Portal to Peace

"Portal to Peace" by Sherry Lynn

I found a place within this hectic world

where tension ease and calm returns:

There where sun its hues unfurled

and sky with brilliance burns.

I walk along the shore ere night

(halfway between the light and dark)

descends and quenches all daylight,

yet there remain a light, a glimmering spark.

So too my soul finds joy in quiet thoughts:

A portal opened up to heavenly peace;

This calm, despite all day has brought,

Brings joy and bids all cares to cease. 

         D. Benning  © 2024

The Sky Flamed Forth

 

Photo from Sherry Lynn, Louisiana Dreams & Beyond Photography

 The sky flamed forth with passion from the day:
  A streak of orange, emboldened dab of red,
  A dash of yellow at the center bled;
And coursing forth across the sky a splay
Of beauty, blush, and zeal amidst the gray
  Of threat'ning clouds in somber tincture spread
  A blanket for the day to lay its head
As twilight came and sunlight fled away.

So yearned my heart at close of daylight hour,
  When musing on the joys that lay behind
    There flashes forth a memory of "then"—
The joy, the sorr'w, all kinds of sweet and sour—
  But hope arises, promises aligned!
    For Day shall come again: we look to "when"!

Window into the Field

"Window into the Field"  Copyright@Louisiana Dreams & Beyond Photography by Sherry Lynn 2019

Oh,
    there's a wildness there in nature:
A roughness edged with lace,
A shaggy turn of bright-lit hues,
Bedecking all with grace.

Yet,
   there's a softness found in nature:
Delicate and silky cast;
An ornamental festive dress,
Relaxed, yet rich and vast.

But,
   there's a beck'ning found in nature:
A call to ponder deeply there;
A window open to another field—
O leave behind your care!

Here,
   here in nature is a succor,
A balm, an aid to heal.
For here in nature will we find
A substance that is real.

- D. Benning

God Called Fire Upon

"To Sit and Dream" — Copyright Louisiana Dreams & Beyond Photography by Sherry Lynn 2018

God called fire upon the water at the end of day:
  A fire of joy to celebrate, commemorate;
     A fire of thousand blessings bundled into twilight spray—
        To show His love and then His promise demonstrate
That though day ends and night descends and wends its way,
His watchful eye on earth and those He loves will stay.
      Thus peaceful rest now till that Promised Coming Day.

- D. Benning

Sunrise on the Isle of Skye

See the colors there upon the sky and the water!

Such delicate and transcendent touches of a divine hand, captured in a moment and inscribed upon a photograph. These colors, these delicate hues and stains, are like the soft and exquisite display of a mother decorating the nursery of her first born child. Subtle and tender, fragile and graceful—she colors the sky and paints the landscape with her tender hues.

- D. Benning

Sherry Lynn, Photographer

Mother Nature and I, her earth child, both smile at your extremely intuitive and very touching prose. On a very personal note, I must tell you that I did indeed decorate the nursery of my first born child with these exact colors. Each and every one of them you see in the sky and water. I even chose each color of yarn and crocheted blankets. I’ve told you before you are the psychic poet!! Truly “divinely inspired.” 

~ Sherry Lynn

 

Remnant of Bygone Days

Remnant of Bygone Days — Sherry Lynn

 
There is a bridge in disrepair,
  The Bayou Bridge of Old;
Its wooden deck and time-worn wear
  Tell many stories yet untold.
 
It is a Remnant of a Bygone Day,
  The mem'ries of a passing time:
The trees and grass, the shrubs and quay—
  The promised summertime.

Then light and bright and sight and sound
   With smells and winds and breezes
Around me grow with glory crowned—
   The image in mind now freezes.

And then my mind with mem'ries filled
   Thinks back to summers long before;
My heart was thrilled, and then fulfilled—
   The call of past I can't ignore!

But quickly gone the mem'ry passes,
   I notice that the day moves forth.
The atmosphere with glowing gases
   Shimmers bright up to the north.

I take my leave with heavy heart—
   Will find I soon this Bridge of Old?
But in my heart I take a part
   Of Bayou Bridge—and I recall its gold!

- D. Benning

The Old Bayou Bridge — Sherry Lynn

A Passage in the Clouds

Carry me away upon a cloud
Or on a quiet river!
Oh, here there is no hurried crowd,
But life itself's the giver!

- D. Benning

Sherry Lynn Photography, photo

You absolutely HAVE to see Sherry's photos!  These are incredible!

Two Worlds Converge

"Two Worlds Converge" by Alterworld Art & Lousiana Dreams' Photography

There is an old, worn gate where worlds converge,
   The beck'ning portal pulls and bids me come;
   Ethereal grays of bracken ferns now surge
   With heathered hills and Spanish moss then strum
   A chord with cataract in joyous thrum—
   And everywhere the light!  The colors, hues,
   And sights!  Now raise my heart to joy from glum!
   And I am torn between the world I knew
And world of promise where my heart through portal flew!

O! Here there is a spacious, gracious gaze
   That looks upon the land with loving eye,
   That breathes a breath of peace o'er all its days,
   That raises wounded spirits high to fly,
   And drives away each doubt, each fearful sigh.
   O, see that now this portal calls to you,
   That bids you enter from the wasteland dry!
   So be not torn between the world you knew
And world of promise when our hearts through portal flew!

