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My family backlit by the first sunrise of the new year. Blessings.

Kwansaba: Celebrating Family with Praise and Blessings #poetry #dVerse

Happy December, everyone.
Today, Grace hosts Meet the Bar at dVerse for the last time before we go on winter break. I chose to write a Kwansaba poem.

The defining features of the Kwansaba are:
• a celebration of family and African-American culture, a praise poem.
• a septastich, a poem in 7 lines.
• measured by 7 words in each line.
• written with no word exceeding 7 letters. (this was my biggest challenge)

Bless My Home

flanked between two wanings, I live you
plantin’ the light hours with loving acts
for you, for us, for our ménage
and when I meet the dusk, filled,
ready for our minglin’ at the table
where we swap slices of lived moments
of the same day, hearts swell replete

***

© 2021 selmamartin.com 

Photo: Author’s album.
Thanks for reading.
I wish you a stress-free December, full of gratitude, blessings, and family.
To you, who celebrate Christmas,
Merry Christmas, Happy Christmas, Happy Holidays.
To you, who celebrate Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice,
the new secular HumanLight,
I wish you Happy/Super/Joyous Celebrations
for any festival or tradition you celebrate.
And I wish you miracles and magic way into the new year.

Selma Martin
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This Post Has 59 Comments

  1. Ingrid

    Beautiful work with the form, Selma! ❤️

    1. Selma Martin

      I appreciate you saying. Glad you liked it, Ingrid. Be well my sweet. I bless you. xo

  2. rajkkhoja

    So beautiful sunrise back family photo. Excellent photography.👌

    1. Selma Martin

      Aww. Thanks Raj, so glad you found it to your liking. Stay sweet. sending you blessings and wishing you Happy Holidays. xo

      1. rajkkhoja

        Thank you so much, Selma. Lovely few words written poem .✍️🌷😍

  3. SamSahana

    What an absolutely delightful poem! You clearly enjoyed writing it, I KNOW, it’s just visible through your words. Season’s greetings to you and yours 💖
    And what a beautiful picture that is 😻😻

  4. Selma Martin

    Thanks for the visit, lovely Sam. I had fun writing it and staying true to the form, especially the 7-letter word size rule. But in the end love what resulted.
    Thanks for the wises. I wish you Happy Joyous Holidays. xoxo 🌲

  5. Manja Maksimovič

    What a marvellous backlit family portrait. 🙂 All well to all of you.

    1. Selma Martin

      Thanks, kind lady. Glad you viewed. Very early. Very cold. Highest spot for the first sunrise.

  6. lynn__

    A heart-warming write and family photo, Selma. May you and yours have a very Merry Christmas!

  7. Helen Dehner

    Great write! The firm is tricky and you managed it beautifully. Happy Holidays!

    1. Selma Martin

      Hi. Helen, dear, thanks for the visit and comment. Glad you liked it.
      I also loved yours. And told you so, so you know it 💕 Happy holidays to you and yours. Stay sweet 🎄

  8. Daphny Aqua

    Such a lovely poem Selma and what a beautiful picture that is. 😍💖

    1. Selma Martin

      I’m glad you enjoyed it, sweet friend. We trek up the highest point to see the first sunrise every year. This new year it’ll be just my darling and me. Oh well, life is good. Thanks for your support. I appreciate you. XoXo

      1. Daphny Aqua

        That’s gonna be one track, enjoy to the fullest dear Selma. I wish you well. 💖

  9. Tricia Sankey

    I love the idea of swapping slices of lived moments of the same day, once we are on the other side with total perception. Blessings to you and yours! 💝

    1. Selma Martin

      Tricia. Thanks for appreciating that section. I was happy how it came out too. Season blessings to you and family. Happy Holidays.

  10. Fiery Females

    where we swap slices of lived moments
    of the same day,

    It beats every other thing I read today 🙂

    1. Selma Martin

      Fiery Females, oh my, compliment of compliments! thanks so much for making me feel I did a good job today. I need the encouragement.
      May the season be peaceful and bright as it leads to the new year. Be safe and serene. I wish you miracles. xo

    1. Selma Martin

      so glad about your visit. I wish you peace and warmth in this lovely season of love. Blessings.

  11. paeansunplugged

    Selma, this is such a heartwarming write and that photo is priceless! Happy holidays and stay blessed. ❤️

    1. Selma Martin

      My sweet friend, thank you. Continue to enjoy the silent splendor of the season. Blessings.

