Poetry Friday * Five Minute Friday * Celebrate this Week.
As we slip from May to June, our schedules are filled with end-of-school celebrations, commencements, weddings, anniversaries, and anticipation of summer vacations — all marking stones in life that give us reason to look both backward and forward, to celebrate the past and the future in the present moment. And so today, I write and share randomly about the word future.
I
Writing to a word prompt : future.
00:00.00 Start… five-minutes of writing
The future–
an unknown landscape
an unmapped territory
a path that’s untrodden
beyond the past
further than the present
The future–
frightening to some
desired by others
never arriving
always waiting
destination of all
My future–
a gift of life,
a vision of hope
dreams of my heart
formed by my choices
and miracles from God
© 2017 Alice Nine
… STOP 05:01.47 (lines were rearranged after STOP)
II
Celebrating the beauty of my survivor.
Beside our driveway, outside my kitchen window, is a very old rose bush. Moss likes to cling to its thick trunk. It survived an episode when its root system was accidentally yanked out of the ground with a backhoe. Its roots were pushed back into the hole and given some water. Its trunk was supported by the iron rod (photo 2). Some years it gets a bit of tender-loving care, and some years it is all but ignored. Yet each year, it shares its delicate pink color and sweet fragrance. This week after braving a severe winter and a late spring, it gave us an unprecedented show. I’ve stood in our driveway on several occasions to admire its beauty, to ponder it as a metaphor life — surviving the past, beautiful in the present, and an unknown future.
Notice the the iron rod to which the trunk is attached.
We never removed the support.
III
Quotes about the future.
“I touch the future. I teach.” –Christa McAuliffe. ( Christa’s lost lessons )
“ For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” – Jeremiah 29:11 (NKJV)
“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? . . . Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” –Matthew 6:25-34 (NKJV)
IV
Music.
Of the future, some sing,
“Que sera, sera
Whatever will be, will be
The future’s not ours to see
Que sera, sera
What will be, will be.”
And though there is truth in the words of this refrain,
there is an even greater truth in the words the next song.
I Know Who Holds Tomorrow
Many things about tomorrow
I don’t seem to understand
But I know who holds tomorrow
And I know who holds my hand.
–Words by Ira Stanphill, 1950. (Ira Stanphill was our Pastor when we lived in Fort Worth, Texas, during the years that my husband studied at Southwest Baptist Theological Seminary.)
I’ve linked up —
with Buffy at Buffy’s Blog where bloggers share all things poetry,
with Kate Motaung where bloggers share a five minute quick write on a chosen word,
and with Ruth Ayres where bloggers share celebrations.
Poetry Friday Schedule: 2017 January – June.
Poetry Friday Guidelines and more about Poetry Friday.
Read more about Five Minute Friday. #fmfparty.
Celebrate this Week. #Celebratelu.
One of my favorite songs is Que Sera, Sera. I have it on vinyl sampled by one of my favorite bands. I’ve seen this song referenced twice today and am moved to listen again. I love these lines from your poem: “My future–/a gift of life,/a vision of hope…” I love the truth and the encouragement in that tone. Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful reflection for #fmf. I’m so glad I stopped by, friend. Have a blessed week!
Alice, beautiful poem. Oh and that rose bush…..gorgeous! I have a rose photo as the lock screen on my phone. It’s from a rose bush in my friends yard. I’m over in the 96 spot this week.
Lovely thoughts on the future. Wow! What a rose bush. It’s beautiful–and such an inspiration to us all to keep on blooming.
What a deep, hopeful reflection about the future. What a blessing to have known Ira Stanphill as pastor. My husband graduated from Golden Gate Seminary, taking most of his courses at the Northwest Baptist Convention which was then in Portland, not far from the Lloyd Center. It is so interesting the connections we discover!
Your poem is both moving and spiritually fulfilling. “Marking stones in life…” I love these words from your post. Thank you for sharing this strategy and for the backstory of rose.
Hang in there, rose. You’re looking good! That 5-minute challenge is intriguing.
Love your response to my rose bush– a bit of personification. 🙂 On the 5-min challenge, we are given a word as the prompt. I usually brainstorm some ideas and thoughts for 5-8 min. That may include looking the word up in the dictionary and/or thesaurus. Then I write whatever flows for 5 min. Sometimes I post my handwritten copy; sometimes I type it into the blog text. Sometimes it’s prose, other times it’s verse. It may be words, phrases, sentences strung together in a free write fashion. Or I might create a mind map or word map. If I do anything beyond the 5 minutes, I usually make note of it, e.g., rearranging the lines, adding some punctuation for clarity, adding color to a mind map, proofing and correcting any quotes. Most of the others bloggers write prose, a few write poems. Be sure to let me know if you link up some week.
I admire your rose’s tenacity!
That’s a good word to describe it’s enduring nature.
Interesting, I must not have sent off my response to you, Alice. Everything about this post makes me smile. The last stanza of your poem is full of hope and promise. The Doris Day song was one I remember from my childhood. It is great to hear it again and remember the past. The last song I never heard and is worth hearing again and again. Consider pairing your rose bush photo with your inspirational quote for Springsations=>surviving the past, beautiful in the present, and an unknown future.
Thanks Carol! 🙂 The second song always speaks to my heart. Thank you for your invite to share in Springsations.
Wonderful year for your rose bush! Great thoughts about the future. I especially love the third stanza.
Thank you, Ramona, for saying so!
Love the poem and quotes, Alice! And what a beautiful rose bush (looks more like a rose tree). The metaphor is super encouraging. xoxo.
It does grow tall! No matter how much I prune it. I have another one that grows tall like that. 🙂 Did you notice the comment by “Snuggles Rose”? … about the metaphor of the Iron Rod?
A post full of hope is a wonderful thing, Alice. Thank you. I love the rose bush story.
Hope is so life-giving, isn’t it? I’m glad you came by, Linda. 🙂
Alice, I always find something to treasure in your posts and this one really resonated with me. Rich and thoughtful. I especially enjoyed your writing about that beautiful metaphorical rose bush. Also, any post that showcases Doris Day singing is a hit with me! Thanks!!!
How interesting you used a timer for five minutes to write, I appreciated knowing your moved the lines around after the timer. I enjoyed My future thoughts, there’s a sense of peace here.
Thank you, Mandy. So glad you stopped by today,
The future.
I can almost see it.
It smells like pancakes.
It sounds like laughter.
It makes the dishes dirty.
Because now it’s past.
Love it Brenda! So appropriate that you chose “pancakes and laughter and dirty dishes” since just today we were planning for our family week at the coast this month… deciding which days we will have pancakes for breakfast, choosing the chore crew for each day from the younger generation.
There are always pancakes in the future around here, too. 🙂
I want to tell you, “Thank you!” Your words have encouraged me today. I need to cling to my Iron Rod when I don’t feel strong enough to stand, and when the future seems scary to me. Thank you for sharing your heart today.
Your five minute Friday neighbor,
Jolene
So glad you visited and shared. And I love how you found a metaphor in the iron rod — our Iron Rod.