Slice of Life Sound of Peace

Writing Inspiration

Every day, a photograph, a poem. Again the sun shines and I close my eyes to look to the future of warmer weather and days at the lake. I wonder, “What lakes are there in Ukraine?” So, I search “lakes Ukraine” with Creative Commons license.

Look below at this beautiful, peaceful photo of Synevyr National Nature Park, Ukraine By Misha Reme, CC BY-SA 4.0, found in Wikimedia Commons. It’s just the type of peaceful respite my mind had imagined, a place to pause and listen for the melody of song birds, the chattering of chipmunks, and the stomp of a nearby doe warning the fawn behind it.

Synevyr National Nature Park, Ukraine
Misha Reme, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

I imagine:

We sit at the edge of the lake, listening to the gentle swish of what small wave folds to shore. Books in our laps, we close our eyes to imagine and remember the scene. We hear a rustle in the Oregon grape just behind us. We turn slowly to look, smiling at our twin thoughts in motion, “What is it?” Sitting so still, craning our necks to search the bush. From the back of the bush I see a flash of yellow as a meadowlark flies up to the Ponderosa pine beside us, singing its song as it keeps one eye on us, turning its head around to consider whether or not to stay.

A splash, and we turn to see a beaver just submerging after slapping the water with its tail. We watch to see it surface way farther down along the shore in the cattails. And I brush away the horsefly, hoping it stays away.

This spot, this place. Only us. At the lake. Only the sounds of nature and the hum of a boat engine as it rushes off for wider waters. This is peace, peace of mind.

Writing Process

I find in my own photos one similar to the Synevyr Lake— some sky and shoreline of trees reflected in the lake. The autumn sky is mostly clear, only high clouds and day, too, is peaceful. It was peaceful. That will be my theme today— but what form? A repeating line like yesterday? an acrostic with the word peace? A list? How could I include that twist or a wish about the fight for freedom in Ukraine? I think I want it to be hopeful, so how about a list that leads to the wish for a free and peaceful tomorrow? I consider a sentence or phrase that introduces the list.

Seek peace
Find peace
Peace of mind, found

Perhaps a bit of time—

Yesterday, all ‘round, peace:
Today, we found, peace:
Tomorrow, resound, peace:

Now, fill in the lists with the images of peace, and a poem is written. Enjoy and hope for peace.

Poetry

Each Day, a Sound, Peace

Yesterday, all ‘round, peace:
~ touch of a gentle breeze
~ a chatter of chipmunks
~ the laughter of children

Today, we found, peace:
~ in the hug of friends
~ in the silence of skies
~ in the melody of a songbird

Tomorrow, resound, peace:
~ in memory of the lost
~ in celebration of freedom
~ in the joy of living

Sheri Edwards
030822 067.365.22
Poetry/Photography

Remember

Remember we can help: see the article on NPR on ways to offer help: Here’s How You Can Help.

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