'Confessions of a Hostel Manager' (Short Story) - 6/12/2020 7:28:21 AM
Your last sentence left me hanging: "I would have quit in that first year of being a hostel manager ... [were it not for the drinking and the rough necks who entertained me no end?] Nice job, Mary. Did you get that lady's name and phone number who wrestled poor Donald into submission? A friend of mine wants to know... ==smiles== Ed
'Confessions of a Hostel Manager' (Short Story) - 5/28/2020 3:48:59 AM
I could definitely see these goings-on as fodder for a sitcom. The fact that you survived ten years at the hostel is testament to your strength and resilience.
'Confessions of a Hostel Manager' (Short Story) - 5/26/2020 8:47:51 AM
Your initial description of the island is reminiscent of rural United States, filled with unemployment, dysfunctional living and yet, loyalist leaning people. Here, the cities are more progressive, especially the poorer parts of cities, perhaps because of the proximity to centers of higher education, often bordering on poverty areas. I can't imagine what it was like living in Ireland during those tumultuous times.
Your description of what happened when the footballers came to stay would make a good soap opera--never a dull moment. But I have to admire your perseverance after your husband died to care for your children and move forward, challenging yourself to do things you thought you never would do.
I have never stayed in a hostel, but I did stay at a bed and breakfast during my honeymoon that was very enjoyable and inexpensive for the first-class treatment. Also, I stayed once in Montréal in the basement of a fraternity house during Expo 67. Only two dollars a night for a cot to sleep on. Later when I returned to Toronto for a major world future conference, I stayed in the dormitory of a local university with windows that didn't open during a summer heat wave. I just came there to both places to sleep with no drama. Too tired from all the activity away from the place to do anything other than just sleep.
Ron
'Those Moments' (Poetry) - 7/22/2023 9:28:17 AM
Very poetic and interesting to read. I read that the human mind is very complex and that we have set into motion every notion. But I don't think the world is weary, only individuals in it.
Ron
'The finest place to be' (Poetry) - 3/19/2023 9:24:38 AM
Beautiful poem. We are part of making our own times.
'The finest place to be' (Poetry) - 11/30/2022 11:45:33 AM
What a fine poem with a powerful message. So well done.
'The finest place to be' (Poetry) - 11/29/2022 9:14:15 AM
Very few of us get to live on a island. It rings poetic to me. When you are isolated on an island, the great works of the past may be a way that you pass your time. Those of us stuck in mainland commuter traffic have little time to re-examine the great classics unless we are, somehow separated from society long enough to read anymore.
Still, time allows us to be whatever we want to be, and through bucket lists in retirement travel to those places where great ideas were placed on paper so long ago. Unfortunately, the great library of Alexandria is under the sea.
Ron
Weaving life (Poetry) - 10/6/2022 9:25:50 PM
that was a delightful read, and it is this thread that entangles us all.
Weaving life (Poetry) - 10/6/2022 11:38:36 AM
Why it is important for us to write our memoirs before we can no longer remember all of those "threads tangled and torn." Future generations will want to know.
Ron
'How to be alone' (Poetry) - 8/15/2022 12:36:36 PM
No one, but no one
Can link the sea and love
and nostalgia as you do, dear Lady.
You are a gift to those of us who
appreciate these elements of life.
'How to be alone' (Poetry) - 8/13/2022 8:05:27 AM
A brave and noble thought. We all should live alone for at least a while to realize what it is that makes us able to adapt to that situation where we don't really have to defend on anyone but ourselves.
I tell everyone to leave grieving behind as quickly as you can and get back to the business of living.
Ron
'How to be alone' (Poetry) - 8/11/2022 7:48:00 PM
he's never lonely afterall. as in him are the treasures of his soul. i love this piece. thank you for writing this.
'Where now sweet love' (Poetry) - 4/16/2022 1:59:25 PM
My heart feels the sadness and emptiness. So beautifully sad.
'Where now sweet love' (Poetry) - 3/26/2022 8:11:53 AM
Writing a lament can help ease the pain. But time and a willingness to seek out new love is usually the better course to take.
Ron
'Where now sweet love' (Poetry) - 3/25/2022 10:29:44 PM
Hi Mary: It's good to read your words, even tho' they tell a tale
of woe. But hang in there, dear lady, and your knight in shining armor will come a-ridin' in, pick you up, and ride off into the sunset with you. He may even do it twice considering how small your little island is. Keep the faith, and one day we will meet up yonder--good Lord's willin' and the creek don't rise.
'Going Backwards' (Poetry) - 9/2/2021 11:04:06 AM
You're being quite pessimistic. But there comes a time when the wealthy who think they control everything, lose that control by their oppression like when the king was required to sign the Magna Carta. And many more instances like when the robber barons were stripped of their riches after the 1929 Wall Street crash. Herbert Hoover raped Australia, but ended up paying for it. Let us hope we can find more civil ways than anarchy or civil war. But even those left the ordinary person with a better chance in life.
Ron
'Going Backwards' (Poetry) - 9/2/2021 9:06:10 AM
Calmly, serenely, wise, you explain the issue so well. Fine work.
'Going Backwards' (Poetry) - 9/2/2021 7:52:19 AM
Hi Mary. This poem is so true. I never knew that 46 percent of our population was retarded. But I also don't know how to wind down my brain and see the world from the stupid point of view. Still, I intend to leave this world kicking ass until my last breath. Much love to you. Ed
'To be where you are' (Poetry) - 9/1/2021 9:35:08 AM
Some very deep words for the one you love. Very poetic and powerful.
Ron
The Strawberry Season (Poetry) - 6/2/2021 11:31:44 AM
So nice.
The quiet side of Mary Cecil.
Don't make her snarl!
The Strawberry Season (Poetry) - 6/1/2021 9:52:59 AM
I certainly like the possibility that granny was "jammed in jars." And I'm certainly looking forward to sampling the strawberry jelly (only the juice) from a bottle of Made in India, we recently received, off hand, as a donation for the hungry here in Houston. We are not hungry, but I know they are starving in India. Making me wonder why we are getting Indian food here in the United States?
