Lillian here. Delighted as always to host dVerse, the virtual pub for poets around the globe!
It’s Monday in Boston and I’m ahead of schedule, writing out words of welcome for Thursday’s OLN (which is now today as you’re reading!). On Sunday, February 7th, my husband and I will celebrate our 51st wedding anniversary. Our 50th was supposed to be a celebratory family affair: our two children, their spouses, and our five grandchildren planned to gather in a very large rental house in Washington DC for an extended weekend. It’s rare these days when we’re all separated by distance, and the grands are in middle school, to find a block of time that fits everyone’s schedules. Needless to say, that gathering was cancelled because of Covid. We’ve not seen our son and his family since December 19th, 2019. And of course, one year later, there are still no plans for a large family gathering. One thing I’ve learned in this past year, whether or not we’re with our families in person, the love continues. We have a table grace we’ve sung ever since our children were little – it’s rather nondenominational and some would say, not very religious. It’s called “The Circle of Love.” Over the years, especially now when grandkids are at the table, it’s grown quite raucous in its singing. A joyful rendition of family! Oh how we hope we can all be together, around one table, sometime in 2021!
Which leads me to this dVerse family! I must say, I am forever grateful for Bjorn’s invitation to join dVerse some 6 years ago. What an outlet this has provided over these challenging Covid times! And now we have our monthly LIVE OLN gatherings where faces and voices are finally attached to their written words! Together, over the years we’ve weathered through the tragedies, joys, and triumphs of dVerse writers….sometimes simply by reading words in their posted poetry, other times through chat comments in our day-of-prompt announcements. And when you consider that dVerse writers come from around the globe, isn’t this then, in some ways, also a Circle of Love? Well…..”love” might be too strong a word….but for me….well I think love can take many different forms. At dVerse, I think it takes the form of acceptance and, more importantly, the simple acknowledgement of someone else’s personal thoughts – be they fiction or factual. So – on this OLN day at dVerse, I give thanks for each of you. You’ve all helped me weather through these challenging times of Covid…..and I look forward to reading your posts today. One more day down where we’re getting closer to real hugs, having people over for dinner, and traveling to see our loved ones as well as traveling for pleasure! I decided to get dressed up for dVerse today….and brighten everyone’s day with this lovely red cape. Sort of makes me feel like Wonder Woman! 😊
New to dVerse or our OLN day? Here’s what to do:
- Post ONE poem of your choice to your blog. Any form, length; rhyme or no rhyme. Your choice.
- ADD the exact URL for your poem to Mr. Linky below.
- REMEMBER to either TAG dVerse in your post, or include a link at the end of your poem that leads readers back to dVerse (https://dversepoets.com).
- If there is no Tag or link back to dVerse, I will gently remind you to add it or remove your post from Mr. Linky. Sorry to be so harsh…..but this is just part of the requirements AND it will bring you more readers and lead more folks to dVerse so they can participate as well!
dVerse 
Happy Thursday, dVerse friends! Just back from a 2 mile walk along the Charles River and ready to read some poems. Step up to the pub….what may I serve you?
Happy OLN, Lillian 😀 It’s a beautiful, beautiful night here … coffee for me please 💝
Happy Anniversary in advance! xx
Thank you for the anniversary greetings! Coffee sitting on the bar and the far end for you 🙂
Thank you! It’s perfect 💝💝
Greetings Lillian and All,
Sorry, I’m a bit slow off the mark at the start of this New Year, when I had a number of projects all up in the air at once. Just wanted to say it’s good to be back here and hopefully finding you all in good fettle and still defiant – given the difficulties we have all been going through… Bright and shiny and creative and dressed, as indeed Lillian is in bright colours as ever! Really looking forward to my reading tonight!
Nice to see you here! It started out a sunny day here…was for our 2 mile walk along the Charles River. But now it’s grey so I’m glad to be in my colorful cape! 🙂
Congratulations on 51 years of marriage, Lillian! So sorry you haven’t been able to see your family this year, but as you said, the circle of love continues. I love the cape – you a certainly a wonder woman of poetry! Thank you for hosting.
