New Project

Since I published my newest poetry collection, I've been looking for a new project to work on. I think I'm going to start putting together some of my short stories. I know they say it's easier to sell a novel, but I haven't written one, and who knows if I ever will? I write short things.

I know I read short story collections, but I've noticed some things about them that bug me. Usually, they are all one theme, which is good, but the stories don't seem to fit together logically at all. Does that bother anyone else? I guess most of the collections I've read are multi-author, so it would be hard to make the stories fit together.

I'm actually reading a short story collection right now, and I really enjoyed the first story, which was  lighthearted fun and very short, but the second story was long and slow and dark and just gross. They were the same theme/genre, but had nothing else in common.

I need to go through my stories and see if I have enough to make a book of all stories that have the same feeling/tone as well as genre/theme.

Book Release - The Corners of My Heart

I finally finished putting together a collection of poetry about all the secret parts of my soul that I usually hide. These poems hold up a light to things in me that I usually don't share.

Amazon | Smashwords | Goodreads

I wrote the poems in here over several years, and through finding myself. The more I've written about myself, the more I've learned about myself.

I've dedicated this book to my sister, who is my best friend, and always encourages me to be myself.

OctPoWriMo 31 - A Step

Step out into the strange uncharted zone—
The road you walk goes ever on and on,
And though, at times, it feels you walk alone,
New companions come with every dawn.

Dawn is breaking as you reach a peak,
And night is falling as you tramp the plains.
Oft times, you feel you won’t find what you seek:
Losses along the way outweigh the gains.

Gains are often small, but you must know
That they are all important to your road:
No matter what you do or where you go,
Whether you are spurred, or when you’re slowed.

Slowed you may oft be, but then again,
Turn a corner, find a little pep;
Under sun, or through the wind and rain,
Your journey starts and ends with just a step.

Image via Pixabay

OctPoWriMo 30 - Dance

I've never done a pleiades before, so I had to try it.

Image via Pixabay

Dance

Do you fancy a dance?
Dipping, spinning, stepping,
Daring two left feet to
Do something like rhythm.
Dazzle me and make me
Dizzy. Put your toes in
Danger. Hold me closer.

OctPoWriMo 29 - They Count

Vegas

59

Pulse

49

First Baptist

26

Tree of Life

11

A safe place

Wasn’t safe

2014 - 12,486

2015 - 13,536

2016 - 15,108

2017 - 15,643

2018 - still counting

They count

OctPoWriMo 28 - Opposites

Light, dark, dusk, and dawn
Twilight slowly fades into
Night or day

Black and white and grey
Fifty shades and more between
The ends of the spectrum

Male and female too
Are not so different.
There are no opposites.

OctPoWriMo 27 - Rainbow

Colours bowing in the sky,
Reaching over all below.
Spectrum dancing in my eyes;
Colours bowing in the sky.
I tip my head and stretch out my
Senses, welcoming the glow.
Colours bowing in the sky,
Reaching over all below.

Photo by Chris Barbalis on Unsplash

OctPoWriMo 26 - Coming Out

“Coming out” can mean multiple things,
But usually it indicates that you
Have been hiding, but now you break through,
To be free, to rise on honest wings.
Hiding part of who you are can sting;
It’s hard on you when you cannot be true,
To know that no one knows th’authentic you,
And so you step into the light and sing.

You are the only you who’ll ever be,
And if you are not you, then no one will.
We should fete the open closet door,
Love one another, help them to be free.
Rejection, disapproval, hatred kills;
Everyone deserves their wings, to soar.

OctPWriMo 25 - A Spectrum of Passions

I will swing
Ev’ry door wide open
Until the truth rings out loud and clear
I will sing of Your mercies forever, Oh Lord
I will have pride in how You made me
I am meant to be me
As I am
I am not this or that
I am a spectrum of passions
I am everything that I was meant to be
In and out, up and down, back and forth
Girl and boy, you and me
This is me

OctPoWriMo 24 - Open All the Doors

You

Open

All the doors

That I had locked

Deep within my soul.

