See It, Feel It, Find It, Live It, Respect It - DHR

As Shadows Moved Round

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Cel-Shaded Style

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See It, Feel It, Find It, Live It, Respect It - DHR

Some might say,

Evidence was first found,

Outside during the day,

As shadows moved round.

Others could contend,

That it started as a force.

Coreward extend,

Causes spinning on course.

People with crops,

Would look to the sky,

Pull out all the stops,

To harvest a ready supply.

Crew on ships,

Gazed up at night,

Saw way Ursa Major dips,

To find the guiding star's light.

The North Star becomes the center,

Half math game overhead,

Orient the circle,

And answer be read.

Looks of a celestial body,

Can be observed,

Unless the weather is shoddy,

And sky libations will be served.

A container is used,

With something inside,

Keeping players amused,

And rules abide.

Sometimes our perception,

Is altered by the scene,

Invokes more reflection,

Or feels like a dream.

Sometimes it goes fast,

Sometimes it feels like forever,

Having a blast,

Or an arduous endeavor.

Many words to measure,

Other languages and ways to represent,

Covet it like a treasure,

So you will not later repent.

Originally published on Poetry Soup website in 2026.

"...To harvest a ready supply"

Image by Steenbergen from Pixabay

Converted using Image to Cartoon Website

Cel-Shaded Style

Link: Original

"...Saw way Ursa Major dips"

Photo by Kayle Kaupanger on Unsplash

Converted using Image to Cartoon website

Flat Illustration Style

Link: Original

"Looks of a celestial body..."

Photo Taken by Poet March 13, 2025

Before Lunar Eclipse

Color Escher Art Style

"Unless the weather is shoddy"

Clouds Before the lunar eclipse...of course

Photo Taken By Poet (March 13, 2025)

Converted using Image to Cartoon Website

DC Comic Style

"Invokes more reflection..."

Image by Cornelia Gatz from Pixabay

Link: Original

Poet's Notes:

I entered this poem in a Poetry Soup contest called The Marvelous Thingamajig. The challenge was to write about an unusual object, invention, relic, contraption, artifact, or impossible device - something whose purpose is uncertain, disputed, or known only to one trembling soul.

The contest encouraged poems that created a sense of atmosphere, wonder, and "the emotional gravity of a thing that should not exist - and yet does." One instruction especially stood out to me: "Leave room for mystery. Let the object keep at least one secret."

I approached the poem as though I were writing a riddle, revealing just enough for the reader to wonder without giving everything away. The poem ultimately placed seventh in the contest. I've always been a fan of Alice in Wonderland, so perhaps that influenced my approach. Or maybe it's just the math degree. 😂

Finally, the "- DHR" at the end of the poem's title wasn't my idea - it was a contest requirement and also happens to be the initials of the contest sponsor. 😉😉 

"The Chorus That Consumes Us" - Metamorphosis Into "The Moth Effect"

Beauty in Composition

Image by neelam279 from Pixabay

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While Standing on my Poetry Soapbox:

I believe that what we learn from failure can lead to beautiful transformation. Experiences - both successful and unsuccessful - shape us as people, artists, and poets. A new perspective can become the seed of something unexpected if we allow ourselves to grow from it.

Recently, I entered a Free Verse poem into a Poetry Soup contest focused on Conspiracy Theories. Free Verse can be difficult to define because poets and readers have different interpretations of what makes a poem "free". Some people believe it should avoid rhyme and traditional structure entirely, while others focus more on freedom of expression.

Schrodinger's Bartender - What's Your Poison?

Is the cat dead or alive? Regardless, the cat isn't free... and neither is Free Verse.

Image by PixelAlexArt from Pixabay

Added Gold Frame (LunaPic website)

Link: Original

Regardless of whether my interpretation matched the contest judge's preferences, I enjoyed writing the poem. The result became a stepping stone toward another piece that I ultimately loved even more.

I submitted the following Free Verse poem called "The Chorus That Consumes Us".

The Chorus That Consumes Us

Ever have a song

Stuck in your head,

Saying you have thirst,

For sound koolaid?

Koolaid, you know,

The stuff that controls

The body metronome,

Whether moving the mind

Faster...or stopping it altogether.

Fans become cultists.

Do you have Bad Blood?

Are you Never Gonna

Not Dance Again?

Do you imagine tacos,

Magical tacos, falling out of the sky?

At concerts, do brain waves

Become one wave,

While the masses belt it out,

Swaying lighters to and fro,

Predicting the beat,

Or repeat

What words have caught hold

Over you

And taken the moths,

Flying out of leather folded homes en masse,

Flapping wing beat to song.

