Loving Light

it’s the light that lifts our mind set
when the heart is sunk at sea
when you sit there by the harbour
in your home grown misery
when you dwell on all that’s heavy
when the future paint is grey
and the palette shows insipid
on the doldrums of the day
it’s the gleam upon the water
it’s the sparkle in an eye
it’s the flash of silver lining
that keeps spirits high

Author's Note

edit in final line suggested by Winston and agreed

Reviews

[Lisasview]

Wonderful, uplifting poem to read of yours this morning as I type with my left finger...
My husband always wakes up happy so that makes two of us!!!
I love your use of rhyme..What was the edit suggestion..I mean what was it before...just curious..
Lisa

[Chris Shaw]

Good Sunday morning Lisa. So you are still typing with one finger and making a good job of it. Pleased you enjoyed the poem. The final edited line is almost the same. Just a couple of short words removed which slowed the ending down and concluded in a better way. Have a great day. We have glorious sun and are in the marina.

Chris

[Lisasview]

Good morning,
It is another wonderful day here in Spain. Had just a bit of rain these past few days and we are promised more... hope so because then we do not have to water as much. Bought my husband an avocado tree as a surprise for our anniversary...Something he kept saying he wanted to get as we already have one but you need two to bear fruit. He was surprised and thrilled. I plan on getting a lime tree soon..we already have 1lemon tree, 4 orange trees, in various types and two fig trees. Next Wednesday the gardener will be planting 25 lavender plants so that one area of our garden will be all lavender. We have several large garden areas...
love it..Can not wait until my clavicle stops hurting and I can really use my right arm...
Have fun in the Marina,
L

[Chris Shaw]

Your garden sounds wonderful. The scent from lavender is marvelous and it attracts the bees. Your husband has a very thoughtful wife. Have a great day Lisa and I hope very much you mend soon.

Chris

[Lisasview]

Thank you Chris...

[Seriana]

What a sweet rhyme. Love this little reminder on love. Makes the heart smile.

[Chris Shaw]

Belated thank you’s my friend. Please forgive my tardy response. Have a happy Friday.

read moreBelated thank you’s my friend. Please forgive my tardy response. Have a happy Friday.

Chris

[Richard🖌]

Who wouldn't be warmly drawn into a poem that begins with, "Loving Light"?

G'day, Dear Lady Chris 🌺
How brilliantly your bright poetic voice shows us such a variety of beautifully wondrous ways bright, loving light can lift us from life's melancholy and distress … and, master poetess you are, accomplished it so very adroitly, with musical imagery, rhythm, creative poetic syntax, metaphor, and spot-on rhyme … all in a truly delightful suite of smooth-flowing 8/7/8/7 metered quatrains. Simply gorgeous poetry, Chris!
The only hitch in an otherwise perfect beat came in the final line where the count fell off and suddenly jolted to a stop … seems you lost a couple of beats that suddenly broke the spell, and right at the end … a shame, but an easy fix; if you're willing.
May I suggest:
"it’s the sparkle in an eye
it’s the flash of silver lining
that keeps spirits high" … or, somesuch, for a smoother, softer, more appealing end? Just a thought shared.
Ha-hah! Okay, I'm ducking! You're going to wish I hadn't returned my attention to your lovely offerings … guess it's the olde teacher in me.

Excellently rendered, Chris (as usual), and I loved it.
I'm so very grateful for your generous sharing! ⁓ Richard🖌

[Richard🖌]

OOPS!
Sorry,
It must be my dotage, but I left your final verse as it was, without a suggested correction … here it is.
May I suggest:

"it’s the gleam upon the water
it’s the sparkle in an eye
it’s the flash of silver lining
that keeps flagging spirits high"

Or, somesuch, for a smoother, softer, more appealing end? Just a thought shared. 🙄

[Richard🖌]

And,
"keeps" should actually be:

"that keep flagging spirits high."

[Chris Shaw]

You are spoiling me today with attention Richard. I thank you for a very encouraging review and for your suggestions on how this piece can be improved. Pleased you liked the poem and again, many thanks for the consideration you have given to my writing. Much appreciated.

Chris

[Richard🖌]

Always, Chris, a distinct honor. 😌

[Stella Armour]

as Rumi said "'The wound is the place where the Light enters you.'
there is always light if you only trust that it will find you ...
An uplifting poem Chris ...

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Stella. I did not know that Rumi quote. A beautiful one and memorable with it. Pleased you enjoyed this little poem and found the lines uplifting. Enjoy your day.

Chris

[Lydia Shutter]

What an uplifting poem! The rhyming is superb! Reminds me of a quote from Anne Frank, "Everyone has inside of him a piece of good news. The good news is that you don't know how great you can be! How much you can love! What you can accomplish! And what your potential is!" The sea is often inspirational. So many memorable lines in this one. "home grown misery"....too often people create their own misery! I enjoyed this one so much, Chris. Lydi**

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Lydi**. I really appreciate your response here. So pleased you enjoyed your visit here. Have a wonderful weekend. 🌸

Chris

[The_Ancient_Rock]

Very good...

A sad poem... but a hopeful one at the same time.

Good poem!

;)

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Ancient Rock for stopping by to share your thoughts. Have a pleasant day.

Chris

[The_Ancient_Rock]

You're welcome!

;)

[Ken Simm.]

Its the bright bouncing structure of this that I like the most. Its like the waves hitting gunwales.

[Chris Shaw]

Many thanks for your thoughts Ken. Your visits always appreciated. Have a good Thursday.
read moreMany thanks for your thoughts Ken. Your visits always appreciated. Have a good Thursday.

Chris

[DIVYA]

God created light and the rest was history. Light became everything to us, the basis of all our comforts and our joys and indeed, our very survival. So this poem, in addition to being so beautiful to read also offers thoughts so deep, on one of our greatest blessings on earth, that of light. Light uplifts us, clears and corrects our vision and illuminates our path for us. Kudos Chris!

[Chris Shaw]

Dear Divya, you fully understand the importance and beauty of loving light. I love your review. Thank you dear friend. Have a great Thursday.

Chris

[DIVYA]

You're most welcome, dear Chris. Here's wishing you a lovely Friday and weekend.
🙋‍♀️💐

[John the Baptist]

Splendid rhyming and meter in this one, as well as good advice. As long as the mind is focused on the negative and the dreary, things probably won't improve. One must make an effort to incline toward the positive and the beautiful and add some faith and patience before that silver lining makes its presence known.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you John. I appreciate you.

Chris

[jacob erin-cilberto]

the paint grey, the palette insipid...
and yet a gleam...hope...
beautiful piece, Chris.
j.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you J. Pleased you enjoyed this short piece. We all need that gleam.

Chris