Poetry Corner
by Lawrence Spiro

Renewal is the energy of life.  Without renewal life ends. The more renewal you experience, the more alive you are.  All life forms renew to exist; our renewal is based on free will to seek peace. We have the ability to degrade or renew, while all other life forms live then cease to exist. Peace is approachable through positive effect of renewal.   

There are four different yet complementary ways to renew; first is to experience material satisfaction by endeavoring to work harder,  second, physical satisfaction by eating appropriate foods, and maintaining a life style not self injurious, third, using one’s mind to obtain knowledge and understanding, and fourth, connecting and embracing ones spiritual self. When we address one, all are affected.  They are like mixing liquids of different density. When one changes, the others are directed to a new mixture. Because all aspects are reflective you can’t negate one to benefit the other. You can’t cheat for more money or take illegal substances to feel good.    It isn’t renewal to be a cleric in name only, or to pretend to be spiritually connected for the purpose of obtaining wealth.   Any action that violates the rules of appropriate human conduct is not renewal but a degradation of one’s self. 

As we age, and physically slow, renewal becomes more logical then physical or material. The metaphor of changing seasons can be extended towards personal renewal. The season of summer bridges an awakening and the thoughts of poignant change.  Spring and summer are like wealth and health, both physical in nature.  Fall and winter are congruent to understanding and belief—logical renewals.  Summer is the maturing connection of youth and vigor to contemplative fall.
 

The following Villanelle is about renewal and the goal of our lives ~peace.

Renewal by Lawrence Spiro

            Heaven’s eye hotly shines
            will and time a summer breeze
            promised peace precious to find

            Renew your life, heart and mind
            now, in this place we lease
            Heaven’s eye hotly shines

            Head forward, straight line
            through loving lights surcease
            promised peace precious to find

            Will that is yours and mine
            is neither poor nor rich
            Heaven’s eye hotly shines

            Not to do is to resign
            to dust and wilted chance
            promised peace precious to find

            Think, speak, act your mind
            Choose life to enhance
            Heaven’s eye hotly shines
            promised peace precious to find
___________________________________________

We welcome a new contributor this month, Montauk resident Michael Berger. Michael has had several poems published locally in recent months, but this is his first in the ‘Montauk Sun.’ According to Michael, “I pay less attention to a metered pattern, more attention to visual descriptiveness. The human eye is a magnificent camera. I simply attempt to capture what I see and feel.” Enjoy!

ditch plains beach
by Michael Berger

early morning,sunrise to the east,wet suited with surfboard in hand,scanning by waters edge the vistas in between earthbound,for the right spot to embark waters way,thinking about what prompts a person to surf?;  one answer perhaps,the love of water's motion in seeking adventure,the soul of a surfer is tied by impulse of desire melding person,board,and the watery turf;  to catch a wave,wind driven,gravity bound,polarizes surfers in magnetized gyrations,keeping balance skimming the waters foward,side to side,most profound;  an ocean in motions,tides up,high waves following rhythmic beats water bound,sounds and smells of waves crashing and slashing the sandy shore around;  to ride the perfect wave,to deal in the surreal,in open horizons,vistas of natures notion regals in neptunes choiced entre point,immersed in chilly dark dank waters,dreams of nirvana in wavy motions to explore;  hot sun and salt  air,round motions of thunderous waves in store,tuck and flow of tides restore,the endless march of waves beckens to shore,spraying a shower of saltwater amour or deplore,ditch plains surfers to implore!;  the driven desires of love making in motion,on a rotation,amid the surfer and the immediacy of action,the roar of white foamed froth thunders assunder,behind seemingly death's door;   bobbing the water chest high,up and down,down and up,a big mother of motion to secure,a wave like trance upon me,a pulling up and over to respond,rip roar to explore,in balance towards shore;   feet onto board,big wet churling white headed roar of rolling thunder upon me,spraying water above and behind me,touching me,feeling you,wanting all to crash: awash away humanly flash,a dash to splash the rash surfer upon brash trashed watery curls;   still topside,heart beating in rapid retorts,a watery wavery wonder withstood,the driving force  wind driven loud snaps cho-choing sounds in locomotion propelling me foward.dancing in motion,roaring in devotion,moaning in lotion,motion in commotion,formenting watery swirls;   the mother of life...mother of watery devotion,going the limit a surfer's lament,shoreline approaching,the board arching foward and up,all that is left is the foam and froth of a conquered wave,no wipeout this time,the razzle dazzled pride of a ride remains.....be it so brave!;         ditch plains beach,montauk's famous surfing location,known for the best waves in the hamptons,surfers gleen,glisten,and glimmer in watery wonderment of the ceaseless display of mighty waves in store to explore,more amour i might endure,enchantment secure,a shining exponent of misty montauk's mystifying mistique unfurled!;,,,,,,,,,,,so it goes/mb

If you have any comments or poems, email me at larryspiro@aol.com. Include permission to publish if you are so inclined.