Why Do I Question?

Cappella della famiglia Gregorini Bingham

Storia e Memoria di Bologna

 storiaememoriadibologna.it

Humans are curious… We question, always seeking answers, ever finding more questions. Curiosity is integral to our human existence – to question is to breathe.

Questions and questions and questions
Changing moments, days, and years
Human existence is change…
But to ever what purpose?
Ahhh… the questions, always seeking
Seeking the answers, finding questions

What is my purpose?
What should be my plan?
Where shall I go?
Who can help me understand?
Why do I ask the questions?
Why do they plague my mind?

Every question is an offered path.
Each answer is the road taken.
As the chrysalis holds the secret
Of the worm’s metamorphosis,
So every riddle spoken holds
The answer to my queries.

While I breathe, I think… I ponder,
Forming catechisms of every aspect
of this life… then and now and when…
Living, growing, always in this
Always never ending inquisition…
This interrogatory examination of Life.

Questions and questions and questions…
Changing moments, days, and years…
Human existence is change…
Evolution is Life.
But…
Changes brings questions.
When I have no more questions,
I know, it only will ever be because
I no longer have breath to ask them.

by D. Denise Dianaty

© 06 October 2014

Perseverance

FOR MY SON
“Perseverance, character, and hope…” –Romans 5:4

“…and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” –Hebrews 12:1

“Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” –James 1:4

Perseverance

Never give up… Never give in…
With determination and perseverance you’ll win.

Boredom saps your drive and makes you lame;
You’ll never lie down to win your game.

Stand fast, play hard, loyal and true…
Only perseverance can carry you through.

Wildness and abandon will take you away;
From your right path you’ll be led astray.

Steadfast and thoughtful you always must be.
Persevere in the right and stand tall as a tree.

Self-serving and callous will gain you no true friend;
Alone and struggling may be your end.

Choose loyalty and honor with all whom you know;
Persevere in good company, your best character show.

The world will carry you along and diminish…
Your every word and deed darkly tarnish.

Persevere in the race and the hope of God’s Grace
Will complete and assure His Grace shines from your face.

by D. Denise Dianaty
© 21 August 2014

Pick up your own copy of my first
book of poetry at My Life In Poetry

Voices of Hope

The Players
     Angels: Afriel [penned by D. Denise Dianaty]
Zadkiel [penned by Kara Lynn Goode]
Jophiel [penned by Clive Tilley]

Humans: Son of Adam [penned by John Gabriel]
Daughter of Eve [penned by Rita L. Severino]

Introduction by angels in unison - offstage [penned by D. Denise Dianaty]

                            A trio of Angels… a-watching,
                            Guiding fragile humanity…
                            These three always and ever hoping
                            Mankind o’ercomes petty frailty…

                 Afriel: In this season of expectation
                            Afriel, angel o’Hope and Youth
                            Inspires in all new contemplation
                            Planting frail seeds of Peace and Truth

             Jophiel: I am come, not with flags and fanfares.
                            But Hope and inspiration bring.
                            Can we but take away mankind’s cares
                            And renewed, yuletide praises sing?

              Zadkiel: I am Zadkiel, the third of nine, 
                            Share my comfort and kindness,
                            Time to find a guiding light to shine;
                            Calm serenity in darkness.

                            Afriel, dear angel Jophiel,
                            What has become of brother man?
                            Do they need a reminder gentle,
                            The Christmas season is at hand?

              Jophiel: A light you seek to aid humankind
                            Th’Light given e're 2000 years
                            Yet these mortals do not seek to find
                            That sacred peace that knows no fears.

                Afriel: What more may we say to wayward man?
                            Oft and oft reminders we’ve lent…
                            Peace gives way to war since time began…
                            Burned up the hopeful Youth we’ve sent.

              Jophiel: Pestilence and plague sent t’give them fright
                            A thousand peaceful prayer desires
                            And I’ll wash away their love of fight,
                            A thousand sparks t’light cleansing fires.

             Zadkiel: Often I despair and then delight,
                            Cru-el but kind these men can be,
                            Care for more than kin on Christmas night,
                            Hope is alive ‘neath the trimmed tree.

                Afriel: Angel Jophiel, what’s that shines there?
                            Bright shines Heaven’s light upon earth.

                            Man rushes in to soothe plague’s scare.
                            They still seek peace in soul’s Rebirth.

              Jophiel: Like moths they gather beneath God’s light
                            Each holds aloft a candle flame
                            On Cringle’s eve, they pray for Earth’s plight
                            Hearts lift with carols in His name

                 Afriel: I hear the music, Hosanna’s Ring
                            Hearts and minds raised in gratitude
                            Hands lent for Hope and comfort to bring
                            Bending to feed His multitude

              Zadkiel: I hear people sing with open hearts,
                            See them joyful with season's cheer, 
                            Continuing on through fits and starts,
                            Never surrendering to fear.

      Son of Adam: The seed of Adam I am become,
                            Man’s image here on earth’s domain,
                            With sins planted on my brow the sum
                            Of all his hopes, desire and pain.

                            As we come towards the Savior's birth,
                            Not all are here to celebrate,
                            To many just  gluttony and mirth
                            Or pain and hunger is their fate.