A plague is afoot and hive brain has won.

Is that dope, or dopamine,

Helping me work, work out, love life, escape life,

Or take in a better or more macabre scene.

Originally posted on Poetry Soup in 2026.

Poet's Notes:

It was my first Free Verse submission on Poetry Soup. It did not place in the contest, but reading the poems that DID place gave me a new appreciation for the creativity possible within the form.

More importantly, the experience inspired me. I realized that while Free Verse was an interesting challenge, rhyme and rhythm are where my natural voice often feels strongest.

Instead of abandoning the idea, I decided to transform it. That transformation became "The Moth Effect".

Yellow Moth Standing on a Backyard Hose

Or is it a Butterfly...I am not an entomologist (Disclaimer)

Photo Taken by Poet's Brother Matt Murphy

Added Frame Using LunaPic Website

The Moth Effect

Ever have a song,

Stuck in your head,

Short one or long,

Perseveres like the undead.

The radio serves us Koolaid,

When we're on the move,

Any time of the day,

Our mind starts to groove.

Heard power ballads,

When algebra quizzes occurred,

Motivation to succeed it adds,

At least, that's what I heard.

When around family kids,

Sometimes the songs they play,

Long after Adieu bids,

Haunt me on another day.

I see something good,

Falling out of the sky.

Even if I should,

I will not ask why.

Music that enters my mind,

Might not be all me.

The intuition I find,

May be a key.

Sometimes I need music,

To help me get work done,

Especially so I don't lose it,

Or to promote an atmosphere of fun.

At a concert,

Do brain waves become one.

Like at a solar eclipse,

Does a mass cover the sum.

Does it feel the same?

Are we zombies to the sound?

Belting the same lines,

With other fans in the crowd.

Is it bad to be in a cult,

When direct poison isn't served?

My eardrums, I didn't consult,

Even if the opinion was deserved.

If the moths in my wallet,

Fly away to the beat,

Does a hurricane whatchamacallit,

Spell other people's defeat?

Is the butterfly effect even real?

What happens when they're in a group?

Migrating with zeal,

On an instinctual loop.

I see a plague afoot.

The Hive Brain has won.

I never give it the boot,

Because the situation is fun.

I have Bad Blood.

I'm Never Gonna Not Dance Again.

Like a drip or a flood,

I will never say when.

Music enhances life,

Makes movies, and makes us think,

Sometimes wields a knife,

Or demands shedded tears to drink.

I will move mind over,

Give it its own track,

Feel free to takeover,

Or completely attack.

Music is in my heart,

Possesses my body and soul,

May we never be apart,

And always on a roll.

I will let the chorus consume me,

Like a thirsty vampire on a binge.

My subconscious mind is the emcee.

Let the Crazy Train infringe.

Originally published on Poetry Soup in 2026.

Poet's Notes: The Metamorphosis

Hawk or Sphinx Moth - Free From Cocoon

Converted Picture to Cartoon

Poet Placed Two Cocoons In a Jar

Found Them While Weeding the Garden

Poet's Brother Matt Murphy Took The Original Photo

DC Comic Style

A poem that did not place became the cocoon where a stronger poem formed, emerged, and soared.

Music and Memory

Musical Reflection

Image by lofisoo_art from Pixabay

Link: Original

I love this poem because it connected several pieces of my life that I had never consciously connected before. I am especially proud of this poem because it represents the creative transformation that can come from revisiting an idea.

The idea that music can influence our emotions, motivation, and identity is something I have experienced personally. When I was younger, I heard power ballads in my mind while taking algebra quizzes. Music became connected to concentration, achievement, and creativity.

My algebra teacher even played music during class, which may have strengthened that association. Years later, I earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics. Perhaps music really did have some influence on my academic journey.

The "Brainwashing" Theory (A Joke, But Maybe Not)

Poet Self Portrait While Wearing Headphones

Converted Photo to Cartoon

Added Frame Using LunaPic Website

Second Pic Took On Ipad Mini EVER

Scrapbook / Journal Anime Style

Writing this poem made me laugh because I started wondering how much music had shaped my life without me noticing.

My chemistry professor played songs by Sting & The Police at the beginning of lectures. Looking back, I wonder if my subconscious was collecting musical influences while I was learning science.

Maybe music was not controlling me - Maybe it was helping me become who I am.

