******OUR POETRY ARCHIVE******: STACIA LYNN REYNOLDS

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OUR POETRY ARCHIVE

“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?

Though art more lovely and more temperate:

Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,

And summer’s lease hath all too short a date.

Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,

And often is his gold complexion dimm’d

And every fair from fair sometimes declines,

By chance, or nature’s course, untrimm’d

But thy eternal summer shall not fade,

Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow’st

Nor shall Death brag thou wander’st in his shade,

When in eternal lines to time thou grow’st

So long as men can breathe, or eyes to see,

So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.”

~William Shakespeare: Sonnet 18~

William Shakespeare expresses, in the couplet, bliss and heightened elation to an eternal beauty; which is captured in the appearance of youth. He states in the first two lines: “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? / Thou art more lovely and more temperate.” How glorious it would be to be raptured up into the inner esteem of self, realizing one’s beauty, and the beauty that is apparent in others. Observing, perceiving and delighting in the beauty that surpasses summer days. To embrace love, with all its imperfections and inadequacies. Tuned into the understanding that “Rough winds,” tend to remove what we perceive as beautiful to the eye. We forget the strength and complex workings, are found within; which produces the “darling buds of May.”

People are beautiful, but what is pleasing, is the flow of exquisite inner grace, strength and radiance from within. We can refine ourselves cosmetically, but without an inner glow that radiates outward, our beauty is lost. The heat of life may dim our complexions. Our years add up before we realize time has passed, and nature has taken its course on our physical form, but eternal beauty shall never pass.

Let us shine our inward love toward one another; producing spring blossoms of compassionate grace, and eternal love. The hues of a pure and gentle heart are the result of what lies within. Our world may shake us, people may cause deep hurt, but no one has the power to shake the power of the inner beauty, which we possess, within our soul’s and spirit’s.

The Charity Tree (The Seed of Love)

©Stacia Lynn Reynolds

A tiny seed was planted,

Watered; Given warmth

The brightest rays shone upon,

From the azure skies.

Nestled n’ protected tight

Embraced surroundings;

Was given life from the rains,

And dews of morn’s dawn.

May, drew it up; tall and strong

Within warming ground;

Transforming, development

Apparent, its form.

Perception, senses the scene

Its surrounding’s grasped;

To the inner strength, it holds

Nurturing love shown.

The seed reaps what has been sown,

Due nurturing phase;

Charity branches reach forth

Blessing with its grace.

Its leaves are like no other

No gold, yellow, greens,

But the color of a heart;

Ruby red is seen.

Joyfully drops upon each soul.

Charity given;

Throughout its lifetime cycle

Sustenance bestowed.

Now known as, the tree of love

Whose branches stretch forth;

Gracing all with charity, n’

Those yearning for love.

______

Please take time and enjoy the talent Our Poetry Archive has added to the February 2017 General Edition. This month we are glad to introduce eleven new poets to our readers for the very first time. Those who would like to participate in our upcoming editions, please send at least three poems and a profile picture, along with the explicit confirmation, of your permission, for publication in OPA well before the 21st of every month. You may add your short Bio written in 3rd person narrative only. We are extending an open invitation for our next Continental Edition, which will feature poets from Africa. We plan to publish this special edition, next month, in March. Please send 3 poems, both in English and your native language. As with the General Editions, please send a profile picture and the explicit confirmation, of your permission, to publish your copyrighted materials to Our Poetry Archive. Please specify, in the subject line of your email, which edition you are submitting to, to avoid any confusion, and to assure your poems are published in the correct edition. Those who are submitting to the Special Continental Edition, please state your country of origin, mother language, nationality, and where you reside. Thank you! Our Poetry Archive’s email address is: ourpoetryarchive@gmail.com

Author Stacia Lynn Reynolds, editor, sincerely thanks each poet, poetess and reader who is actively involved in this wonderful blog and continued support of Our Poetry Archive. You are greatly appreciated. Happy Valentine’s Day!

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