secrets – Colleen Keller Breuning

In Vino Veritas

In Vino Veritas

We
drink in
warm sunshine
fingers of light
cascade from blue sky
reflecting off the lake
we wander through the vineyard
pausing to taste forbidden fruit
summer bursting boldly on our tongues
shades of cabernet swirl in cut crystal
as a renaissance flows within our veins
we dance in parade of emotions
bodies and souls in slow tandem
searching for unknown answers
in vino veritas
we bare our secrets
unearthing truth
for the grapes
never
lie

Colleen Keller Breuning © 2022
September 12, 2022

My husband gave me a really cool book for Christmas a few years back, “The Daily Stoic,” by Ryan Holiday. I just love this book, it is chock full of amazing quotes by the famous stoics with thoughts and annotations. I also follow Daily Stoic on Instagram, which is always entertaining and full of wisdom that makes one think. In my reading, I encountered “In Vino Veritas.” This a very interesting and meaningful quote to me, given my love of wine and general observations I’ve made throughout life.

I did a little research on the author of this quote, Pliny the Elder. There are lots of fascinating facts that I didn’t know about him. His full name was Gaius Plinius Secundus. A Roman author, lawyer and philosopher, he lived from 23 – 79 AD. He died while trying to rescue family and friends from the aftermath of the Mt. Vesuvius volcano eruption!

Pliny the Elder started out his Roman military career by serving in Germany, and he ascended to the rank of cavalry commander. His last post was as that of a fleet commander in the Bay of Naples, where he was commissioned to supress rampant piracy of the times. He wrote the very long History of the Germanic Wars , which was comprised of twenty volumes but no longer exists. Pliny also wrote the world’s first encyclopedia, Naturalis Historia, (Natural History). His passion was studying, investigating nature and geography, and writing about all facets of these subjects, which he compiled into 37 books as the model for encyclopediae of the future.

I decided to write a poem this week based on Pliny’s famous quote. It wasn’t the kind of topic that lends itself to a rhyme based poem or strict syllabic rhythm, so I ended up jotting down rahdom phrases that came to mind over the course of a week. When constructing and finalizing the poem last night and this morning, a double etheree ended up emerging. It’s funny how that happens! I hope you enjoy.

So here’s to Pliny the Elder… I raise my glass in a toast to truth, life, love and wine! And cheers to all for a wonderful Labor day holiday weekend!

xoxo Colleen

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Pliny-the-Elder

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pliny_the_Elder

https://www.livius.org/articles/person/pliny-the-elder/

Inspiration: Wine and Sophie Hutchings music
Mood: Happy

Summer Solstice

Summer Solstice

The sun is settling down gently,
casting shadows upon western peaks.
Baby bunnies scurry towards the brush
as the lonely catbird speaks.

Clouds refract soft pastel hues,
cotton candy melting in the skies.
A spark of joy ignites my heart,
and I am dancing with the fireflies.

I chase the summer solstice,
down to the wooden bridge.
I leap through golden meadows
towards the mountain’s ridge.

The deer are grazing with their fawns
in the glades upon blueberry hill.
The scent of lilac perfumes the air,
as the balmy breeze grows still.

Beyond the bend, I catch my breath
to rest in dewy fields of green.
The strawberry moon rises to greet me,
its ambient glow pink and serene.

As I settle by the water’s edge,
the frogs begin their symphony.
Their music strikes a lonely chord,
and I wish that you were here with me.

I send a message to you on the zephyr wind,
beyond the stars and shimmering moonglade.
The secrets of nature are waiting for us,
with a multitude of promises to be made.

So make your way down to our secret pond
and you will find me waiting there,
with taste of honeysuckle on my tongue
and the scent of summer in my hair.

Colleen Keller Breuning © 2022
June 20, 2022

I started this piece on my birthday, after observing nature on a walk at the end of the day. I jotted down a few stanzas and then forgot about it, in the busy-ness of life, work and travel. As I was recovering from bronchitis and pneumonia this week, I came across it reading through my poetry notebook and put the finishing touches on it. It’s a tribute to the beauty and delights of summer. I hope you enjoy, along with this music which complements it and was actually playing as I wrote the piece. (If you know me, I rarely write in silence, music always inspires….) xoxo
Love to all, Colleen

Mood: Summer
Inspiration: Sophie Hutchings “Sunlight Zone”

Cloudburst

Cloudburst

There’s a low hanging kind of gloom
stretching across the twilight sky
like nefarious, ugly castaways
pregnant with foul regrets
truth tinged with suspicious lies.

A cold western wind rises up
and the clouds burst wide open
torrents of raindrops tilt sideways
a raging river in the asphalt
foils my ill-timed escape.

And I am running for my life
cries and curses drowned out
in deafening crashes of thunder
as lightning flashes around me
my heart pounding in my ears.

Suppressed anger pours out
secrets spilling to the soggy ground
tears dissolve in the sacred rain
my salt and bones buried deep below
ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

The trees sigh in collective exhalation
as my heart bleeds in rainbow hues
forbidden thoughts of malevolence
wiped clean from my furrowed brow
and the distant stars fade from view.

Colleen Keller Breuning © 2021
August 20, 2021

Mood: Stormy
Musical Inspiration: The Son of Flynn – Daft Punk/Moby Remix

Sketches of Pain

Sketches of Pain

Dark clouds threaten, sky splits apart
Flooding emotions, bleeding hearts
Ugly secrets, women in chains
Broken spirits praying for rain.

Flash of lightning, crash of thunder
Last shred of faith torn asunder
Haunting whistle of distant train
Broken spirits praying for rain.

But something changes in the air
Hope cuts through layers of despair
Fingers tracing sketches of pain
Broken spirits praying for rain.

Dark clouds threaten, sky splits apart
Broken spirits praying for rain.

Colleen Keller Breuning © 2021
June 4, 2021

Mood: I Believe…. Tears for Fears. As you know, I am definitely inspired by anything in a writing challenge that calls for song titles or lyrics. And I do love Tears for Fears! ❤

Ecrits Blogophilia Week 12.14 Topic: Something in the Air
Hard Bonus (2 points): Incorporate a song title by the group Tears for Fears (Secrets, Woman in Chains, Broken, Sketches of Pain, Change)
Easy Bonus (1 Point): Use the word “asunder”

SECRET BONUS PHRASES:

Misty Mountain Hop
Waterfront View
Patio
Vacation Dream
Villa Terrace
Room with a View
Across the sea
Rock Me
Climbing Bougainvillea
Mediterranean Sea

Topic: Christine Pic: Irene

Dance of Life

Perched by the open window
tiny dancer bathed in glow
beneath a veil of green eyes
gilded lily in disguise.

Faded scars cannot erase
sad memories from a place
where sticks and stones broke her bones
sharp lessons learned long ago.

Dodging minefields, cat and mouse
secrets hidden in old house
one magic moment has turned
to cold dust where fire once burned.

Sinews, muscles stretch and thrash
finding strength amidst the ash.
though hope seems lost with no trace
she exudes amazing grace.

A strong breeze from down under
pushes sorrow asunder
as she glides forth, free from strife
in this mystic dance of life….