Evaluate us and, just maybe, control us

But life is not that simple for most people

We have many facets to our personalities

Exploring different opportunities

Moving between careers and necessities

Juggling responsibilities

So whilst I'm a poet and artist

I'm also a mother and daughter

A wife and sister

A friend and colleague

A minister and listener

A blind wheelchair user

I once was an engineer

A project manager

A business owner

A paper writer and speech giver

But those days are over

Great years that I look back on fondly

But don't hanker for any more

I prefer not to be defined

And I definitely don't want to be confined

In any bracket except for Emma

A person who wants the world to be better

...

Transparent tears spring from tired eyes

As we encounter vibrant green landscapes

Under endless sapphire blue skies

Sunshine storms may threaten but can't cloud the day

As ever changing shadows paint shapes of relief

Closing down the apologies of sizzling sun rays

Inconsolable laughter erupts from the mountains

In cantankerous defiance of the stunning scenery

Echos ring with indelible incantations of silence

Flowers wearing bright but inarticulate outfits

Burst our bubbles of consequential indifference

As we admire the natural beauty they transmit

On our return to the great concrete divide

Inconsistent memories mourn for wild landscapes

As our tears rain indoors, longing for days outside

...

Aquatic blossoms

Delicately opening

At the sun's bidding

Prosperous in it's beauty

Lotus enlightenment

...

Escape to nature

Leaving stresses far behind

Relaxing your mind

No fool’s paradise compares

To creation’s raw beauty

…

Dreams of starry nights

Surrounding our senses

Away from the world

Away from the world

Far from worries or concerns

Infinity waits

Infinity waits

Patiently whilst we ignore

Dreams of starry nights

...

Welcome to my manifesto for harmony

A dream for the world to live honestly

Without monopoly of the economy

Or misogyny and animosity

Full of opportunities for equality

Where modernity is embraced artfully

And diversity is encouraged naturally

Will you join my movement poetically?

...

Cloaked in exhaustion

Extrovert nature suppressed

Poems connect me

Poems connect me

As the stains of pain weaken

Connectivity

Connectivity

An impossibility

Cloaked in exhaustion

...

Mother nature loves

Every tiny creature

We should love them too