So much Talk Of rights Not yours In companion With mine No, mine or yours Exclaimed Over and over IN ALL CAPS Making certain Everyone knows And no one Disagrees
How lonely It must be Concerned only With oneself Not interested In truly loving Another Or in understanding That our hearts Are Capable Of beating The same rhythm At any given Moment in time
Another poem from a recent writing circle with Ali Grimshaw. https://flashlightbatteries.blog/. You never know what’s going to show up on the page. And the critical voice is not invited. Love this process! ❤️
Sharing two poems today that I wrote in a recent poetry circle with Ali Grimshaw. If this is something you’ve considered participating in, check out her website. I continue to be amazed at the process and thankful for the connections. ❤️ https://flashlightbatteries.blog/
Hold the Door!
The same door Same hallway Same faces, mostly Day in, day out Oh, it’s a fine door Bright hallway Smiling faces, mostly What would happen if I changed my entrance? No, not a different door Just held this door For someone else Walked that hallway With intention Bravely met all Those faces Not just with a smile But with me Whatever me happens To show up that day- Honest, unafraid My heart open Ready to receive Ready to be received
Circles of Change
Thought I was walking Down a new path Confident change Was preparing To peak out from Around the corner At any minute Any corner… Any day now… But it remained Hidden-not ready To show its face Maybe I had been Walking around In a circle Seems I am back Where I started Or perhaps That magnetic Starting line Loosened its grip Just a bit Before gently Pulling me back Tugging at my heart Allowing time to grasp A new perspective- After all, life’s Biggest changes Are often felt, not seen
I sat with The heaviness All-day My heart wrapped In a blanket of grief The day wrapped In weeping clouds
A peak of the sun Broke my stillness Only a glance Out the window Surely I should not soak it in How could I? Amid so much suffering
That sweet sunshine Not to be ignored Determined to draw me out Shone a little brighter Bravely displaying light And shadow Simultaneously
I couldn’t keep from smiling Even as my heart Continued to cry
End of the trail. Keystone Ancient Forest. Sand Springs, OK
I participated in a writing circle yesterday facilitated by Ali Grimshaw fashlightbatteries. Time writing and sharing with this group of women was just what my heart needed. ❤️
Today, my husband and I went on a three-mile hike. It was a bit more challenging than I care to admit. 😉But the time spent with him, walking through the forest with no outside distractions, was also much-needed. I am so glad he encouraged me to keep going.
I know she said it Without a doubt Though I can’t Pinpoint one Specific instance
Wonder if that’s ‘cause I heard it so often?
I say it often enough To my students Said it to my kids When they were little Anyone feeling A bit grumpy Acting a bit Out of sorts
Do you know what my grandma always said? You can get glad in the same pants you got mad in.
Boy, do I wish I could hear Her say it One more time Pretty sure I need To hear it Or, at least, I needed To hear it Yesterday
Recipe for Success
Yes! You, too, Can be successful In just four easy steps
Study hard Work hard Work harder Retire and travel
Is that really the recipe? Seems a bit bland If you ask me
True success Is experienced only In the minuscule
A tear lovingly wiped away A raised eyebrow understood only by the one you love The sweet laugh of a child The final breath of a friend
And those are just The starting points Not four sentences In a paragraph But chapters In the narrative of your life
I continue to enjoy the poetry circle process with Ali Grimshaw https://flashlightbatteries.blog/. Such lovely connections, as well as surprises. I never know what will show up on the page. Or how the words of another will touch my heart.
-For persons Fifty years And older- It took hearing This message Multiple times From the same Advertisement Over several days Until I realized It was speaking to me- Wait…what was it they were selling? No idea! Certainly, nothing I need Yet, it did leave me With a question How did I become Part of a group Described as Fifty and older? Again-no idea! Interestingly The words “And older” Provided A glimmer of hope For the countless Inches of ground I have left to cover
I wrote this poem during a recent poetry circle with Ali Grimshaw. http://flashlightbatteries.blog/ I love this process and the people with whom I’ve been privileged to write and share. Hoping for many more opportunities! ❤️
My email inbox is quick to get overloaded. Because I tend to ignore it. Until the thousands of unread messages are overwhelming.
