winds – Colleen Keller Breuning

In the Mountains

In the Mountains

There is a calm before the storm
Beyond the place where black winds form.
Miles away from cacophony,
Where the soul finds serenity.

Breathe in the pristine country air,
Observe the beauty everywhere.
Blue skies stretch for infinity
Where the soul finds serenity.

Here in the mountains I shall stay
As the winter sun fades away.
Resting here for eternity,
Where the soul finds serenity.

There is a calm before the storm
Where the soul finds serenity.

Colleen Keller Breuning @ 2023
January 14, 2023

Today is my sweet Posie Mae’s third birthday! It is hard to believe she is already 3 years old. We were unable to travel to be with her this year, but we did FaceTime with her this morning. We got to see her open the presents we sent. She loved the pretty pink princess dress with accessories and the ballerina music box! She even modeled the pink dress for us, and was absolutely in heaven. I love her more than words can say!

I’ll be honest, I’m feeling melancholy and sad in every cell of my being this afternoon. I wish so badly to be with Posie on her special day. Even though FaceTiming is great, it does not even compare to being there and celebrating with her. There were several reasons we did not make the trip this year. First, my busiest work month is January. Hell hath no fury, compared to an exploding workload of client year end filings, W-2s and 1099s to issue by January 31! Second, the airfare that I researched was completely outrageous and we really can’t afford it right now. We had some major expenses in 2022, just like 2021. Third, I’m not retired and rich, nor will I ever be. LOL

This year we are planning to spend Christmas in Florida with the grandkids, so we probably will not be able to make another trip there for Posie’s birthday in less than 2 weeks next year either. That is life – we must make hard choices. I’m sad that I can’t be there for every single milestone for the grandkids, but in reality my kids’ grandparents certainly did not make it down to Florida to celebrate every birthday, holiday or milestone either. It’s just not physically or financially possible. I need to remind myself of that occasionally. But I’m human, and I admittedly have FOMO. I want to share every special moment with them, but we don’t live in Florida anymore and can’t really afford to retire. Wah! Okay, time to snap out of the pity party, Colleen lol!

Wishing you a wonderful weekend, and hoping that your year is off to a grand start.

xoxo
Colleen

Mood: Melancholy
Inspiration: “Enigmatic Encounter” by ATB/Enigma

Ecrits Blogophilia Week 28.14 Topic: Hell Hath No Fury
Hard Bonus: Use a Clive Cussler book title (Black Winds)
Easy Bonus: Mention something you might see under a microscope (cell)

Spirit of the Forest

Spirit of the Forest

Far above the towering redwoods
Where the lone bald eagle flies,
Steely clouds conspire and gather
To break in alabaster skies.

Monsoon descends upon green woods,
Crystal raindrops mingle with tears.
Shadows creep within the forest,
Stirring up my deepest fears.

A life of suffering and sins,
I hear your cry upon the winds.
If only I could stop the rain,
If only I could ease your pain.

Standing firm in distorted thoughts,
Unwillingness to sacrifice.
Tempting fate until the end,
You made your choice and paid the price.

Thunder crashes across the valley,
Walls of rocks are tumbling down.
They seek revenge, restless natives,
As your spirit walks these forest grounds.

A life of suffering and sins,
I hear your cry upon the winds.
If only I could stop the rain,
If only I could ease your pain.

Would you spend each day as if it were your last one?
Would you ride a white horse into the setting sun?
Would you change your mind if you had a second chance?
Would you dare to leave your fate to circumstance?

A life of suffering and sins,
I hear your cry upon the winds.
If only I could stop the rain,
If only I could ease your pain.

Colleen Keller Breuning © 2022
June 11, 2022

Inspiration: Moby “Lie Down in Darkness”
Mood: Pensive

My Christmas Spirit

My Christmas Spirit

Tender hearts swell with gratitude,
The season casts its festive mood.
Twilight twirls in fresh fallen snow
As Christmas lights twinkle and glow.

Cardinals cavort in branches bare,
Winter sun fades in crimson flair.
Your spirit calls when cold winds blow
As Christmas lights twinkle and glow.

Memories of you warm my soul,
Your absence left a gaping hole.
Tears and emotions ebb and flow
As Christmas lights twinkle and glow.

Tender hearts swell with gratitude
As Christmas lights twinkle and glow.

Colleen Keller Breuning © 2021
December 31, 2021

Memories of Christmas past always come to mind as I am decorating for the Christmas holidays. This year, for the first time in 8 years, I decided to put up some of my Dickens villages. It always makes me think of my father, for some reason. He delighted in seeing the lighted houses when he visited our Florida home shortly before he was diagnosed with cancer in 2001. We had him around until February 2003, and then our whole world changed.

Not having Dad around, especially at the holidays, makes me a little melancholy at times. He is my own personal Christmas spirit that comforts me when I am feeling sad or unsettled. I know he’s watching down on everyone in our family, with a huge smile. I believe he’s proud of all of us, to see how our families have grown. I only wish my grandchildren could have met him. I miss you and love you, Dad.

I hope all of you had a wonderful 2021 and holiday season, despite all the turmoil, COVID, and heartbreak we have seen in this world. I wish you all peace, health and joy in 2022!

Love,
Colleen

Mood: Pensive
Inspiration: “In the Bleak Midwinter” by Ric Mills

Spring Equinox

Spring Equinox

Ides of March haunt me
as I sulk in my bedroom
wallow in darkness

winter winds persist
robins ruffle breast feathers
at the hint of snow

shades of ivory
floating free from the heavens
melting on impact

new dawn breaks golden
sun rays caress tulip buds
cherry trees blossom

feel the world shifting
on cusp of spring equinox
birdsong lifts my heart

Colleen Keller Breuning © 2021
March 20, 2021

Meet & Greet:

Happy Spring and Happy Anniversary to us! My real name is Colleen Marie Keller Breuning and I’m a faithful Blogophiliac to the core. I can’t believe it’s been 14 years that we’ve been blogging together in Blogophilia!