You are so kind, Ingrid. I figured, it’s gotten to be a grey winter in Boston, barely any snow – just the shivering trees and bare concrete so the cape is my way of brightening up the day! Dress bright, feel bright….or something like that 🙂
Good morning, good afternoon and good evening – that should cover every continent! Thank you Lill for hosting and for sharing your photo – you look stunning in red – and happy 51st anniversary in advance! That calls for some fizz! I really like the idea of ‘The Circle of Love’ and hope that you can sing it together, around one table, very soon. I agree with everything you say about our poets’ pub, Lill, which is indeed a Circle of Love?
Thank you for the anniversary greetings in advance! Good to see you here, Kim. It has been a grey winter in Boston….just a little bit of snow which is now city-dirty. Believe it or not, I long for a beautiful blizzard! So — I’ll wear red to cheer me up and make a brighter day! 🙂
Good evening Lillian. Thank you for hosting.
I will forever be grateful for being so welcomed and accepted when I dared to start sharing my writing with dVerse. And also for everything I’ve learnt from reading others poetry, and participating in the prompts.
You look fantastic in that red cape by the way!
A compliment on the red cape coming from redcat seems pretty hip! Many thanks. Glad to have you here. Over the years at dVerse, I’ve learned so much! I didn’t even know there were places on the web you could go to find rhyming words when I started this some 6 years ago! 🙂 It’s truly an amazing space.
Hello… It’s really a strange year… now with the house of my parents emptied waiting for its new owners we are spending our time rearranging and will probably need to get rid of more stuff here at home…. let us see where we end up. I will probably find stories from the past in all the stuff… congratulations to those 51 years… I just turned 60 so it feels strange at this time when celebrations are on hold.
Ah yes…..celebrations are definitely on hold. But we shall toast each other on Sunday night…and be grateful for every day we’ve had! I remember cleaning out my mother’s apartment after she died….and it was a small place filled with so many stories and memories in each object we touched. I imagine a full house was even more so. Thinking of you!
Heartwarming words indeed, Lillian. We’re ALL lucky to have each other, eh?
Amen to that! Good to see you here tonight, Ron!
Happy Anniversary in advance, Lillian! (That’s my younger daughter’s birthday.) Hello, Everyone. I’m pleased to be a part of this circle!
Nice to see you, Merril and thank for the Anniversary wishes! Ah yes….it’s truly a wonderful circle, right? Any beverage I can get for you tonight?
Thank you, Lillian. I never got back to see this last night. 😀
I know I’m thankful for the acceptance this family has shown me.
It’s true, right? We put our thoughts down and then we do the most incredible thing by posting them to this site….making ourselves vulnerable by sharing….one can only do that in a place that holds friendship and acceptance. That’s the pub to a T.
Thank you for being a part of it, Lillian. May you and your husband have many more happy years together.
🙂
Congratulations on you upcoming 51st. A nice introduction to your circle.
Thank you, Ron! So good to see you here tonight! I do believe the pub is an amazing circle indeed.
Hi Lillian. Thank you for hosting! :). Today’s piece K posted is a reaction to an article some extremely upsetting things going on behind the closed doors of quarantine. It pokes at a personal scar.
Good to see you here, Rob. Okay….I’m so busy “chatting” here that I’ve not had time to get to the posts. I shall in just a few moments though. Sometimes our words posted here are indeed our reaction to situations we find ourselves in….we make ourselves vulnerable at the pub, because we know our readers will understand and accept. Sometimes a reader may not like what I write or find it compelling or connect to it, but never never have they negated my feelings and thoughts. What a special gift that is!
Hello Lillian and All. Ever since Linda posted the inglenook prompt I’ve become aware of how much the poet pub has meant to me over these months of being shut in. You reinforce those warm fuzzies today. Happy Almost 51st Anniversary. To celebrate, would you please pour me a hot toddy of some kind?
Thank you so much for the anniversary wishes. Hot toddy coming right up! I think I’ll have one as well….it’s gotten grey and damp here and I’m a bit chillled. Came in from a 2 mile walk along the Charles River and once we came in, it seems the sun disappeared! Hoping to find some sun within a few of the posts tonight 🙂
You’re most welcome, Lillian, and the hot toddy is just right. Cheers!
Hello Lillian and thank you so much for hosting. You look smashing in your red cape! Congratulations on 51 years of marriage- what a n amazing milestone. I hope everyone is doing well.