A Thank You to My Mom

Graduation Picture With My Mom in May 2014

Converted Original Photo to Cartoon

Cel-Shaded Style

My late mother also encouraged my siblings and me to participate in music because she believed it helped children succeed academically. She wanted us to be involved in activities that expanded our minds.

Looking back, maybe she was part of the "moth effect" too -- not by controlling us, but by giving us experiences that shaped who we became.

Thank you, Mom. 💖

Maybe music really is one of the keys to motivation and success.

Some Fairytales - Limericks

Poet Forward Note: 

The contest invited multiple limericks on a common theme, so I chose to connect several fairy tales and legendary figures associated with the name Mary.

As a fellow Mary, I simply could not resist.

"Painting the Roses Red"

Could Not Help Thinking of the Song From Disney's Animated Alice in Wonderland

Photo by Alexandre Boucey on Unsplash

Converted it to Cel-Shaded Cartoon Using ImageToCartoon Website

Added Blue Border Using LunaPic Website

Link: Original

Some Fairytales - Limericks

Teen Girl in Front of Mystical Heaven Door

Original Illustration by Ands Mahardika on Unsplash

Added Black Border Using LunaPic Website

Link: Original

The Virgin Mary's Child (Brothers Grimm)

There was an old man with an axe,

Enough food to feed lass, he lacks,

Lass to Virgin Mary,

Heaven keys lass carry,

Lots of snacks, banishment anticlimax.

There was a door of number thirteen,

Forbidden entry with keys, remains unseen,

Teen instead of tot,

Behaved as lass ought,

Lies untold, with family convene.

Or maybe, Mary believed the fib,

Lass gained fat beyond a mere rib,

Felt guilt for the lie,

Did not want to die,

She protected her Heavenly bib.

Perhaps Mary sent her back to be poor,

Disobedience made the Virgin sore.

Lass killed wood prey,

Hard work every day,

She enjoyed it, continued evermore.

Mysterious Mr. Fox's Castle

Original Image by GBonzoms from Pixabay

Converted it to Japanese Anime Cartoon Style from ImageToCartoon Website

Converted to Ninety Percent Dark Art Effect and Added Red Border from LunaPic Website

Link: Original

Mr. Fox (English Folk Tale collected by Joseph Jacobs)

Lady Mary covets the handsome Fox,

Admittance to his lair harder than entry to Fort Knox,

She does not break in,

The evil groom will win,

Honeymoon, as bride slaughter, is indeed unorthodox.

Perhaps Lady Mary did visit the Fox castle,

Murdered women was not seen as a hassle,

Lady made a list,

Crumpled it in fist,

All the more foes to imprison and space to bedazzle.

Tinkerbell & Peter Pan Over Time

Original Photo by Ale Matei on Unsplash

Fairy Art Effect, Stained Glass Effect 33 Percent, And Border From LunaPic Website

Link: Original

Fairy Mary (Tinker Bell Series)

There was a fairy who kept order and was stout,

She kept her fairy foes working and about,

Not well-liked,

Imagine spiked,

Efficiency useful, but it doesn't erase doubt.

Maybe there was a beloved fairy instead,

Who hardly ate for all the work in her head,

Toothpick thin,

Fakeful grin,

Her smile only true while passed out in her bed.

Photograph Taken By Poet - Memorial Day Weekend 2019

Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Pittsburgh, PA

Van Gogh Exhibit - Houses at Auvers 1890

Small Town Outside Paris Where Van Gogh Spent His Final Months Painting Every Day

Queen Mary I ("Bloody Mary") / Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary

The Queen punished Protestants fierce,

Each body, another garden plot and pit pierce,

Tombstones are flowers,

Made by monarch powers,

Carriages carry corpses, require no hearse.

Rows of tools fill each station,

Bodies attached from many a nation,

Protestants in droves,

Some missing clothes,

Whatever befits their cause for damnation.

The Holy Mother of Poet would not approve,

Such speak of my mouth, with soap, she would remove,

Beliefs absolute!

Heresy! Refute!

Even a heartfelt apology could not opinion improve.

Many gardens consist of a collection,

Often of things or organisms that elicit affection,

Small changes will appear,

Light, dark, always near,

Owner's perspective could require dissection.

Originally published on Poetry Soup website on June 3, 2026.

Customized Tombstone for the Poor Unfortunate Souls

Deliberate Nod to Tombstones of Oregon Trail Game

Custom Tombstone Website: Make Your Own Tombstone 

Poet's Notes: 

I made a deliberate decision to search for fairy tales featuring a Mary. As someone who was teased about my name while growing up, choosing lesser-known stories and characters who shared my first name was, in some ways, my opportunity to be a little cheeky.

