Musings on Life, Love, and Linguine-Poetry & Writing
Hushed whispers of the turning page
Leaden weight of the words in my hands.
As shadows dance on textured walls
The story unfolds in endless waves
And my mind once shackled, now free
Of heavy chains binding me to this life.
Surrounded by books for they’ve become my life
Never tiring of thoughts on the written page
For words are ancient keys to be forever free.
And each time I hold them in my hands
Memories wash over, an ocean of waves
crashing against a mentality built of solid walls.
Here in my peaceful mind, there are no walls
No death to fear for I am eternal, cherishing life
I rewrite my troubled past, ride the restless waves
As I turn yet another yellowing page
Caressing each one with soft wrinkled hands
For the poetry I write sets my anxious soul free.
In this world of words my heart roams free
There are no confining grey stone walls
For I hold so many ideas in these hands
That enrich and fill my precious book of life
As I inscribe page after page after page
Tears spill from my grateful eyes in sea salt waves.
I ride my emotions on the cresting waves
No longer in prison my thoughts are free.
With each dusty sigh of the turning page,
I create open doors where solid walls
Imprisoned me and what I wanted in my life
While I re-write destiny with these two hands.
Sometimes the ache in my weary hands
Floods my mind, comes in painful waves
Yet I would not change anything in this life
For there is always a price for living free
And the tearing down of society’s walls
As each generation writes another page.
Though these hands are now old, I am alive and free
As stormy blue waves erode crumbling walls
I pen the story of my vibrant life, scribing it on the page.
©2021 Linda Lee Lyberg
Author’s Note: This is my first time to write a Sestina, a complicated form.
dVerse Poets Pub: Poetry Forms Sestina
Linda Lee Lyberg is a wife, mother, artist, published poet and author. She resides in Mesa, AZ with her husband Pete (aka The Big Viking) of 23 years, and her dog, Ricky Bobby. Linda writes various forms of poetry, as well as short stories.
You can read more of her works at: charmedchaos.com
and her Amazon Author Page
Ooooh. Lovely. Thank you!
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Thank you so much for your thoughts.
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Sensational writing! I love the emotions riding through time. Beautiful!!! 💗
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Thank you Beckie!
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You are most welcome! 💗
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You’ve mastered this tricky form, Linda, and stunned me with your lovely words and use of poetic devices. I particularly love the contrast of ‘‘Hushed whispers of the turning page’ and ‘Leaden weight of the words in my hands’; the juxtaposition of a ‘yellowing page’ with ‘soft wrinkled hands’; and the envoi.
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Kim, your words mean so much to me. Thank you for your thoughtful response.
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Everything about this soothing sestina is so wonderful. It means a lot to me as an older person and someone who finds such comfort in playing with words. You nailed the form, Linda
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Thank you Victoria, truly.
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Linda! This is incredible. Beautifully Done. love, love, love it! ❤
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Thank you so much Penny!
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Thank you!
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This is a testament to a life well lived, with courage and thoughts to be free. Writing and reading are great tools for overcoming challenges. Now looking back at our lives, we can see things more clearly the gifts and lessons learned.
I specially admire this part:
I rewrite my troubled past, ride the restless waves
As I turn yet another yellowing page
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Thank you so much Grace.
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Your sestina is a inspiring tribute to personal empowerment, Linda.
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Thank you Lisa!
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You are welcome!
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You had me at the first two lines. I think choosing “page” as one of your words is brilliant! Your sestina flows perfectly as the story unfolds. Good, good writing!
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Thank you so much!
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/for there is always a price for living free/ snagged me; it kind of resonated with my own about truth. I’m pleased and impressed by the quality of poetics I’m finding out here on the trail. You ain’t afraid of no sestina; kudos. But the low initial turnout is testament to the immensity of the challenge.
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Yes, it was a difficult form! Thank you so much for your feedback Glenn.
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I really love how simple you made it look.. the envoy is a great summary that fills the poem with meaning.
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Thank you Bjorn. It was the most challenging form yet!
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Oh, this is splendid! You mastered the form, Linda!
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Thank you Eugenia!
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You’re welcome, Linda!
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Reblogged this on Fae Corps Publishing.
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Thank you so much for the reblog!
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The freedom and power of expression is alive in this! But this line confuses me: “And the tearing down of society’s walls”…seems destructive?
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Thanks Lynn. Society’s walls- poor, rich, black, white, etc. the things that divide us. So in my opinion, not destructive, but constructive.
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…depends if voluntary or forced, I think.
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a wonderful ode to the written word (K)
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Thank you so much.
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How profound and beautiful!
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Thank you Rosemary.
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Reblogged this on The Reluctant Poet.
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