Sometimes love is hard work,

But I am willing to do

Whatever it takes to keep you.

I gave you keys to my deepest soul

And you let the light and the air inside.

Image from Pixabay

I chose the etheree today because it feels "open" to me.

OctPoWriMo 23 - Drown in Me

We used to come together like two opposite magnetic poles, drawn to one another no matter what. Our love was effortless, preeminent, claiming its place as a priority in our lives. You were enthralled by my thoughts and words, listening to me for hours on end as I rambled at length. Now, though I know you still love me, you fade away into your phone as I speak, losing yourself in things that are not me. The parts of my soul that I once shared with you easily are now hidden beneath dishes and laundry and cooking and TV.

The glassy surface
Hides the untold depths beneath
Will you drown in me?

Image by Larisa-K on Pixabay

OctPoWriMo 22 - A Palindrome on Forgiving

Forgive?
I don’t know.
Will you?
Can I?
Yes
I can.
You will?
No don’t.
I forgive.

OctPoWriMo 21 - Joy or Misery

Tomorrow is a mystery.
I cannot know what happens next;
It could be joy or misery.

Life is simple yet complex,
And who am I to be alive?
I cannot know what happens next.

Sometimes I truly am surprised
That I am me and here, aware
For who am I to be alive?

There is no one anywhere
Who is exactly as I am,
For I am me and here, aware.

When I am gone, never again
May my thoughts and dreams draw breath,
For I'm exactly who I am.

I do not know what’s after death;
Tomorrow is a mystery.
May my thoughts and dreams draw breath:
It could be joy or misery.

OctPoWriMo 20 - My Heart's Cry

Today's prompt suggested the minute poem.

My Heart's Cry

In this moment, here with me

We are carefree;

You are my heart

From end to start.

I need you to acknowledge me,

To really see,

And hear when I

Speak my heart’s cry.

Forever won’t be just a dream

When we’re a team;

We can make

It seconds take.

OctPoWriMo 19 - Love is the Answer No Matter the Question

Today's prompt suggested a contrapuntal poem.

Love is the answer

No matter the question

When life is hard

One thing is true

All I need is love

I want more from You

Love is much bigger

You are much greater

Than I can imagine

Than I can see

OctPoWriMo 18 - The Princess and The Dragon

Image by SilviaP_Design on Pixabay

Once upon a time a princess dreamed
And, deep within her heart, desires gleamed
For more than princesses are meant to gain,
For something unexpected, not mundane.

Kissing frogs is fine for other girls—
More her style were lions, tigers, bears.
She ruined many petticoats before
Her parents let her wear trousers and drawers.

She met a dragon in a darkling cave
And, where a knight would send it to its grave,
She bowed and offered friendship to the beast,
And from a curse thereby it was released.

The scaly creature faded rapidly,
Transformed into a girl who smiled bashfully.
The princess wrapped her cloak around her frame
And smiled and sweetly asked her for her name.

Now, together they explore the land,
Side by side and often hand in hand.
Minstrels far and wide sing of their deeds,
How everything they do always succeeds.

OctPoWriMo 17 - Anything for You

I may be a fool for you,
Yet, there are things I wouldn’t do.
I’m sorry, but you know it’s true:
I won’t do anything for you.

It sounds romantic to eschew
All sense and logic, go askew,
To find the cracks, and to fall through,
But I won’t do anything for you.

Let me be clear: I still will do
Almost anything for you.
I’d give my life and my soul too,
But I won’t do anything for you.

OctPoWriMo 16 - You Are Love

You Are Love

You cannot stop loving me

No matter what I do or say,

For You are love entirely.

You embrace me when I pray;

Your love is bigger than I know;

No matter what I do, You stay.

I want to stand up tall and show

The ones who say they follow You

Your love is bigger than they know.

They claim an ownership on truth

As if a human can know God—

The ones who say they follow You.

