• About…

Satin & Sand

~ Reflections on Beauty

Satin & Sand

Category Archives: Poetry

Beautiful Winter White…

07 Wednesday Jan 2026

Posted by Satin & Sand in beautiful, Lauren DiMarco, Poetry, Reflections, Snow, Winter

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

beautiful, Clarity, Lauren DiMarco, Photography, Snow, snow storm, white, Winter

©Joan Currie – My daughter, Lauren, enveloped in the snow.


In White Weather
by Joan Currie

The trail vanished.
Wind rushed past like an animal
that did not see me.
Snow came harder, then harder–
the world narrowed to breath,
to the small miracle of standing.

I lifted my hands
and they disappeared.
Nothing stayed long enough
to be named.
The storm had its own mind,
and I was inside it.

Then–listen–
something opened.
Not the sky.
Not the snow.
But the place in me
that waits for silence
before it speaks.

Ideas arrived gently,
as they do under water,
or in the shower,
clear and shining,
each one saying:
Here. This is yours.

I stayed awhile
in the great unseeing,
learning what the storm knows:
that sometimes
not being able to see
makes things more visible–
the true shape of a thought,
the calm beneath urgency,
the joy of simply being here.

When I turned back,
the lodge glowed like a promise–
lamplight, voices, heat.
I carried with me
what the white weather gave:
a rinsed mind,
a quiet heart,
and the bright understanding
that clarity does not always arrive
in light.

Where or how do you find clarity?

Beautiful New List for 2026:

31 Wednesday Dec 2025

Posted by Satin & Sand in beautiful, Daily Life, New Year's Resolutions, Photography, Poetry, Reflections

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

2026, New Year, New Year's Resolutions

© Joan Currie – New Horizons


My List
By Joan Currie

At the end of the year I unfold the paper
like a map I once trusted.
The old words look back at me-
learn this, finish that,
be better, be faster, be more.

I measure the year with a thin ruler:
checkmarks, omissions,
the ache of time spent wandering
where I thought I should have

marched.
I grieve the unused hours,
The bright mornings laid down
carelessly,
as if life were a ledger
and I had failed to balance it.

But this year refuses such accounting.
It rises instead like a bird startled
from tall grass-
sudden, radiant, alive.


How could I have predicted it?
The laughter that came unannounced.
The days so full they tipped over.
The quiet happiness that arrived
without a task list,
sat beside me,
and stayed.

None of it can be crossed off.
None of it fits in neat verbs.
and yet – how true it all was.
How necessary.

So I make a different kind of list now.
I write: notice everything.
I write: follow that which warms the heart.
I write: say yes when joy knocks softly,
and listen when it calls loudly.

Let the new year be generous in ways
I cannot plan.
Let happiness be my work,
and attention my devotion.

I fold the paper gently.
Outside, something begins anew.

Wishing you all the very best for 2026!

Beautiful Wisdom…

16 Sunday Mar 2025

Posted by Satin & Sand in Art, beautiful, Birds, Poetry, Reflections, watercolor, World peace

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Art, beautiful, Birds of Prey, Owl, Poetry, watercolor

© Joan Currie – My Northern Spotted Owl watercolor.


Wisdom in Turbulent Times by Joan Currie

The air splinters like glass–
I perch on a gnarled limb, a solitary watcher
in the fractured gloom of night,
where bitter winds gnash at a starless sky.

Below, the earth trembles with despair,
its pulse a staccato of sorrow, as the cacophony
of man’s ruin echoes through my ancient eyes.
I, the silent sentinel of twilight, bear witness
to hearts ensnared in an endless dispute.

I drift through fractured hours,
each moment a shard of broken light,
and in the rustle of dying leaves I hear
the desperate murmur of questions
scraping at the marrow of human intent.

I long for a guiding voice–
a call as steady and resolute as my own nocturnal hymn–
that might reach the steely hearts of
our world’s posturing masters,
whose empty grandstanding leaves their people trembling
at the ominous specter of what is to come.

Yet wisdom is never tender;
it is honed by the relentless edges of despair,
etched in the scars of time and the silent ache of the dark.
I, who have seen centuries unfold beneath these ageless stars,
offer my muted counsel to the chaos below.

I am afraid, yet I remain–a keeper of ancient truth–
praying that, in the echo of my solemn hoots,
a spark of reason my be kindled.
May their voices rise, clear and fierce as the cry of the night owl,
to lead us from the tempest and transform shattered hours into
the promise of a new dawn.

I pray for world peace.

Beautiful Valentine’s Day 2025…

14 Friday Feb 2025

Posted by Satin & Sand in Art, Birds, Gouache, Love, Painting, Poetry, Relationships, Valentine's Day

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Art, Birds, Epic love, Gouache, Love, Owl, poem, Poetry, Valentine's Day

© Joan Currie – My Valentine’s Day owl card series, “Whoooo loves you? I do!” Gouache.