Reminded me of my partner driving about 50 miles south in May one year and picking strawberries from the tail end of the spring crop here. And the time when my grandparents raised strawberries from spring to fall by planting four different varieties in their sandy soil in Western Wisconsin.
Ron
'Flames of my existence' (Poetry) - 2/18/2021 12:16:25 PM
Heart touching poem, can feel the intense emotion. Well penned, Mary.
'Flames of my existence' (Poetry) - 12/9/2020 9:14:32 AM
May these flaming words of your existence continue for a very long time. At one point I remembered a very story song in the way you presented this, and then it was gone.
Ron
'Flames of my existence' (Poetry) - 12/7/2020 8:00:21 AM
Sweet moments are not to be forgotten. They are captured by the words in our poems. I love how you write.
Sandie
'Shall I write a song for you' (Poetry) - 11/13/2020 10:41:29 AM
I don't know? Depends on how good the song is. I just wrote a poem about a song that haunts me quite often.
Ron
'A hitchhiker's guide to Life' (Poetry) - 10/12/2020 1:43:03 AM
There is no manual on how to live our lives, so we live for the moment and do what's necessary to make ourselves happy. Along this path we are our own driver in the driver's seat.
Sandie
'Where Blossoms Bloom' (Poetry) - 7/11/2020 11:38:35 AM
You could be referring to what is happening with the Coronavirus, or you could be writing about something worse, at least for humanity. But not for the blossoms and the sea continuing on without you and me.
Ron
'Regions of the Mind' (Poetry) - 6/13/2020 12:24:31 PM
Your mind is a very fertile place of thought where you travel with whatever companion you desire to put in your poetic expression. Beautiful.
Ron
'Regions of the Mind' (Poetry) - 6/12/2020 4:00:04 AM
i enjoyed this vision of your journey
budd
'The end of isolation' (Poetry) - 5/29/2020 11:00:04 AM
We are social creatures and I heartily understand your need to get back with friends and relatives so that you can share gossip and laugh at silly jokes. I guess that's why sitcoms are so popular, mimicking everyday life that is certainly not, in isolation.
I have always tended to be a loner, not really interested in all that social patter it takes up a lot of time and does nothing, but perhaps lift up the lives of those who just wage slaves for their boss masters. Escaping to the pub or to the club for a night of good fun so they can go to sleep and not worry too much. I'm sure this social distancing has had those folks at wit's end.
After the distancing is over, I will continue my solitary existence in my home, rarely going out to socialize and to my liking.
Ron
'The end of isolation' (Poetry) - 5/28/2020 6:10:37 AM
I just hope there won't be a 2nd wave that will bring us right back to another period of isolation.
'Love and Life' (Poetry) - 5/24/2020 10:53:51 PM
It looks like you and I had our wavelengths linked if
not synchronized totally. You're scary, Mary!
'Love and Life' (Poetry) - 5/24/2020 8:37:21 AM
When it comes to love, death strikes us all differently. Certainly, the living must live on, regardless.
About three years ago, my uncle lost his wife. When I called him, he sounded lost and afraid. He died within a year. Three days ago I called an old friend who lost his wife last year. I expected to find him despondent. But he greeted me with his usual happy nature and told me that everything is fine and that he is still doing what he always did, even grateful that his wife has passed because she was suffering.
Ron
'Finding the Flow' (Poetry) - 5/15/2020 10:53:37 AM
Wow! What a poem of empowerment! With this poem as a mantra, may everyone go forth and prosper in the new age to come. Or, managing to cope with annoyances like we are currently experiencing.
Ron
'Some other Place' (Poetry) - 5/6/2020 8:28:06 AM
You had me drifting off into "some other place." In a single poem writing about love, life, creativity and other things while in a daydream state we all move into in those times we are thinking about our lives and where they are going.
Succinctly and beautifully expressed.
Ron
'Some other Place' (Poetry) - 5/6/2020 12:25:03 AM
For as long as we are alive there will always be dreams and hope.
Sandie
' Changing times, Changing lives' (Poetry) - 4/27/2020 4:29:37 AM
As long as we keep our dreams unified and intact, we can make it through anything Mary. Thank you for sharing your talented pen.
' Changing times, Changing lives' (Poetry) - 4/26/2020 12:00:19 PM
Well penned, Mary! Most will be able to relate...
As for what's really happening, many doctors now admit that even if we did not stay home even the highest peaks of this curve would have been manageable. In other words, they are saying that all we were trying to do was prevent was an over-load of our health system in the midst of an epidemic. Sure, it sounded bad when deaths were reported day-by-day and minute-by-minute but it was nothing that our present health system could handle. If that's true then we just improved our readiness for a bigger epidemic in the future. That's very good but was all this world-wide panic truly necessary? If it was NOT really necessary, then we have nothing to fear but fear itself!
' Changing times, Changing lives' (Poetry) - 4/26/2020 10:20:09 AM
Hopefully there will not be too much despair and death. But those are parts of life and what you are writing about is mostly adaptation to prevent the inevitable death from happening too soon. Beautifully written and wonderfully understood.
Ron
Tell the dreamers to dream' (Poetry) - 4/16/2020 11:18:45 PM
A very clear poetic reminder that we are all dreamers in different worlds. It's so nice when someones dreams do come true. I once lived in a project apartment in Brooklyn. I dreamed of owning my own home and having a nice wife, children and pets. I prayed for a long time but God overwhelmed me with His Love. Thank you Jesus.
Tell the dreamers to dream' (Poetry) - 4/16/2020 12:02:01 PM
We can "shape" the future by the way we act and follow through on our dreams. Situations like the one we are in force us to reconsider our behavior and perhaps come up with better ways to live with our planet that we rely on so much for everything, but don't want to contribute very much unless we are paid in the coin of the realm instead of hard, unpaid work.
