Gentle Rain of Thoughts: A Book of Poetry

by Anne R. Murray

Overview

Synopsis of Gentle Rain of Thoughts Gentle Rain of Thoughts is a collection of poetry by Anne R. Murray. Most of the poems are written from the authors latest novel, Wounded Heart in Flight, published in October 2015. This is the authors first published book of poetry. Anne developed interest in poetry this year through a blogging course. In addition, she has learned a Japanese form of poetry, called the haiku. Over eighty poems and one hundred haiku poems are combined in this book. Anne enjoys creative writing and free verse poetry. The author feels her heart and soul breathe in this book, setting her work apart from other writers/artists. She hopes readers will continue to enjoy reading her poetry. Her intention is to inspire others to read more.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781504960502
Publisher:	AuthorHouse
Publication date:	11/12/2015
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	120
File size:	852 KB

About the Author

Anne R. Murray’s family and origins form the foundations of her writing. The third of four daughters, she was raised with strong Christian beliefs and traditional values, surrounded by a loving family and supportive friends in the Southeast region of the United States. In her adult life, she became a dedicated educationalist and, while teaching high school there, went on to earn her Doctorate in Education. Now retired from teaching, Dr. Murray is dedicated to her writing, particularly her creative writing and free verse poetry. She also enjoys researching and takes immense pleasure in motivating and inspiring others to write. In her latest book, Gentle Rain of Thoughts, she has brought together over eighty of her free verse poems and a hundred haiku poems, allowing—as with her earlier literary works—a window to her inner self. Read more of Anne’s books to capture the heart and soul of this delightfully articulate artist. (Lindsay Johannsen, the novels McCullock’s Gold and Kevin Cassidy: The Cassidy Chronicles, along with short stories, children’s stories, travelogues, and poems of the Australian outback are all available free at www.smashwords.com/profile/view/lindsayjohannsen.)

Read an Excerpt

Gentle Rain of Thoughts

A Book of Poetry

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By Anne R. Murray

AuthorHouse

Copyright © 2015 Anne Murray
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-5049-6049-6

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CHAPTER 1

Animals


If I Were an Animal
If I were an animal,
What would it be?
A lonesome creature,
Blind as a bat,
A purring feline,
Frisky as a cat,
A barking dog,
Man's best friend,
Or a beautiful butterfly,
With colorful wings,
In a field of lilies,
And daffodils.

I would be graceful,
As a swan in a pond,
And cunning as a fox,
That runs swift and fast.
I see myself flying high,
As a bird in flight,
An eagle that soars,
And fearless,
As a lion that roars.

I would be an owl,
That knows all,
Or a coyote,
That howls,
A mischief wolf,
With piercing eyes,
A fish,
That swims upstream,
Or a whale,
With a massive tail.

To be a polar bear,
With fierce claws,
And snowy white hair,
Or a gentle giant,
An elephant,
With two huge pairs,
A giraffe,
That sees above the trees,
Or a zebra,
With black and white stripes.

Wouldn't it be nice?
To be a horse,
That gallops and carefree,
A cow,
That moos and eats hay,
A rooster that crows,
At the start of dawn,
A lamb,
With a curly wool coat,
A bunny rabbit,
That feels so soft
and funny.
What would I be?

If I were an animal.
I would be me,
For all to see,
For there are far,
Too many creatures,
In God's creation,
Each with its own purpose,
And beauty you see.


Soaring Like an Eagle
I'm soaring in the sky,
With spread wings in awe,
My spirit is free,
To roam this earth,
My soul is released,
As dust in the wind,
I am free, Lord,
I am free.

With God's grace,
And holy devotion,
I no longer hold,
This pain within,
My soul touches the sky,
And the heavens beyond,
I am free, Lord,
I am free.

I give many thanks,
As I worship You,
I am Your humble servant,
For all eternity,
For You have blessed me,
And made me whole,
I am free, Lord,
I am free.


