Standard

Posted by

Posted on

March 22, 2015

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

Comments

55 Comments

The Love Challenge

There are four questions of value in life, Don Octavio.
What is sacred? Of what is the spirit made?
What is worth living for and what is worth dying for?
The answer to each is the same. Only love.

— Lord Byron

Purple flowers in stone wall

Love is elusive prey,
Love curves and flows
Down lonely love’s path,
Can I find love?

Love’s flower-shaped bell rings:
Love calls to hearts,
Stony in love’s graveyard,
Can love find me?

Love weighs like stone,
Yet, somehow, love floats.

Copyright 2015 Brenda Davis Harsham

We are weaned from our timidity
In the flush of love’s light
we dare be brave
And suddenly we see
that love costs all we are
and will ever be.
Yet it is only love
which sets us free.

— Maya Angelou (from Touched by an Angel)

Note: Perhaps you read and enjoyed my poem. Perhaps you thought, that’s not how I would write about love. Perhaps the quotes have inspired you. Whatever you may have thought, I invite you to please take up your pen or let your fingers dance over the keyboard. I welcome you to join in the Love Challenge, just comment here and give me a link. I will be happy to read your poem.

I dedicate this poem to Marlyn, who invited me to take up the Love Challenge, and gave me these rules (some of which I even followed):

  • Write about love using only 10 lines. 
  • Use “love” in every line. 
  • Each line can only be 4 words long.
  • Nominate 10 or so others who are up for the challenge.
  • Let them know about the challenge.
  • Title the post, Love in Ten Lines.
  • Include a quote about love.

55 thoughts on “The Love Challenge”

  1. Dear Brenda, You left a comment for me, claiming that I stole your picture for my header. If you go to 100.000 picture on face book, you can find that picture. I didn’t steal that picture from you, I got it from face book, 100.000 picture. The way you left your comment was very offensive. But I got over it. I wasn’t thinking to answer your offensive comment, but because I like your posts I decided you need an answer. That picture doesn’t belong to any of us. It can be found in many places.

    Like

    Reply

    • Ellie, I don’t know how the picture ended up in FB. I publish to FB, and I have heard they believe anything published to FB is their property. I looked for it like you asked me to, but I couldn’t find it. Can you give me a link there? I had no intention of being offensive. That is a photograph I took with my camera, and the original is on my computer. I was just surprised to see it on your header. It’s one of my favorite photos of my neighbor’s rock wall. I would have given you permission to use it, if I had been asked, but if you didn’t realize it was mine I guess you couldn’t ask permission. You’ve called me offensive twice and you claim I accused you of theft. I didn’t accuse you of theft, I expressed surprise that you had my photo on your header. As for that photo, it belongs to the photographer, and that’s me. I guess you’re saying to me that you don’t believe it’s my photo. You don’t know me, but I wouldn’t claim ownership of something that was not my own. I feel sad that you would write me this comment. As if I had done something wrong. But I am glad you like my posts and photographs. Please consider the use of my photograph on your header a gift from me to you. I would appreciate attribution.

      Like

      Reply

      • Dear Brenda, in response to your comment, I had no idea that you took that picture. How it ended up in face book is beyond me. A lot of time I search for a picture that I saw in 100.000 picture, and I can’t find it. I didn’t see any copy right on it. I never touch pictures that I find in different places that have copy right on it. I am sorry for all these misunderstandings from my part. I will remove that picture right away. Your friend Ellie

        Like

        Reply

        • Ellie, you don’t have to remove the picture. Like I said, I would have given permission. If you’d just make a note in your about page that gives me credit, that would be enough. Of course, if you’d rather remove it, go ahead. I probably should watermark my photos, but I don’t have software to do that, and I haven’t gotten around to it. All my photos on my site are ones I’ve taken, which my about page indicates, unless the photo specifies otherwise. Have a great week ahead. Brenda

          Like

          Reply
  3. Pingback: Hands – my own; my inheritance | silkannthreades

  4. Beautiful, dear Bren! … I love this stanza in particular!:
    “Love is elusive prey,
    Love curves and flows
    Down lonely love’s path,
    Can I find love?”~
    Also the feature is lovely and Lord Byron’s verses really stand out!
    All my best wishes! Aquileana 😀

    Like

    Reply

    • Aquileana, so happy you like my poem. I found the repetition of “love” quite a challenge. I usually try to avoid any repetition. It made me squirm. But in the end, I liked what resulted, so I guess that says something about rules and rigidity. LOL Thanks for including me and lots of (((hugs))). Have a great week! Warmly, brenda

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  6. Your words of love are a wonderful read this morning Brenda 🙂
    I think you must know Love well ….
    Maya Angelou is a very wise and beautiful Spirit, her words make her immortal
    and I do Believe you are a very wise and special Spirit ( with Faery blood within I Think 🙂 with much more to give the word
    through your sight and words
    Thank you for sharing a great post to wander within
    Take Care…You Matter
    )0(
    maryrose

    Like

    Reply

    • Maryrose, I have experienced many piercing forms of love and loss, the two often go hand in hand. To love after severe loss is to push a boat out on a stormy sea without oars. To trust and have faith when it seems foolish to do it. And yet, love floats. And we float with it. And thank god for it, while it’s with us. I wish you healing and love, my friend. We all need them, don’t we? Many blessings, Brenda

      Like

      Reply

    • I love your poem, Suzy, especially: “to know/ and understand/ before I leave this flesh and bone/ at least something/ of the depth of real love.” So many questions, and such fun trying to find all the answers. 🙂

      Like

      Reply

      • Thanks so much for reading! 🙂 Sorry I didn’t notice your rules for the Love Challenge until I’d posted the comment! Don’t think I know enough writers who’d up for a challenge like that. I hope you get lots who join in. You’re very good at theses challenges Brenda – wish I was too! 😀

        Like

        Reply

        • No worries, I don’t get upset about rules. As for challenges, sometimes I like them, and sometimes I duck them, and sometimes I come back to them after time passes. I always have too much to say. It’s a failing. 🙂

          Like

          Reply

  12. I always admire the way you gather so many elements into a post. It leaves me thinking long after I have moved on, Brenda. Lovely and deep, love your original poetry and the quote, too.

    Like

    Reply

    • Thanks, Robin. I really like the idea that you think about my posts even after you’ve gone on. I try to bring together elements that all add to the main theme. I think love is those purple flowers growing on a stone wall. And love is the stone wall itself. And love is friendship, like we have. 🙂 Hugs, Brenda

      Like

      Reply

        • I wrote this and supposedly set this to post at noon tomorrow. If you don’t see it, I will be checking on my wordpress tomorrow, quickly since my son is going to come by and haul a love seat out of my apartment. I hope you don’t mind, I used “loving’ and other forms of “love” in my post. I did not quite adhere to the excellent level of your poem, but I did tell them you were throwing out a Gauntlet of Love, Brenda! Smiles!

          Like

          Reply

          • Oh, and rules breaker that I am, my post is not written in lines of 4 words and did not name any others to follow suit nor did I write the title you suggested. I am a ‘maverick’ but I gave it a shot, in my own way, Brenda. Hugs and I know you will forgive me, anyway!

            Liked by 1 person

            Reply

          • LOL Excellent! I’m glad you took me up on it. I should be editing my novel at noon tomorrow. Perhaps I’ll take a break and find it during lunch. 🙂 And following rules isn’t the important thing — living and being connected is!

            Like

            Reply

Comments welcome!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.