Winter Plays

Winter Plays

The bitter cold blankets in purity,

Standing tall, arms reaching to catch snowflakes,

Moisture fills your lungs, billows of breaths rise,

Earth, air, water melding in harmony.

Snow-angels left, the passerby to see,

Pathways walked showing the winding it takes,

The whiteness in melodic form to skies,

Winter's sweet prayers here in unity.

Pure innocence laughs as it plays to thee,

The man made by young ones stacked up like cakes,

Black hat, a pipe in his mouth, charcoal eyes,

Gratitude sways, sounds of a symphony.

Out in this wonderland for all to be,

Dancing across the frozen tablet lakes,

Words, thoughts, dreamers here forever to rise,

Curtain call comes, the skies become sunny.

Petrina Lesko

November 2010

I will be linking this to a few places where I like to share with other writers... first would be Jingle Poetry for their Potluck Poetry Monday where this weeks theme is Nature: Plants, Creatures and the Cosmos.  Next would be over at One Single Impression for prompt 144: Meld and last but not least to Writer's Island for their prompt this week of Gratitude.  I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and those here in the States, a wonderful Thanksgiving.

This Thing, the Depression

What was this thing called the Great Depression,

Was it 'Black Tuesday' and the 'Market Crash',

Was it when the banks closed by recession,

Was it the dry wind storms coming to bash?

Was it the farmers unable to yield,

Their fields dried by the wind, no crops to tend,

No food for the children, no gifts to wield,

For a thousand one job, the days to mend.

Starkness left, was it the blank hungry stares,

Of those children dirty left to the streets,

Their baskets empty, no food and no wares,

Chased down by police out walking their beats.

To promised lands many peoples did go,

Then shantytowns built, people struggling so.



One Shoot Sunday *

poem written by
Petrina Lesko
November 2010



This poem was inspired by the photo over at One Shoot Sunday where you can also find others inspired by this photo as well.

About the Photo: Depression Era Childhood Faces (St. Louis, Missouri)
*image care of creative commons flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rodinal1/2185086399/in/photostream/

Cup Runs Over



Magpie #42



My cup runs over,

Precious moments spilling love,

Friends... Family... You.

I have thought long and hard this week, reminiscing of the many wonderful Thanksgiving days I've had throughout my life.  Most have run over with family and friends, a few spent quietly with only a few... some by choice, some by circumstance.  All have been filled with the Thankfulness I feel for the precious gifts bestowed upon me in the people I have been blessed to have in my life.  Thank you all for being a part of this special day.

I am linking this post both to Magpie Tales for this wonderful picture prompt #42.

I hope everyone enjoys this day in the company of those they love and being thankful for all the blessings in their lives.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Endless Beauty

Over at One Stop Poetry they are highlighting interviews of some amazing photographers, and allowing us to use the selected photo as a poetry prompt on One Shoot Sunday.  This week the photographer is Trent Chau.  Do stop by to explore more of his amazing world.  Here was this week's prompt...



photographer:  Trent Chau



Endless Beauty

Red crevassed walls reaching upward,
Reaching to blend with the hazy blue skies,
Endless is the beauty of you.

Blue and white waters meander onward,
Reaching to blend with the ends of time,
Endless is the beauty of you.

How, in so many billions of years,
Could the river of your bellows carve this?
This endless beauty of you.

Hard rock walls, penetrated by the flow,
Forever, the impudence of  majestic glory,
Endless is the beauty of you.


Petrina Lesko
November 2010

What a Difference a Day Makes

It was only yesterday when...
I in the wonder of a small child,
Expected and needed all from you,
My world lost between free and wild,
Hoping for the safe haven provided too...

Yet today, another story then,
Awed by the wonders of the world,
Not needing anyone to provide for me,
All night spent dancing... by another twirled,
The sunrise coming so I'm going out to the sea...

It was only yesterday when...
I toiled the day, working hard for you,
Top in my field, marking my way in time,
Awards and ribbons given, and salaries too,
My world moving well, it was becoming sublime...

Yet today, another story then...
Times have changed, things are tough,
The Recession hit, jobs lost, money's low,
The rent is due, the work is none, sure is rough,
What of the world is left, what do we have to show?..

It was only yesterday when...
Unemployed people, parents too,
Struggling to feed and shelter the kids,
'They' say the Recession has ended, overdue,
But it doesn't seem better to me, jobs still up for bids...

Yet today, another story then...
Yesterday we met, interviewed too,
You liked my history and experience thru,
Hired me on the spot, my world turned by you,
Today I start my new job, dedicated, loyal and true...

It was only yesterday when...
I was hungry, four days not a meal,
The rent was paid, but lights out and cold,
Holidays coming, no gifts for the kids, my deal,
Just a little bit longer, hang on, be strong, this I was told...

Yet today, another story then...
As I talked, my troubles I did tell,
You listened, then disappeared tonight,
A few friends spoken to, and together well,
You brought to my door, food, gifts, and a little light...

For in this world of yesterdays...
All was difficult, something needed, this is true,
The world of todays, people offered, made the breaks,
By offering the hand, the job, the lesson, and friendship too,
For when peerless to help others, What a Difference a Day Makes...


Petrina Lesko
November 2010


Yet another post inspired by some of the many wonderful prompts found here in Blogland.  This one was inspired by Sunday Scribblings and this weeks prompt of What a Difference a Day Makes, as well as by the Writer's Island prompt of Peerless, prompt #30 for 2010.  You can visit either of these sites by clicking on their titles if you would like to read other responses by other writers.

Tribuatry of Time

Saturn looks down, as did his father,
To the goddess of earth, his mother be,

Magpie prompt #41

Duo swords crossed, one at guard,
To protect the midnight hour three.

Through wedded bliss did sky and earth,
Born to Uranus and Gaia, thier son was he,
But bliss turned violent, and separate now,
The skies and earth apart, bound only by thee.

Gloom and serious, descriptors of this god,
Referred as 'old Father Time', must he be,
Father to Air, to Water, to Death  was this god,
For always apart, yet Time cannot kill these three.

Roman memories of Gods and Time,
Numerals strong, stone tributary this be,
Duo swords crossed, one at guard,
To protect the midnight hour three.

Once again, inspired by Willow over at Magpie Tales, #41 from this weeks prompt... Please take a moment to check out the other responses there.

Help Me

I've posted this poem once before not too long after I started blogging, so those that have been following me since then, please bear with the repeat.  I thought this would be a good poem to share over at One Shot Wednesday so I hope you don't mind my posting it one more time.

Even though this poem was inspired years ago by the residents that I work with, for me, I am constantly reminded of how fresh it always remains as we try to teach the skills they may need in life or in work.  I am also a firm believer that it applies to all of us in some aspect or another.  Hope you all enjoy...


Help Me


What's that? You say you want to help me,
Great, because honestly, I don't know how...

Stand back, watch...okay...but wait...we're done?
How... I didn't get to do anything...

I thought you said you wanted to help,
You did? But you don't understand what I meant...

"I don't know how" does not mean "I can't,"
It simply means that I never learned this...

To help me would be to teach me how,
I need to know all that I am capable of...

Take my hands in yours and guide me,
Step by step, I can learn how to do things...

Sometimes, I may get impatient with myself,
Or you... but I need your understanding...

Sometimes, I may want to quit trying,
But I need your belief in my ability to learn...

What's that? You say you want to help me,
Please then, show me how to do it for myself.


Petrina Lesko
June 1987