Strawberry Moon

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)

Strawberry Moon

It is time to float on the waters of the night
to exhale the troubles of the day
balancing the wish to be lost
with the aching need to be found.

Immerse yourself in the burgeoning skies
revel in the raspberry sherbet sunset
and cast your eyes toward the east
where the strawberry moon beckons.

Rising low on the summer horizon
the moon casts its ambient pink glow
gently morphing and reflecting
in the undulating ripples of the lake.

Lazy clouds drift by in the cool breeze
encircling and embracing its radiance
casting shadows on the craggy surface
painting figments of the imagination.

Tell me your secrets, oh strawberry moon
rising high amidst the blanket of stars
fill me with your omniscient wisdom
and strength, to the depths of my tired bones.

Oh prophet of June, beacon in the sky
gliding home gracefully on your lunar path
tuck me in to sleep with tranquil dreams
until the morrow dawns with hope.

Colleen Keller Breuning © 2023
June 3, 2023

Happy Saturday! This week I had two inspirations for my poem. First, looking through Billy Collins lines steered me – after all, he is one of my favorite poets and authors. I have quite a few of his poetry books and have always been inspired by his imagery and observations on life! And once again the moon proved to be a dependable muse.

It all happened by accident last night, when I was dressed in my workout clothes about to head down to the basement for a Bodi workout. I was wondering where Dan was, and I saw him out on the back deck. As I was walking out to talk to him, I saw it. The beautiful rising Strawberry Moon, tucked away behind the trees in the conservancy woods behind our yard. As if by pure reflex, I ran to grab my Nikon camera and iPhone and told Dan excitedly to look behind him at the moon.

To get a better view of the moon, I walked up the path on our ridge and then down to the lake so I could clearly view it on the Eastern horizon. The sun had already set, casting pink and blue swaths of light in the West behind me. Ahead of me it was getting dark, and the path was surrounded by a canopy of trees. As I made my way down to the water’s edge, the moon almost took my breath away. I began snapping away, undeterred by the mosquitos in the night air.

Dan followed me down, and we watched for about 30 minutes as the clouds drifted by, creating amazing images as it passed and encircled the moon. I caught some really cool images on my iPhone in which the clouds seemed to appear as a dog or demon to the right side of the moon! I haven’t gotten around to posting any of these on Instagram or Facebook, but the photos posted here are from my Nikon camera which I uploaded this morning. I was amazed at the detail of some of the images, which I shot WITHOUT a tripod.

This all serves as further inspiration for me to get out my camera more frequently. God works in mysterious ways, and I’m grateful the beauty of nature sidetracked me last night. It forced me to slow down and follow the moon with my camera. Work and life in general have kept me from this lifelong hobby, and now I can’t wait to get back to it. Nature photography is my passion, and lately I have just admired others’ work lately while neglecting my own. There doesn’t seem to be enough time in a day, but now I realize I must make time!

I wish you all a wonderful weekend filled with peace, rest or doing what you love the most!

xoxo Colleen

Mood: Relaxed
Inspiration: “Sail to the Moon” by Radiohead

Ecrits Blogophilia Week 48.14 – History Repeats
Hard Bonus: Quote or use a line by poet Billy Collins (“It is time to float on the waters of the night” & “balancing the wish to be lost with the need to be found”)
Easy Bonus: Mention your favorite author – Billy Collins, of course!