Treasures Found - 3. Chapter 3 Drudgery

I love the fighting spirit of Drudgery. It feels like a declaration of independence from that which tries to break our souls. The last stanza was a lovely way to highlight a victory over drudgery.  Nature has the same affect on me.  The haikus were delightful as each created different pictures to which I related personal experience.  Orange would love the first one.  It is so like her.  I do love your haikus.

16 hours ago, Backwoods Boy said:

Oh, yes, I do relate to Drudgery.  Thanks very much for sharing these thoughts.

Thank you, Backwoods Boy. "Treasures Found" took me on a journey I hope many relate to, and "Drudgery" is mostly about acceptance. We trust the blows are coming, we absorb them, and we persevere. All in all, I wanted each of the three main poems to bring peace of a kind. They did for me. The Haikus, a favorite form for me, are about our connection to the world around us.   Appreciate you taking some time to share your thoughts. Cheers! Gary.  

3 hours ago, raven1 said:

I love the fighting spirit of Drudgery. It feels like a declaration of independence from that which tries to break our souls. The last stanza was a lovely way to highlight a victory over drudgery.  Nature has the same affect on me.  The haikus were delightful as each created different pictures to which I related personal experience.  Orange would love the first one.  It is so like her.  I do love your haikus.

I love the way you see "Drudgery", Terry. It is as you say, a declaration, one we all need to make for ourselves as we age. The world and our experiences can test us, and we have choices as to what we can do. It's all about accepting the hard times for me. 

As far as the last stanza, when my granddaughter asks Papa those questions, serious to her, that make me smile, I know in my heart what really matters.  

Haiku are wonderful expressions of the world around us... observations in a pure and concise form. I'm pleased you found them delightful. Cheers to you and to Orange.    

2 hours ago, Aditus said:

For me, Drudgery conveys the same spirit as Lesson Learned,  hope within the daily grind that inspires us to walk on.

As in the other chapters, your haikus are sparkling gems; this is my favorite: 

If in God we trust

Do we leave it in his hands

To protect children?

Yes, that same hope lives in "Drudgery" that lives in "Lessons Learned". As hard as it might be for us to understand sometimes, coming through hardships, emotional and otherwise, are "Treasures Found"... in my opinion. I have learned many things the hard way, but I carry the patina it leaves me with some important sense of self. It can take a  while to get there, to accept such trials, but I/we must learn to treasure each day. That was the point of this entire collection for me, and I hope that comes through for readers.

Love that you chose that Haiku. It is not a traditional one, but it reflects me in so many ways. Thanks for all the support, Adi. Much appreciated. G.   

2 hours ago, dughlas said:

Drudgery, mayhaps and yet there are moments of hope and joy within.

And that is the point of this entire collection, dear friend. You know me well, and the angst I can experience for the world around me. All three of these chapters are reminders that there is good even in the bad. Thanks for coming on the entire journey with me. I have come to rely on hearing your thoughts, bro.  

Once again, Gary, you have amazed and aroused my sense of wonderment with poetry.  However, an analysis of the scope of the above would be far longer than what you presented, so I will just say --  Very well done indeed, @Headstall.  Not only the scope, sir, but the sensitivity, the seriousness, the steadfastness, the valor, the victory, the valiant verve and vitality, vanquishing the sticky syrupy, sometimes slog through the times of life when loose languid lax -- lumps -- of living appear.  

Thanks.

8 minutes ago, ReaderPaul said:

Not only the scope, sir, but the sensitivity, the seriousness, the steadfastness, the valor, the victory, the valiant verve and vitality, vanquishing the sticky syrupy, sometimes slog through the times of life when loose languid lax -- lumps -- of living appear.  

Thanks.

Hey Paul!  I gave a heart for the comment, even as I laughed my way thru this part!  Well done, if a bit overdone. 

10 hours ago, ReaderPaul said:

Once again, Gary, you have amazed and aroused my sense of wonderment with poetry.  However, an analysis of the scope of the above would be far longer than what you presented, so I will just say --  Very well done indeed, @Headstall.  Not only the scope, sir, but the sensitivity, the seriousness, the steadfastness, the valor, the victory, the valiant verve and vitality, vanquishing the sticky syrupy, sometimes slog through the times of life when loose languid lax -- lumps -- of living appear.  

Thanks.

Wow. Thank you, kind sir. I write poetry to connect with people and express what I am feeling, and I must admit the way to my writer's heart is lots of alliteration, and you deliver this grandly.    I absolutely love your final sentence... it is brilliant... and a little humbling. I have to repeat... Brilliant... and you made me laugh. Well done to you too, Paul.  

10 hours ago, raven1 said:

Hey Paul!  I gave a heart for the comment, even as I laughed my way thru this part!  Well done, if a bit overdone. 

Lol. Not overdone at all. It was masterful, and funny as hell.  

