Monthly Archives: April 2013

Blind To Whats Ahead – A Tanka

Blind to what’s ahead

We fail to trust our instincts

Leaving us exposed

Like flesh bare to noonday sun

Too late once burned and blistered

~

~~ Dominic R. DiFrancesco ~~

Awakening

Awakening to the first rays of day

Filtered through muddled panes;

Thankful for each cherished breath,

The perfection of the day,

My wife, children, friends, acquaintances,

Those whom I have not yet met,

Perfect in just their existence.

This happiness is born deep within;

It can not be projected on one by another

Nor given as one would tender a gift.

This joy must live of it’s own volition,

In unison with the body temple,

Expelling that which festers melancholy.

Would anyone not choose happiness over misery,

Relaxation over stress, Peace over violence,

Love over hate…I think not.

This ability lies within each of us,

Active or in hibernation;

Only a nudge is necessary to awaken it

Often we bury it under rubble;

Forged from the drama surrounding us.

Though unavoidable,

It must not be permitted to loiter.

Rather it must be cast out as a leper,

Burned at the stake,

Sacrificed to the gods,

Guaranteeing the health of our mind,

Our body

And our spirit.

~

~~ Dominic R. DiFrancesco ~~

A Simple Action – A Tanka

A simple action

Done out of selfless kindness

Can change the world

Open your hearts to others

And goodness will surely flow

~

~~ Dominic R. DiFrancesco ~~

Dormant Hopes

Dormant hopes plow headlong into the day

Exposing what should have been embarked upon long ago.

~

Fear and trepidation are expelled by confident reserve

Earned through years and experience.

~

Age’s limitations are banished

Realizing that age holds no boundary on dreams.

~

To succumb would be to admit paralyzing defeat,

This would be unacceptable.

~

Imagined consequences only serve to inhibit

Stunting our ability to progress toward true destiny.

~

For there is no failure in the journey made

Only in never having made the journey

~

~~ Dominic R. DiFrancesco ~~

Fleeting…Time Escapes – A Tanka

Fleeting…Time escapes

Roses bloom then die…To late

Gone is their fragrance

Another chance has been missed

Ever fewer lay ahead

~

~~ Dominic R. DiFrancesco ~~

Godless Hypocrites – A Tanka

Godless hypocrites

Plague this world in their God’s name

Unleashing hatred

Are these demons not in sight

Ripe for justice to be served

~

~~ Dominic R. DiFrancesco ~~

Solitude

Solitude scares me not as I wallow in the quiet.

Exquisite silence joins me, sits beside me like an old friend,

Placing a congratulatory arm around me in comfort.

As refreshing as a hot bath or a shot of Glenlivet;

Sharpening the senses as a razors edge,

Carving away at the clutter of modernity,

Replacing it with the simple rhythms of my own beating heart.

At times, as joyous as intimacy,

Energizing and euphoric yet primitive;

Cleansing the mind, lifting the soul.

This rejuvenation, one of the great pleasures of life,

Elementary in conception, is often not easily obtained

As responsibilities, self-imposed or otherwise throw up their gauntlets.

Unavoidable without effort in our hectic sphere;

Time for self must be apportioned for sanity’s sake

If we are to live healthful and fruitful lives.

~

~~ Dominic R. DiFrancesco ~~

 

Mind Your Words – Tanka Series

This a really terrific poem emphasizing just how cruel words can be.

Metamorphosis (For My Daughter)

Faces in the crowd,

Nameless, peering through me,

Recognizing every minute flaw,

Silently laughing,

They whisper behind cupped hand,

Eyes dart in my direction then away,

Not so very subtle,

They think I’m oblivious,

But I see them,

I know what they are thinking,

I know what they are saying,

These things are not who I am,

One look in the mirror bears this out,

My reflection is unique,

Beholden only to me,

Blonde hair,

A shade unlike any other,

Ivory skin,

Imperfect, but my own,

Neither stick thin nor tall,

Comparisons to runway models are unfair,

Artificial life forms,

Moulded from botox and silicone,

Airbrushed to flawless perfection,

Idols born of magazine covers and centerfolds,

An unrealistic expectation for any young woman,

To live up to this cosmetic fraud is impossible,

Beauty is only skin deep,

Physical and momentary,

I am so much deeper than the shallowness of this pool,

If you could only see my essence,

The storm raging inside me,

Hopes, dreams, passions, opinions

Swirling like a typhoon,

A perfect storm,

Waiting to erupt with explosive force,

Breaking out of this cocoon of fear,

Leaving shards of this scared little girl,

In pieces on the floor,

Rising out of the wreckage,

A stronger more self-confident woman,

Able to speak for myself,

Defend my views,

Hold my head high in the face of adversity,

To cower no more,

Behind a mask of insecurity,

My opinions matter,

Commanding respect,

Regardless of whether we disagree,

I am an equal,

And I demand to be treated as such,

No longer subordinate,

My age, race and gender should have no bearing,

Yes, I may fall, but I will not break,

Yes, I may occasionally fail, but failing does not signal inadequacy,

I will sprain and bruise,

Scars left as reminders of experience gained,

But you must grant me this right of passage,

Allowing me to grow and become independent,

Crawling out from under my parents wings,

To stand unaided as if for the very first time,

An infant in a brave new world,

Opened up to be lived and explored,

I will voice my politics,

This is now my right,

Using my vote to shape the world I live in,

Unafraid to stand up,

Even when ridiculed by those of differing views,

This is their right as it is mine,

I will pay them no head unless civil,

Extremists hold no sway over me,

My hopes and dreams stand before me,

With open arms waiting to embrace,

I have the power of mind and body,

To grasp and hold all that I desire,

Be it business, education, the helping of others,

All these things are within my reach,

It is not for you to determine my passion,

You do not live within me,

But you benefit by my being,

I will break out of this shell,

Becoming all that life has endowed in me,

If I will just let me go.

~

~~ Dominic R. DiFrancesco ~~

Passion Unspoken – A Tanka

Passion unspoken

Gentle touch…a kiss

With soft moans assent

Intertwined and euphoric

Two hearts inseverable

~

~~ Dominic R. DiFrancesco ~~