By You they are no longer awed;

They’ve forgotten Who You are,

As if a human can know God.

There is none You would deter;

You cannot stop loving me.

They’ve forgotten Who You are,

For You are love entirely.

OctPoWriMo 15 - Cover Me

You flattered me and made me feel

I was your shelter and your shield,

But never did you give cover to me.

You tried to make me fit your draft,

But I am not clay to be crafted

To fit the script, for it was not my story.

He gives me shelter in the storm,

He is my cover, he is home,

And we have learned to cover one another.

My partner, lover, and my friend,

We share the load, our lives we blend;

He holds me close as we advance together.

OctPoWriMo 14 - The Corners of My Heart

I wish that I could be
Wholly, truly me.
I wish I didn't care,
That I felt safe to share
The deepest, darkest parts,
The corners of my heart.

OctPoWriMo 13 - If I Were You

I have no idea what I would do if I were you;

I am me and you are you and I cannot be you.

Sometimes the things you do make no sense at all to me.

I wish there was a window to your soul so I could see

Why you feel the way you do and why you are so cold,

But I am me and you are you and hearts are uncontrolled.

OctPoWriMo 12 - Love is a Warrior

Love is a Warrior

Love is not a summer cloud, wispy and frail

Love is a storm rolling in, thunder and rain

Love is a warrior; love will never fail

Love is not the bubbles floating in champagne

Love is a guardian, breaking evil’s bones

Love is a warrior, a wild hurricane

Love is not lust, desire, or mere hormones

Love is a choice you make again and again

Love is a warrior; love may stand alone

Love is not thoughts and prayers without action

Love is kneeling in the dirt to be a shield

Love is a warrior; love’s shouting, “Amen!”

Love is justice and mercy and truth revealed

Love is every hurt and injury healed

OctPoWriMo 11 - The Shadows Crack

Photo by Ivan Vranić on Unsplash

The Shadows Crack

Breaking open,

I fall upon my knees—

Light penetrates my soul.

The cracks within my heart

Widen as I kneel,

Breaking open.

When I was whole, I needed nothing.

Now I need You, so

I fall upon my knees.

When I was whole, I lived in darkness;

Now the shadows crack, and

Light penetrates my soul.

OctPoWriMo 10 - Silver in the Gloom

It has been a long time now
Since I felt that certain “Wow”

I used to feel like I could fly
Today, I often want to cry

You are still the silver in the gloom
And I will love you beyond my tomb

We may not dance upon the air today
But you are here, so here is where I’ll stay

Together we will find the light once again
You are mine forever and ever amen

OctPoWriMo 9 - Love is So Much

Love is So Much

Love is

A kitten in your lap

A baby in your arms

A puppy’s kisses

A gift carefully wrapped

Love is

A god kneeling in the dust

An outcast helping a stranger

A mother protecting her children

A child’s trust

Love is

A whisper in the dark

A hand reaching out

A hug that holds you together

A spark

Love is

A kiss, a sigh, a touch

Love is so much

Love is love is love is love is love

Love cannot be overcome

Love has won

OctPoWriMo 8 - Details to Take

Details to Take

Madness to this method
Madness in the details
Details keep me busy
Details help me see
See beyond the big
See the little things
Things that are important
Things that keep me sane
Sane within the madness
Sane? Well, I don’t know
Knowing is believing
Knowledge is a power
Power in a powder keg
Power in a tiny spark
Sparks are flying
Sparkling in the dark
Darkness flees before the light
Darkness covers, helps me hide
Hide from those who would devour
Hide from hurt
Hurt people hurt people
Hurt me and I’ll rise up stronger
Stronger, angry, cloaked in fury
Stronger, standing with my sisters
Sisters from all tongues and nations
Sisters, everyone together
Together we take back the night
Together we will rise
Rise up though you may feel defeated
Rise again though crucified
Crucified by friends and brothers
Crucified and left to die
Die, all those who would betray us
Die and fall before our fury
Fury blazing ever brighter
Fury stoked by Judas kiss
Kiss that we did not consent to
Kiss my fist
Fist I’m learning how to use
Fist of fire
Fire you are feeding
Fire rising, growing
Growing stronger with resistance
Growing more and more
More—yes, we want more
More, and we will take
Take what we deserve
Take what we are owed
Owed…
Deserve...