Ron
Tell the dreamers to dream' (Poetry) - 4/14/2020 6:18:28 AM
I have been a dreamer all my life, and I'm not about to stop dreaming just by any little obstacles. That's how I am.
Sandie
'You' (Poetry) - 3/29/2020 8:48:35 AM
Wow! I would at least 2 days in recovering from all those probes. Maybe 3. Actually, I would not last more than 5 seconds. But thanks for asking, Mary. It's the thought that counts.==smiles==
Paradises of Time' (Poetry) - 3/1/2020 9:35:19 AM
Beauty is all around us. Your poem speaks heavenly of the sea.
But it evoked a memory of mine. While visiting the parents of a student in our doctoral program in Dhaka, Bangladesh, my host, the student's father, drove me to the bank of the Ganges River. I'll never forget what I saw there. Hundreds of sailboats, mostly small sailing both directions on the river with white sails marking their direction, without a sound. It was amazing not hearing a single motor, just the passing of these boats driven only by the silence of the wind.
Ron
'Perfectly,Imperfect' (Poetry) - 2/4/2020 12:21:33 PM
Wonderful thoughts for those who feel that somehow they have imperfections that make them less desirable than others. The beauty of a woman is not in how she looks, but who she is and how she fulfills others in her life's work.
Ron
'Your Last Goodbye' (Poetry) - 2/2/2020 10:40:14 PM
Something to ponder for sure.
It's not OVER until it's over!
Well done!
Amen!
Peace, love and blessings,
John Michael
'Hope' (Poetry) - 2/2/2020 1:19:20 AM
A tale well told, Mary.
I was just thinking about your posted picture. It looks like you could be in a nice cozy sports pub knocking back a pint or two. What a great place in which to write a poem or tell a tall tale. Either way, cheers to ya, I hope 2020 brings you lots of laughter so you can keep on writing. Much Love to you, Ed
'Hope' (Poetry) - 2/1/2020 12:07:30 PM
Very inspiring and so beautifully describing what hope brings.
Ron
'Survival' (Poetry) - 1/31/2020 2:40:19 PM
It must be very tough to survive a spouse that you have grown so accustomed to that you can't live without them. Yet I am amazed at how well my twin brother done after losing his second wife of 25 years to a tragic accident, a fall from a staircase. Quickly he has learned to live alone and to make the best of his life, surrounded mostly by her family, because our family is far away from where he lives.
Ron
'I'm going on a boat' (Poetry) - 1/28/2020 4:58:54 AM
It's hard for me to imagine Rathlin Island with large ferries and big harbours. Still, I know it's your wish...
"And if there's going to be a life hereafter
And somehow I am sure there's going to be
I will ask my God to let me make my heaven
In that dear land across the Irish sea."
'I'm going on a boat' (Poetry) - 1/9/2020 6:09:41 PM
My kind of adventure! Go for it Mary the write about your journey when you have a happy returns. Amen!
JMD
'I'm going on a boat' (Poetry) - 1/9/2020 2:59:10 PM
Sure does sound very romantic. A way of life that was probably carried on for several hundred years for those ferries and harbours were established. When I was a teenager, my twin brother and I built a dinghy in our basement in landlocked Wisconsin. It was only 8 foot long and featherlight, and wouldn't have probably handled the first wave that came along if put in the ocean.
Ron
'I'm going on a boat' (Poetry) - 1/9/2020 8:32:10 AM
Anchors away and a wish for smooth sailing.
'The Inevitability of Change' (Poetry) - 12/14/2019 6:05:10 AM
Knowing the difference between the impostor and the flame
is that elusive element that few ever learn.
One of your best, Mary.
Ed
'The Inevitability of Change' (Poetry) - 12/11/2019 9:54:51 AM
What metaphors! What a lesson! I can't believe that others have not commented on this beautiful poem of how to deal with the "slings and arrows" that life throws at us.
Ron
'Flies in Amber' (Poetry) - 12/9/2019 12:20:01 PM
I gather from your words that those of us who have the ability are filling our lives with excess consumption while so many in the world have nothing to consume. Reminds me of the time while going through the bazaar on the way to my host's walled compound in Dhaka Bangladesh. Observing that the ancient, worn wooden stalls contained very little choices for shopping, one or two items, to sustain the shopkeeper in poverty.
Ron
'Flies in Amber' (Poetry) - 12/9/2019 9:17:46 AM
Much truth in your words.
'Being Alive' (Poetry) - 12/7/2019 3:02:59 PM
I really like the philosophy here. Strikes home. "If you ain't busy livin', you're busy dyin." Bob Dylan
Ron
'Invisible lives' (Poetry) - 12/4/2019 11:39:25 AM
Even for poets and for biographers, much of our lives remain invisible and probably some of the most memorable when it comes to our interaction with the opposite sex. That is the pure truth in these poetic lines. Secrets that we will never tell.
Ron
'Invisible lives' (Poetry) - 12/2/2019 7:36:19 PM
Apart from moving onward toward a bit of enlightenment, the moments to remember are about all we have left when our time is up. Well said, Mary. Ed
'Made from Stars (Poetry) - 11/27/2019 11:40:50 AM
Gives credence to the wonder that is us… Living, breathing, thinking and communicating to other entities like ourselves, made up of stardust. It is really too much to comprehend, and probably best left to subatomic researchers and astrophysicists to make sense of it all while we bask in our ability to communicate and to even write poetry such as yours about this wonder that is ours.
Ron
'Made from Stars (Poetry) - 11/27/2019 11:09:09 AM
There are trillion of stars up in the universe,
each is unique, representing each one of us.
When it's time in our life to shine on earth,
our star up in the universe shines its brightest.
Sandie
'I Never Lost You' (Poetry) - 11/23/2019 2:00:29 PM
I believe you have lost him, but not his spirit that fuels your ability to write these wonderful poems of the way you see your world with him guiding you.
