Poetry and Prose by #1 Amazon Bestselling Author of Nature Speaks of Love and Sorrow, Co-Author of #1 Amazon Bestseller, Wounds I Healed: The Poetry of Strong Women, and Jan/Feb 2022 Spillwords Press Author of the Month
The trail winds to the left, and, yes Sometimes I do feel bereft, yet not usually When I’m in this scene, which is just like a dream.
Something from the fiction books, beautiful and deeply Colored earth underfoot, stunning shrubbery and foliage Descending and ascending on either side, reminding me Of such kinder times. Trees as tall as the sky, looking up, feeling Dizzy, and completely in love with this misty morning.
A deep grin catches my eye, as I continue to fly Along the trail, listening to only my heart beat, and the sounds of the forest underneath.
Being present, I let the thoughts drop back, One foot in front of the other, breathe in deep, and remember we are all in this play for keeps.
In response to the WDYS #74 prompt from Keep it Alive, by Sadje.
Sometimes I sit and ponder the scene Before me, wondering what inspiration will come Forward. Will it be like a locomotive, quick like lightning, Gripping my every sense in a dance of majestic bliss enlightening?
Or, will it be like a turtle, slow and methodical, always Using the logic hidden beneath the scene of this dream?
I never know.
And, sometimes it’s just quiet. Stillness, no thought, No feeling, just this. This moment, walking through This world, not a wonder or care in sight. Journeying Forth, proceeding toward the light, and, yes, at times, receding in the night.
Yet, always moving.
A dance that’s meant to last for an instant, especially when considered in relevance to the length of time that’s hidden.
From view, form a view of all that you want, And don’t pretend you’re not a savant. We all Have hidden treasures deep inside. Waiting until The time is just right to reveal themselves to the light.
Of your knowing, call forth all that’s glowing inside Of you, my friend. For it is yours alone to take up When ready. The treasure will wait until you Call, yet don’t forget to make that last call before
This past week, I’ve been reflecting upon, well, the last year. Phew. As businesses begin to open up more here across the country, and the vaccine becomes more and more available, it is interesting to ponder where we’ve come from, where we are, and where we are going.
It’s also interesting to ponder and be present to the need to create time for ourselves away from the chaos, so we can just be; and, be in silence.
Before I get to my reflection on silence, however, let’s have a couple reflections on this past week’s posts, and a look at what next week holds.
Writing
I spent some more time completing the Leadership Series this week, with the final entry on building high-performance teams, which will publish next Saturday. Now that that series is complete, I will turn some of my attention to a new leadership series, Leading from Within.
I also spent some time this week, writing poetry for future posts. It’s fascinating to me to watch people develop, myself, of course, included. When I look at the first poem I wrote several months ago, to the most recent one, there are similarities, yet they are quite different. Iterative development. Fun.
Alright, here are two reflections from this week’s posts.
Image credit; Sonny Mauricio
Dream
The poem Dream was inspired by the WDYS prompt from Keep it Alive, by Sadje.
As I pondered the scenic picture, I reflected upon how we gaze upon nature, and how nature gazes back. It’s all quite lovely. I began with that thought in mind, and then just let the words come. Well, better language would be that the words just came. I don’t have anything to do with the “letting” in this process.
I also reflected upon and played with the concepts of perception, diversity, and the vast ocean of both we have in this lovely world. It is so beautiful to contemplate all that we see within and without, isn’t it? Lovely.
I obviously also played with the concepts of dreaming and reality. For now, I will only say that that is up to the individual. Each of us. What’s a dream to you, and what’s real is for you alone; and, I think it is quite lovely that way.
Ah, the poem Streams was inspired by my childhood in Los Angeles; and, yes, there really was a “river bed” out back. It was the only real river I saw on a regular basis. Know though, that, as kids, we did get to see real streams, yet they were few and far between in the big city in which we lived.
Funnily enough, you don’t actually have to travel far in LA to get to a stream, yet most of the time I spent in water was, as many of you know, at the beach. Love the ocean, always have, always will.
I also played with the concept of existence in this poem. Pointing to a reality only found within. And, lastly I reflected upon dreams and how important it is to have them, tend them well, and to, yes, water them with love and affection. Nurture them, I say, and they will surely manifest for you one day.
Next Week
As was aforementioned, this week, I finished the Leadership Serieswith a final installment on building high-performance teams. I am amazed, and then not, at how long this series took to complete. Factually, I wanted to write an installment on organizations, yet am going to wait to complete that installment in the Leading from Within series, which I’ve started.
