Dispatch from the sahara, part 2

I am blogging a bit early, for a few reasons. First, my son is having a nice nap. (Shhh!) Second, my treadmill is covered with a recliner chair and the contents of an entire tall bookshelf because our carpet is still drying out from the flooding we had last week. Third, I'd like to have this done so I can spend more quality time with my darling husband tonight, as it is our 8th wedding anniversary. Happy anniversary, honey.

As I was looking through some blogs I follow this afternoon, I was happy to see this sestina over at Chicks Dig Poetry. How fun that she decided to write one the very week I challenged my readers to write one!

We have an early entry to the sestina party, check out Paige's lovely poem here. 

It looks like we might be getting one of the scattered thunderstorms this afternoon. I'm not against that, but I'd like it to do its thing and vamoose so I can get my errands done this afternoon and remain dry. We shall see, I suppose. 

As promised, I revisited the sestina this afternoon (with all my unplanned free time today!) and came up with one that I feel is more accessible than my first attempt. I rather like it. :) Here it is.

Spirit Dance

Days go whizzing by without a pause,

I try to catch one, but then watch it fly

away; no worries now, just take the leap

forward, but can’t forget to stop and think.

Life’s music plays, no choice for me but dance,

to take these days and try to make them sing.

Sometimes it seems I forget how to sing

and problems creep and mount that give me pause

but I have ones who don’t forget the dance

and help remind my feet just how to fly.

I don’t thank these enough, too tired to think

as day by hour by minute forms the leap.

Too often I regret failure to leap

when opportunities promised to sing

but regret begets regret again, I think;

I must accept what I can’t change, or pause

my life away, missing my chance to fly,

staying in my head, skipping the dance.

I’ve been invited to this gorgeous dance 

where earthly angels turn, gambol, and leap 

Seeing their joy causes my heart to fly 

and joining with them helps my soul to sing 

I choose to learn from that which gives me pause; 

mistakes make us much richer, ones who think.

I’ve spent long hours in the land of think. 

While happy times that cause my mind to dance, 

sometimes the inaction appears a pause, 

when everything within prepares to leap. 

While outwardly I hardly seem to sing, 

my imagination loves to fly.

When from myself I sometimes long to fly 

this is the moment when I have to think, 

what is it that can cause my heart to sing 

and make my weary feet begin the dance, 

to aid my aching soul to make the leap? 

This is the moment when I pray and pause.

Yes, my soul sings loudly in this pause!

Faithfully, my thinking takes the leap--

my life can fly in this, the Spirit’s dance.

Haiku News

Four Iranian

footballers are now "retired"

for wearing green bands.

Jerkwad of the day:

Governor not hiking; he

cheated on his wife!

"Best Picture" Oscar

nominations to double--

hope that doesn't suck.