| The Poetry of Leann Marshall |
About The Author:
Born in Springfield, Missouri, and having had a father in the
Communications industry, Leann moved a few times so that
she grew up in St. Louis, Nashville, and ended up in Charlotte,
NC where she has lived for many years. She has always loved
to write. "In elementary school my friends and I would make
little 'books' out of squares of notebook paper stapled together
and write stories in them, sometimes illustrating them, too."
She says it seems like when she's in a group of people, she has
always been the one quietly observing everything going on
instead of planting herself in the center of things. "Not that
I'm anti social--I'm not--it's just the way I am. And actually
it's been invaluable to me as a writer to fall back on these
observations of people and places and things through the
years. Many writers are thoughtful observers--they'll tell you
so." Here are a few of her favorite poems. Enjoy
Born in Springfield, Missouri, and having had a father in the
Communications industry, Leann moved a few times so that
she grew up in St. Louis, Nashville, and ended up in Charlotte,
NC where she has lived for many years. She has always loved
to write. "In elementary school my friends and I would make
little 'books' out of squares of notebook paper stapled together
and write stories in them, sometimes illustrating them, too."
She says it seems like when she's in a group of people, she has
always been the one quietly observing everything going on
instead of planting herself in the center of things. "Not that
I'm anti social--I'm not--it's just the way I am. And actually
it's been invaluable to me as a writer to fall back on these
observations of people and places and things through the
years. Many writers are thoughtful observers--they'll tell you
so." Here are a few of her favorite poems. Enjoy
HOPE
IMAGININGS
IN THE SHADOW OF THE CROSS
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"In The Shadow of the Cross"
Sun-dazed
Dust-choked
air
Shadows
darken
rocky ground;
All eyes
upward
to see
the face
above them
Features drawn Agony Spikes through flesh and bone and blood spills
down, down Turns the baked soil red amid their feet yet they do not see
From within
the long
shadows
Cast upon
rocky ground
Even now
We hold
this image
In our minds
For time
invents no
change
The soil at
our feet
Still red
The crowd
Gazes upward
To see the
Face
still restless
Cursing
Crying
from the darkness
To be forgiven
Like the thief
To find the way
Have faith
To do what’s right
To step from the shadows
And into His Light
© by Leann Marshall
Sun-dazed
Dust-choked
air
Shadows
darken
rocky ground;
All eyes
upward
to see
the face
above them
Features drawn Agony Spikes through flesh and bone and blood spills
down, down Turns the baked soil red amid their feet yet they do not see
From within
the long
shadows
Cast upon
rocky ground
Even now
We hold
this image
In our minds
For time
invents no
change
The soil at
our feet
Still red
The crowd
Gazes upward
To see the
Face
still restless
Cursing
Crying
from the darkness
To be forgiven
Like the thief
To find the way
Have faith
To do what’s right
To step from the shadows
And into His Light
© by Leann Marshall
"Imaginings"
I lie upon the dormant ground
Look up
To watch a lonely falcon rise
Upon a draft
On silent outstretched wings
Up to the moon
It spirals round and round again
And soon
My harried consciousness grows wheels
Conjuring up a chariot
It tucks my racing heart inside
Then borne up by the Darkness,
(Now a fleet and winged steed)
We all at once take flight
Through swirling mists of night
Where shadowed fields of heaven lie
Then on o'er unknown hills
Brushed silver by the moon
Forgotten lands
Where unused dreams lie strewn
Above where any bird can fly
Beyond where secrets never die
Where dragons rage with fiery cry
And fairies sing their lullabies
Where words hold nothing to the wise
And faith is yet the greatest prize
Appearing real before my eyes
So filled with life and love and fight
Makes promises to never stop
(Unless should I- from some imagined dread or fright-
Pull back on shuddering reins
With all my might)
But~
Here so near
Unto the stars
Suffused within peculiar light
My eyes grown wide
With awe’s delight
And naught but
Possibilities in sight
In liberation, Psyche’s voice
Makes clear the way
To make my choice
And so give I free rein instead
Let illusion have its head
Letting go with childlike awe
To slip the bonds of earthly law
To fling my spirit through the air
To feel the cosmos in my hair
And make a vow above all things
To celebrate imaginings
© by Leann Marshall
I lie upon the dormant ground
Look up
To watch a lonely falcon rise
Upon a draft
On silent outstretched wings
Up to the moon
It spirals round and round again
And soon
My harried consciousness grows wheels
Conjuring up a chariot
It tucks my racing heart inside
Then borne up by the Darkness,
(Now a fleet and winged steed)
We all at once take flight
Through swirling mists of night
Where shadowed fields of heaven lie
Then on o'er unknown hills
Brushed silver by the moon
Forgotten lands
Where unused dreams lie strewn
Above where any bird can fly
Beyond where secrets never die
Where dragons rage with fiery cry
And fairies sing their lullabies
Where words hold nothing to the wise
And faith is yet the greatest prize
Appearing real before my eyes
So filled with life and love and fight
Makes promises to never stop
(Unless should I- from some imagined dread or fright-
Pull back on shuddering reins
With all my might)
But~
Here so near
Unto the stars
Suffused within peculiar light
My eyes grown wide
With awe’s delight
And naught but
Possibilities in sight
In liberation, Psyche’s voice
Makes clear the way
To make my choice
And so give I free rein instead
Let illusion have its head
Letting go with childlike awe
To slip the bonds of earthly law
To fling my spirit through the air
To feel the cosmos in my hair
And make a vow above all things
To celebrate imaginings
© by Leann Marshall
[This verse was written as a poetic introduction included inside my upcoming novel,
“The Rendering” http://www.leannmarshall.com/]
"Hope"
Regrets that run so deeply
Our vanity of fears
Lie jumbled in reflections
As in a house of mirrors
Where hope is not a lightning bolt
That lights up all the night
But plays amongst the shadows
’Till held captive in the light
© by Leann Marshall
“The Rendering” http://www.leannmarshall.com/]
"Hope"
Regrets that run so deeply
Our vanity of fears
Lie jumbled in reflections
As in a house of mirrors
Where hope is not a lightning bolt
That lights up all the night
But plays amongst the shadows
’Till held captive in the light
© by Leann Marshall
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