  12. Rob Kistner

    May the joy of the season fill your heart here at the closing if the year 2021, and may peace abide in 2022. This is a most difficult time for our planet earth, and a time of turmoil for its peoples. May 2022 begin the way back! ✌🏼❤️🌎

    1. Selma Martin

      Hey, Rob. Oh yes! Amen to that sweet prayer. I want to believe we’re at the brink: we’ve reached bottom, now the only way out is UP.
      May joy, inclusion, and acceptance take us the long distance we still need to travel– for our planet and the unity of its people. Amen.
      I bless you. Happy Holidays.

  13. Lucy

    Beautifully written!

  14. Grace

    This is so lovely and touching to read Selma. May blessings of light and love continue for you and your family.

    Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

    1. Selma Martin

      So glad you read what your lovely prompt brought to light. Thank you dearly.
      Merry Christmas and A Merry Happy New Year to you. xoxo

    2. Selma Martin

      Thank you kindly for your comment, Grace. (I feel I already replied, yet, WP tells me this one is pending…) Still, I hope you don’t mind receiving two Thank yous on the same comment. Blessings of light, and may we find ourselves in the silence of the season.

  15. Cindy Georgakas

    Wonderful poem Selma and picture. Thank you so much for the follow.,. I’m so looking forward to sharing each others work! 💖

  16. calmkate

    oozes love and serenity, nice family shot … wishing you and yours happy holidays and seasonal greetings!

    1. Selma Martin

      Sincere appreciation, CalmKate. Thanks for reading. Boomeranging the sentiment of love and serenity to you and yours. Happy Holidays.

  17. WildChild47

    A most lovely and well versed and heartfelt poem Selma – kudos to you for the achievement and the love you’ve conveyed. A beautiful compliment to the wonderful family portrait – I love the idea of being together, at first sunrise – and as gleaned from your comments – very high up – and clearly, it’s cold – so what warmth growing, from the light and the togetherness. 🙂

    All the best for this holiday season, may your days and nights be filled with cheer, laughter, love, joy and peace, surrounded by family and friends as you celebrate. And of course, nothing but health and all the best for the new year to come.

    Peace and Bright Blessings my friend 💕💖💕

    1. Selma Martin

      Thanks for appreciating the poem and photo as one, my lovely friend. Your sincerity and purity of heart warms my heart.
      I too, wish you the very best in whichever way you celebrate the end and start of the year. May there be harmony and love in your heart and those who surround you in this beautiful place that is our home. Happy Holidays. xoxo Stay lovely. I keep you in my prayers.

  18. da-AL

    so beautiful. I love the idea of swapping slices. the best we can give each other is our time <3

    1. Selma Martin

      That’s the very truth. Time: making it to give away in earnest is a precious thing. And we walk different paths on the same day, so at the end of the day when we sit at the dinner table we recollect to reconnect harmoniously. Be well, da-AL. Happy Holidays, and I wish you miracles for all aspects of your lovely life. xo

  19. judeitakali

    I just saw this form on Christine Bolton’s blog and it’s amazing. Beautiful poem from you Selma.

    1. Selma Martin

      Oh, Jules, thanks for stopping by to tell me that. So glad for the encouragement. I bless you. Enjoy your holidays. xo

  20. Selma Martin

    A delight, Cindy. Blessings to you and family. 🎄

  21. Sunra Rainz

    What a gorgeous family photo, Selma! And a lovely poem, ekphrasis and kwansaba form, so fitting and seasonal 🙂

  22. Jules

    A new form – I might venture it in the new year! Soon off to spend some family time in a warmer climate.

    I am looking forward to the first day – just days away – for that ever little bit of increased daylight.

    Enjoy your holidays and all the light they bring! ~Jules

  23. Björn Rudberg (brudberg)

    Love what you did here with the form, it is so comforting to read… A place to be for you with your family.

    1. Selma Martin

      Thanks for reading my words and finding comfort in them. Blessing you and wishing you joyous celebrations with those you love. 🎄

  24. sanaarizvi

    Gorgeous gorgeous write, Selma! Wishing you Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year 2022! 💝💝

    1. Selma Martin

      Aww. Thanks for this compliment, Sanaa. Made me feel lucky.
      This week is Christmas. Yay! It’s comin’. Merry Christmas to you and loved ones, my sweet. I bless you b

  25. Jane Aguiar

    Beautiful poem and family photo, Selma 👏👏😊

    1. Selma Martin

      So glad you could relate. Thanks for checking me out. Love you. Sending you blessings. 🎄

      1. Jane Aguiar

        My pleasure🌷Love you dear 😘 I too sending you blessings👍🏻

  26. viewfromoverthehill

    Neat family photo and a poem speaking of unity and love shared. So true….Cheers, Muriel

    1. Selma Martin

      Thanks, Muriel. Glad you appreciated. I bless you.

  27. Ps

    Read mine too motivational thaughts and poetry

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