“Wisconsin Farm”
December 11, 2017
Hwy.106 On the Way to Fort Atkinson Photo Credit©Jane H. Johann
Wordless Wednesday
Category Archives: Poetry; Solitude
Anthology of Poems: THE POETIC BOND VII
“THE POETIC BOND VII”
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Publication 17 NOV 17
Willowdown Books present poetry by
Jane Johann
Layers of Being : The Lone Star :
sometimes dark doesn’t move
Her poems will appear in the international poetry anthology, THE POETIC BOND VII; ISBN-13: 978-1978098039, ISBN-10: 1978098030
Biography, Jane Johann (Wisconsin, USA)
Jane Johann, a Wisconsin native, published in the anthology, “Slices of Life”, and blogger on WordPress: she invites you to read more of her poems at FootprintsofThoughts@wordpress.com.
Summary Review of her work included in The Poetic Bond VII
“Layers of Being – Indeed a poem of many layers, exploring what it is to be human”
“The Lone Star – This seasonal evocation of autumn places man firmly within nature … a well-structured and well-written piece.”
“sometimes the dark doesn’t move – Precisely structured, short piece with a big message. The non-moving dark is a strong metaphor for the social funk many of us find ourselves within.”
(Trevor Maynard and the editorial Team, The Poetic Bond Series)
The Poetic Bond VII
POETRY THAT BINDS, POETRY THAT BONDS POETRY THAT FREES US
Editors’ Notes
- 50 poets from 11 countries were selected through a submission process in which there were no restrictions on form, style, length of subject; instead the choices made were on the basis of emergent themes and congruency in the pool of work; a snapshot of the poetry of new media NOW, seeking to capture the zeitgeist of the moment.
- FOR A PDF PRESS COPY OF THE POETIC BOND VII, contact Trevor Maynard at poetry@trevormaynard.com on 0 44 7966 079968 or by snail mail at Willowdown Books, 105 Crockford Park Road, Addletone, Surrey, UK, KT15 2LP
- Trevor Maynard, UK based poet and writer, manager of Poetry, Review and Discuss Group, a major poetry group on LinkedIn. His new poetry collection is GREY SUN, DARK MOON was published September 14 2015). He is also the author of several plays. Further information at http://www.trevormaynard.com
- The Poets of The POETIC BOND VI (2016) are; Amber Jimenez-Flores (US)/ Annel Bell Martin (US)/ A.D. Fallon (US)/ Belinda DuPret (UK), Betty Bleen (US) / Melissa Bird (UK)/ Diane Burrow (UK) / CE Maynard (UK)/ Christine Anderes (US), Cigeng Zhang (China) / Darrell Wright (US) / Deborah Nyamekye (Ghana/UK) / Denisa Parsons (US) , Elaine Battersby (UK)/ Fiona Sullivan (UK) / Bon (Bonnie) Flach (US) / Flavia Cosma (Canada) ,Gilbert A.Franke (US) / Kelli Gunn (Canada) / Pamela Hope Deluca Price (US) / Jane Johann (US) ,Joseph J.Simmons US) / Karen Henneberry (Canada) / Karen Rothstein (US) / Kayla Matheson (US) Sajida Khan (UK) / Lee Landau (US) / Lexene Burns (Australia) / Madeline Lipton (US) ,Lizzie La Pool (UK) / Tatjana Lončarec (Croatia) / Low Kwai Chee (Malaysia)/ Marcia Weber (UK) Mariangela Canzi (Italy) / Marie Youssefirad (US) / Mustofa Munir (US) / Nancy Scott (US) ,Pedro Cunha (Portugal) / Richard Glen Smith (US) / Robin Ouzman Hislop (UK/Spain) / Joseph Sinclair (UK) / Suzanne Askham (UK) / Nana Tokatli (Greece) / Tom Sterner-Howe (US)/ Vensa Arsenic (US) Brian Walker (UK)/ William DiBenedetto (US) / Vi De Vries (Canada) / Lynne Zotalis (US)
- The submission for The Poetic Bond VIII opens March 31st, 2018
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| The Poetic BondTM | |||
| The Poetic Bond VII
The Poetic Bond Poets’ Choice Award Winners’ 2017, are Betty Bleen, Flavia Cosma, and Fiona Sullivan The Poetic Bond VII is now available, $19.99 / £14.99, on Amazon Prime The Poetic Bond I – VI available for $12.99/£9.99 |
Candle in the Window
“Christmas Candle”
Photo Credit©Jane Johann, Dec.2017
My friend, Bette, and her husband Rick, are two very kind people that have blessed my life and I am sure, they have also been a blessing to countless others. Both were teachers, so their giving touched many young lives through the years. This past Christmas, Bette shared a story that happened at their home on Christmas Eve.
