Category: Poetry

Saturday Spark

On By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Poetry83 Comments

I shared this poem before but made a few revisions and recorded again. There’s so much going on around us to stir up anxiety, but we’re also surrounded by beauty that makes us pause, feeling a sense of awe. So, try releasing the chaos that worries you and accept my invitation to get out in nature and enjoy the moment.

Angles of Wisdom

My eyes look up
to the tallest trees
on our precious planet
and I am drawn into stillness
like a hypnotist’s magic.

Fine slivers of blue
calm thoughts
becoming thieves,
stealing pockets of peace.

Soft clusters of green
gently dance in a breeze
while nature’s wildlife
build their playgrounds.

Sparrows and blackbirds
croon for their mates.
I ruminate
on how these majestic giants
take care of each other,
unconditionally –
we should emulate
without deliberation.

My eyes look up
and I am reminded
of their age
ancient as dinosaurs
that roamed the land.

Angles of wisdom
permeate my space –
eyes slowly close.
I breathe in
and savor this moment
that is mine to own.

Have a fabulous weekend! ❤️

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© Lauren Scott, BaydreamerWrites.com

Lauren Scott is a 2025 Pushcart Prize nominee who enjoys small-town living in California’s Bay Area with her husband, Matt, of thirty-seven years. Although their daughter and son live out of state, frequent visits and modern technology keep their family of four close. Lauren is the author of four poetry collections, a memoir in verse and prose, and a children’s picture book. She has been a guest on several podcasts, and her writing has been featured by Spillwords Press and Literary Revelations. At Spillwords Press, she received Publication of the Year (Poetic, 2026), Author of the Month (May 2023), and Publication of the Month (June 2025 and October 2024). A member of the Redwood Writers chapter and Marin chapter of the California Writers Club, Lauren received an Honorable Mention for her poem “Wings” in the 2026 Smalls Too Poetry Contest. Her work also appears in six anthologies. Lauren is currently working on a new poetry collection and an early chapter book for children.

Poetry that invites reflection
on the past, present, and future –
and reminds us to love and live ever so gently.

Saturday’s Page

On By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Poetry77 Comments


A lone bird sings
a song of orange.
The day is gray.
June stays true
with her gloom.
His body next to mine.
Home.
Move forward,
I remind myself.
If I think in reverse,
parts will shut down.
If I think tomorrow,
today will feel unloved.
Coffee calls.
A cool breeze lifts off
like a Cessna.
Bikes on the patio
await our ride.
Not another day
as this one
dreamily written
like a love sonnet.
I hear him wake.
He walks down the hall.
Our story continues.

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I know I’m not around as much, but I miss you all. And I hope life is treating you well. Can you believe June is already here? I’m checking tasks off my list and have submitted several pieces of work, along with my children’s book, Carlie and Charlie Go Camping. But the wait will carry me into the fall. Fingers crossed with no expectations. And if I can muster up the energy, I’ll do some simultaneous submissions so not to put all my eggs in one basket. Anyway, I’m writing a lot, and now working on another poetry collection for submission. I hope your goals are getting the attention they deserve too. Take care, be safe, and thanks so much for stopping by! ❤️

© Lauren Scott, BaydreamerWrites.com
Photo by Petr Ganaj on Pexels.com

Lauren Scott is a recent Pushcart Prize Nominee who enjoys small-town living in the Bay Area with her husband, Matt, of thirty-seven years. Their daughter and son live out of state and with frequent visits and technology, this family of four remains close. Lauren has published four collections of poetry: New Day, New Dreams (2013), Finding a Balance (2015), Ever So Gently (2023), and King Copper (2025). In 2021, she released her memoir, More than Coffee. Her first children’s book, Cora’s Quest, was published in 2024. Lauren has been a guest on several podcasts, and her writing is featured at Spillwords Press and Literary Revelations. At Spillwords Press, she was awarded Publication of the Year (Poetic 2026), Author of the Month (May 2023) and Publication of the Month (June 2025, October 2024). Lauren is a member of the Redwood Writers Chapter of the California Writers Club, and her poem “Wings” was named Honorable Mention in their 2026 Smalls Too Poetry Contest. Lauren’s work is published in several anthologies. Her muse discovers inspiration from family, spending time outdoors, and marveling at the mysteries of life. 

Moody Blues

On By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Poetry
Photo by Riyaz Uddin on Pexels.com

I wish I could say I’m embraced
by the magic
of the melancholic rock art band
with my love next to me,
my right hand tucked into his left,
transported to a dreamlike
state of mind…
but I cannot lie,
transparency in the eyes.
Every worry at this very moment
wriggles through mind,
muscles, and nerves
pulling me into moody blues.
Even the sky mirrors my emotions
wearing its stone gray,
and the wind in its fierceness
is angry at something,
at what? I am unaware.
The temperature, cold in May –
where is the warmth of the rays
that will calm the worries
into hibernation, at least for now?
“Isn’t Life Strange”
how our moods change
with the roll of the clouds
or drops of the rain.
Moody blues and me
on this bluesy gray day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
© Lauren Scott, BaydreamerWrites.com
Note: “Isn’t Life Strange” is a Moody Blues song. 💙

Lauren Scott is a recent Pushcart Prize Nominee who enjoys small-town living in the Bay Area with her husband, Matt, of thirty-seven years. Their daughter and son live out of state, and with frequent visits and technology, this family of four remains close. Lauren has published four collections of poetry, a memoir in verse and prose, and her first children’s book. She has been a guest on several podcasts, and her writing is featured at Spillwords Press and Literary Revelations. At Spillwords Press, she was awarded Publication of the Year (Poetic 2026), Author of the Month (May 2023) and Publication of the Month (June 2025, October 2024). Her work was named Honorable Mention in The Smalls Too 2026 Poetry Contest from the California Writer’s Club. Lauren’s work is published in several anthologies. She is currently working on her second children’s book and a collection of poetry. Lauren’s muse discovers inspiration from family, spending time outdoors, and marveling at the mysteries of life. 