So glad you like my cape! I figure, dress brightly, feel brightly! 🙂 Yes….on Sunday it will be 51 years and we are truly thankful for every day 🙂
Mazal Tov, Lillian! That is the day that my daughter will turn six-years-old!
Much love,
David
A very auspicious day indeed! 🙂
Hi Lillian. I posted a second poem today. I was so touched by Bjorn using my suggestion for War Poems, even though a medical appointment prevented me from participating, that I posted one of my “war poems” in addition to my Blackthorne episode. I know how you sometimes will delete a poem if it breaks protocol; in this case, please permit my second poem to stay up.
Well, how can I refuse that request, Glenn? I do think you could have still posted it to the war poems prompt though….did you also want to try that? I know people still are doing that and I’m still reading them as well.
51 years is a huge achievement, congrats Lillian! The red and black certainly make you look like a gentle loving powerhouse 🙂
Your lovely opening inspired my post, thank you to everyone here … you accept me, altho I haven’t yet been ‘seen’ you still engage and that’s much appreciated!
Well you must come to our LIVE OLN the next time then! We’d love to see you as well …. or some people don’t turn on their video and their name just appears but we do hear their voice as we each usually read a poem aloud. So do think about joining us! Thanks for the congrats….and somedays I just dress brightly to feel brightly! 🙂 Especially in the challenging covid times when I could just as easily stay in my bathrobe all day!
oh I couldn’t imagine staying in pjs all day!
Lillian I had my camera and microphone disconnected when I purchased this laptop, need to tech savvy person to sort it and it’s really not a priority … frankly if I got them working I could spend most of my day in zoom meetings. I belong to a professional group, my own community, etc everyone has them … so not my scene thanks.
Got it. Just glad to see you here today 🙂
Hello! You are indeed Wonder Woman …. I posted a poem created yesterday for another group … if this isn’t allowed, you may certainly remove it. Cheers, Lillian.
OLN means folks can post any poem of their choosing….quite a few folks post a poem they’ve written for some other site’s prompt…or an old poem they posted quite some time ago. That’s the beauty of OLN….no requirements. Only requirement is that folks can only post 1 poem. OLN is usually the day/night that gets the most prompts precisely because it’s open with no prompt, required form, etc. I always say, when I host OLN, it’s a good thing I type 80 words per minute or I’d never make it through all the replies to all the posts! 🙂
You certainly look beautiful in your red cape! I wont wear one, lest I be labeled “little red riding Hood”. Happy Anniversary! I am on a February Fast, well, intermitten fasting anyways from posting poetry. Personal stuff going on. I appreciate everyone here at dverse and all the welcome and acceptance you all have afforded me. It certainly is a great circle to be in. I will be reading and commenting on some.
So good to see you here, Mary. Sometimes I do believe we all need to take a bit of a break from our posting….every once in a while it can seem like a pressure to post every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and then, even more so, when we do, to try and read a lot of the other posts and reply to them. So….no worries. Just glad to see you here tonight. The circle is never closed!
Just reviewed my war poem; had posted it here in 2016, and many of you had commented on it. It includes my reading of it aloud, which is a bonus. So, hey, just re-read it, and don’t feel pressured to comment a second time; smile.
Thanks for the note, Glenn! Glad to see you here….I’ve been inundated with posts, which is what always happens when hosting OLN. No form, no prompt so anything goes and we get lots of participation which is great! I am glad though, that I can type 80 words per minute so I can get my replies in without the hunt and peck method…that would take me a week! 🙂 On to more reading….I do love it!
Hello … I also added it to the war-poem prompt… so you will still find it there
A very inspiring post for OLN. You have inspired me Lilian and I love the red outfit.
Glad you like the red cape! I sometimes need to dress in bright colors so I’ll feel more “brightly!” 🙂
Sending greetings to all, and my heartiest good wishes to you,Lillian, on your wedding anniversary. You look resplendent in those beautiful colours. May I bother you for a mug of hot chocolate, please? I’m not much of a drinker, but I do have a weakness for chocolate.
Hot chocolate coming up….just put it at the end of the bar for you. Enjoy!
And many thanks for the anniversary wishes. Thankful for every day.
Thank you! Mmmmm. Delish.
Okay folks….have been reading and commenting and chatting for 3 hours. Time to take a break…my fingers are sore from typing!!!
