Barbetta-Tenth Muse

Guess what, it's raining. Again!
You met the Umbrella Lady ( Good Mom of the East).
I'd like to introduce you to
Umbrella Man
(Stronger than new)

"Rain is coming.
Watch the sky
I'll sew the scars
in your umbrella
Keep you high and dry."

"No need to buy
a new umbrella
We bridge the gaps
You will be protected
Nothing's perfect after all
Raindrops when they fall
will be deflected."

Rain's rage never dampens
your sun-kissed head
never wash away your dreams
Old scars are blended seams
Trust my mending needle
Your binding thread."
jlB -

Good thing we had that old umbrella repaired.
Like me? Like you? Like new!
Copyright: John Lawrence Barbetta
(Candidate for in progress "Vital Illusions" collection)
Edited post-16 June 2026
Pepin, Wisconsin
“Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass...It's about learning to dance in the rain.”
― Vivian Greene (British author, wife of author Graham Greene)

Time Keeper:
There's still time! Maybe, THIS time?

Next Time
I will ride the roller coaster
Once
Before I am too old to know the fear
and nauseous consequence
I will dive to explore the coral reef
Twice
Once young
Once old
That I may better sense
all I have seen and felt.
Next Time
I will kiss those I love
Many Times
with greater passion
That they may know
without doubt or reservation
the unfathomable depth
of joy I feel to share
their sweet company.
Next Time
I will be more reckless.

jlB-
Copyright: John Lawrence Barbetta
Edited post-12 June 2026
Happy THIS Time!
just"The Old and the Reckless" me

Who is that inspired person of whom we dream?
Knight of Peace
(Camelot dreaming)

Thought-sharpened words
are his sword
Time-honed convictions
are his shield
His coat of arms exclaims
"All life is valued"
"Never Yield".

Flower, fish, bird and tree
Dolphin, mountain, sea and field
Knight protect and cherish life
Sustain hope
Banish strife.

Through chaos blaze a civil trail
Lead us to the emerald place
after which all caring hearts quest
Shared destiny; respect and grace
Empathic valley, majestic crest
Love light reveals discovery
The common-rare gift and grail
I am beloved You
You are beloved Me.

Copyright: John Lawrence Barbetta
Edited post-9 June 2026
just "Quixotic" me

June is Pollinator and Graduation month.
Same thing? I hope so.

"Grads" need not and must not compromise aspirations.
Here's a reflection inspired by this moment in time.
"Make up your mind!"
(I can't!!)

Be the Butterfly
Dip and float
Flit and flutter
Landing so light
Stained glass wings
Lift rooted souls
Wind drifting flight.

Be the Bee
Or not the Bee
Humm and Buzz
Faithful and funny
Turn sweet embrace
into inspiring honey.

Be the Bird
Fine-feathered singer
Soar through skies blue
Land on green branches
Aerial magic incites
the need to take chances
Lofty illusions linger.

Why not the flower?
Siren Source of all
Butter-Bee schemes
Fragrant Muse opens
Sealed hearts and minds
Soft petals dancing
Love partner of dreams.

jlB-
Copyright: John Lawrence Barbetta
Edited post-7 June 2026
This moment shared.:
You have the gifts to make our shared planet
a better place for ALL. (jlB)
just"Taking wings again" me/We?

Count down!
We may not be able to afford a space flight on Virgin Galactic, but a flight of imagination to view our scarred planet may be timely.
Why not catch the annual ride on the Dragon Express?
"We have liftoff."
Dreaming Dragon *
(Tour du Monde)

On the head
of the dreaming dragon
I flew.
Escape?
Thirst?
Desperation?
Abandonment?
I flew.

Wind, wonder
Carried me
Like a bit of dust
Dipping
when doubt added weight
Rising
on the will of need
Need to:
Find.
Quench.
Bask.
Embrace.

A formation of birds
Included me in their journey
A migration to where?
They sang with certainty,
passion, joy
Reassuring
my hesitant heart
Stay constant
Trust another.

We flew.
Over sands/waters/mountains
Shadow/reflected/inspired images.
We flew.
Lush valleys joyously echoed
Our coming
Throbbed sadness
Upon our departure.

Through yielding, cooling clouds
We saw the planet's life
Camels, dolphins, burros
Wild and tamed beasts
Violent and civil men
Beauty and abuse.
We heard the pain:
Wail of loss
Moan for sustenance
Cry for help
Shriek of the unwanted
We felt the cause:
Escape.
Thirst.
Desperation.
Justice.

As hearts grew heavy
Flight more difficult
A whisper of hope
From land, sea, or sky?
I know not.
A child laughing?
A family celebrating?
A cheer of affirmation?
Sweet lingering sound of reunion?
Indistinguishable.
Blended.