Ron
'I Never Lost You' (Poetry) - 11/20/2019 2:02:34 AM
I envy anyone who can find strength in memories.
I'm cry-baby and want to turn back the clock.
But you, sweet Mary, are like the tide that lifts all boats.
You bring joy every time you write.
'Perceptions' (Poetry) - 11/15/2019 10:47:40 AM
While somewhat surreal, I find this poem lovely to read. It also tells me that we all have filters that form our perspective of what is going on that may not be the same as others. I hope that I have not misperceived your poem.
Ron
'Perceptions' (Poetry) - 11/13/2019 2:30:11 PM
Oh my, what a wonderful poem "Perceptions" is, my friend. From the longing of one who has passed on to the moment when you, find yourself ready follow your beloved friend.
Be there' (Poetry) - 11/6/2019 10:33:21 AM
Certainly much longing… But I doubt if he will ever return from that nonreturnable place except in your dreams.
Ron
'Another kind of Heaven (Poetry) - 11/3/2019 10:32:39 AM
A beautiful way to express your need. Unfortunately, the other side won't be answering anytime soon.
Ron
'Another kind of Heaven (Poetry) - 11/2/2019 7:15:01 AM
A beautiful, loving poem of remembrance. Very touching, Mary.
'Income Distribution & Automation' (Poetry) - 10/28/2019 9:28:50 AM
I know you are from Australia and you are talking about, "Making America great again." You have poignantly pointed out the problem. The means of production have moved from high-paying labor to robots and machines, and soon, AI (artificial intelligence). As a result, money becomes more important than peoples' welfare. Yet there are so many wannabe millionaires, even billionaires who want to continue to rob the poor for the benefit of the rich. This only results in revolution. I only hope that the revolution will be a simple voting coup d'état rather than the other kind. People tend to like winners and make them leaders. The quality of their character be damned.
Ron
'The End of the Bees' (Poetry) - 10/27/2019 3:19:05 AM
Ah, nature is so beautiful, I feel sorry for the bees, and the roses. Lovely poem dear Mary.
'See them Now' (Poetry) - 10/26/2019 4:38:32 PM
We must do what we must do, and never allow ourselves to weaken and "look back."
'See them Now' (Poetry) - 10/26/2019 1:12:06 PM
"To really live before we die" this one line deeply defines your poem. "Magnified in our indifference?" clearly is a warning to be aware and to care for others in need. If we have lived a long life does that make it better that if it was shortened? It should not but sadly at times, this is the case. Well done Mary!
'See them Now' (Poetry) - 10/26/2019 11:42:25 AM
Powerful. Applies to every living being. Should we care? Damn right we should and do something about it. Extinction is forever.
Ron
'The Silence of the Sea' (Poetry) - 10/26/2019 12:46:30 AM
Amazing how the vast sea can say so much in this simple, revealing poem.
'The Silence of the Sea' (Poetry) - 10/25/2019 10:15:01 PM
Sea o sea stay away from me. Don't want no commotion
from that big old ocean. But I love how you write about it.
'The Silence of the Sea' (Poetry) - 10/25/2019 10:57:10 AM
The sea makes no promises or gives up its secrets. A great little poem revealing the silent sea.
Ron
'The Silence of the Sea' (Poetry) - 10/24/2019 1:38:21 PM
You give poetry a fabulous feeling with your posts, Mary. This one is no different. Loved it!
'Remember Me' (Poetry) - 10/22/2019 4:40:45 PM
A very moving expressive poetic tapestry of life past and present. We all have regrets to certain levels of degrees. We should also consider endings that would have caused a much more disastrous result. This will help to lesson if not eliminate the need to regret. Well done! JMD
'Remember Me' (Poetry) - 10/20/2019 9:48:31 AM
So filled with colorful words that convey so much what most of us go through. And as we age, the wonder we will be remembered at all. One way to be remembered as we remember those wonderful days of our youth, is to write beautiful poetry like this that will linger on the Internet long after we are gone to be picked up by occasional readers and thought about who we were.
Ron
'Waiting for you (Poetry) - 10/18/2019 9:25:59 AM
As I read, I felt there was something missing. The sailor come home. The sailor lost. Something more than just thoughts of color of the sea reminding one of the color of a lover's eyes.
Ron
'Waiting for you (Poetry) - 10/18/2019 8:35:46 AM
Maybe your lover will come along. In the meantime, you have a first-hand closeup of the sea and all that it portends. Much love to you,
Ed
'Waiting for you (Poetry) - 10/17/2019 1:35:30 PM
The waves have up and downs and so does life. It it any wonder that most love stories tend to gravitate to the sea shore. Well done!
'Emancipation' (Poetry) - 10/16/2019 10:49:26 AM
So many are locked out of great potential by mere appearances. That has to change, and it is changing, with all of the media being reminded of the injustice daily.
Ron
'Emancipation' (Poetry) - 10/16/2019 4:50:17 AM
Dear Mary,
This poem is packed with insightful feelings of life and many of it's frustrations. I think we have all been at this breaking point but not able to express it so vividly and poetically.
Well done!
John Michael
'Emancipation' (Poetry) - 10/15/2019 9:44:21 PM
A cry in the wilderness. . . well done!
'When dreams take flight' (Poetry) - 10/11/2019 8:32:42 PM
Yes! The magic of the night that often seems as though it must be endless. However, it always ends with the dawn that sweeps the wild dreams away. Beautifully done!
'When dreams take flight' (Poetry) - 10/11/2019 11:58:31 AM
Your dreams sound like wonderful experiences to behold. I think I'll have to take a nightcap of what you're drinking. I have been flying in my dreams lately. But it is more like flying off the bed and being unable to guide my course, usually landing on some small, helpless critter or child and squashing it.
Ron
'The Human Sea' (Poetry) - 10/7/2019 9:02:06 PM
Some sound advice enwrapped in this tender poem, especially poignant in this day and age that is so hard and cruel to so many. The "human sea" indeed is now rough and tumultuous. You are right: "We need to embrace our consolation", once we know what it might be.Lovely.