Key to the pub is under the plant to the right of the door. Come on in and help yourself to a beverage. The only tip I ask is for you to leave a post so I can read it in the morning! I love to imbibe words while drinking my hot cup of strong black coffee in the AM. On your way out, please do replace the key so others can find it!
SEE YOU IN THE MORNING!
sorry i am late joining in this evening a tad busy here today so i will be linking to an older post just got to pick which one after saying hello to you wonderful people. this year my family should have celebrated my 50th birthday, my parents 40th wedding annerversary, my sons and two nephews 21st birthdays and three other of my nephews were 16. we normally need to hire a hall to get the entire family together. yes i miss them all dearly
Hello, Lillian. Thanks for hosting! Hearty congratulations on your 51st Anniversary!! That’s so awesome 👏🏼🙏❤
Thank you for the anniversary wishes. Thankful for every day!
So hard….so many missing family…..so many who have lost family permanently to this insidious plague. Prayers the world recovers and vaccines are equitably and efficiently discovered over the next three to six months.
Great post Lillian and congratulations to you and your husband on your upcoming anniversary.
Glad you like the post and many thanks for the anniversary wishes!
Great summation of our thoughts as well as your. It is wonderful to have this circle of friends to share with none stop through Covid. Congratulations on your 51st anniversary. We celebrated our 51st after Christmas. Love the idea of the circle of love song. I am sure everyone enjoys it at your house!
….and a belated happy anniversary to you! It’s true right? dVerse has been a haven, a wonderful pub to escape to during these covid times!
Yes, the connections are so wonderful. I too like the virtual visits each month!
Lillian,
Happy Anniversary. What an amazing experience to be married for over 50 years. I like your red cape. Thank you for hosting and keeping this online poetry community going. I continue to be inspired by the writers here and the prompts.
Wishing you wellness and joy,
Ali
Thank you for your anniversary wishes, Ali! It is a wonderful community, right? I am always learning something at dVerse: a new form, a new word, something about a writer. I love that we always have drop-ins as well! We welcome all!
Connecting this way is a gift to us all.
Congratulations on your anniversary. I too appreciate this Pub. Even though I don’t participate regularly (it’s a muse thing) I know it’s always open and I value it and its people.
Thank you for the anniversary wishes! Thankful for every day. 🙂
We’re just always glad to see you when you do drop by. Door is always open with libations and words available for all! Not to worry about the muse thing….even being on the board as a tender of the pub for all these years, there are still some days I just can’t get it in me to put up a poem so I know what you mean. That’s all okay. So whenever the muse moves you, just come on by!
Happy Anniversary. 50 years is a huge accomplishment…
Thank you for the anniversary thought. We are truly thankful for every day. We know far too many who do not make it this far along. My very dear friend lost her husband just 6 months after they celebrated their 49th. Thankful for every day.
Anniversary blessings Lillian, and thanks for hosting OLN.
I always love tending the pub! And thank you for the anniversary wishes. Thankful for every day!
Pub door is flung wide open and I’m here again. Just finished my morning elixir – hot delicious coffee! I’ll be in and out all day so come on in and imbibe some words. All I ask for a tip for my bartending, is that you leave some words of your own to share 🙂
Lillian, you are wonder woman. That made me smile, thank you.
Thanks for hosting OLN.
Pat
Nice to see you here, Pat! I always enjoy hosting! 🙂
Happy Anniversary and yes you do look like wonder woman! I have used Mr Linky – I am a newbie to your lovely community – so hopefully it is all good.
Glad you are suitably caffeinated. I am about to go out on a walk with my mad hound on this chilly Sunday in the UK.
So VERY nice to have a newbie here at the pub! Glad you stopped in and home you come often. I’m afraid I played hookie over the weekend from the pub so will finish my reading now for this prompt. Looking forward to seeing yours!
Stop by again today, Monday, for our Quadrille Monday prompt. A quadrille is a poem of exactly 44 words, sans title, and must use the word the prompter provides, within the body of the poem. It’s a form invented at dVerse and is quite popular. Hope you’ll stop by later today to see the prompt and join us again!
Ah nice to be here – dont blame you playing hookie we all need a bit of irreverence in these mad times – seen the prompt just written my quadrille so off to post it😀 although clearly late again.