The Buffalo
The buffalo roams,
Fierce and strong,
With bravery and courage,
It knows no fear,
For all its admirers,
As it lives on the plain.

Massive and splendid,
It is muscularly built,
To endure harsh winters,
And cold climates.
With gigantic horns,
It knows no bounds.

The Cherokees are friends,
To the great buffalo.
A symbol for fierceness,
Strength and bravery,
To all be known,
To that great spirit above.

The buffalo is slain,
As catchers approach.
It has thick wooly hair,
That makes hides all year,
Warmth for winter,
And eaten for its meat.

Why must man kill?
Such a thing of beauty,
And God's creation.

A creature of nature,
For all to see,
Just let it be.


The Wolf
The wolf symbolizes
peace of mind,
As it howls in the wind,
And calls for its
companion.

Its silver coat,
Shining brightly,
With fierce eyes,
Sparkling in the
shimmering moonlight.

It quickly descends,
From its highest point,
And joins his mate,
As they make contact,
Off the mountainous
cliffs.

No one the wiser,
As the nightly creature,
Looks for shelter
and food,
To find his pups,
Safely in their den.


Birds


Bluebird
The amorous bluebird,
How beautiful you are!
Flying limb to limb,
From tree to tree.

Careful that others
don't disturb your nest,
Of newborn babies.
You come by every spring,
To say hello and other things.

You live life passionately,
And learn to fly early.
I hear you outside my window,
As you chirp at daylight,
Each and every morning.


O' Redbird
O' beautiful redbird,
As you are flying high,
Won't you say a prayer
for me?
I've been feeling a
little blue,
When I look out the window,
To look for you in view.

You manage to feel my heart,
And send me gladness my
way. Chirping merrily as you call
your mate,
Who perches and waits,
Up above the tallest trees,
High in the sky.

Send me some sunshine,
As you do everyday.
Laughter and joy,
With happiness therein.
I watch to see your presence,
To put a smile on my face,
For you are the most
beautiful redbird of all.


The Dove
The dove represents purity,
Solid white and clean.
It is symbolic for love
towards one another.
Some believe it is a
sign from God.

The dove has a pure heart,
No evil thoughts,
Or bad deeds.
It is a way to communicate,
With people on earth.
To interact with us.

The dove represents
happiness and peace,
At Christmastime,
And winter season,
With a glorious reason.
The time to be filled
with glee and joy,
For Jesus Christ was born.


The Scarlet Tanager


A gorgeous redbird,
With back wings and tail.
It soars high in the sky,
And perches in tall trees.
It sings a call note song,
As it calls its mate.
A magnificent symbol
of vibrancy and beauty,
It's a purification and
the rebirth of my soul,
Acknowledging that
I am worthy.

The Scarlet Tanager
sings God's praises,
It sings for life,
And because it is happy.
It's determined not to give up.
To get off the ground,
And fly to higher places.

Don't forget to sing
for all of God's graces,
For His peace and comfort,
For being alive.
These are all signs from
God of His glorious gifts
to all of us, His children.


Darkness/Death


Dark Forces
Dark forces approach,
Deep and wide,
The body they engulf.
How can I fight them,
When they are ghastly at bay?
Fragility in health,
Mounting pressures,
Adding to stress.
Can none other be the
bearer of bad news?

I see a glimmer of hope,
A shimmering light,
To a grim tale's delight,
As I seek wisdom,
Peace and comfort.
My inner will is losing sight,
It takes all strength within me,
To overcome and persevere.
I feel I am losing ground,
For mortal laws have prevailed.

Have I quicken my death,
Or am I just delaying?
Is this a fool's woes,
A sinister respect of mortality,
Or a mere mention therein?


Death Angel
I feel the death angel,
Rounding the corner,
Creeping slowly toward me,
Coming closer as I take,
Another breath.
There is no fear,
No mortal warranty,
No tears are shed,
But an awesome release,
From this old cruel world.