We renewed our song,
Stay constant.
Trust another.
We flew.
New purpose.
New faith.
Uncertain direction.

jlB - Copyright: John Lawrence Barbetta
Reprise- SpaceX with a different mission
Edited post-4 June 2026
Love to all below. Peace to all above.
just "Astro-Naught" me

Mentor Muse:
Michelangelo's sculpture, David, was a visceral inspiration
for "Stone Life".
The cry I hear: "Let Us Be All We Can Be."
StoneLife

Free Me!
I am in here.
Can’t you see?
I am in here.
Can’t you hear?
I’m here.
It’s me
touch me.

Can’t you feel?
Free Me!
I am real.
The craggy lines
that’is my wrinkled face
You can make it smooth.

Sharp chisel imagination
for splitting stone
Rhythmic, controlled strokes
Wipe my dust from your eyes.
Can you begin to see me?
I am in here!

Turn, turn
The tool of compassion
Each blow quick, whisper-even
Blow away the dust of doubt.
Trust yourself.
Can you hear me breathe?
I am here.
It’s me.

Crease gently
my hardened skin.
Reinforcing, shaping impact
There are the lines
There’s the texture.
Form refined
I am emerging.

Touch me.
Can you feel me?
Redefining rasps and rifflers
Inspired, sweeping motion
Emery words infuse the light
Features, folds, hair
Identity revealed.

I am David and the stone
that slew Goliath.
If there is enough of me,
Find his head
Place it at my feet.
If not, no matter
Victory is no less sweet.

I need no Donatello
You sculpt me with your eyes
Young “Michelangelo”,
Can you see my beauty now?
You have won the prize;
Not glitter gold
Nor, quicksilver fame
I am here.
We are free!
We have won Life’s game.

jlB- Copyright: John Lawrence Barbetta
Edited post-2 June 2026
. just "May We ALL Be Free!" me See less

Write then/now/later
Reflections on Reflections
A Second Glance

The mirror image evoked
insights of yesterdays
Someone familiar
A friend from the past
Gloaming of vesper days
Souvenirs that will last.

A visual revelation!
We must sense the link
The unbroken chain
Binds who we were then
with whom we are now
We are one chorus
We sing a single refrain.

From Our Life’s Chalice
We share an ambrosial drink
Sustenance to retain
Faith, purpose, hope
The vision to see
Who we were then
Who we are now
Who we will be.

jlB- Copyright: John Lawrence Barbetta
Edited Post-1 June 2026
Pepin, Wisconsin
Let's give it a second look. A positive connection?
just "Yesterday-Today-Tomorrow" me

The universal need of humankind and nature is respect.
The essential requisite to sustain hope is dignity.
Scream

I saw the flower weep
No butterfly came to call
The tree moaned
Leaves torn from pleading branches
by callous wind
Grasslands drowned
by drunken waters
I witnessed sweet sand washed bitter
by greedy sea
Innocent sun swallowed
by suffocating clouds
I heard the air choking
on indifference.

I heard my neighbor scream:
“I need dignity!”
I echo the scream
for the mournful flower,
grasslands and tree
Voiceless beach,
life-giving sun
Unheard neighbors
and, yes, me
Scream! Scream!
“WE ALL NEED DIGNITY”!

jlB-
Copyright: John Lawrence Barbetta- "Vital Signs"
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, etc.)
Edit: 31 May 2023
Inspired by the Edvard Munch painting The Scream,,
the pain I see, hear, and the challenges we all experience.

More "floal" inspiration:
It's about to happen again: Roadside blossoms, fields of wildflowers, fruit-bearing trees exploding with the promise of tomorrow's harvest.
Soon in a washed-out, weed-crowded wasteland,
the Ditch Lillies will make their unheralded appearance.
Ditch Lilies

They grew up on
both sides of the track
Neither one the “right” side.
They competed for sun kisses;
The compassion of angel tears
with the neglected,
the desperate, the rejected.
Their bed is silt of river road
Their voice, the song
of the rasping toad.

They bring grace
And, yes, poetry
to the prosaic
Ragweed garden.
Here Queen Anne dares
to show her lace
Proud Indian paintbrush
lifts his peace-paint face.
Bleached, brown grasses
refuse to die
Wash gully maidens
refuse to cry.

Dare to search with me
in this forsaken place
far from cultivation
this unkempt Eden
Here let us sow
Ditch lily seeds
Wild beauty inspiration
One day will grow
to fire the imagination
and lift child-poet
from hope choking weeds.

jlB-
Copyright: John Lawrence Barbetta
Annual post- 27 May 2026
!bolt! Some of my best friends are flowers.
Some of the people I most admire are "weeds". (jlB)
just"Share what is given" me