Monthly Archives: June 2024

I Love You in Three Languages

I Love You in Three Languages

Strolling down Les Champs-Elysées
shivering in the rain, hands entwined
as pigeons alight on cold marble statues
wandering through majestic halls of Le Louvre
awed by the beauty of Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo
climbing a thousand iron stairs on La Tour Eiffel
sharing a gentle kiss on top of the world
scent of lilac rises from Jardin de Tuileries
as we sip fine Bordeaux at the sidewalk cafe
your eyes meet mine, and my heart melts.

Je t’aime, mon amour…

Walking through dark Colosseum dungeons,
echoing footsteps in the cool, dank tunnels
exploring the lush ruins of Palatine Hill
ducks splashing in sparkling pools and fountains
pushing through teeming masses of Vatican City
breath taken away in hushed, reverent gold halls
maneuvering steep cobblestone stairs of Positano
the sweet aroma of lemon trees fills the veranda
as we sip fine Chianti overlooking turquoise sea
your eyes meet mine, and my spirit soars.

Ti amo, amore mio …

Climbing up the steep ridge to our place of solitude
settling into Adirondack chairs in verdant fields
stoking the fire, flames burning orange and gold
the strawberry moon glows from its perch overhead
as the catbird cries out from their maple tree nest
the sun descends into the embrace of purple mountains
hues of tangerine and pink reflecting in puffy clouds
the perfume of honeysuckle floats in the cool air
as we sip fine Cabernet beneath the twinkling stars
your hand touches mine, and my soul is at peace.

I love you forever, my love…

Colleen Keller Breuning © 2024
June 22, 2024

Hello and Happy Saturday! I want to thank everyone for your kind, heartfelt messages on my birthday this week (June 20). I am still going through all my comments on Facebook and responding individually. I had to work a long day on my birthday, but I was off the day before for Juneteenth holiday. I went up to Maryland to Mom’s house, visited with all my siblings, and a handful of nieces, nephews and their kids. It was such a wonderful birthday gift for me!

So far this month has been quite difficult, with the devastating death of my cousin, seeing my elderly relatives and missing my kids and grandkids. My impending birthday didn’t help the mood, as I sometimes feel a bit melancholy about getting older. I let myself feel those feelings (better to let them out and not stuff them), then breathe deep, and move forward.

I am very blessed with family, health, a good job, comfortable home, and surrounded by the beauty of nature. But most of all, I’m blessed by having my husband Dan in my life. He’s my soulmate and the love of my life. We’ve been so many places together — including Paris and Rome – but by far, our favorite place to be is at home with each other. Dan is a compassionate, patient, generous, caring man, and he totally “gets” me. So this poem is dedicated to him. I am so glad we met all those years ago in Oklahoma! Who would have ever known the direction both of our paths would take, and that friends and fate would bring us together. I’m so grateful and blessed. I love you forever, my love!

Xoxo,
Colleen

Mood: Feeling Old
Inspiration: “When I’m Sixty Four” by The Beatles

Ecrits Blogophilia Week 51.15 – Paris or Rome??
Hard Bonus: Say something in French, Italian or both languages
Easy Bonus: Include a bottle of fine wine (Bordeaux, Chianti, Cabernet)

Ship Without A Sail

Ship Without a Sail

sage
advice
bittersweet
words on my tongue
fall upon deaf ears
nobody’s listening
the entire world has caught fire
and I don’t have the strength to fight
torrid flames lick my pale, weathered skin
lusting to burn away my brittle bones
perhaps I shall flee, run away from home
my attempt to escape this madness
diving into the deep black sea
with no sense of direction
a ship without a sail
floating aimlessly
my soul gutted,
a hollowed
empty
shell

Colleen Keller Breuning © 2024
June 14, 2024

Hello! TGIF…. this is just a stream-of-consciousness write that I find that I need to do when I’m tired and need a release of my poison pen, haha. Seriously, it’s been a long, tiring and depressing week. The funeral for my cousin Steve was on Monday, and it’s always difficult when a beloved family member passes away. It’s hard enough saying goodbye to someone you loved, but then seeing your other relatives aging before your eyes… it’s just heartbreaking! I know you can all relate to this, I know it’s a part of life, but it is damned hard, and I am just tired.

The emotions of the week resulted in an etheree about life and death. There is no escaping either. That wasn’t really my intent as I started it, but how it turned out. Music, writing and exercise are my forms of therapy. Some days it works, others not so much…but I’m doing better now.

Remember that life is precious, but life is also hard. My only sage advice (if you choose to listen haha) is to love deeply and live your life to the fullest. That’s all I’ve got… I love you all!

Xoxo,
Colleen

Mood: Tired
Inspiration: “A Ship Without a Sail” by Johnny Mathis

Ecrits Blogophilia Week 50.15 – Sage Advice
Hard Bonus: Incorporate a song title from Johnny Mathis (“A Ship Without a Sail”)
Easy Bonus: Run away from home (or include someone running away from home)

Sound Man

Sound Man

He slipped from this realm one Saturday night
as crimson June sun settled into gloam.
Battle worn warrior, valiant fight,
his long-lost family welcomed him home.

Music was his refuge, passion and love;
working with the bands, perfecting their sound.
Crisp melodies sent to heaven above
floating like healing rain, down to the ground.

Now we are drowning in torrents of tears
as rhythm of the bass drum fills the air.
Memories flood our minds and fill our ears,
his gentle voice whispers, “never despair.”

Listen to the sound man, you will soon know:
Music will wash away all your sorrow.

Colleen Keller Breuning © 2024
June 7, 2024

Hello all. It’s admittedly been a tough week. This poem is dedicated to my dear cousin Steve Crumbacker, who passed away in Maryland on June 1, 2024. The news of his death was devastating for me, as he and his sister Patsy were huge part of my earliest memories in life. Back in the early sixties, our two families shared a duplex on Concord Street in the west end of Hagerstown. Even though we only lived there until I was five years old, I can still recall many of the memories we made with my sister Barb from that time….running around in the backyards and empty lots, Steve and his best bud Roy listening to Beatles 45s on the front porch, (deeply influencing my love of music), playing in the snow, and being terrified by their stories of how Bloody Bones lived in the attic and was going to get us! Back then, he was just a normal, all-American kid having fun picking on his younger cousins – nothing nefarious, just a little ornery. *smiling*

Steve was five years older than me, and he was a man of many talents. He was a renowned Nascar photographer, a highly regarded musician, and he worked as a sound engineer with many local and regional bands over the years. He was also a cat lover like me, and just the sweetest guy you could ever hope to have for a cousin.  His memorial service will be held on Monday evening. I will never forget Steve and the many childhood memories of the Keller Family we shared over the years. You are in my heart always, dear cousin. I send all my love and prayers for comfort to his wife Kim and his only sister, Patsy. I love you both so much!

Xoxo Colleen

Mood: Sad
Inspiration: “I Want to Hold Your Hand” by The Beatles

Ecrits Blogophilia Week 49.15 – Psychic
Hard Bonus: Use a lyric from The Guess Who (“Music will wash away all your sorrow.”)
Easy Bonus: Incorporate the word nefarious