20 Lines A Day

A Community of Writers and Photographers


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our old truck

‘conversation with you
was like a drug
it wasn’t your face
so much as it was your words’
Lucinda Williams

the farm 019

with light in my shadows
and cuts soft through my circles
you keep me from falling once again
but your words always did that for me

like that very first time
sitting in my old pick up truck
listening to Lucinda’s twang tell us
why we didn’t want that night to end

only you could convince
this shy boy to sing harmony
when it was your perfect voice
all i ever really wanted to hear

and my muraled furniture met
your folk art painted window panes
we got poor when greed burned the economy
chasing dreams i got crushed in its crossfire

‘We are not selling that truck!’
oh darlin’ you didn’t have to shout
everything i could ever hope to know about you
i would have heard your devotion in a whisper

and now our old truck
is getting some love in return
we shared these past ten years
and when she comes back
all painted blue and purrin’
wait for me again to turn the corner
from the side window like you did

and darlin’,
snuggle up against me
on that old bench seat
let’s listen to our song windows down
summer and hope blowing through our hair

talk to me like poetry
its essence of our love in your glance
and every word knows when to be
we can talk again ’til dawn
yeah, we can just drive all night long


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Courge to Cross the Line

He stood at the end of the trailer’s living room, yelling, cussing, throwing things, like he always did when he was angry.

She, of course, was in the hall by the washer, crying, her face speckled. red streaks, tears dripping onto her shirt.

I’m so sick of your bitchin, woman!” he shouted from the doorway, ready to run out, after he had yelled his final insult, stomped and delivered his final accusation.

Just step over the line and see what happens.” he yelled as he went for the door. As the line was crossed, he stared in silence.


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Stay

I struggle to live and breathe when I see,

The love that you have for the broken, sad me.

In spite of my pain, you touch me and say,

I love you, my mom,I’m here,It’s OK.

if only you had what you really need.

Your brother alive and the mom I should be.

Hold my hand, my sweet baby, so I won’t slip away.

There’s part of him in you,and both want me to stay.


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Bonfire

Silent trumpet sounds

Forewarning…inviting

The oblivious and innocent

Into vacuous voids,

ethereal eclipses -

Angelic wings dance blithely

Dripping tiny baubles of hope

Melting in mid-air

Dreams, splayed like kindling

Beneath a roaring fire

Where sparks ignite the dirt

With stars too heavy to fly toward the moon

Suffocating lest fingertips burn

Leaving ashy-white memories

Subtly heralding promises of pleasure.

Etched on mental panes

Snowflake images of perfection

transforming teardrops

with the heat from one

quiet sigh.


3 Comments

WITH ME


WITH ME

Copyright 2012 by Judy Unger

 

I look at the clouds and see your face

You’re watching me; smiling from space

Not sure where I’m going or when I’ll get there

But you are with me; you’re everywhere

When I’m discouraged, sometimes I crawl

You hold me up so I won’t fall

Not sure what will happen or where I will go

But you are with me; that much I know

 

Not sure of my future, but I’ve always known

That you are with me; I’m not alone

Though I can’t see; you’re not in sight

In the darkness you are my light

Not sure of my life now or how things will be

Yet I am certain, you are with me

 

With me, when I was born

With me as I mourn

With me in every song

You’re with me to keep me strong

With me every day

With me in every way

With me and always near

You take away my fear

With me when I cry

With me when I die

Watching my life unfold

You’re with me, as I grow old

You’re with me . . .

as I grow old

  

Click below to play my song:

Link to story about my song:

#289 YOU’RE WITH ME

My lyrics in progress.

My lyrics in progress.

Though I can't see you

Dad kissing me

© 2012 by Judy Unger, http://www.myjourneysinsight.com and 20 Lines A Day. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Judy Unger with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.


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MY TEARS FILLED AN OCEAN

MY TEARS FILLED AN OCEAN

Copyright 2011 by Judy Unger

 

When you died my tears filled an ocean

I was violently submerged, gasping and barely able to stand the shock

Swirling in a raging current, a current of time

I was paralyzed and choking, wanting to drown, but unable to sink

The current dragged me along. It seemed endless . . .

Soon all my energy was gone. Anger at my fate depleted me further

Exhaustion led to floating. The current kept moving

Fighting it was useless; there was no going back to where I began

I was going to somewhere unknown. The journey was filled with horror

I tried not to look while fighting to escape from the endless drift

When I let go of fighting it, the current became comforting

It had carried me such a distance, now the places of horror became far away

and tortured memories became blurry

In the beginning, I wanted to drown, but my fear did not allow me to sink

One day, I bravely held my breath and left the current above me

Down into the dark depths I went . . .

I felt peaceful. I wanted to revisit my grief and sadness

I was not afraid as I closed my eyes and tried to remember

I needed to feel you again

It wasn’t about remembering the pain, the shock, the gasping or the choking

I opened my eyes . . .

In the eerie depths I was touched by your emanating glow

Your pale face was so delicate and beautiful

The exuberance in your eyes washed away my grief

I resurfaced without fear

I knew that someday

I would sink and be with you forever

My longing for you would always be

But now I was filled with your love

I floated onto the soft sand and stood again

I marveled at my survival and the miracle

I had finally reached a destination

of unimaginable beauty

 

LINK TO OTHER WORDS ABOUT THIS POEM:

 

I LET GO OF FEAR – myjourneysinsight.com

 

BESIDE ME ALWAYS – myjourneyinsight.com

freckle-face-smile jason-his-mom-w-guitars

© 2012 by Judy Unger, http://www.myjourneysinsight.com and 20 Lines A Day. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Judy Unger with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. 