A Love Worth Waiting For... by Joan Currie

I once believed in fairy tales, in love so vast, so bright,
A love that soared on golden wings and lit the darkest night.
I dreamed of hands that knew my own, of hearts that beat the same,
Of whispered vows in starlit hush, of love that burned like flame.

Yet time wove shadows in my path, and love became a ghost,
A wistful wish, a fleeting dream, a ship without a coast.
I wandered through the quiet years, through echoes soft and thin,
Not knowing love was biding time, still waiting to begin.

And then—you came, like summer rain, like dawn upon the sea,
A love so deep, so fierce, so true, it woke the soul in me.
No fleeting spark, no passing storm, no whisper in the air,
But something strong as ancient oaks, as certain as a prayer.

The love of ballads, sonnets bright, the love that poets weave,
The love of kings and wayard knights, of hearts that won’t deceive.
A love where laughter, wild and free, is laced with tender sighs,
Where every glance is poetry, where longing never dies.

So here we stand, with hands entwined, where fate and dreams align,
A love reborn, a tale retold—forever yours and mine.
No more a wish, no more a ghost, no more a fleeting glance,
But love, at last, as it should be—our fated, timeless dance.

I have found love again! I am so grateful for each and every glorious moment we spend together!

© Joan Currie -Another owl for my Valentine’s Day cards series of owls for my family.

Happy Valentines’s Day to all of you! ❤️

Beautiful Skating on the Last Day of the Year…

31 Tuesday Dec 2024

Posted by Satin & Sand in Art, Art studio, beautiful, Family, Gouache, New Year 2025, Poetry, Reflections, Winter

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Art, beautiful, Family, Gouache, Last day of the year, New Year 2025, Poetry, Winter

© Joan Currie – My skating with my mother and father painting. Inspired by Gayle Kabaker.


The Last Day of the Year by Joan Currie

On the pond where frost wove its glimmering thread,
Round and round on the ice, so much laughter was spread.
My father on one side, my mother’s warm hand,
Together we skated through winter’s command.

The cold held no power, our joy burned so bright,
Each smile a lantern in the soft fading light.
My father, a hockey fan quick on his feet,
My mother, a skater whose grace was complete.

Their spirit of wonder still dances in me,
Like ripples of moonlight on a shimmering sea.
Though time has now carried their voices away,
Their love is a gift I unwrap every day.

As the year softly closes, I cherish the thought,
Of the laughter and lessons their living had taught.
I hope that my children will carry their flame,
And feel in their hearts that same joyous refrain!

A toast to the the beauty of years that have passed,
To moments of love that forever will last.
On this last day of the year, as memories shine,
I feel their hands guiding, still holding to mine.

My best wishes to you for 2025! Happy New Year!  ❤️ 

Beautiful Soft Landing…

24 Tuesday Dec 2024

Posted by Satin & Sand in beautiful, Birds, Christmas, Daily Life, Painting, Poetry, Reflections, watercolor

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Birds, Christmas, holdiay, New Year, Poetry, Turtle dove, watercolor

© Joan Currie – My turtle dove watercolor painting inspired by The Twelve Days of Christmas.


A Prayer for a Soft Landing

This year I soared through skies untamed,
Where heights were thrilling, dreams unchained.
The sunlit peaks, so bold, so near,
But shadows lingered – storms appeared.

The winds of change, they howled and roared,
And turbulence I so abhorred
Shook the wings I thought were strong,
Yet somehow, still, I flew along.

The high points glimmer, bright, profound,
Moments where my heart unbound.
I treasure these, their golden hue,
And honor trials I stumbled through.

For every bruise, a lesson learned,
Through fiery paths, resilience earned.
Not unscathed, but still I stand,
A voyager, with faith in hand.

Now as this year’s horizon fades,
I pray for softer serenades.
A gentle landing, calm and clear,
To close this wild, unsteady year.

And may the winds of what’s to come,
Bring brighter skies, a kinder sun.
For though I trembled, I endured –
A stronger soul, a heart assured.

Wishing you all the very best for the holidays and a wonderful 2025! ❤️

Beautiful Wild Turkey…

22 Friday Nov 2024

Posted by Satin & Sand in beautiful, Birds, Nature, Painting, Poetry, watercolor

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Art, beautiful, Nature, Painting, Poetry, Thanksgiving, turkey, watercolor, Wild turkey

© Joan Currie – My watercolor painting of a wild turkey.


The Wild Turkey’s Vigil by Joan Currie

In the dappled light of the forest’s edge,
He struts, wary, along the bramble’s ledge.
His ruby throat, a beacon of flame,
Bobs and flickers, untamed, untamed.

Eyes wide with a primal, ancient fear,
Each rustle of leaves, each sound draws near.
A breeze, a shadow – he freezes, tense,
A sentinel poised by a fragile fence.

Down the road, domestic birds parade,
Fat and oblivious, in sun-spotted shade.
Their fates are sealed, their end well-known,
But his is a dance in the wild alone.