My daughter gets after me about this habit quite often. But she is also quick to help. And I must admit, it is a relief to see that empty inbox.
Today, its state is somewhere in between control and chaos. Cluttered, but not enough where I might miss an important message.
…like the one that arrived this morning with a swoosh.
I have met so many amazing people through the writing circle process. One of those sweet friends recently asked if I’d like to be on her mailing list. She sends a weekly letter out to a few friends.
Due to the often out-of-control state of my inbox, I almost declined. So thankful that I did not.
Her words are always timely, and today was no exception. Acknowledging the worries of this world while also brightly shining her light. Honest and challenging. Reading her words, I often find myself saying, Me,too! That fact alone places her emails at the top of my must-read column.
So, if you are feeling heavy today, you are not alone. And just as I received encouragement, long distance-may I offer some to you?
Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up. Proverbs 12:25
Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. Proverbs 16:24
Thinking I need to re-read.❤️
“All of us, at some time or other, need help. Whether we’re giving or receiving help, each one of us has something valuable to bring to this world. That’s one of the things that connects us as neighbors—in our own way, each one of us is a giver and a receiver.” -Fred Rogers
I see the notes Gracefully strung Across the staff My hands Gently fall Onto the keys Music drifts Thru the air Is this progression always the same? So many things to consider Things that may Cause my eyes to fall Leave my hands to drift The music silenced Tucked away On its pages Waiting patiently For its turn Once again To speak Drift thru the air And keep me From falling
I have been participating in writing circles with Ali Grimshaw https://flashlightbatteries.blog/ for almost two years now. Each experience reminds me that distance is not a determiner of meaningful connections. Ali provides a safe space for writing and sharing. Always with a reminder to send my critical voice to the other room.
It seems the perfect remedy For curing sadness Would be listening To a happy song- But when feeling low Who wants to hear Put on a Happy Face? Not before wallowing a bit, anyway Though it may sound silly The best medicine Just might be that familiar tune From a well-worn sad song I know it might not make sense Treating sadness With more sadness But give it a try Next time you’re feeling blue Let the melancholy notes Wash over you like an old friend One who sympathizes One who understands One who longs to take your sadness And add it to their own
Sad Songs/You’ve Got a Friend Kelley Morris, piano
Oh, that I would not Miss the chance To know you Past your likes Past your dislikes The chance To offer time As a gift for us both- After all, that is The only way We truly connect Occupying The same space In the physical In the technological Either has the ability To spark the same magic Oh, that I would not Miss the chance To know you Due to the foolishness Of a word Such as busy- Is there really such a thing, anyway?
Thanks again to Ali Grimshaw for continuing to facilitate thoughtful, poignant poetry circles. http://flashlightbatteries.blog
Sharing two poems I wrote in a recent poetry circle facilitated by Ali Grimshaw https://flashlightbatteries.blog/. I continued to be amazed at the beautiful connections made across many miles over computer screens. ❤️
At Seven
It is difficult To remember The me who Once was seven Do you find The same To be true? Oh, there are Glimpses Flashes of Childhood Aided by Photographs The reciting Of stories at Family gatherings I believe at seven Happy outweighed sad And freedom came When swinging To the sky Then bravely Jumping out It is difficult To remember The me who Once was seven But I am grateful For her spirit Continuing To reside in me Even when I’m afraid To jump out Of the swing
Tiny Boxes
Hours spent Together Make me want To remember Not just the present But every visit past- Each block of time Long or short Places another box Inside my heart Tiny boxes Full of surprises To open when Days are long Mind-wandering Tiny boxes Fighting battles Threatening To take away Focus, purpose, joy Tiny boxes Filled with Memories Of loving and Being loved
Piano Girl 