THE SISTERHOOD

[Photos  L-to-R: Dorothy Hazel Tarr and younger sister Betty Lucille Tarr]

(20 DEC 2011 – Time cures all ills and heals all wounds – so say many quotations.  Forgiveness is a blessing one bestows on oneself.  Shame me once, Shame on me – Shame me more than once, Shame on you.  Enough is enough – I've had enough.  It's time to move on and let the past fall away with all the hatred.  The only way it seems to let it "go", is to let you "go" too.  Therefore, I release you from this day from any familial connection to me.  dht)

 I remember you, little Sister, as a little girl, but now I feel that we are strangers with little to nothing in common - but our DNA.  I know I won't hurt your feelings as I say this with complete honesty – you have forfeited your 'sisterhood' and 'familial ties' !!   Dredging up the past only brings painful memories back, and when I see your photos, hear your voice (so like my own), I'm reminded of how deep your betrayal in ALL THINGS!!

[Dorothy Hazel Tarr – 2011]

INVISIBLE HANDS

(9 NOV 2011 -  The tears in my eyes are NOT really from sadness, but rather from Nostalgia, as I look in the back view mirror again at all that has passed and will never come again. dht) 

As I walk in the twilight of my Life, it seems as though the past somehow reaches out to me – holding me captive in time – with Invisible Hands.

Memories flood my senses and mist clouds my vision – my surroundings are muted as heartfelt images of bygone days fill my eyes.

Remembering people, places, and events and wishing they had not changed, died, or passed so quickly – OH, Nostalgia's Bittersweet Sting.

[Dorothy Hazel Tarr – 2011]

[Photo Source: Photos of a Family and Lost Love]

MEMORIES – The Unbreakable Bonds

[Photos:   30 Nov 1963--Memories of my wedding, my spouse, my Heart. (GROOM-Dale Russell Jones Shoudy, GROOM Mom in Dark Blue and blond hair- June Grace Wolfe Jones Shoudy; BRIDE-Dorothy Hazel Tarr, BRIDE Mom in Light Blue and hat- Dorothy Helen Scott Tarr]

(The memories are fresh in my Heart, yet the images are as faded as these photos.  So many youthful hopes – unrealized and unfulfilled.  Love lost in the wake of passing years and tears.  However, for the Heart, there is no timeline.  dht-21 OCT 2011.)

As I behold all my treasured keepsakes and mementos,

my sense of déjà vu deepens. 
My Heart lives in the bosom of my past,
where memories of Family and Love reside.

If I close my eyes, I am transported once again

to a Time and Place all too familiar –
for I'm a frequent visitor
that is embraced in Welcome by my memories.

My visits are more frequent and

prolonged with each passing year. 
The simple pleasures of Hearth and Home –
strong lures.

 My memories – the unbreakable bonds of Homecoming.

REMINISCING A DISTANT DREAM

                                      [PHOTO SOURCE:  GOOGLE online images]

Submitted by:   Dorothy Hazel Tarr.

(I wrote this on 12 Sep 2011, a day just so full of thoughts about WHAT WAS, WHAT I HAVE NOW, and WHAT THERE COULD HAVE BEEN.  Now, who among you can say you have NEVER traveled down the PATH of — Could-a, Would-a, Should-a !)  [dht-2011

How innocent and hopeful my bosom –

Overflowing to Love's Waltz.

Rescued moments caught in Heart's Webb –

Blurred now by Time's Hand.

As the years drop away –

Just once more to savor Youth's Day.

Never more the flicker of Youth's pleasure –

Or taste of Youth's hopeful zeal.

Long past – Now –

Just Reminiscing a Distant Dream – AGAIN!

[dht-2011]

NATURE'S SECRETS

               [PHOTO SOURCE: National Geographic online images]

***************

SOME OF MY WORDS

WHAT sweet poetry of NATURE'S anthem

resides in this inhospitable shell

WHAT mental stream of consciousness

keynotes a monologue of regret

WHAT creature exists on Earth's plane

at the changing mercy of NATURE'S whimsy

WHAT awaits the searcher

at the gong of life's end clock

WHAT unanswered calls of yesterday

go unsaid today and forgotten tomorrow

WHAT new dawn foretells

of fortunes lost on yesterday dreams

WHAT spent passion wounds

there cauterized by heartache

WHAT layers yet to unfold

reveal repeating patterns of yesterday shadows

WHAT sweet NATURE does restore

the balance and chase away demons

WHAT instrument NATURE's brandish

doth level the sharpness of lingering regret

WHAT rich nectar of NATURE does sustain

through moments of despair with assurance all's well

[dht-2011]

***************

SOME WORDS OF MY KINDRED SPIRIT AND COUSIN

This is "sweet poetry" indeed!  The poem goes so well with the picture.  The thing that first caught my attention was the circular patterns in the photo and the poem seems to be of things 'coming around', changing, the "circle of life" (so to speak).  I would venture to say the above questions might be part of your creative process.  "... phantoms, demons, shadows await the explorer" to be sure, but adventure, beauty, and solitude also await.  Although the season is irrelevant (to me), I feel it is late Summer or early Fall ... and I am a "participant", i.e., it is me in the photo standing outside the tent - waiting for my companion to return (notice the two sleeping bags) and enjoy the perfect moment-in-time together.

***************

"OH MY WORD! YOU have such a poetic SOUL and NATURE! YOU 'see' what is only revealed by the inner heart! YOU are truly one of the NATURE'S BLESSED!! [dht-2011]

Twice BLESSED are ye who see the heart where time and 'stance masks!"

[dht-2011]

‎"Blessed are they who see beautiful things in humble places where other people see nothing.”

[C. Pissarro]

***************

In this offering: What do you notice about the words? Their meaning? Sentence structure? Pairing of Sentences? First word, middle, or last words of Sentences? What words could be substituted? What connection words added for clarity? What meaning of your own would you assign to these words, phrases, sentences?

--------------- OR, Why didn't you just say so! ---------------

WHAT patterns do you see in this PIX?

WHAT mysteries of NATURE come to mind?

WHAT phantoms, demons, shadows await the explorer?

WHAT season is this?

WHAT time of day's cycle?

WHAT abode? Permanent? Temporal?

WHAT are you? Participant? Observer? Advisor? Companion? Uninvolved? Disinterested?

Don't give a 'hoot' or 'whistle'?

JUST an interesting PIX and some jumble of syllables?

---------------

BITTERSWEET ABSENCE

                                [Photo Source: Google online image]
 

Their absence in my Life is a Bittersweet ache still – that throbs in the back of my Heart, whenever I think of them which is often – but actually all the time!

After all, when I left in 1978 at age 32, they had been my Family – my Loves – for more than half my Life!  He was age 36 and our child age 14  - we were so young to be living in a Family without Love!

Now, at age 65, I still feel the pain of separation – the void where once Family existed and Never would be again in my Life!

However, there were no other options back then, and the pain of "Family" was killing my spirit and body with the sickness of neglect, betrayal, lies, and Lost Love!

The Loss – ever fresh – in my Heart and mind – has Never healed!

Some deep wounds Never do – such as in my case!

Sad and puzzling – really – for there was NO Loss for them – they went on with their Lives – without me – as if I NEVER was there at all, or ever had been!

No wonder then, why I was dying a slow death, day by day, when I resided under the same roof with Them!

The Pain was so BAD – I was seeing two doctors and taking medicine to dull the emotional pain and trauma!

They were killing me slowly!

Moreover, They still are – in their Bittersweet Absence from my Life!

(Submitted by: Dorothy Hazel Tarr)