I had a great deal of fun writing these limericks and learning about stories I had never encountered before entering this contest. The poem received an Honorable Mention in the "Some Fairytales - Limericks" contest. It was also my first attempt at writing limericks, which gave me a new appreciation for the rhythm, structure, and humor traditionally associated with the form.

The tombstone at the end of the blog post is also me being cheeky. Two of my younger siblings used to play Oregon Trail and deliberately name all of the wagon party members "Mary Rae." Whenever someone died, another tombstone bearing my name would appear, much to their amusement.

As a result, the juxtaposition of a tombstone following the Queen Mary I section still makes me laugh. Consider it a small and very delayed act of sibling revenge.

When searching for an image to represent Mr. Fox's castle, I originally considered using photographs of Chateau d'If, the famous prison associated with Alexandre Dumas' The Count of Monte Cristo. I liked the idea of pairing one grim tale with another.

Ultimately, I chose an image of medieval Carcassonne instead. Unlike Mr. Fox's castle, entry to the Count's Castle merely requires a ticket fee rather than risking one's life (in matrimony). (Evil laughter ensues.)

When I tried to find a picture for the Queen Mary I section, I opted to use a photo I had taken before at a Van Gogh in Bloom event hosted by the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Garden in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, during Memorial Day Weekend in 2019. The whole building was really amazing with all these Van Gogh paintings made in flowers and plants within each section of the place.

At the entrance to the conservatory, there was a quote by Van Gogh himself. "If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere." That idea really resonates with me.

Mantis, Like All Women, A Powerful Blend

Female Fighter - Marvel Style

Original Photo by Klimkin from Pixabay

 Converted to Marvel Comic Anime Using ImageToCartoon Website

Link: Original

Mantis, Like All Women, A Powerful Blend

Born to a mainland,

With several islands of its own,

Mantis is raised,

And martial arts skills were honed.

The Priests of Pama,

Are pacifists of the Kree empire,

They wipe Mantis of her memories,

After training her with passionate fire.

Mantis was sent to Earth,

To experience life,

Mate with the strongest,

And end the warring strife.

Mantis married a plant-like alien,

And a master of the mind,

A Cotati who inhabited the Swordsman,

Her former lover, with which she allied.

Their marriage and mating,

Allowed her to give birth to her son,

The Star Child.

Thus, the life of the Celestial Messiah had begun.

Mantis, a formidable woman,

Who can fell Captain America and Thor,

Grandmaster Martial Artist,

Knows what pressure points to use in war.

She feels deeply,

And can hear many thoughts.

Speaker to many,

Expert communicator and connector of dots.

She psychically speaks with trees and plants,

Like Guardian Groot,

Appealing to the infinite plant wisdom,

To help missions bear better fruit.

Mantis can project herself,

To places far, far, away,

To make herself a compatible body shell,

And set the team up for a better stay.

Smart Strong Women Rule!

Women wear many hats.

Beware when they are protecting their young,

Especially when they are versed in martial arts spats.

A hero, a woman,

A fighter, a friend,

A mother, a lover,

Like all women, a powerful blend.

Originally posted to Poetry Soup website on June 3, 2026.

Poet's Notes: 

I wrote this poem for the Poetry Soup Contest called "Mantis as the Celestial Madonna". This poem placed 8th in the contest. I discovered the contest shortly before the deadline, so I was pleased to have enough time to complete an entry and honored that it placed.

At the time, I was looking for a creative distraction from everyday concerns. Writing about a larger-than-life character such as Mantis gave me the opportunity to immerse myself in an imaginative world of superheroes, mythology, and cosmic adventure for a while.

The Background Behind the Words

This is the Background Image that I chose to tile behind the written content on this blog. 

I combined a collection of artistic images used throughout my poetry posts with one of my favorite photographs I have ever taken from my backyard garden because of my appreciation for nature's inherent beauty.

Creativity and the natural world have always inspired me, and I enjoy allowing that beauty to infuse my writing.

AI-Generated Images Courtesy of ChatGPT for "The Tale of Two Patricks"

My brother Matt once mentioned that many people have strong reservations about the use of AI-generated imagery in creative spaces.

At the same time, I have personally found experimenting with AI image generation to be incredibly fun and creatively inspiring.

The following images were generated with ChatGPT using prompts and descriptions based on my poem, "The Tale of Two Patricks." Some images were later edited with additional visual effects through other websites and applications as part of the creative process.