As was her custom, Bette had put a lighted candle in the window. It was a tradition she said she had experienced in her past as a young person, and each Christmas, she continued the tradition. The lit candle served as a sign to passersby, that if they were in need, they could knock on her door and she and Rick would be of help to them.
This particular Christmas Eve did bring a knock to their door. A young man and his son had veered off the country road and into a ditch that was filled with Wisconsin snow. They asked if they could borrow a shovel. Of course, Bette and her husband, Rick, gave them a shovel and a flashlight to help them out. While they were outside digging their car out, Bette and Rick prepared a Christmas Box for the two travelers. They had received an abundant supply of grapefruit and oranges from Florida as a Christmas gift and they decided to share the fruit with the father and his son.
How wonderful that the lit candle brought the travelers to a safe place in our weary world. How wonderful that generous and caring people still live among us. How wonderful that a beautiful tradition of being available to help someone in need when a lit candle in the window leads the way!
| le Caoimhghín Ó Brolcháin
1. Scuab an t-urlár agus glan an teallach, |
Traditional
Brush the floor and clean the hearth, |
| 2. Ná múch an coinneal ard bán, Ach fág é lásta go geal . Go mbeidh siad cinnte ar aon go bhfuil fáilte is fiche roimh cách Sa teach ar an Oiche Nollag naofa seo! |
Don’t blow the tall white candle out But leave it burning bright, So that they’ll know they’re welcome here This holy Christmas night! |
SOURCE: http://irishpage.com/noel/Kerynoel.html
The Irish tradition of placing a lit candle by a window at Christmas time seems to have originated in Ireland. Although, it is also a traditional German custom, as well, dating back to the time of Martin Luther. Historically, it seems to have begun in the 17th Century in Ireland when the Penal Laws of Ireland were in place. Catholics were forbidden to gather in Churches for Mass and the priests had to hide or be killed. As a result, Catholics had to devise a signal for the priest that he would be welcomed into their home to say Mass. The signal was a lit candle in the window. The government became a bit suspicious with all the candlelit windows so the people simply said it was in response to the Christmas Story that tells about Joseph and Mary looking for shelter for themselves and their child that was about to be born, Jesus. The tradition, even to this day, emphasizes the hospitality of the Irish people, who are known for their welcoming spirit to a friend, to those who pass by or to those in need.
Other Interesting Sites about “A Candle in the Window”
http://www.celticchristmasmusic.com/christmas-traditions/candle-in-window-laden-table-in-ireland.htm
http://www.amishnews.com/featurearticles/germanchristmas.htm
http://thewildgeese.irish/profiles/blogs/the-irish-christmas-candle-in-the-window
Wordless Wednesday
“Ottawa Sunset”©Jane H. Johann
Palmyra, WI 11/28/2017
Wordless Wednesday
Photo Credit
©Jane H. Johann
“Winter Walking along Whatcom Creek in Bellingham, Washington”” 2015
The Caterpillar said, “We can always begin again!”
“My Gentle Granddaughter Nadia with a Gentle Caterpillar at age 5”
Copyright
©Jane H. Johann, Palmyra, WI 2014
|
The Caterpillar I watched the caterpillar move confidently up the length of the stem, up and over and around and down again. She repeated her pattern from stem to stem. Suddenly, it found itself introverted –suspended upside down. As the blade of grass bent with the breeze, the caterpillar’s mind found itself in a spiral whirlwind, moving freshly into a new reality, a new awareness. Yes, just like the caterpillar, we can never go back to where we once were. There is no back, only a forward movement. Each touch, each experience is similar in some way to what was previous but now with a different nuance, a different perspective. We are forever changed, evolving on the spiral staircase. Like the caterpillar, our life presents to us new opportunities with each step forward. Each encounter brings something new to us, offering us a new choice, a new beginning! Ever ending is a new beginning… How beautiful is that! We can always begin again!  Monarch Caterpillar ©Jane H. Johann |
Important words to take into our hearts…
I, Chief Arvol Looking Horse, of the Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota Nations, ask you to understand an Indigenous perspective on what has happened in America, what we call “Turtle Island.” My words seek to unite the global community through a message from our sacred ceremonies to unite spiritually, each in our ways of beliefs in the Creator.