Oh, how beautiful she is,
Soul and body,
And with her last breath,
Immortality forever,
For now her soul is free,
To roam the majestic heavens
up above,
And from there she sees,
Truth and beauty,
As it should be.

Life has come to a mortal end,
At peace and comfort,
No pain or disease,
But a treasured wonder.
The death angel has lingered,
And touched me,
In the heart,
My soul obeyed,
From all loved ones,
I shall depart.


My Fears
My inner fears,
Enter my soul,
And steal my heart.
There is no part of me,
That isn't numb,
I have no will,
As my heart is still.

I hope to cast,
These fears aside,
To allow more freedom,
And liberty at last.
Until then, my spirit
is not free,
Nor is my life.


Dreams


Dreaming
Am I dreaming an
enchanting dream?
Endearing and strong,
I fear waking from.
Full of wonder
and lust.
My love, my lover,
Is this heaven or just
a precious dream?

You always put a smile
on my face,
As I lay next to you.
So warm and tender,
I feel your love beside me,
My love grows deeper.
Your touch feels heavenly,
As we go beyond ecstasy.

My love for you
Is a fiery passion,
Alive and intense,
A strong recognition,
Of two hearts uniting.
We look into each others' eyes,
Full of teary sleep,
I kiss your sweet lips,
As I hold you close to me.

I'm in awe,
Making love to you,
Your beautiful face and body,
And wondrous soul,
There is no other,
That comforts me,
Quite like you,
Do not wake me,
From this beautiful dream.


Haunting Dreams
My dreams are haunted
by your presence,
I see your face everywhere.
You are in my thoughts,
My heart and my soul.
I can not erase you,
From my mind.
Are you real or just
my imagination?
The vision of what
I long to see,
Of what used to be.
I feel you calling me,
More and more,
As you haunt me.


Emotions/Feelings


Desires
Heightened by suspense,
Filled with excitement,
She followed her instincts,
Which gave her no guarantee,
Yet, her body craved for more.

Marked by silence,
In the pale moonlight,
She felt the mere essence
of what was to become.
Her soul wasn't in control
of her desires anymore.

Lust overcame her mind,
As she gave in to temptation,
Nothing was as it was,
This was a new beginning,
The end of old memories.


Existence
Everyday I'm in existence,
Not quite living, just existing.
Life has no mere meaning,
But to be with family and friends.
Time is meaningless,
As if to say,
It is just another day.

I am a number
In the wind,
My days are numbered,
I don't know when.
My time is near, I fear,
I leave it in God's hands,
He controls my destiny,
As if there is no other way.


Lusting For You


I am lusting for you,
All seems all right,
Seeing your face,
In the pale moonlight.

There is no other place
that I'd rather be.
Than to be right here
with you by my side.

The sight of your body,
Delights my soul,
The scent of your smell,
Makes me so very hot.

I want you,
At this very moment,
Intense and fulfilling,
As you look at me.

Your lips meet mine,
In the heavenly dream
of pure ecstasy.
Please don't let this end.

You make love to me,
As you kiss me all over,
Ours bodies intertwined.
I am in complete awe.

You are gentle,
So very gentle.
I am falling in love,
As I lust for you.


Trust
How can I trust you?
When you have lied to me,
I hear your words,
Your repeated diversities,
They make no sense,
No universal rules.

You treat me stupid,
Am I so much a fool?
Your eerie ways,
Make me suspect,
Your dishonesty
and disrespect.

Do you not respect me?
A smart, educated woman,
With a loving smile,
I once was a true beauty,
In my younger days.

I am discouraged,
As my heart dies,
Yet, I would rather be,
With a man,
Such as you,
Handsome in face,
And body to match.

So I ask you again,
Why should I trust you?
Are you not my lover?
My soul mate,
My external companion,
Or are you just a mere friend?
Your words hurt me once,
But never again.