Nurse Holding Baby Boy Born on March 16th in the 1950s

Generated By ChatGPT using the poet's description

Designed intentionally as a generalized illustrative scene

1967 Ford Mustang on Side of the Highway

Generated by ChatGPT using the poet's description

Holey Canoe Sinking in a Desert River

Generated by ChatGPT using the poet's description

Old movie effect added using the LunaPic website

Molotov Cocktail Truck in Gym Parking Lot

Generated by ChatGPT using the poet's description

Sunburst effect and frame added using the BeFunky website

Favorite Stanza in Various Posters

Four Poster-style images generated by ChatGPT using the poet's description

Playing Telephone at Camp Good Times

Generated by ChatGPT using the poet's description

Converted into a cartoon style (Disney) using the ImageToCartoon website

Toast with Beer or Alternative Beverage of Choice

Generated by ChatGPT using poet's description

Converted into a comic-inspired style (Marvel) using the ImageToCartoon website

I still have mixed feelings about the broader ethics surrounding AI-generated art, and I understand many artists and designers have valid concerns regarding originality, creative labor, and attibution. At the same time, I also view the process as a form of creative collaboration when detailed artistic direction, editing, and thematic interpretation are involved.

For me, these images were ultimately created in the spirit of experimentation, storytelling, and artistic enjoyment.

The Mythological Mischief and Origins of Twins Gemini

 

Planet Moon Sandwich with a Side of Gemini

Nouveau Art Effect Preserving Picture of the Sky

SkyView Lite App Photo Capture Tool

Courtesy of LunaPic Website Tools

Standard Black Border

The Mythological Mischief and Origins of Twins Gemini

The Spartan Queen Leda, 

Attracted many an eye, 

Both mortal and immortal, 

From the land or Mount Olympus in the sky. 

Zeus changed shape, 

Approached Leda as a beautiful swan. 

He seduced the Spartan Queen, 

Which led to an expecting phenomenon. 

Instead of one bun, 

Her oven had two, 

Immortally handsome Pollux and knockout Helen of Troy, 

Or, “Oh, what Trojan battles will ensue!” 

Beautiful twins, 

One with beauty that would drive all men mad, 

The other could physically knock others out. 

Boxer skills, more than looks he had. 

On the same night, mortal man Tyndareus, 

Fathered the other twin set, 

Mortal Castor and Clytemnestra, 

Matching first name letters is where familial similarity frets. 

Castor, the skilled horseman, 

Close with his immortal brother, 

Clytemnestra, Agamemnon’s wife, 

Until murder became her whim with her lover another. 

Clytemnestra invited Aegisthus into her bed, 

While husband Agamemnon was away at war. 

Agamemnon, the Commander of Greek forces, 

Once home, did not expect to become a subject of gore. 

However, in the end, Clytemnestra, 

Did not emerge from her misdeeds unscathed. 

Her son Orestes with sister Electra, 

Conspired and murdered her, as punishment for how she misbehaved. 

Elsewhere and elsewhen, twin battles ensue, 

Castor and Pollux battled men two, 

Over two women, 

And a terrible nightmare came true. 

Mortal Castor was stabbed, 

By Lynceus with a sword, 

Pollux was devastated, 

A request from his heart poured. 

Pollux approached Zeus, 

Told him the loss of Castor cut him like a knife. 

He asked to share his immortality with his brother, 

Because their bond was larger-than-life. 

Zeus sent both brothers, 

Up to the starry sky, 

To traverse the Heavens together, 

Becoming the twins Gemini.

Planet Moon Sandwich with a Side of Gemini

Dark Art Effect Preserving Picture of the Sky

SkyView Lite App Photo Capture Tool

Courtesy of LunaPic Website Tools

Blue Border

Poet's Notes:

I wrote this poem for a Poetry Soup contest titled Myth & Memory. The contest required participants to include the original source material in the poem's title and description, which proved somewhat difficult with a free-level Poetry Soup membership. The challenge itself involved creating a poetic retelling of mythology or legendary origins with a limit of 50 lines and/or 350 words.

Interestingly, I had already been working on a poetry manuscript centered on constellations and asterisms, incorporating the mythology and astrological lore associated with them. As a result, this contest arrived at an especially fitting time. While writing this poem, I even began comparing it to another poem I had written about the same mythological figures for that manuscript.

Although I did not place in the Myth & Memory contest or win the manuscript contest, I am still proud that I submitted my work for consideration. Putting creative work out into the world takes courage, and I genuinely enjoyed exploring mythology and space lore through poetry.

Life deserves more celebration for the act of creating itself - and besides, space will always be cool.