Will he endure the frost-kissed nights,
And coyotes’ teeth that gleam in moonlight?
Or will his feathers scatter, a fleeting trace,
Of a noble life in a ruthless place?

No table awaits his wary kind,
No cranberry sauce, no sage entwined.
Yet the woods hold stories cruel and raw,
Where survival bends to nature’s law.

I spied this wild turkey standing alone on my walk today. I have always seen him with his mate and worry that the coyotes may have taken her from him. I hope he can find a good hiding spot in the woods tonight!

Happy Thanksgiving Season! ❤️

Beautiful Witching Hour…

06 Wednesday Nov 2024

Posted by Satin & Sand in Acrylics, Art, beautiful, Poetry, Reflections

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Art, beautiful, Dreams, Poetry, Sleep, Witching hour

© Joan Currie – my acrylic on canvas painting

My Witching Hour by Joan Currie

At three, my eyes open to the soft night’s call,
A distant train’s echo, faint engines drone,
Murmur of creatures, house timbers groan,
And I’m caught in a web spun silent and small.

Yet once woken, the night takes me far-
To warm tropic waters, to sunlit sands,
To brushstroke dreams with my eager hands,
Where crimson red and blue glow like a star.

I drift in dances on shores unknown,
Beneath heavens that pierce the shadowed dome,
And revel with loved ones near the old home,
By the lake where moonlight and memories are sewn.

Then the hour fades; I’m lulled once more,
Into soft slumber’s waiting door,
Wrapped in the hush of dreams restored.

At three o’clock in the morning, I resist the temptation to turn on the light to read or sew. Rather, I lie very still and the hour overcomes me in the sweetest, best possible way.

The feeling from the song in Only Murders in the Building, performed by Meryl Streep, is aligned with how I feel during that magical hour.

Beautiful Bernese Mountain Dog…

30 Wednesday Oct 2024

Posted by Satin & Sand in Animals, Art, beautiful, Dogs, Love, Poetry, watercolor

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

animal, Bernese Mountain dog, dog, dog-breeds, Dogs, pets, Poetry, puppy, watercolor

© Joan Currie – My watercolor of my daughter’s Bernese Mountain dog.


The Boisterous Bernese by Joan Currie

There once was a dog, ninety pounds full of might,
A Bernese with a bark and a spirit so bright.
He bounded through rooms with a boundless delight,
And no rule could hold him – oh, try as you might!

With paws on your shoulders, he’d greet every guest,
A leaper, a jumper, your patience to test.
He’d wiggle and waggle, without a disguise,
Then melt all your anger with soft, pleading
eyes.

At dinner, he’d stare, nose so close to your plate,
Drooling with longing – he just couldn’t wait!
And at night, as you snuggled, in comfort to steep,
He’d plop on your bed, putting an end to your sleep.

In the bathroom, he’d trail you with passion and flair,
To keep close beside you – even into the shower!
Disobedient rascal, yet so hard to scold,
With a heart full of love, and a spirit so bold.

For though he’s a handful, your mischievous friend,
Those eyes win you over, time and again.

I think our new friend is in need of another round of obedience training!
To be continued…

Beautiful Pumpkin…

25 Friday Oct 2024

Posted by Satin & Sand in Art, beautiful, Hallowe'en, Painting, Poetry, Pumpkin, Reflections

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Autumn, beautiful, Hallowe'en, Holidays, Painting, Poetry, Pumpkin, spooky

© Joan Currie – My pumpkin painting in acrylic on molding paste with bronze and gold paint v.3

Hallowe’en Harvest by Joan Currie

On Hallowe’en, the earth bears gifts of gold,
Pumpkins swell, the squash begins to fold.

The harvest yields its bounty rich and bright,
And I give thanks beneath the autumn light.

But as I walk, the shadows start to creep,
And whisper secrets that the dark can keep.

For Samhain stirs, the Celtic year’s rebirth,
Where ghosts and goblins rise from out the earth.

My mind, so tethered to the harvest’s might,
Now feels the phantoms in the night.

The rational speaks of grain and seed,
But still, the restless spirits sow their greed.

A headless rider gallops through the gloom,
While witches weave their spells beneath the moon.

I walk between these worlds, both rich and strange –
The earth’s abundance, and the night’s wild change.

The harvest calls, yet something darker grows,
As from the underworld, the cold wind blows.

At this time of year, I feel an eerie presence swirling around me in the darkness on my walk home. As I did in my youth, I can’t help but pick up the pace and finally break into a run!

Happy Hallowe’en! 🧡

← Older posts

Archives

Copyright © 2010 – 2023 Joan Currie/Satin & Sand. All rights reserved. Do not use or reproduce without permission. Thank you!

Blog at WordPress.com.

  • Subscribe Subscribed
    • Satin & Sand
    • Join 352 other subscribers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Satin & Sand
    • Subscribe Subscribed
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...