D. Benning
27 Feb 2018




 There is so much beauty in this image that it just called to me.  I hope that you explore the wonderful work of these two talented photographers who have teamed up to produce beauty that is almost out of this world.  Do visit their other images at Alterworld Art Stateside and be prepared to be "wowed"!

On Golden Flight

Photo by Sherry Lynn of Louisiana Dreams & Beyond Photography

Aim toward the light, my thoughts take flight;
   The brand new year and turn of day
            Sent fears away.
Yet cares weighed down and pulled toward ground
   My loosened spirit doused in gray—
            The world screamed "Nay!"

My heart in shock saw birds in flock
   That took to flight with steady ease
            With wing on breeze.
Hope stirred anew and e'er I knew
   The golden light beneath my knees
            Raised me o'er trees.

- D. Benning

Sky-Reaching Spires

"Sky-Reaching Spirals" by Sherry Lynn.
 The historic St Louis Cathedral in New Orleans.

To the skies, to the skies,
   To the clouds and then beyond!
See the highs, grasp the prize,
   Oh, that heaven would respond!

But heaven does respond:
  its portal opens,
   lays wide and discloses,
       gapes, drapes, and shapes
   and then throws, goes, and shows
       —yea, pours and showers—
its life upon the bond, the yon, and all beyond!

Enter in, embrace, behold and stare,
   then upward gaze with humbled eye;
Gone are distractions that blare.
   The spires point up to signify
       an approach to God in prayer.

- D. Benning

Same view in color, by Sherry Lynn

Meaningful Moments

Meaningful Moments.  Photo by Sherry Lynn

The clouds! the clouds!
   the wide expanse!
The green, the gray, and trackless reach,
   the covered line and reckless dance.

Oh the reck*, the fleck, the trek, and beck,
   The time and partition of the moment here!
See the green, the sheen, the unforeseen,
   The moments now soon disappear!

But silence dominates the scene,
   Presses round with deafening glare;
The birds, the duck, the wind and reeds
   Spoke whispers on the air.

My heart in hiding stirred and yearned—
   Exulted, tripped, resulted, flipped;
In pangs of longing for the peace,
   My soul pined as the sun slipped,

Slipped down behind a cloud o'er marshy lairs
   Midst sky spangled grandeur: flag, ensign, emblem, jack;
Reflective waters, pensive thoughts, and quiet hopes
   Mirror promise of everything I lack.

- D. Benning


* "reck" — worry, care or concern over.

I Contemplated Yesterday

Bayou Bonfouca by Sherry Lynn

I contemplated yesterday
   with ripples, breeze and clouds;
I pondered life and all that was—
   in mystery mirrored, unbowed.
  
I sat and watching the daylight ebb,
   flowing out to touch tomorrows;
In silence then I watched life wane
   and mused on all my sorrows.

But Life spoke "Up!" and "Look away!"
   To the sky I turned my gaze.
The sunlight voiced its quiet peace;
   while round me poured its gentle rays.

And therein found I solitude
   and nurturing balms of peace;
It's not the Past that holds my lot,
   but Future and its sweet increase.

So now I ponder my tomorrows
   with ripples, breeze and night;
The daylight ebbs but comes again
   with hope of coming light!

- D. Benning

The Magic of May

"The Magic of May" by Sherry Lynn

Like living lace it fluttered by,
   Frilly wings adorned and painted;
With ready ease it rose to fly,
   With care it was untainted.

A touch, a smell, a gentle wing—
   This creature spoke with silence;
With casual rush and iron-like cling,
   It tread among the giants.

The magic of May with wings expands,
   Midst flowers' regal beauty,
A quiet touch becomes so grand,
   By attending simple duty.

- D. Benning

An Oaken Arch

"An Oaken Arch" by Sherry Lynn

 

Tranquil!—
   Placid, peaceful, pleasant place:
Soft—
   Golden light and rimmed with lace.

Like cathedralic hallowed shrine,
   nature's room grants us access,
bids us gaze upon her love then dine,
   and feel her tender caress.

Feel the light which falls down without fears,
   Feel the air that hovers round,
Feel the thoughts that echo down through years—
   Light with mercy crowns the ground.

Where skies kiss trees with perfumed breeze,
   where sunlight falls resplendent;
An oaken arch gives way to March,
   and earth glides up transcendent!

- D. Benning

There Is Something About the Light

'Bayou Window'....on the Bonfouca by Sherry Lynn
https://www.facebook.com/Louisianadreamsphotography/

There is something about the light at day break:
   the sun-colored gold,
   the sharp defined shadows,
   the warmth of the returning sun,
      heralding promise of a new day.

The light at mid day shines harsh and steeply angled:
   the glare induced squint,
   the heat and labors of the day,
   the heaviness of the afternoon laden
       with cares, humidity and vexation.

But there is something about the light at evening:
   the golden color returns,
   the breath of a cool breeze whispers relief,
   the satisfaction of the day well-done,
       and the promise of rest to come.

- D. Benning