passion lives in the wind
and in every pocket of your skin
just as magic resides
in our hearts and minds
Do you remember how it felt when kindness reigned the night?
love burned brighter than it’s ever been
caressing every tree limb
while dripping with a gentle touch
it’s just enough
to know you are there, and I am here
waiting upon your kiss carried on the wind
like seeds floating through the atmosphere
the membrane between you and I becomes thin
Photo by David_Do, Pixabay
As it is officially Spring in this area of the world, I am preparing to participate in the Community Garden again this year. Last year was my first year with this garden, and I am excited to participate again. As you can see in the picture above, there is a lot of work to do!
This past month, I also completed the purchase of a painting from two of our blogger friends, Giada and Labrum, of Multidimensional Art. The painting was one that Labrum created specifically for me, and I love it. If you’ve not yet checked out Giada and Labrum’s site, I recommend you do. Giada writes wonderful poetry, and Labrum’s paintings are amazing.
I also took a trip to the coast in March. I usually go to Yachats, OR, and did so again in March. I grew up at the beach, and so I like to visit the ocean every couple of months. I always have a wonderful time walking along the coast, contemplating life, and just being with myself and nature. It’s glorious.
The department completed the spring schedule this month, and I am excited about some of the new in person classes we have this term. We also launched our CDL (Commercial Drivers License) program this week, and it is going wonderfully.
Right now, we have more people registered for classes and training since the pandemic started, which means we are serving more people, and are reaching these same community members with access to education they need. A wonderful feeling.
As you know, I was voted Spillwords Press Author of the Month for January and February, which is a huge honor. I would like to thank each of you again for your continued support. You are appreciated immensely, and I am lucky to have each of you in my life. If you missed the Q&A Interview I did with Spillwords, you can find it here.
I am continuing to write for my debut poetry book, and am on a timeline that includes writing for the book through April, editing in May, and sending it to Ingrid Wilson, of Experiments in Fiction in late May, early June. Ingrid and I are currently working on cover design. Exciting!
My blogging schedule has changed again this year, to make space for writing my book, and to write for the publications at MasticadoresIndia and MasticadoresUSA. I’ve created the goal of posting two to three times a week on my blog, which I am meeting at this time.
I would like to thank you all again for supporting me by continuing to visit MasticadoresIndia and MasticadoresUSA to read my poetry. The response to the poems I have published on these sites has been amazing, and I’m honored each time you visit these sites to read my poetry. Thank you.
For the past couple of months, I’ve been reflecting upon how I can give back to our writing community.
Over the past year, I’ve purchased many books that our writing community has produced, and this year, I’ve decided to write reviews of these books. I’m excited about this reading and writing project, and look forward to sharing the reviews with you.
My goal is to write at least one review each month, and thus far I am on par with this goal. Here are my reviews of two amazing books.
In the book, As Delicate as Snow, Shobana Gomes weaves a tale of magic, mystery, and suspense. Shobana’s use of snow as an additional character in this love story guides the reader inward, toward an exploration of wondrously delicate and beautiful imagery, and profound feelings, from the angst of meeting a new potential lover, to the love that blossoms in ones heart at the realization of true love. As Delicate As Snow will make you believe in true love again. I highly recommend this beautiful love story, by Shobana Gomes.
Being a Woman Forthcoming is a collection of poetry and prose that stirs the soul. Michele Lee Sefton takes the reader on a journey of self-discovery, through important social justice issues, such as gender discrimination, and also reminds us to honor our mothers. Being a Woman Forthcoming is a powerful read, full of empowering prose and poetry, inviting the reader to look within and contemplate issues that affect us all, from the personal to the global. I highly recommend Being A Woman Forthcoming, and thank Michele Lee Sefton for gifting us this wonderful work.
These books are wonderful, and I highly recommend them.
I will continue to contemplate how I can give back to our community this year, and will have more ideas and insights about future projects and contributions I can make to do my part to ensure that the vitality and vibrancy of our community continues.
That’s all for this month. Thank you to each of you again for being such wonderful friends. I am honored to know you, and feel blessed everyday to be a part of this amazing community of talented and gifted human beings.
Sending you all my love for a wonderfully blessed April.
the tree climbs through my veins
a richness profane
like a sacred text masquerade
speaking to me of burnt amber
and a subtle and textured decanter
filled with life brimming within its core
Have you ever felt this kind of love before?
it’s just around the corner from here
in a field made from love gifted true
and as I kept watch, you grew
while the feelings ran through
like the magic already living inside of you
Photo by David_Do, Pixabay
Recently, David, of The Skeptic’s Kaddish launched an initiative called, Poetry Partners. It is an amazing initiative, which invites poets to submit a poem, and then David writes a response poem. I contemplated a poem to send to David for some time, and then finally did about a month ago.