OctPoWriMo 7 - Dear Church

Dear church, I see you
Singing, speaking words of love
Then doing just the opposite.
You stand up to pray:
“God, I thank you that I am not like others…”
Like the Pharisees of old,
You will be passed over.
For God has chosen the weak,
The shunned, to confound the strong.
Crucify him. Crucify them.
We will rise again.

OctPoWriMo 6 - All is Fair

All is fair in love and war?
No. Do not presume to speak for
Me or anyone like me.
Love is greater than you see
And there is nothing I need more.

Love may be an open door,
But love is also so much more
Love is priceless; love is free
Love is here for you and me
And all is fair.

Your little boxes cannot bear
The size of love; they haven't a prayer.
Love is love is love, and we
Only see through glass darkly.
And all is fair.

OctPoWriMo 5 - Love Denied

Today's prompt is "denied" and I decided to do a florette as I didn't do one when it was the suggested form.

My topic is something that has been in my heart a lot lately.

Graphic created by author

Love Denied

Jesus loves me, this I know;
You say you want to help me grow,
But when I show you who I am,
I am denied. Your love’s a sham. It’s just for show.

The church was never meant to be
A corporate monopoly.
He said we are to be His bride.
We’re meant to be a family, yet we divide.

God is love and love is love
And I am vastly weary of
Conditions that are placed upon
His unconditional love. Stop it. Begone.

OctPoWriMo 4 - A Feline Love Story

Today's prompt is "_____________ and other strange animals." While, at first glance, my piece may not seem so "strange," I hope I succeeded in putting more into it than appears at a surface read.

A Feline Love Story

A ginger met a tabby on a warm September day;
With lifted ears and curving tails, they greeted one another.
Their noses touched, they wound around each other like ballet,
They spoke a language older than the sweet savour of summer.

Together stalking, playing, they found joy in company,
And never were apart for more than a few minutes’ time
Naps were warmer, bathing better, life truly carefree
With a warm body beside you, you can meet anything.

Photo by Aleesha Wood on Unsplash

OctPoWriMo 3 - INSECURE, An Acrostic

Today's prompt is insecurity. I found myself digging deep into my fears for this one.

Image via Pixabay

INSECURE, An Acrostic

I wish that I could know and yet
Nothing’s ever certain.
Seeing is believing, but
Experience can vary.
Changing everything I know,
Upending until nothing
Remains except myself alone,
Empty and forsaken.

OctPoWriMo 2 - How I Love You

Today's prompt is "poems and notes to you."

Photo by Bundo Kim on Unsplash

How I Love You

I wanted to show you how much I love you:
I wrote you a love note, but it wasn’t right;
The words didn’t say what I wanted to say,
So I tore it up and tossed it away.

I tried again to express how I love you:
I wrote you a love song, but it sounded trite;
The words fell flat, the melody faltered.
I could never share it as it was so awkward.

A third time I tried to convey how I love you:
I crafted a poem—I guess it’s all right;
Third time’s the charm, or that’s what they say.
You love me, so you embrace what I’ve offered.

OctPoWriMo 1 - October First

Welcome to another year of poetry!

Today's prompt is "surrender" and I went with the suggested form of free verse.

October First

October first
I woke this morning to snow
The first snow of the season
Part of me wanted to rage and weep
To grieve for a year near gone
But
It was so beautiful
So soft and clean and pure

In the Beginning

Image courtesy Pixabay

God created the heavens and the earth
And everything in between;
The evening and the morning
And the expanse of day and night,
The dry land and the seas,
And He stretched the shoreline in between.
He made the sun and the moon,
And He placed the stars upon the sky.
And He made male and female
And everything in between.