41 minutes ago, ReaderPaul said:

Terry and Gary -- I am much better at alliteration than poetry.  On GA I am finding possibly the best poetry I have ever read.  You two and @Backwoods Boy and @Aditus  and @Cynus and @AC Benus have written poetry equal to or exceeding the classical poets taught in school.  The reflectiveness, root reactions, real riveting rhythms, and remembrances triggered, all add appreciation to an interesting and intelligent examination within myself.  Thanks to all of you I mentioned. 

A toss up if this comment was going to get a "love" reaction, or an all-reaching alliterative "LOL" 🤣

45 minutes ago, ReaderPaul said:

Terry and Gary -- I am much better at alliteration than poetry.  On GA I am finding possibly the best poetry I have ever read.  You two and @Backwoods Boy and @Aditus  and @Cynus and @AC Benus have written poetry equal to or exceeding the classical poets taught in school.  The reflectiveness, root reactions, real riveting rhythms, and remembrances triggered, all add appreciation to an interesting and intelligent examination within myself.  Thanks to all of you I mentioned. 

Now that is pretty perfect poetry praise for a 'preciative poet to ponder.   Thanks, buddy. You're right that there is great poetry on GA! Cheers! 

8 hours ago, ReaderPaul said:

Terry and Gary -- I am much better at alliteration than poetry.  On GA I am finding possibly the best poetry I have ever read.  You two and @Backwoods Boy and @Aditus  and @Cynus and @AC Benus have written poetry equal to or exceeding the classical poets taught in school.  The reflectiveness, root reactions, real riveting rhythms, and remembrances triggered, all add appreciation to an interesting and intelligent examination within myself.  Thanks to all of you I mentioned. 

Wow @ReaderPaul! I loved you comment, but can't believe you favorably compared me to these great poets and writers.  I'll have to be careful not to scrape both sides of my head at the same time going thru doors for  the next week.  I did love your alliteration and laugh it gave me.  You also have a way with words, and I suspect that we may soon see you as an author or poet.  I didn't fall in love with poetry until I started to read it here. All these guys are masters of poetry.  They are also a great group that provide me both support and encouragement. 

27 minutes ago, raven1 said:

Wow @ReaderPaul! I loved you comment, but can't believe you favorably compared me to these great poets and writers.  I'll have to be careful not to scrape both sides of my head at the same time going thru doors for  the next week.  I did love your alliteration and laugh it gave me.  You also have a way with words, and I suspect that we may soon see you as an author or poet.  I didn't fall in love with poetry until I started to read it here. All these guys are masters of poetry.  They are also a great group that provide me both support and encouragement. 

You're a poet, Terry, and readers have responded to that. Believe them when they tell you they like your offerings... believe me.  As far as loving poetry, what it takes is connecting with a single poem. It all starts there, in my humble opinion.

3 minutes ago, Headstall said:

You're a poet, Terry, and readers have responded to that. Believe them when they tell you they like your offerings... believe me.  As far as loving poetry, what it takes is connecting with a single poem. It all starts there, in my humble opinion.

You're always there for me good friend!  I'll remember your words of wisdom as I continue to write.  I honestly started out afraid that no one would like my poems, but with comments like these and others I've received, I am gaining confidence.  I do agree about connecting with a single poem.  As a reader I connected with one poem, then started to read many.  As a poet, after I wrote my first poem, I suddenly found inspiration everywhere for the others I wrote.  I'm chuffed! 😉 Thanks, Gary!

1 minute ago, raven1 said:

You're always there for me good friend!  I'll remember your words of wisdom as I continue to write.  I honestly started out afraid that no one would like my poems, but with comments like these and others I've received, I am gaining confidence.  I do agree about connecting with a single poem.  As a reader I connected with one poem, then started to read many.  As a poet, after I wrote my first poem, I suddenly found inspiration everywhere for the others I wrote.  I'm chuffed! 😉 Thanks, Gary!

You're welcome, Terry. Enthusiasm and paying attention to the world around us goes a long way. I write what I feel, and I write honestly, and that seems to work for the most part.  

It was very easy for me to relate to Drudgery, because I've been fighting that battle all of my life and it never seems to change, although modern devices have lessened it somewhat, but still those same chores are there to perform. 

I loved the haikus again.  Very well done.   

9 minutes ago, Bill W said:

It was very easy for me to relate to Drudgery, because I've been fighting that battle all of my life and it never seems to change, although modern devices have lessened it somewhat, but still those same chores are there to perform. 

I loved the haikus again.  Very well done.   

Hello again.   Drudgery might not be the happiest of poems, but there is hope within it. Life has it challenges, and getting older is one of them. I try to dwell on what's good in my life, and I hope you do too.  

A couple of my favorite Haiku are in this chapter, so I'm pleased you thought well of them. Cheers!