We have been warned from ancient prophecies of these times we live in today, but have also been given a vital message about a solution to turn these terrible times.
To understand the depth of this message, you must recognize the importance of Sacred Sites and realize the interconnectedness of what is happening today, in the reflection of the continued massacres that are occurring on other lands and our own Americas.
I have been learning about these important issues since the age of 12 when I received the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe Bundle and its teachings. Our people have strived to protect Sacred Sites from the beginning of time. These places have been violated for centuries and have brought us to the predicament that we are in at the global level.
Look around you. Our Mother Earth is very ill from these violations, and we are on the brink of destroying the possibility of a healthy and nurturing survival for generations to come, our children’s children.
Our ancestors have been trying to protect our Sacred Site called the Sacred Black Hills of South Dakota, “Heart of Everything That Is,” from continued violations. Our ancestors never saw a satellite view of this site, but now that those pictures are available, we see that it is in the shape of a heart and, when fast-forwarded, it looks like a heart pumping.
The Diné have been protecting Big Mountain, calling it the liver of the earth, and we are suffering and going to suffer more from the extraction of the coal there and the poisoning processes used in doing so.
The Aborigines have warned of the contaminating effects of global warming on the Coral Reefs, which they see as Mother Earth’s blood purifier.
The indigenous people of the rainforest say that the rainforests are the lungs of the planet and need protection.
The Gwich’in Nation in Alaska has had to face oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge coastal plain, also known to the Gwich’in as “Where life begins.”
The coastal plain is the birthplace of many life forms of the animal nations. The death of these animal nations will destroy indigenous nations in this territory.
As these destructive developments continue all over the world, we will witness much more extinct animal, plant, and human nations, because of humankind’s misuse of power and their lack of understanding of the “balance of life.”
The Indigenous people warn that these negative developments will cause havoc globally. There are many, many more original teachings and knowledge about Mother Earth’s Sacred Sites, her chakras, and connections to our spirit that will surely affect our future generations.
There needs to be a fast move toward other forms of energy that are safe for all Nations upon Mother Earth. We need to understand the types of minds that are continuing to destroy the spirit of our whole global community. Unless we do this, the powers of destruction will overwhelm us.
Our Ancestors foretold that water would someday be for sale. This Prophecy was hard to believe! The water was plentiful, pure, full of energy, nutrition, and spirit. Today we have to buy clean water, and even then the nutritional minerals have been taken out; it’s just clear liquid. Someday water will be like gold, too expensive to afford.
Not everyone will have the right to drink safe water. We fail to appreciate and honor our Sacred Sites, ripping out the minerals and gifts that lay underneath them as if Mother Earth were simply a resource, instead of the source of life itself.
Attacking nations and using more resources to carry out destruction in the name of peace is not the answer! We need to understand how all these decisions affect the global nation; we will not be immune to its repercussions. Allowing continual contamination of our food and land is affecting the way we think.
A “disease of the mind” has set in world leaders and many members of our global community, with their belief that a solution of retaliation and destruction of peoples will bring peace.
In our Prophecies it is told that we are now at the crossroads: Either unites spiritually as a global nation or faced with chaos, disasters, diseases, and tears from our relatives’ eyes.
We are the only species that is destroying the source of life, meaning Mother Earth, in the name of power, mineral resources, and ownership of land. Using chemicals and methods of warfare that are doing irreversible damage, as Mother Earth is becoming tired and cannot sustain any more impacts of war.
I ask you to join me in this endeavor. Our vision is for the peoples of all continents, regardless of their beliefs in the Creator, to come together as one at their Sacred Sites to pray and meditate and commune with one another, thus promoting an energy shift to heal our Mother Earth and achieve a universal consciousness toward attaining Peace.