General


Fingers
Fingers are what I use,
With no excuse,
On my personal computer,
Or calculator to add,
On my cell phone,
To text other people,
Not just alone.

My fingers key in the letters,
As they hit the keyboard,
To form words,
Poetic lines in verse,
Concise and brief,
As in elegant terse.
My fingers I use to write,
To make all look right,
As words form sentences,
There is no plight,
It is a natural process,
As my fingers take flight.

I use my fingers,
To wear jewelry,
Rings and things,
They help grasp,
What I need,
A dish, a glass,
Even a lemon seed.

I don't want to linger,
Or even mingle,
I just know my fingers,
Are a useful thing indeed.


Friends
Friends are comforting,
When I am upset.
In time of need,
They are there,
To lend a helping hand.

Friends are never failing.
They are there,
When in distress.
They don't let you down,
Even under stress.
There is no other way,
To express that
I miss my friends,
When they are so far apart.


Habits
And what of habitual desires?
A deadly mingle flows,
Blended amongst other woes.
My life was full of desire,
passion, lust, and wine
in my younger days.
No intercede conformed,
With no mere delight,
As the bitter truth begins.

I wagered in my old youth,
Expressive in new truth,
Lurking in the shadows,
I abided by no law,
With equality departed.
Free to roam the earth
with spellbound energy,
I fell to mortal sin,
And did what desired within.

In my life adrift,
I can only conclude,
I broke the golden rule,
In liberty of my death.
Have I bitten off more
than I can chew?
Or has it bit the dust?
Through and through.


Heroes
I have so many heroes,
Not just one, you see,
But many, many more,
All worth mentioning.
My parents, my family,
And my boyfriend,
Are just a few.
Let us remember,
Our first grade teacher,
Our college professor,
Our medical doctor,
And the mate loving you.

There are even more, yes indeed,
The postal master delivering mail,
The policeman directing traffic,
The preacher in the podium,
And all their responsibility.

All too often we forget,
To thank our heroes,
But I am grateful,
To have many people,
Among my friends.


My Journey in Life
I journey far and wide,
With an aching in my side,
My life's ambition,
I take with tradition,
Towards appeasing those
there abide.

I journey to the end,
As I barely bend,
Seeking purpose in my path,
From serenity to selfishly sad,
A mere mention of those
who mend.

My Special Drawer
My special drawer,
For no other eyes to see,
Contains my goodies,
My old credit cards,
Photo IDs,
And other things.
I have no qualms,
Nothing to hide,
But I love my
special drawer,
For no other eyes
can see but me.

This Old House
This beautiful old house,
Full of mystery and light.
With hard wooden floors,
That even creak at night.
High walls that breathe,
Both warm and inviting,
Welcoming in a new day,
Sending us in flight.

With life and energy,
It maintains a home.
Two brick fireplaces,
A chimney standing tall.
White wooden siding,
and a brick walk.
A white fenced gate,
With a gravel driveway.
Mansion-like with two
curving staircases,
New Orleans style.

Planted with magnificent
old trees all around.
Birds sing on the tree limbs
with a cheerful melody.
Blossoms grow in the gardens,
With beauty delight.
Spectacular grounds,
With greenery and woods.
Oh, what a lovely sight!

(Continues...)

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Excerpted from Gentle Rain of Thoughts by Anne R. Murray. Copyright © 2015 Anne Murray. Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

Contents

Acknowledgments, ix,
Introduction, xi,
POETRY, 1,
Animals, 3,
Birds, 8,
Darkness/Death, 12,
Dreams, 15,
Emotions/Feelings, 17,
General, 21,
Love/Romance, 28,
Nature, 44,
Patriotic, 49,
Regrets/Disappointments, 51,
Sadness/Sorrow, 53,
Seasons, 59,
Special Occasions, 63,
Spiritual/Spirits, 69,
Support/Encouragement, 76,
Weather, 81,
Why I Write, 84,
HAIKU, 87,
About the Author, 107,