SPLINTERS FOR MAY 2021

  1. Go Mexican – Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with:
    • Food, perhaps an ode to tamales, or other dish.’
    • Language: the language itself or the poets, actors, telenovelas
    • Ancient empires: Aztec, Toltec, Mixtec, Mayan
    • Mexico under Spanish rule: write of this history
  2. In honor of Mother’s Day
    • Write a memory of your mother, grandmother or surrogate mother.
    • Write to the mother your child will one day be, or yourself as a future mother
  3. Celebrate Spring
    • Write an ode to your favorite Spring flower.
    • What makes you think of Spring?
  4. Memorial Day
    • Perhaps write about why this day is celebrated in May.
    • Write your message to those who serve or have served in the armed services.
    • Have you a special memory of this date and a special someone to remember?
    • Imagine you are the keynote speaker on this day. What would you say?
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THE MIRACLE

Days

sun-burst

night stars swim

their eternal

rounds

 

While within

the cocoon

something changes

form

 

There spellbound

in trance-like

state, enfolded

sleeps

 

The

hidden

mystery

the chrysalid

heart

 

The

magic moment comes

when time-dreamed shell

parts

 

Then

wings forth

life, flight-light

unencumbered

FREE

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Author’s Notes

GLASS RAIN—the poetry by Margaret Roxby

The stanzas in “THE MIRACLE” each originally appeared in a diamond shape.

REFRACTIONS—a poem by Robert Roxby

“SPRING” was originally printed in the author’s collected poems, “A Reflections on a Lifetime”

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS—the poetry of Kathleen Roxby

“In the Silence of the Cocoon” was written recently during the COVID19 isolation, an ode to the benefits of sleep.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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In the Silence of the Cocoon

I crawl into the warmth

Of my cocoon,

Pulling the bed covers tight

To seal in the heat.

 

Slowly the tension sifts

From each tendon

Each muscle

Until there is only peace.

 

As the body’s stillness

Drifts upward

Seeping into my mind,

Slowly I let go

Of tomorrow’s worry

Yesterday’s sorrow

 

Releasing both

Into the indifferent air

Surrounding my cocoon.

The molecules of that space

Waft all my agitation

To some distant universe.

 

I slip into the sleep

Which mends the broken pieces,

Smoothes the balm of hope

Over hot lesions

Building someone new

To wake from a cocooned silence.

 

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SPRING

Spring is that smell in rain-scented air

A scent of wild roses in the evening breezes

Or violets blushing with their purple love

Daffodils dancing in the wind whorls

The incredibly brilliant green in new leaves

Spring is holding hands crossing the meadow

To listen as the lark sings to his mate

Could Spring be better explained

Than in the sheer joy of a new baby’s laugh

There is also Spring in those ancient eyes

Meeting across the room just any place

Spring is love abloom anywhere you are

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SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

 

Readers who write in response to one of the prompts listed each month in Splintered Glass, may see their work presented here on the last week of that month. Though poems are preferred, short prose work will also be considered for publication.

Guidelines for submission:

  1. List Splintered Glass prompt which inspired the work in the text of your email.
  2. Submit material to be published as Microsoft Word document. Submission should not be longer than one page. Editing will not be provided, please be careful.
  3. Include two brief sentences about the author. Example: Michael Whozits is the author of A Book and The Curl, a blog. He is a retired pilot and avid surfer.
  4. Submission must arrive no later than the 3rd Wednesday of the month in which the Splintered Glass prompt appeared. Only one reader’s submission will be selected for any given month.
  5. Send submission to karoxby@gmail.com.
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Splinters for May 2021

  1. Go Mexican – Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with:
    • Food, perhaps an ode to tamales, or other dish.’
    • Language: the language itself or the poets, actors, telenovelas
    • Ancient empires: Aztec, Toltec, Mixtec, Mayan
    • Mexico under Spanish rule: write of this history
  2. In honor of Mother’s Day
    • Write a memory of your mother, grandmother or surrogate mother.
    • Write to the mother your child will one day be, or yourself as a future mother
  3. Celebrate Spring
    • Write an ode to your favorite Spring flower.
    • What makes you think of Spring?
  4. Memorial Day
    • Perhaps write about why this day is celebrated in May.
    • Write your message to those who serve or have served in the armed services.
    • Have you a special memory of this date and a special someone to remember?
    • Imagine you are the keynote speaker on this day. What would you say?

 

 

 

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Author’s Notes

GLASS RAIN—the poetry by Margaret Roxby

The poem “NEVER THE TWAIN” was still in its final editing stage when found. Though the author had a son and daughter, this poem is not necessarily about them. The author used poetic license in her choice of the images she used.

REFRACTIONS—a poem by Robert Roxby

“TO MOTHER” first appeared in the author’s anthology, Reflections of a Lifetime. It was written as a tribute to his mother.

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS—the poetry of Kathleen Roxby

“The Green Castle” is included this month because the emerald is the gemstone for May. It was written when the author was working on a series of poems focused on colors. The author decided not to include this in the collection to be called, “A Singular Prism.”

 

 

 

 

 

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The Green Castle

In a castle of translucent walls

Full of flash and brilliance,

When there is light,

And thick with shadow

When there is not

 

You will search in vain for water

Which might assuage your thirst

You will lay your body

Against wall or floor

Seeking illusive coolness there

 

But in these deep green depths

There is always fever:

The heat rising

From within the heart

Of a perfect emerald.

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“NEVER THE ‘TWAIN”—

My daughter, oh, my daughter!

She weaves her dreams around romance plays

With candlelight and strange old tales

Of phantom ships with silver sails.

But

My son, ah my son!

He sighs instead for pirates’ ways

And blood-red cutlasses gleaming bright

In the glare of a pillaged town’s firelight.

 

 

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