I am also working on new posts on silence, strategic thinking, sleep, and, yep, another post on gardening. Fun.
I’ve also written several more poems this past week, they just came, and am looking forward to sharing those with you in the coming weeks.
I have a lot more ideas, and will let those percolate for a while.
I wrote a poem once on Silence. Actually it was one of the first poems I wrote when first swept away, quite literally, with ideas, images, and language for the poems that have come since that time.
I had a couple of challenging days this past week, and I’ve never in my life been more grateful for the silence that I get to take part in today. Sitting in silence is such a wonder. It is all at once, empty and full of healing beyond a description that any language can conjure.
Suffice to say, or write, rather, as I have before, that if you find yourself overwhelmed with life, emotions, people, places, or events, try to create some silent time for yourself. Away from everything. For it is in the spaces that we create to be silent where the mysteries of this universe become more clear; and, when there is more clarity, there is more space for you to live and to love.
Well, as I’ve written about before, last year, just before the pandemic really broke out here locally, I moved to the other side of this small town. And, as I began to get out a bit last summer, I realized that there was a very nice community garden right by a park that I frequented for walks, and at that time, runs.
Though there are many community gardens in Corvallis, I was unsure about securing one for this season. And? I did! I am quite excited.
It’s been a couple of years since I’ve belonged to a community garden. The Willamette Park Community Garden has only been in existence for about 5 years. The people that run the garden are super cool, and the spot I got is also super cool.
Here is a pic of the garden plot after Justin and I did some work this past Saturday.
Corvallis, Oregon 2021
As you can see there are three phases to the plot. The first phase is closest to us in the picture, and is the area that Justin and I worked Saturday. The second phase, which I’ll begin on in about 2 weeks, is covered with cardboard and mulch, and the third phase is just to the right of that, covered for now with only cardboard.
I will likely begin putting seeds and starts in the ground in the first phase this weekend. What veggies, you ask? Good questions. Here is an example of a planting schedule for this area.
Corvallis, OR 2021
It’s always interesting to visualize what the garden might look like in three months. I definitely have a vision of it with walkways and veggie sections coordinated by their growing season. Fun.
Here is a garden plot template, which is kind of fun.
There are many vegetables and spices I enjoy that are not on this template, yet it does give you an idea of how you can organize a garden space.
Alright, that was my one thing last Saturday. Getting my garden plot ready to plant.
I already have an idea for another installment of My One Thing. Remember the guitar I bought? Well, I can now play 6 or 7 chords, and can also play the intro to one of my new favorite songs. Yes, super fun!
Waiting at the door, it’s time, and Yet not to floor us from the task at hand It’s reminiscent of your kith and kins land.
A time before, as we glance within the store, Lookin back, what do we see, only mist opportunities, And misery. Now reflecting upon the days ahead, knowing Deep inside your plays are now well best and said.
At this moment you know what’s to do. Wait no more, Will you? Burning fire bright, just like that neon light, Is your inner core of sudden sight, and withstanding Celebratory delight.
The time of waiting is over you see, for all you’ve ever Needed was/is within thee.
Are just like a dream to me, Growing up in a concrete jungle, as They say, the only stream I ever did see, Was out back, and was impinged On both sides by concrete, a river bed Was its name and call to fame.
I often contemplate this impingement, On one side and the other, just like a troubadour With notes on the left, and verse on the right, Making them sing together just right.
Or, the human condition, in general, what we See outside in plain sight, and the knowing we Have inside, insight, into our existence, as we continue with such persistence and effort into our subsistence.
Dream more, I say, for it’s inside the dreams We weave, that our futures are sown with seeds. Water, and tend them well, and they will surely Turn into streams.
One step in front of the other, Sometimes I ask myself why I bother, Yet there is a knowing deep down, which Always keeps me centered and growing.
Inside of this growing, there is pain, yes, And, at times, even a timidness that shys Away on certain days, and wants to away stray.
Yet, with the knowing, there is also a special Place inside of me, and, yes, you, where something Grander resides, and keeps us safe besides the pain That may come our way, so keep stepping into the play.
One step is all you need to take. Once one Is taken, you can feel the dirt beneath your feet And realize your connectedness to a sharedness That radiates through the earth, and each of us.
An interconnectedness that comes through You and your entire being as you continue To take one step toward your future seeing.
Develop. Inspire. Transform. 