I joined in 2008, the very first season — not sure the exact week, but I estimate sometime between Week 11 & 15. I remember seeing Blogophilia when it first launched, but I just lurked a while because I wasn’t sure if I was up to the challenge. I believe I saw a few of the poets and writers from other Myspace groups posting there – DJ Myke, Violeta Falo, Craig Fallon and Dahlia Ramone come to mind. I decided to dive in head-first with a revealing emo poem. I think Tyler Myrth joined about the same time as me or a few weeks later. And I do not think I’ve missed one week since then, despite vacations, illnesses, crazy work hours, exhaustion, life in general and lack of motivation!

The thing I love most about Blogophilia is the friendship and camaraderie within the group. I have met several of the present and past participants in real life: Violeta Falo, Dahlia Ramone, Christine Wichman and Lisa Kessler. And the funny thing is I met all of them during various trips to California. I would love to meet more of you in the future! Let me know if you are ever in the Northern VA/Washington DC area. I would be happy to meet you at a winery (but of course)! 😉

Another thing I love about Blogophilia is that it’s the ONE thing that has kept me writing consistently every single week!!! Honestly if not for that weekly challenge, I would probably be quite lazy and just not write. I try hard to find at least an hour or so on a Friday or Saturday to dedicate to writing. If you do the math, since we have now completed 13 years, that is roughly around 676 weeks of writing challenges! (WOW!!!!!) That means 676 poems that I otherwise may not have written on my own. I also love that the different challenges (some very boggling) often lead me down a rabbit hole, and I end up writing something I normally would not write. The one thing I most regret is not having enough time lately to visit everyone’s blogs. It weighs on my mind that life is so busy that I can’t even do the reading I WANT to do. Work and life circumstances have been taking up the majority of my time recently. I apologize and hope to do better! *sigh*

So thank you for the years of dedication to our group and the writing inspiration, Marvin Martian and the entire gang of Blogophiliacs! I love you all!! ❤

Ecrits Blogophilia Week 1.14 Topic: Happy Anniversary to Us (Topic Provided by Marvin)
Bonuses – Choose up to three bonus suggestions and use in your blog to score 2 points each (6 points maximum): From the list Marvin provided I used: 1. Ivory for the 14^th anniversary. 2. Ides of March. 3. Something a 14 year old likes to do – sulk in bedroom

*****MEET & GREET – Score extra points for introducing yourself either on the WordPress blog or the Ecrits Blogophilia Facebook post. Include your name, when you started with Blogophilia and your favorite thing about the Blogophilia writing group/challenges!!!*****

SECRET PHRASE GUESSES:

1. Party Time
2. Hey Mr. DJ
3. Hit the Dance Floor
4. Move it to the rhythm
5. Get into the Groove
6. Pump up the Jam!
7. Techno Beat
8. Mosh pit
9. Dancing machine
10. Let the rhythm move you

The Mourning Light

The Mourning Light

no sign of the sun
the morning is full of storm
framed by steel gray clouds

the heavens melt down
weeping angels fill the sky
shedding bitter tears

the mud and the roots
drown in relentless sorrow
shallow and hollow

restless winds of March
ruffle the raven’s feathers
ashes to stardust

sepia snapshots
the essence of life wavers
in the mourning light

Colleen Keller Breuning © 2021
March 5, 2021

Ecrits Blogophilia Week 52.13 Topic: Melt Down
Hard Bonus (2 points): Incorporate a line from a Pablo Neruda poem (The morning is full of storm; the mud and the roots)
Easy Bonus (1 Point): Include a character from Dr. Who (Weeping Angels)

Secret Phrase Guesses:

Mad Scientist
Kitchen Chemistry
Weird Science
Science Experiment
Back to the Future
High School Chemistry
Test Tubes
Wild Hypothesis
Love Potion #9
Crazy in Love

Topic: Christine Picture: Christopher

The Autumn Storm

The Autumn Storm

Outside the rain clattered,
pounding on my windowpane
as the autumn winds rumbled,
thrashing like a hurricane.

Dread ran deep in the black night,
sharp lightning cut the skies.
Sparking bolts struck the ground,
impervious to my fervent cries.

Hours dragged on in turmoil
until the storm came undone.
Its last chords, a final sonata
in deference to the morning sun.

A prism shone through the clouds,
rich rainbow colors peeking through.
Leaves were scattered on the ground,
jewel tone reflections in the dew.

Crisp periwinkle skies beckoned
as tree limbs stretched, cold and bare.
Blue jays frolicked in the woods,
the scent of hope rising in the air.

Though storms of life may come and go,
I realize how simple it could be
to breathe deep and release my fears,
allowing serenity to wash over me.

Ecrits Blogophilia Week 36.13 Topic: The Final Sonata
Hard Bonus (2 points): Incorporate a quote by Laurie Colwin (“Outside the rain clattered,” “How simple it could be”)
Easy Bonus (1 Point): Include a prism in your blog

SECRET PHRASE GUESSES:

1.    Moonlight sonata
2.   Luna
3.   Blood moon
4.   Man on the moon
5.   Purple haze
6.   Pink moon
7.   Full Moon Madness
8.   Dancing in the Moonlight
9.   Moondance
10. Bad Moon Rising

Topic:  Lissa    Pic:  Christine