As each day passes, I ask all nations to begin a global effort and remember to give thanks for the pure food that has been gifted to us by our Mother Earth, so the nutritional energy of medicine can be guided to heal our minds and spirits.
This new millennium will usher in an age of harmony, or it will bring the end of life as we know it. Starvation, war, and toxic waste have been the hallmark of the vast myth of progress and development that ruled the last millennium.
To us, as caretakers of the heart of Mother Earth falls the responsibility of turning back the powers of destruction. You are the one who must decide.
You alone – and only you – can make this crucial choice, to walk in honor or to dishonor your relatives. On your decision depends the fate of the entire World.
Each of us is put here in this time and this place to personally decide the future of humankind.
Did you think the Creator would create unnecessary people in a time of such terrible danger?
Know that you are essential to this world. Understand both the blessing and the burden of that. You are desperately needed to save the soul of this world. Did you think you were put here for something less? In a Sacred Hoop of Life, there is no beginning and no ending.
Chief Arvol Looking Horse is the author of White Buffalo Teachings. A tireless advocate of maintaining traditional spiritual practices, Chief Looking Horse is a member of Big Foot Riders, which memorializes the massacre of Big Foot’s band at Wounded Knee.
the child at sea
Copyright
©Jane H. Johann
Lake Michigan No.2
Kenosha, WI
October, 2013
WHY do we destroy
the precious gifts we receive?
Children are not property
Children are gifts…don’t you see?
WHY do we destroy
the growing heart?
WHY don’t we give our children
a holy start?
For a brief time,
tenderly their precious lives are held in our hands
For a brief time
we breathe our words into the tiny lambs
Then from us they take leave
Their delicate souls facing forward as they walk through life
Our words can build or destroy them–
Empower them to stand strong in the inevitable strife
How does a child turn from a loving being
to a person without control?
WHY do we cut the child apart
that was given to us whole?
Solomon’s tale rings true
in more ways than one
Turning one parent against the other
is always wrong and always done
Pure and innocent
quick-witted and giving
Snuffed out by an angry parent
is no way for living
…Mom Used to Say
Copyright
©Jane H. Johann, Palmyra,1990
“Lara & Mom”
I was preparing breakfast this morning for the two of us who happen to be together for awhile–my youngest daughter and me. The apartment is great for a married couple, but I am not too sure about a Mother and Daughter! (giggling) The bacon was frying, slowly sizzling, while I mixed the omelet. When I finished that, and the bacon was still frying, I washed some of the accumulated dishes. Then the flood of practicalities from my Mom came into my head, “Be sure to use a clean towel when you dry those dishes!” After all, with eleven children, my parents and Great Aunt Gerty many germs abounded! I am sure we are all going to live to be a hundred years old and immune from nearly everything! (yes, I know, we have made ourselves too sterile to the point that we will die if we breathe!).
The thought of my Mother’s admonition and practicality for the day made me think, “How will our children hear our voices?”
Today, cell phone texting dominates family interactions, sad to say. Even when we go to a restaurant, TV’s surround the eating area at every angle, blaring away! Why? I thought going out to eat was a chance to speak and listen to each other. When we are at home in our living rooms, the TV becomes the god, along with football. I would prefer not having a TV, or, at the very least, have it in another room–because it does not bring life to the living room! Bring in laptops, I-pads, tablets, and computers to accompany our visits, and we no longer hear each other, let alone our parents.
All those little bits of wisdom–what is proper, what can be done, what should be done, how to behave, how to be kind–and, foremost, the personalities of our Moms, their caring voices, their worried thoughts, their encouragements–are embedded in our brains from the voice of our Moms. And, I am happy I have them! My Mom was in my life for 60 years–and now I am blessed to hear her voice in my thoughts.
Then my heart becomes sad…how will children remember what their Mom said or their Dad said?
How will they remember them?
Will their voices echo through the cell phone texts?
Wordless Wednesday
“Ode to Mother Earth” Rocky Landscape near Wisconsin Dells, WI. Interstate-94. Between LaCrosse and Madison, WI.
Copyright
©Nadia Krenn; 2015.
Used with Permission
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