Here is the poem I sent to David.
a lining of silver
I sit atop a tower, looking down
at the flowers briar,
calling to me at all hours
it is
beauty
seen
in
the myriad contours and folds of life’s road —
gold
and shining in the afternoon sun,
watching from afar,
they run
frolicking in nature’s bounty, like slivers
of dust, the night away,
they wash
as the
clouds hang
onto the love
they feel within
gathering
up our tears, a lining of silver
remains
thin
delivering back the tears collected,
delight spreads across the
land
as our tears seed
hope and love
inside
the
flowers briar once again
Now, here is David’s poem in response to my poem.
A crystalline by ben Alexander of ‘The Skeptic’s Kaddish’
An arrogant little man looked
out upon glowing sunflower fields.
If their lovely soul wouldn’t bow,
he’d simply be forced to Dehull her.
“Forward! Bring that fucking bitch to me!”
Soldiers marched, tanks rolled; rockets flew.
But the flowers resisted and stood
tall against the might of his troops.
‘Grind them down!’ he shouted, enraged,
‘Press forward! We shall Extract our price!’
Tears flowed forth from the flowers, but
they would not succumb to the Crude man.
Then, as though born of silver tears,
a Refined lady rose from their midst.
The train of her golden gown trailed
behind her, as she strode through the fields.
Thick clouds, hanging onto the love
they felt within, gathered up the tears.
“True hope,” the gentlewoman declared,
“shan’t be defeated by hubris.”
Deliberately, she stepped forward,
unfazed by the bullets, and beamed.
Thank you again to David for partnering with me on this amazing collaboration. What fun!
Photo associated with a lining of silver by Layers, Pixabay
fireflies sparkle like dust
reminding me of dancing chimes
lingering in the sun
they arise like a wildflower in
bloom
can you imagine the fear consumed?
walking into the waves
as they come in
we bask in a love that has never been
while the taste of your scent fills the room
and I hear you call
from the moon
whispering to me softly
I gather my nerves
and walk straight into the moonlit curve
Photo by Victoria_Borodinova, Pixabay
I am so pleased to announce that my poem, petals made of love, is now available at MasticadoresUSA. Thank you to Gabriela Marie Milton, and the team at MasticadoresUSA for their continued support, and for publishing this piece.
petals made of love
I sit atop the river delta, wondering about
the scene
it is a
myriad
in-between
the light
casting off
in the distance
playing with the…
I would be honored if you would go here, and read the rest of my poem. Thank you!
Photo by CDD20, Pixabay
I am so pleased to announce that my poem, Blue Shoes, is now available at MasticadoresIndia. Thank you to Terveen Gill, and the team at MasticadoresIndia for their continued support, and for publishing this piece.
Blue Shoes
shadows trace my fingers, a space of
wonder filled with
lace
as other contexts make haste
sending to my heart delicate fabrics,
my mind’s eye reminds me…
I would be honored if you would go here, and read the rest of my poem. Thank you!
Photo by ractapopulous, Pixabay
from the tips of my fingers
to the tops of my toes
a flower sits
in repose
calling to me
dejected and forlorn
I compose
myself
and listen to the words whispered
forth
speaking to me of daffodil dreams
and peeks sanguine
in the distance
they seem
like a memory
of another time
when the love you brought to me
was something altogether different
than this fractured reverie
Photo by ArtTower, Pixabay
green, purple, and blue,
they all remind me of something
new
clouds hanging behind the sun,
while the hunter rises
to the tops of the crisp autumn
morn
a cascading effect —
hope
lingers on my breath,
while present is this indigo
aspect
combined with lavender,
an aura coming out from behind
the moon
they are all products of the love
living inside of me
and you
Photo by cocoparisienne, Pixabay
I was elated last week when Dagmara K from Spillwords Press sent me a request for an interview. There were 12 questions, which were a lot of fun to reflect upon and to answer.
Thank you to Dagmara K and the entire team at Spillwords Press for the interview opportunity. It was an honor and a pleasure to participate in this experience.
And.
Thank you again to all of you for continuing to support me and for your friendship. You all mean the world to me.
You can read the Interview Q&A here.
Photo by natureworks, Pixabay
Shadowlight Words 