                            Though many good men do selfless deeds
                            Not ALL men of faiths gather here,
                            Still  they will show love for those with needs,
                            Easing hunger, cold, thirst and fear.

             Jophiel: Can they sustain across a year's span?
            Zadkiel: God's love and light does live in you.
               Afriel: The Song of Heaven rings new in Man
            Angels - Unison: Son of Adam doth hope anew

Daughter of Eve: Eve's own heir, I nurture fragile life
                            Mother's faithful heart beats within
                            I hold Earth's future, my wishes rife
                            For true brotherhood to begin
 
                            As Yuletide fills each heart again
                            Their hopeful voices sing as one
                            They harmonize with righteous men
                            The advent of the Dawning Sun

                            So hearken now the joyous news,
                            The melody and each bell’s toll,
                            For in these notes my hope renews
                            That humankind can be made whole

                  Afriel: The hope renewed in Man doth shine forth
                Jophiel: In all tongues shall man’s faith increase
               Zadkiel: From lips of Man and God love shall poureth
               Angels - Unison: Daughter doth raise up Hope and Peace

                 Afriel: Harken, eternal companions mine
                            Mankind doth join Heaven’s chorus

                            Youth and inspiration brightly shine
                            They heed the call to Peace from us 

             Zadkiel: The hour is nearly upon us all,
                            From every corner gather,
                            Men who have answered His holy call,
                            Join with the Spirit Son and Father.

              Jophiel: Relived in that first star's shining light

                            Tonight, men sing 'neath His banner

                            We our tasks complete this holy night

                            Angels all now sing “Hosanna!"

Conclusion by angels unison: [penned by Kara Lynn Goode]

                            Standing vigil we stars from afar,
                            Three angels to shelter and guide,
                            Bowing to worship on the altar,
                            We shall ever be by your side.

Afriel - Traditional angelic lore informs us that this being of light safeguards young life, and is also considered to be protective of that which is youthful and tenderly growing within each of us, no matter how old we actually are. Afriel is believed to grant youth, vigor and vitality and is prayed to for these gifts and attributes. Afriel encourages newness and exploration, offering guidance to those who dare new thoughts. He inspires our spirits with hope, promise and a belief in the ideals of youth. An angel considered to be protective of children and young animals by thwarting the designs of the female demon Obizuth who would see them destroyed. He is also an angel of force (power) who may be Raphael in disguise. 

Zadkiel Angel of Prayer " An angel of solace, charity and gentleness. Zadkiel is an angel with several different identities, depending on the reference. In a Theological Discourse of Angels, by Benjamin Camfield, Zadkiel is the angel of Jupiter. Because he is the ruler of the sign of the zodiac of that planet. According to the Zohar, Zadkiel is one of two chieftains who assist Michael when the archangel goes into battle. Zadkiel is also said to be a co-chief of the order of shinanim (along with Gabriel) and one of the nine rulers of heaven, as well as one of the seven archangels presiding next to God. In rabbinic works, Zadkiel is the angel of benevolence, mercy, memory, and chief of the order of dominions. But perhaps the most common identity of Zadkiel is the one presented in the Bible, where he prevents Abraham from sacrificing his young son Isaac to God. We pray to-this sacred one for comfort when we are in need of gentle guidance. Zadkiel also kindles a desire for spiritual development in humankind. He guards the powers of invocation; the best known and most powerful form: prayer. Zadkiel will facilitate the healing and transcendence of unhealed energy generated from painful experiences so that we may realize forgiveness. Upon our request, Zadkiel will assist in our releasing, healing and transcending negative thought patterns and negative beliefs that we developed within the illusion of self defense against painful experiences and against unbalanced relationships.

Jophiel - The Archangel of art and beauty, is the patron of artists, helping with artistic projects, thinking beautiful thoughts, to see and appreciate beauty around us. Helping to create beauty at home and at work, Jophiel illuminates our creative spark by giving us ideas and energy to carry out artistic ventures. He also helps us to see the beauty in all things, including people. You know Jophiel is at work if you are searching for answers to the questions in your life and wish the greater wisdom to be revealed to you, and all of a sudden you experience flashes of insight in which everything suddenly becomes clear. ("The Beauty of God") By some accounts Angel Jophiel guarded the Tree of Knowledge in Eden, drove Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden, and watched over Noah's three sons His symbol is a flaming sword.

Son of Adam - The representative voice of wider humankind, both male and female, throughout the world. The character speaks on behalf of human society.

Daughter of Eve - The representative voice of the soul of humanity in humankind, both male and female. She speaks of the hopes for future generations.

© 2014 MomzillaNC

“Winter”

Winter

Bleak September rain 

     washes away the end of Summer…

Damp, Barber winds bluster and 

     carry away warm Summer breezes…

The hastening dance of days

     runs ever shorter in fall of Autumn color…

Brittle, dry, crackling leaves 

     fly, dance, shutter, and fall…

Fragile, crumbling refuse 

     of warmer, brighter days.

