Faint lines evenly divided
the morning mist
reminding me of the lines
on staff paper, waiting
for the composer’s
song to dot its
blank lines and spaces-
Or the lines in my journal
waiting for words to
fill its blank pages
A composition of melody
and harmony working
through dissonance-
A story of life and love
acknowledging the roles
of grief and loss
I’ve never considered
any possible purpose
for the morning mist
except blurring vision
and slowing travel
Perhaps today, it was
waiting for me, curious
what I would place on
its lines and in its spaces
Whether I will allow dissonance
to permeate my day, or
be peacefully resolved
in the ebb and flow
of another day
Tag: writing
Crisis Averted
The morning air was damp-
Did I brush my hair
before stepping outside?
The feeling of hurry wasn’t helpful-
funny what makes me frantic
Well, maybe not frantic
but slightly concerned-
A dying phone battery
being away from home
bringing the wrong charger-
Purchase made, crisis averted
Sitting quietly with my
tea and my thoughts
Hopefully my curious smile
reaches past my frazzled
brain and frizzy hair
Enjoying a weekend of being surrounded by fellow writers! Writercon
Learning, relearning, and someone even said unlearning. 🤍🩶
Simply Sunday
Constantly interrupted sleep,
a cycle of words and phrases
repeating and evolving
between quiet moments.
When morning came,
the words were gone.
As if they’d never crossed my mind.
Just as I’d put aside
any attempt at recovery,
a beautiful blank slate appeared.
Its location? A pleasant surprise.
A page of blue surrounded
by white clouds and sunshine
I think my day just wrote itself.
Moment of Hope
For more than a week
The words felt stuck-
Like tears caught
In the back of my throat
Unable to complete their journey
From the heart to the eyes-
Perhaps there were too many of them
Perhaps they needed to learn
To share space
To slow down-
Taking extra care to flow freely
Only once able to provide
A moment of hope
In a world heavy with fear
Only once able to speak the words
I see you
I love you
This morning, I participated in a writing circle facilitated by Ali Grimshaw. https://flashlightbatteries.blog/ It was just what my heart needed. 🩷
Yellow Ribbon
Perfectly content
Exploring the peaceful valley
From my seat on the rock
I glanced up, noticing
Bright yellow ribbons
Winding their way
Through the mountains
As if a painter had chosen
Just the right brush
And gently dabbed
Contrasting colors
Behind the evergreens
Creating a trail that
Graciously called out –
Don’t stay in the valley
Come to the mountaintop
Follow the yellow ribbon
Until the trees disappear
Then look back
To see how far you’ve traveled
Yesterday, Gart and I traveled the beautiful roads of Rocky Mountain National Park to the Alpine Visitor Center, elevation 11,796 feet. The views were stunning. And seeing the valley we had explored the day before from above was humbling.
Traveling on high, curvy mountain roads is a challenge for me. Just the thought of it puts a knot in my stomach. In recent years, I’ve come to understand the roots of this anxiety. And I’m grateful to have someone beside me who understands, challenges, and encourages me. Oh, and also takes some amazing photos! ❤️
Photo credit Gart Morris 3 & 4
Bits and Pieces
Emotions rise and fall
One moment
Filling my eyes
And the next
Tightening my chest
Emotions rise and fall
But words are slow
To follow-
I can feel them
Sometimes see them
Coming towards me
One at a time
With no sense of order
Leaving bits and pieces
Of a story
Or a memory
Floating around in my head-
Perhaps those are the days
I most need to write
Handwriting and Technology
My stack of paper journals is growing. I love them. I love writing in them and using certain pens. But there does come a point when I must think about the amount of paper and what to do with all these journals…
An important part of my writing process is the actual handwriting. There is something about the use of cursive lettering and the way it flows. I had not considered a completely technological option…until now.
I wrote the examples below using a digital notebook. The handwriting is mine! And with one click, it was converted to text that I could edit. It is still an experiment, but I’m excited about the possibilities. Has anyone else tried something like this? I would love to hear your thoughts and experiences.
An experiment merging the past with the present while
looking to the future. The foundation is technically the
same. Feelings transferred from thoughts to words.
Visible for reading in the writer’s own script. Yet it is not
written with a pen. And not written on paper. Is it a
mystery? No. It’s an imaginative invention. Kind of
exciting, don’t you think?
Book Release Day!
Today’s the day!
Quiet Embers: A Poetry of Faith is now available at the following links. There is also a Goodreads link for anyone who reads the collection and would be willing to leave a review.
My goal in writing is always honesty and connection. My hope is for the reader to be encouraged and just maybe to think Me, too! ❤️
Special thanks again to Tara Caribou at Raw Earth Ink.
The Life of Leaves
This year carried
An increased awareness
Concerning the
Life of leaves
Usually, there’s
An excitement
With the appearance
Of new buds
A sweet sigh of relief
A sure sign of
Surviving the cold-
And, of course,
There is always
Oohing and Awing
Over their magical
Color changes in Fall-
But this year…
This year, it was
The bright green
Of newly opened leaves
That filled me with
Joy and hope-
Just like the smile
In my granddaughter’s eyes
Another poem from the writing circle. Thank you, Ali ❤️ https://flashlightbatteries.blog/
Both Places
I’m getting used to
Not knowing
What to expect
Or how to feel
Choosing
Not to view
This turn of events
In a negative light
That would be
A contradiction,
Would it not?
Light has a way of
Lifting, drawing out
Right as the heart
Begins to cry
Whether the tears
Come from the reality
Of grief’s reminders
Or from the joy
Of new life’s smiles-
Light can live
In both places
Perhaps that lesson
Is teaching me peace
Even in the not knowing
I always look forward to poetry circles with Ali Grimshaw of https://flashlightbatteries.blog/ I wrote the above poem during our most recent circle. Thankful for this space and the precious friends I’ve met. ❤️
Piano Girl 