'The Human Sea' (Poetry) - 10/7/2019 6:09:07 PM
A very thoughtful, touching and well crafted poem. We are truly surrounded by a sea of humanity. One person will go out and pursue and discover new friends as well as foes. Another may stay in a cocooned state, not wanting to take a chance of being humiliated by a crowd. If we don't move out from walls that protect us, we will never know what could have happened. Amen
'The Human Sea' (Poetry) - 10/7/2019 8:17:52 AM
It is strange that we can be alone in such a huge sea of humanity.
Twenty-seven years ago I started to hire caregivers because I had no family, friends or neighbors close by that would help me get through my daily struggle to continue to work. My caregivers have become close and lifesaving, allowing me to work for 19 more years and feel that in my helplessness in the middle of the night, someone was there for me.
What one lonely man did is remarkable…
https://www.cbs.com/shows/cbs-sunday-morning/video/Tc3trtr5eMbR04hYTkVWGJq1ni3DeYrD/a-surprising-funeral-announcement/
Ron
'The Poet's Dream' (Poetry) - 10/6/2019 9:37:03 AM
You are so right about a poet's need to write. We can't let our thoughts go unsung. They must be released and revealed in poetry or prose. When they leave our minds and are placed on the page, the whole world can see what we are thinking. Simply wonderful.
Ron
'The Poet's Dream' (Poetry) - 10/5/2019 9:46:11 AM
What a beautiful rendition! And told with such eloquence and grace.
Your writing is like a fine wine, Mary--it improves with time. If poems were sold by the amount of beauty they spread, you could retire in luxury with this one alone. Bravo!
'The Poet's Dream' (Poetry) - 10/5/2019 9:01:42 AM
And oh how we dream. At times i have to just walk away and sleep on it. Well done.
Where Reality Fades (Poetry) - 10/5/2019 8:08:46 AM
Mary, you are amazing, and your poems almost take my breath away, reaching deep into my soul.
Connie
'The Poet's Dream' (Poetry) - 10/5/2019 8:00:26 AM
There is beauty in these words, Mary. When a poem beckons yet unborn, none but the poet can empathize with the struggle of bringing it to life, strong and healthy, ready to display its worth to the world.
Connie
'Survival' (Poetry) - 9/28/2019 11:35:51 AM
Without telling us specifically what you went through, it is obvious that you did and that you survived to tell us about it. As a man, I would guess that much of what you experienced was a result of you being a woman in a man dominated society. Thankfully that is changing for the better, regardless of those men think that they are losing their power over women in the process. I welcome equality, in every way. Makes for a much more level playing field.
Ron
'Survival' (Poetry) - 9/24/2019 4:45:12 PM
"The consolations of love,
The truth of survival"
Ab-so-lute-ly, my friend.
'The Art of Life' (Poetry) - 9/20/2019 9:34:32 AM
Quite adventurous. Wishfully thinking of perhaps, meeting again and renewing an old love.
Ron
'The Art of Life' (Poetry) - 9/18/2019 11:03:42 AM
Live the life you have so eloquently described and you will never need to "find another life."
Never let it be so' (Poetry) - 9/9/2019 7:02:22 AM
Still my heart. A different kind of love poem. I like it.
Ron
Never let it be so' (Poetry) - 9/8/2019 4:43:06 PM
oh i love the tone of melancholy of your poem. it has gotten me to relive a sweet past memory. thank you for sharing this.
Never let it be so' (Poetry) - 9/8/2019 12:57:10 PM
When we longed for someone, only time can heal us from longing. Only we will know when the time comes for us to start anew.
Sandie
'Atlantic Waves' (Poetry) - 9/7/2019 9:11:44 AM
OMG, Mary, what a beautiful poem!
If only I had known that you were up there on that little island
i maight well have changed my plans.
Instead I watched the sun go down on Galway Bay
beacause I had loved that song even longer than I
knew of your whereabouts. Still, the tentacles of me
spirit reaches out to ya and sends ya warm kisses!
'Atlantic Waves' (Poetry) - 9/1/2019 9:10:47 AM
There is certain timelessness in your poem. The ancients sat on that same shore and watched the same sunset. But it is doubtful that there were boats sailing by.
Ron
'Echoes' (Poetry) - 8/29/2019 6:13:03 PM
This poem is a gentle holding of the hand of the reader, reminding us of those moments in our lives. joyful or sorrowful, that seem to mark our "before" and our "after". I know just what you mean, and I think I have a few of them! Love your use of metaphor throughout, and the ending is melancholy loveliness. Wonderful piece.
'I want you' (Poetry) - 7/24/2019 11:34:32 AM
I love the poem! However, as you know, none of us have perfect lives. If it were true I would have told you so. LOL
'I want you' (Poetry) - 7/24/2019 1:00:35 AM
You had me when first i saw your wide smile
your glorious red hair, and your spot on the map.
I was trapped in your charm at your honesty and
your humility. Couldn't get free if I tried.
And I'm not trying.
'I want you' (Poetry) - 7/23/2019 8:23:28 AM
There is a yearning here that is almost unrequited. For we cannot ever really see what the other person is thinking. They may hold it back for fear of hurting us and never reveal it. But the idea of, "floating free," is what all of should be. The melding of hearts and minds into a single flow that goes on forever in the minds of lovers.
Ron
'I want you' (Poetry) - 7/23/2019 7:02:21 AM
Touching write. If we could see what another sees when they look at us, it could avoid a lot of problems in any relationship.
'I want you' (Poetry) - 7/23/2019 12:47:38 AM
A tender, insightful love poem and poem of longing. I especially like the use of repetition to engage the reader and draw him/her inside the spirit of the poem. Fine work.
'The Last Hero (Poetry) - 7/23/2019 12:43:19 AM
A lovely, poetic tribute to a loved one. Delivered with tenderness and insight. Fine work.