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MY DREAM WILL SEE ME THROUGH

MY DREAM

Copyright 2012 by Judy Unger

 Like the sky after sunset my dream still glows

A river of warmth, through my body it flows

Filling my soul, it makes me whole

Helping me cope, my dream gives me hope

 

Like shade in the summer, a misty spring rain

My dream is so soothing; it heals all my pain

Making me sure, then I’m secure

I may be low, but I’ll never let go

 

My dream it feels so certain; I wait behind a curtain

One day I’ll face the world’s embrace

And the message I’ll bring with joy when I sing

My dream is where I’m going; it’s all about my knowing

With courage I grew and I know it’s true

My dream will get me through

 

Like a rosebud’s petals, my dream will bloom

Surrounding my heart with its sweet perfume

I may be stressed, but my dream has me blessed

One day I see I’m soaring free

 

My dream it feels so certain; I wait behind a curtain

One day I’ll face the world’s embrace

The message I’ll bring with joy when I sing

My dream is where I’m going; it’s all about my knowing

With courage I grew and I know it’s true

My dream will get me through

 

Link to a recording and story about my song:

MY DREAM

I wrote this when I was 16 years old.

I wrote this when I was 16 years old.

Performing and smiling

© 2012 by Judy Unger, http://www.myjourneysinsight.com and 20 Lines A Day. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Judy Unger with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.


4 Comments >

Image

This poem is not for my precious son, whose death
took everything from me that I hung on to, believed in.
It is for those who can’t  see that I am still here.
but I have been forced to live in a world where there
is not glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel.

I’m so tired of it all, so tired of the lies.
The further I fall, the higher you rise.

It takes all I have, each moment I try,
I give and I give, till I think I will die.

I’m sorry that I was never enough,
My heart is long dead, the road’s been so rough.

All that I have, I have given to you.
And what have I left?  No joy and no you.

Just leave me here in my prison, my home,
Cause when you are here, I still feel alone.

Not a thing I’ve endured, suffered, survived.
Has helped you to notice,  that I’m still alive.

I still feel, I still hope, I still love, I still try.
Somehow through the darkness, I still survive.

Take just one heartbeat, one touch, one breath,
And remember I will love you till nothing is left.


1 Comment

Election Day

Do we set our hopes
our dreams,
upon the shoulders
of  people who
have never known
our pain, our loss
our struggles.

Or do we hope that
those who have
felt our pain
our loss, and our struggles
will remember them
and work for us?

Will the future
show our naivety
or our integrity?
Look at the youth
It is their tomorrow.
Let us not forget
what we have learned.


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I saw…

I saw the sunlight lighting

the part of my room,

I flinch away from it

towards my abode where

there is no intrusion by sunlight.

I saw the hope eyeing me

in the corner of my heart,

I tend to shoo it away

towards the dark closet from where

there is no chance of it teasing me.

Finally I saw myself in the mirror now

cowering in the corner of this world.


2 Comments

A sweet vehement desire

A sweet vehement desire

to reach the sky so high

and kiss those stars,

play with the moon-ball,

just fly care free away away and away.

I hope I was that kid again,

the desire of whom I now speak of.

How time changes, how realities become

more important than fantasies, ending

all such sweet vehement desires.


1 Comment

Dreams

I dream of things beyond my reach

Though on them I try not to dwell

I’m thankful for the blessings each

But my heart’s not an empty shell

~~~

I long for love to hold me tight

To laugh and cry along with me

To comfort me throughout the night

I fear it’s never meant to be

~~~

I’m thankful, though, as said above

And try to dwell on that instead

For in my heart, I have known love

And each new day, I do not dread

~~~

There is a hope that lives within

And every day, I still can smile

That hope it keeps me moving on

In happy times, and every trial

~~~

But even so, it must be said

The dreams, I still will hold on to

Long as I’m living, and not dead

I still believe in them, do you?


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Hope (Interlocking Triplets)

I know your courage has worn thin

It’s hard to face another day

And unknown things that lurk within

~~~

But listen to what I will say

Get out of bed and lift your chin

Our God will always make a way

~~~

Remember all the good there’s been

And let the hope within you stay

Today’s the day you must begin

~~~

If worries, at the cross you lay

And all your sorrows that have been

For which our Savior died to pay

~~~

Just let go of your fear and sin

He’s with you always, come what may

His love you did already win


4 Comments

To Return to Me

little girl with your dotted bonnet
won’t you
tell me the secret
you hide in your smile…
the thoughts that
surround your silent laughter…
and the dreams that
fuel your desire for life -
to devour every second…
to live…to love…to be free…
tell me…won’t you?…
no, won’t you show me instead?…
let me share your secrets…
let me drown in your thoughts…
let me embrace your dreams – as my own…
and maybe then
i might be able to weave
dreams of my own…and
see life like you do…like i used to -
with hope…and color…and sunshine -
like a child…

 

photo: http://www.etsy.com/listing/101602066/a-moment-original-painting-by-maria-pace

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