Devorah Seidenfeld 

Brooklyn, NY 

Birthplace: Toronto, Canada; Present Residence: Brooklyn, New York; Marital Status: Married; Children: Four; Career: I am now a full time writer and poet. Published poems: "Timeless Reflections" and "Winter's Maidens" by The National Library of Poetry. I have also written a book of philosophy which I plan to have published. The book speaks about how to find your inner oasis of calm in a chaotic world, and celebrate life. Interests: Sketching, writing, sewing, music (from jazz to opera); Memberships: life member - Hadassa, Lupus Society (S.L.E.); Philosophical Statement: "Poetry touches the inner part of us that remains unaffected by society's ills. That part responds to beauty, truth, harmony, and nature. It is our truest essence. It is the soul."

An Ordinary Rose 

I saw a rose, an ordinary rose 
And this rose spoke to me, 
Pleading for attention: 
Is beauty not a need? 

I stopped to touch this ordinary rose 
And it reached out to me, 
Imparting its sweet fragrance 
To my senses gratefully. 

I saw a man, an ordinary man 
Who struggled to be seen, 
His spirit languished on the streets 
In dire neglect and need. 

I stopped to help this ordinary man 
Who struggled to be seen, 
And like the rose that bloomed with care 
He too reached out to me. 

Fate placed these roses in our midst 
So why should we complain? 
Remember who created them 
Who witnesses their pain. 

When next you meet that special rose 
That struggles to be seen, 
Remember, but for fate alone 
That could be you or me.

Autumn - Simple Pleasures 

It feels good to be alive! 

Children in their proper places 
School supplies and new shoelaces 
Flying kites in open spaces 
Pumpkins carved with scary faces 
Wish lists stored in secret places, 
Counting the days till winter 

Tawny autumn's sultry spell 
County fairs we love so well 
Handmade quilts displayed with pride 
Carousel and Ferris rides, 
"Try your luck and win a prize!" 
Maple syrup, homemade pies 
Produce, livestock, lots of flies, 
Fiddlers plucking, babies napping 
Picnics under azure skies, 
Simple pleasures, simpler times.