'The Last Hero (Poetry) - 7/22/2019 7:32:02 AM
While I wouldn't say that all other heroes are through appearing, I would say, for you, your husband was indeed, the last hero. I watched my grandparents grow apart as they aged. Both of my grandmothers welcomed to being free of the burden of their husbands. And, because he was in the hospital so long, four months, after my father left, I'm sure that my mother was relieved.
You must've had a very special relationship.
Ron
'The Last Hero (Poetry) - 7/21/2019 6:14:31 PM
This is a poem that deserves a second read. Just as any good piece of art is worth at least a second glance. A very nice tribute to you husband! Amen!
'Hope' (Poetry) - 7/20/2019 12:30:56 PM
Let us hope that our future will bring us more dreams and less despair. Much of this poem is on a really dark side that generally doesn't exist for those who die.
Ron
'Hope' (Poetry) - 7/19/2019 7:51:05 AM
Nicely done. In particular, I really liked the lines, "We paint our dreams in vivid reflections of us." There is much truth in that, as well as the whole poem.
'The Sorrows of Silence' (Poetry) - 7/17/2019 10:41:42 PM
Excellent write.
Old time music, my favorite songs will light sparks in me. The older the better! I even love songs before my time from the 1940's. The music just makes me come alive! The best way to listen to music is in an easy chair with no distractions. Then I can drift off to another place in space and time. It's FUN!
Hope you can drift into music as well. Have FUN!
John Michael
'The Sorrows of Silence' (Poetry) - 7/17/2019 11:44:13 AM
The sooner we leave those glum dreary thoughts and get into the sun, the quicker we will feel right again. Your poem certainly had its somber moments, but showed the way to sunshine by the end. Well done.
Ron
'The Sorrows of Silence' (Poetry) - 7/17/2019 7:17:00 AM
Take those perfect moments,
and tuck them safely away.
They're there when you need them,
saved for a melancholy day.
Ghosts in our lives (Poetry) - 7/15/2019 10:45:59 AM
Thankfully, I seem to have few.
Ron
Ghosts in our lives (Poetry) - 7/15/2019 8:24:19 AM
It seems ghosts and regrets go together. Enjoted.
Ghosts in our lives (Poetry) - 7/14/2019 9:48:06 AM
Simple, clean, and oh so true!
Beautiful -- the poem and you.
You can't see (Poetry) - 7/13/2019 8:05:39 AM
Lovely write. Enjoyed.
You can't see (Poetry) - 7/12/2019 2:09:37 PM
This is so true for many of us who want and need love and attention from a loved one. Sadly, this is why many trip out and drink to get s---t faced. I would rather feel the pain and write-it-off. Just like you just did! Loved the your poem Mary. Well done1
'Sweet Life' (Poetry) - 7/1/2019 8:47:51 AM
There is much to be said for grabbing one's bootstraps and getting back in the race. But there comes a time in everyone's life when that no longer works. I think acceptance of that fact makes it a lot easier to roll with the punches.
I certainly would like to see what's around the corner, like Michael, but I'm okay if that is not to be. I've experienced enough in this lifetime to last several. Who would've thought that a "cloud" of ready information would rule our lives!
Ron
'Sweet Life' (Poetry) - 6/30/2019 5:43:58 PM
I don't know what's around the corner, but I think I'll stick around to find out. At Least that's my view on life.
'Living at Midnight' (Poetry) - 6/30/2019 10:04:37 AM
What a beautiful way to look at the impending coming of death. I hope I interpreted your poem correctly this way.
Ron
'Living at Midnight' (Poetry) - 6/29/2019 1:52:09 PM
Touches the very innermost soul.
Beautiful and spiritual words.
Peter
'Symmetry of Death' (Poetry) - 6/28/2019 8:58:07 AM
It's a sad picture you've painted with your all to true words.Our planet will survive, but we're on the way out, unless we change our ways soon.
'There'll always be' (Poetry) - 6/3/2019 12:57:02 AM
They say that beauty is one part simplicity
and one part elegance. You've give us the beautiful.
Thanks.
'There'll always be' (Poetry) - 5/27/2019 11:09:45 AM
Sometimes a mother, a wife or lover's pride, sometimes grief they tried to hide when their man does not come back from the sea.
Ron
'There'll always be' (Poetry) - 5/26/2019 12:03:11 PM
Boats are a poor mans dream and rich mans toy, unfortunately I am the latter...poor as dirt...-e-
'The Dance' (Poetry) - 5/18/2019 1:01:15 PM
The dance of life. From the words of this poem, you have danced it well.
Ron
Liberation' (Poetry) - 5/17/2019 12:40:35 PM
I can clearly see that your liberation is freedom to choose.
Ron
Liberation' (Poetry) - 5/17/2019 5:19:54 AM
A soul that has been set free is now running wild and it feels the world around it, welcoming tides. - Another chapter of life is waiting to unfold!
Very nice, Mary!
Sandie
'Only one Life' (Poetry) - 5/12/2019 10:37:24 AM
Very lusciously described and romantic. But I guess a woman's point of view to have, "only one love to dream of…"
Ron
'Only one Life' (Poetry) - 5/12/2019 8:23:06 AM
A true love never ends. Beautiful write.
'The ring of the Girona' (Poetry) - 5/11/2019 6:48:30 AM
You've done more that resurrected an artifact,
you've brought it back to life in this touching verse.
Superlatives!
'The ring of the Girona' (Poetry) - 5/10/2019 11:08:29 AM
The ring found certainly spurs thoughts of romance even at a time of war. I'm sure the sailor was sorely missed by his love after the Armada went down to the bottom of the sea.
Ron
'The Robber Barons' (Poetry) - 5/9/2019 11:15:52 AM
I know your point of view is from Ireland, but it matches the United States and much of the world. It is beyond me how people of such stature get in the world unless they cheat. The game is all about money and money placed in the right position greases the skids to the moneyed delight.
