Happy New Year, 2025... An Exercise in Illumination!

 

Whether you'll be bringing in the New Year with a crowd or by the tender glow of a single lamp near a cozy fireplace, (new moon tonight, so moonlight is out of the picture), may your illumination lead you to peace, love and joy!

The new year begins as any other day with the exception of a different numeral representing the earth's orbit around the star we call sun. Often, we use this time to mark an opportunity to make changes; however, change can occur more readily if one is clearly aware of that which may or may not need alteration. With this in mind, below are three New Year's creative challenge options:

OPTION I:

1. Get a piece or two of paper and a pencil. Yes, I said paper and pencil. Okay, you may use a pen if that's all you have.
2. Find a quiet place and plant yourself. (It could be indoors or outdoors.) Get comfortable.
3. Close your eyes; breathe slowly in; exhale very slowly out. Repeat this a few times until your mind is calm, open, and receptive.
4. Be aware of every sensory response that you experience for 10 minutes and write them down in the form of a sensuous poem.

OR

OPTION II:
Ask yourself what it is that you will do this year to advance humanity (or simply yourself) toward a higher level of consciousness. Then write a poem about it.

OR

OPTION III:
Write your own version of 'Auld Lang Syne.' 

A couple 'illuminations' of mine:

New Year Haiku

Nuance awareness

Axis of vision’s splendor

Creative vigor 

© Jeanne I. Lakatos

*******************

Aulde Lang Syne Revisited

The moment passes

into a new year.

In heart and mind

serenity is clear.

In this sweet moment

reigns our chance to thrive

to bring love, peace and joy

fully alive!

© Jeanne I. Lakatos

You can hear me recite the above verses by clicking HERE.

Christmas Sunset

 

Christmas Sunset, Danbury, Connecticut

Christmas Sunset

The sun retreats on this Christmas Day, 

as I reflect on: 

Peace

in my soul, praying for all who suffer 

from life's distress to find God's Peace. 

Love

in my heart, praying for those whom I love 

to see how their words have inspired me. 

Joy

in my voice, praying for the world to hear 

the music within and share this song with others.

© Jeanne I. Lakatos

You can hear me recite this poem by clicking HERE. 

A Christmas Poem

This Christmas poem was written a few years ago after I overheard a woman in the grocery store concerned that she didn't have enough cloves for her hot mulled wine. (Four bottles of cloves weren't enough? Ha! Oh dear...) I think Mary spoke to me personally that day, whispering into my subconscious, "Jeanne, you have to write this.... now!"  Merry Christmas!

Painting by Andrea Solari, ca. 1507

Sweet Savor

What shall I drink? Egg nog or grog?

What did the Holy Family drink

on that holiest night of nights?

Did Mary lean over to Joseph

after giving birth to Jesus and say,

“Joseph, be a dear and pour me

another glass of Chardonnay?”

To which Joseph replied,

“Mary, Darling, all we have is

a little hot mulled wine left over

from the party last night.”

Or…did a father, proud

after such a long trip

offer his bride a sip

of water to give her joy

upon delivering this

beautiful, healthy Boy?

Did the baby cry

in a humble home

and look to his mother,

so beautiful and warm,

snuggle up  

to her swollen breast

and drink of the milk

from the Mother Blessed?

© Jeanne I. Lakatos 

To hear my reading of this poem, click HERE.

"Snow and Wind"

To me, the holiday season includes memories of snow and wind, family gatherings in Michigan, where, no matter how intense the weather, we always gathered at my Grandma's house to celebrate. As an adult, those memories revive with each new 'winter weather advisory,' and, with a lovely fire in the fireplace, all outside hostilities melt away.

Photos taken with my Canon SureShot in Danbury, CT

Snow and Wind

Snow speaks silently,

caresses my heart

with memories,

tickles my soul

with anticipation,

blends with ice

to generate adrenalin

focus.

Howling wind

erases impressions

with its jealous grasp

stings my cheeks

wraps around my bones.

My body shivers

to generate adrenalin

warmth.

Fire beyond the hearth

stoked with trees 

that once shaded, once housed,

once bore sparkling icicles

now draws me into its 

crackling core

to melt adrenalin

dreams.

© Jeanne I. Lakatos

To hear me recite this poem, click HERE. 

A Day with Wintry Trees

This poem is from a collection of my 'One Line Poem of the Day' entries from Facebook over the past few winters. It has become a brief narrative that describes one full wintry day. 

I took these photos in Danbury, Connecticut.

A Day with Wintry Trees

As morning sun

awakens each snowflake

adorning bare limbs,

and trees sigh

in serenity's brilliance,

one last, gold leaf glistens

in the snowy shower

when a brisk wind

draws its stem from a tree,

and in this release,

the leaf tumbles

in a dance of jubilation.

This leaf drifts to the ground,

and the tree,

now naked and sparkling

in the sun's warmth,

stands tall and ready

to accept its wintry destiny.

**************************

Golden sun illumines

the end of this day.

Behind striated clouds

of pink and orange,

an aqua sky enhances

the illumination

as dancing branches rattle,

yielding to the variant wind.

She breathes in the song

of this winter night

and surrenders to its peace,

lets the brisk, fresh air

fill her smile, for she sees

the tiny footprints of animals

braver than she,

leading to the tree's hollow.

Nurtured by the moon’s iridescence 

and a dominion of love,

they snuggle 

within a newly fallen leaf.

***************************

Evergreens mingle

with snow-kissed branches.

The canopy opens

to welcome a thousand stars

spread across the midnight sky,

and under their distant radiance,

she whispers, “Humbly, I adore Thee.” 

© Jeanne I. Lakatos  

You can hear me recite this poem by clicking HERE.