Growing up, I was forever mindful of words.  I listened to what others said and questioned why.   I cringed when I heard raised voices and unkind words.  I smiled when I observed animated conversations.  Best of all, I discovered a whole other world when I learned to read. It fed my imagination.  The neighborhood library was my personal haven.

Over the years I have used my share of words. Endless essays, formal presentations, shared sentiments at weddings and funerals, and countless emails. Sometimes the words have come readily.  Sometimes they have been strained or difficult to find.  And then there is poetry.

There is something about writing poetry that challenges the senses all at once.  Poems capture a feeling.  Poems conjure vivid images.  Poems look a certain way.  No two are alike.  Poems have the power to touch the mind and the heart and the soul.  Poems are well-crafted words that land just so.  To inspire.  To reflect.  To think.

From the timeless world of Shakespeare to the time sensitive variation of Word Porn found across social media, words matter.  Carefully chosen and constructed with care, they matter.

                                                    

                                                          Still Life

 

                                                          Plucked innocence

                                                          cut in its prime

                                                          stolen

                                                          petals once supple and soft

                                                          cling to the image

                                                          of being alive

                                                          crafted now upon canvas

                                                          hard and unforgiving

                                                          it does not wilt

                                                          it does not die

                                                          original grace

                                                          does not die.

                                                          cbienko

                                                          Time Enough

New Release

Time Enough

Reflecting on life, change, wonder, loss, and the quiet search for meaning over time.