Cold winds blow,

     snaking round every corner…

Swirling, seeping, sneaking
     into every chilly nook and bower…

Breathing frigid fractals

     ‘pon the frosted windowpane…

Slithering, plundering warmth 

     and weak, dreary daylight…

From hyperboreal frozen,

     merciless, snowbound nights.

Winds howl and souls cower

     ‘neath the crawling, creeping glacial rictus…

Buried in the icy grip 

     of desolate, frozen Winter.

by D. Denise Dianaty

© 12 September 2014

Pick up your own copy of my first 
book of poetry at My Life In Poetry

Words

A poem about the power of words giving birth to poetry. Words matter. They have the power to tear down, to destroy; words can cut deeply. But, words also have the power to heal, to create, to uplift; words can be a beacon to a better future. 

The beauty in words…

Even through darkness…

Dark words seek… find light…

To carry light out of darkness.

Words to hurt

Words to heal

Words destroy

Words create

In the space between…

In the mind’s eye…

Wrenched from the void…

Forming reality of words…

Words to hurt

Words to heal

Words destroy

Words create

On flight of words…

On the precarious summit…

On the razor’s edge…

That’s where poetry is born.

by D. Denise Dianaty

© 05 September 2014

Mother Lost

An old poem from my undergrad days, of discovering buried memories in therapy – from a different time before my mother lost herself, abandoned by a patriarchy that understood nothing and cared even less.

Mother Lost

In her young heart she loved

She wanted nothing more than to give love

She wanted children, a crowd about her

A song unique for each bright star

She loved her babies, sang her joy

Gently cuddled and held them safe

Three times with ease brought to life

Blest gifts, her fair headed delights

Then came the fourth, hard fought

Ripped from her body, at last

With all  her might, the last dram of heart

At last, brought through alive

Why to look upon that face

What darkness left behind

A burden, a sorrow, each shining bright face

Take and take and take and take

Nothing more she wants now, save death

Oh no, say the doctors, the nurses, the society

Lock her away till she learns to lock down her pain

Don’t guide her back through to the light

No more songs, joyless duty and burden are hers

Her anger, her blackened soul, 

Locked behind closed doors

It’s not our concern

Send her home to her babies

No matter their plight

ABOUT MOTHER IN THIS POEM: She was so very different, so loving and attentive before all the pain, that I actually blocked out those good memories for decades -- they were just too painful to recall in light of how bad things got. The thing that always hurts me most, though, is that my two sisters who were already born, when she had the last baby, were too young to retain any of those good memories; and the baby sister never knew that loving and attentive mother at all.

Twelve years she was lost in her madness, torturing her children. The same children she'd pined for and dreamed of since adolescence; she'd only ever wanted to be a wife and mother. See, she was born blind and had to be sent off to a school for the blind, away from her family; she gained her sight later. She grew up very disconnected from them. When she was home, she was the poor little blind girl whom they all coddled and cosseted -- but never connected on a fundamental level. She wanted that closeness of family for herself and her children. That might be the most tragic thing about my childhood… the poisoning of her dream.

Still… If I could go back in time, I wouldn’t change anything; everything that happened made the person I am, gave me this “now.” I’d suffer every indignity, every torment again not to miss out on my “now.” Embrace the Joy!

by D. Denise Dianaty
© 20 August 2014

North Carolina Home Sweet Home

North Carolina images from mountain to shore

North Carolina Home Sweet Home
An homage to the North Carolina I’ve always known

Awake to a painted morning sky

Filled w’scent of magnolia and Carolina pine

Reveling in a sun-drenched landscape

Of blossoming hydrangea and myrtle, crape

With azalea blossoms and fragrant rose

Wild jasmine and hyacinth perfume kiss th’nose.

Climbing honeysuckle n’bumblebees

‘Neath sheltering oak and towering maple trees

Mountain to coast steeped in mythic lore

Where ev’ry native road leads to the shore

From homes of native red earthy brick.

A gentle, misty Southern wisdom flows thick

Wreathes the Grandfather’s Mountain spaces

Teaching unspoken lessons for the ages

Life is not hurrying – but sav’ring

In this place… this home ever unwavering

God-kissed from misty mountain to roiling shore

This North Carolina home sweet home we adore.

D. Denise Dianaty

© 01 November 2015

Pick up your own copy of my first book of poetry, entitled My Life In Poetry at D. Denise Dianaty

Through True Love’s Eyes

True love is generous and supportive; it will always set itself apart with a joy that, in comparison, exposes the manipulative self-obsession of users whose interest only ever serves themselves.

I’ve been through fire… left alone to dance…
Been pulled from the ash heap of romance…

At last set free in joy, a gift from above…
To share the soul mates’ journey of true love…

For him and me, a promise… not of ease,
But, we’ll not go alone through life’s unease.

And here you come, thinking that hope to dash,
But, I see true… your words are blackest ash…

With smiles struggling through my tears…
From new eyes I see your barren fears.

You dole out handfuls of mediocrity…
While true love is lost in your superiority.

Your every cause only kindling trauma…
Your Shanghaied pain is naught but drama…

You are nothing…raping, stealing voices of pain
From some other heart’s regret. Your pleas I disdain.
©D. Denise Dianaty
31 August 2014