Ron
'The Robber Barons' (Poetry) - 5/9/2019 8:35:38 AM
The truth has never been plainer. You said it, and said it well. The one percent control the world, leaving the common people further and further behind.
'Let me come to you' (Poetry) - 5/5/2019 10:09:06 AM
A sea of love awaits the reader of this poem. Beautifully written.
Ron,
'Ireland' (Poetry) - 5/2/2019 2:56:43 PM
I hope they use the key they possess
budd
'Ireland' (Poetry) - 5/1/2019 9:52:16 AM
We certainly do hold the key. So many times in the past when an insurmountable barrier to progress seemed invincible, the foes stepped forward and joined hands, and in the long siege. Let us hope that happens for Northern Ireland.
Ron
'The Absolute Bedrock' (Poetry) - 4/29/2019 3:11:51 PM
only time will tell unfortunately
budd
'The Absolute Bedrock' (Poetry) - 4/29/2019 8:50:26 AM
I am alarmed to hear that the problems in Northern Ireland have not healed. The Irish seem to be known as a hardheaded lot. Yet John F. Kennedy came from there. So did St. Pat. And even that global healer, Bono. So what is the problem? It can't be the minuscule difference between Roman Catholics and Protestants. I think it's more or less a long continuation of a blood feud between powerbroker families of wealth.
Yes, those kinds of strange bipolar anger do occur in other places like here in the United States of America, where the president goes to my birth state, the birth of the progressive Republican party, progressive taxation, unionization and other measures that gave people the freedom to think that they are now middle-class, only to find them rallying to his battle cry of hatred and, worst of all, lies.
Ron
'The Absolute Bedrock' (Poetry) - 4/29/2019 8:00:34 AM
"equally apply to many other countries today"
You flat out have that right, Mary, bedrock all around us . . .
'The Absolute Bedrock' (Poetry) - 4/29/2019 7:04:41 AM
Here's hoping there's a brighter future ahead, with compassion and empathy leading the way.
'Not in our Name' (Poetry) - 4/28/2019 9:41:57 AM
This is so sad to hear. Essentially because I thought the IRA were gone forever. But old hatreds die hard. Would hate to think that the Nazis are also coming back, but that also appears to be the case. When will we ever learn?
Ron
'Resistance' (Poetry) - 4/23/2019 8:07:48 AM
This poem has much depth, and is right on the mark. Resistance can be both good or bad, depending on one's perspective. Resisting a corrupt govt. is good. resisting vaccines is bad.
'Resistance' (Poetry) - 4/22/2019 8:40:52 AM
Yes, I believe you are right. More of us resist than are known. But there are the famous resistors somehow, like Nelson Mandela, suffer great loss and tragedy and still rise above to right the wrongs, not only against them, but against so many others.
Without resistance, there can be no change.
Ron
'A sailing ship waiting' (Poetry) - 4/21/2019 9:12:11 AM
I guess it depends upon whether you catch the ship before it leaves and give him the kind of impression that will last. ;-)
Ron
Seas's of Happiness' (Poetry) - 4/20/2019 10:25:18 AM
May you drift towards that singular purpose on the gentlest waters possible.
Ron
'Beside the Ocean' (Poetry) - 4/17/2019 8:36:27 PM
Bittersweetly nostalgic, nicely done, Mary. Love and best wishes,
Regis.
'Beside the Ocean' (Poetry) - 4/16/2019 8:57:02 AM
How lucky the one who sails those seas and
turns his craft into the harbor where you wait at
your private table for two.
'Waiting for Yesterday' (Poetry) - 4/14/2019 7:43:28 AM
Nostalgic and bittersweet. But oh so heartfelt!
Love it and love you!
'Waiting for Yesterday' (Poetry) - 4/11/2019 5:36:44 PM
Great longings expressed in this poem.
Sandie
'Waiting for Yesterday' (Poetry) - 4/11/2019 5:13:18 PM
Love the cool ending of this romantic piece of poetry . . .
The Dotard Presidency (Poetry) - 4/10/2019 7:56:35 AM
I still find it hard to believe how easily people were conned by a con man, and I fear it will happen again.
The Bell Curve (Poetry) - 4/10/2019 7:52:21 AM
I'm afraid that the gap in income inequality will widen into a chasm that the rest of will get pushed into. Trump's tax cuts were predominantly, for those already wealthy, and let them become even more so. The rich get richer. How much is enough?
'In the Silence' (Poetry) - 3/29/2019 9:23:54 AM
A truly sad remembrance. The ocean calls to many, but it can be an unforgiving taskmaster for those that fall into its peril.
Ron
'In the Silence' (Poetry) - 3/29/2019 9:03:41 AM
A fine tribute, nicely done.
'In the Silence' (Poetry) - 3/28/2019 4:54:38 PM
I should have said that Tommy was my late husband, father of our five children, who died at the age of 51, on a diving exploration of the shipwreck'Tuscania'.
'In the Silence' (Poetry) - 3/28/2019 4:45:02 PM
Such a wondrous remembrance for your husband. This is a very unique poem concerning this special loss in your life.
'Come Away' (Poetry) - 3/28/2019 3:22:01 PM
Sounds like a wonderful place to be, Mary. Everyone needs to be in a place where "Where seas sing / And love abounds." I've actually been there a time or two, and yes, oh yes, it is a wonderful place to be.
'We're Winging it and bringing it' (Poetry) - 3/27/2019 9:40:28 AM
Rapping is usually meant for the angry youth. But you have done justice with this short one, copping the style quite handily if much shorter than most youngin's rather long and tiresome tirades.
Having never had any kids, I've been free of very long time. ;-)
Ron
'We're Winging it and bringing it' (Poetry) - 3/26/2019 4:15:08 PM
Gotta hang onto our dreams and fantasies for sure. Better days ahead . . .
'Dreams to Remember' (Poetry) - 3/25/2019 8:28:57 PM
Lovely and encouragingly uplifting, Mary Cecil. Thank you for sharing. Love and best wishes to you,
Regis.
'Love on an Ocean' (Poetry) - 3/15/2019 11:49:39 AM
This poem makes one want to float on out to see.
Ron
Chasing Stars (Poetry) - 3/13/2019 2:42:47 PM
anything in nature is the best of all
budd
Chasing Stars (Poetry) - 3/13/2019 9:51:03 AM
Nature was made for us, and our healing purposes. God knew what we needed even before we uttered a single word. I enjoyed your poem today Mary, Thank you xo
Lonely Nights (Poetry) - 3/12/2019 10:52:33 PM
I often think of you up there on that little island
taking care of others. I can imagine the dark and windy
nights with little to light up the world but your
beautiful smile. You are born to write! It warms my
heart.
Lonely Nights (Poetry) - 2/24/2019 10:27:36 AM
Some memorable lines like cans clattering and the wind in this little masterpiece of lonely. Got me in the mood just by reading it.
Ron
Lonely Nights (Poetry) - 2/23/2019 11:21:25 AM
a wonderful write
budd
Lonely Nights (Poetry) - 2/22/2019 12:52:10 PM
Whoa!!! You grabbed the essence of your thoughts and allowed them to have their way with this poem, Mary . . . Good thing you did, they did fantastically!
'Fragments of Time' (Poetry) - 2/21/2019 9:00:36 AM
''Rain pelting the pain''---- VERY BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Liana Margiva
'Fragments of Time' (Poetry) - 1/11/2019 12:27:53 PM
A haunting remembrance of moments that mattered. Beautifully penned…
Ron
The Singing Shores (Poetry) - 1/7/2019 9:57:56 AM
Although I will never lay eyes on it, your entrenching words shine through the beauty of this place by the shore.
Ron
Days to Remember' (Poetry) - 1/2/2019 9:57:52 AM
While I didn't spend my youth on the beach, you brought back memories of that simpler time when all things are possible in the warm air and hot sun hurriedly enjoyed before the next winter set in and shut down those carefree days until another year rolled around.
Beautiful imagery making beautiful poetry.
Ron
Days to Remember' (Poetry) - 1/2/2019 9:38:16 AM
Thanks for the warmth in your words on this chilly winter day.
Days to Remember' (Poetry) - 1/2/2019 7:41:56 AM
A wash of evocative imagery that touches the heart. Well expressed. HNY. Peace...rlc
Elixir of life (Poetry) - 12/30/2018 8:58:08 PM
Mary: This is also a great poem for launching a new year, one on probability, alone, that will be far better than 2018. All the best to you sweet lady. May the road rise up to meet you, may the wind be always at your back. And may you be in heaven half and hour before anyone knows you're gone (many years from now).
Your friend, Ed
Elixir of life (Poetry) - 12/30/2018 9:52:17 AM
"To write our scripts, and tell our tales," certainly sums up a writer's life well along with a few other lines from this sterling poem. Enjoyed.
Ron
'Trump, the final days' (Poetry) - 9/23/2018 7:41:00 PM
May we all awaken from this hellish nightmare by November, and sweep the halls of Congress clean from all his clingers-on. And then quickly and efficiently remove this dangling dingle berry from the WH, and erase all t filth he has deposited there. Can I hear an "amen?"
'Trump, the final days' (Poetry) - 9/15/2018 8:47:29 AM
I can only hope, as the dominoes keep falling around him. The damage he has done far outweighs his few good accomplishments. he's a piss poor excuse for a human being, and he's a piss poor excuse for a president. And it still baffles me as to why his base still supports him. A mystery I can't understand, and I consider myself neither a conservative or a Liberal. But I am an American.
'Trump, the final days' (Poetry) - 9/12/2018 11:53:37 AM
Only those people who have personal agendas would dislike Trump. If you set aside your personal agendas and look at the whole picture, the POTUS is working for all people in the country.
I'm a Conservative because I look at the whole picture, not just sitting at the bottom of a well and looking up at the sky, and think this is how large the sky is and this is what we need to save.
I will ALWAYS be a Trump supporter, even though I'm Chinese!
Sandie
'Trump, the final days' (Poetry) - 9/12/2018 10:25:23 AM
Trump All The Way--Bigot I am not, patriotic all the way
'Trump, the final days' (Poetry) - 9/12/2018 8:51:39 AM
Well spoken from an observant outsider. Let us certainly hope that those bigots who have such a narrow patriotic viewpoint that they would vote for such an idiot, now realize the folly of their narrowminded action. As the world problems become more complex, largely because of unbridled population growth, coupled with rising expectations of everyone each year, it is my hope that Americans will get off their high horse and get down to the dirty, serious business of solving the world's problems and forgetting their petty little selfish troubles that don't amount to a hill of beans.
Ron
'I Am,I Am' (Poetry) - 9/11/2018 10:57:00 AM
Understood and completely agree with your exquisite rendition of arts' glorification in every moment of the art within simple things of the world, and the internal within our self.
'I Am,I Am' (Poetry) - 9/11/2018 10:48:11 AM
Your poem wants to define "I am, I am"... But who and what might you be?
You merely said in your last line you are the art of everything, (but a conclusive name or name of an object is required)
Perhaps adding a one-liner to conclude all that you have described above would be better... for example... "I am an author!" or "I am a writer!" or "I am me!"
The above is just my humble opinion.
Sandie
'Mermaid's Tears' (Poetry) - 9/6/2018 9:14:28 AM
How poetic to think of shards of glass to be "mermaids tears." But I'm afraid that picture will not last as we go down in years. For green glass bottles floating have not been seen for years. Plastics have taken their place and multiplied our fears.
Ron
'Mermaid's Tears' (Poetry) - 9/5/2018 12:32:11 PM
A lot of added adjectives in this poem, but I seem to have found the poem's meaning among them. Thank you for sharing!
Sandie