Portrait of a Writer Interview on Literary Revelations!

On By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Author interviews, Poetry91 Comments

Recently, Gabriela Marie Milton, Poet and Editor at Literary Revelations Publishing House, invited me to participate in her Portrait of a Writer Interview Series. And I just received her email letting me know that our interview is live on her site, literaryrevelations.com. Gabriela is not only a fabulous writer, she is so kind in sharing the work of other authors. I am honored to be featured, and here is a peek:

A. What inspires you?

1. Thanks so much for having me here today, Gabriela. The first question is tough because so many things inspire me to write…slivers of sunshine, rain showers, lake serenity, redwoods, backpacking, living creatures, celebrating a wonderful marriage to my husband who is my best friend, our amazing daughter and son, our dogs, and even events that tug at the heart inspire me to put thoughts onto paper. Ever since my youth, language, letters, sounds, and words have had their hold on me, so writing every day is natural as sunshine. Playing word games is fun too, and Scrabble will always be a favorite; my husband and I pull out the old board game now and then. We’re even hooked on watching Wheel of Fortune. It’s not only fun, but it’s good for the brain to solve those puzzles.

To read the full interview, please click on the link below:

Portrait of a Writer – Lauren Scott

If you haven’t met Gabriela, peruse around her blog and learn more about her and the beautiful books she has published…

Please note: Gabriela’s new anthology, Haiku For Soulmates is coming soon, so please follow her blog for more information.

Thanks again, Gabriela! ❤️

And thank you, dear friends, for popping in! Since Mother’s Day is around the corner, I want to wish all the wonderful, loving moms out there a very Happy Mother’s Day and weekend! I miss my mom and mother-in-law, and wish the best days to my two lovely sisters in Southern California! And my daughter, son, and hubby make me feel like the luckiest mom and wife in the whole wide world!

Love to all! 💝

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© Lauren Scott, BaydreamerWrites.com
All photos credit to Literary Revelations Publishing House

Lauren Scott is a recent Pushcart Prize Nominee who enjoys small-town living in the Bay Area with her husband, Matt, of thirty-seven years. Their daughter and son live out of state, and with frequent visits and technology, this family of four remains close. Lauren has published four collections of poetry, a memoir in verse and prose, and her first children’s book. She has been a guest on several podcasts, and her writing is featured at Spillwords Press, Gobblers and Masticadores, and LatinosUsa. At Spillwords Press, she was awarded Publication of the Year (Poetic 2026), Author of the Month (May 2023) and Publication of the Month (June 2025, October 2024). Her work was named Honorable Mention in The Smalls Too 2026 Poetry Contest from the California Writer’s Club. Lauren’s work is published in several anthologies. She is currently working on her second children’s book and a collection of poetry. Lauren’s muse discovers inspiration from family, spending time outdoors, and marveling at the mysteries of life. 

Poetry that will resonate for all pet parents. ❤️

Beautiful review of King Copper by Pooja!

On By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Book Reviews, Poetry79 Comments
Photo by Erik Mclean on Pexels.com

Since I’m not blogging as much, I received a message from Pooja, telling me that she posted her review of King Copper on her blog. I checked my notifications and saw hers – what a wonderful surprise for this Sunday morning! There are many ways of showing kindness, and I believe we’d all agree that our world needs more! Sharing book reviews is one special way!
Thanks again, Pooja! 🙏💝

Here is a portion of her lovely words:

I’ve been reading a lot of poetry collections and books about pets and losing a pet which always gets me teary. But they’re also beautiful tributes to the good memories, the laughs and smiles shared. Anyone that’s had a pet will understand those bittersweet final moments and the love that a pet gives us.

King Copper is a beautiful tribute to Lauren Scott’s beloved dog, Copper. It is clear from the poems and the images that he was loved dearly by their entire family. I loved the poems in this collection. Some were uplifting and focused on the good moments with Copper and others were more touching such as March to March.

Despite Copper having said goodbye to the world, Lauren chose to focus on many of the joyous moments he brought her and their family. And in March to March she reminds the reader that even though he is gone, he’ll always have a place in the hearts of all that loved him.

I think the poem that really tugged at my heartstrings was To the Best Family which is written from Copper’s POV. It’s a reminder that when it comes to pets, we are their whole world. And goodbye is never forever.

Please click on the link below to read the rest of her beautiful review. I’m touched that Copper touched another heart. 🧡🤎❤️

tps://lifesfinewhine.ca/2026/05/02/king-copper-by-lauren-scott-review

If you’re a dog lover, a cat lover, or consider any pet to be family, the poems in this collection will resonate. ❤️

Now, I have to mention that Pooja not only writes beautiful and raw poetry that she shares on her wonderful blog, lifesfinewhine.ca, but she has just published her first novel, Perfect! I read it in 2 days, couldn’t put it down, and I’m working on my review, which I will share later this month. Here’s a snippet of Perfect:

A mother protecting her son.
A boy spiraling into darkness.
A girl who never stood a chance

Sally thinks she’s succeeded in breaking generational curses until she finds out her eldest son, James, is the prime suspect in Lily Johnson’s murder. After years of bliss, she’s forced to revisit dark family secrets she believed she had left behind. Even more unsettling is that the deeper she digs, the more she realizes that she may not know James as well as she thought.

Perfect is an emotionally gripping psychological domestic thriller that explores the impact of dark family secrets and the generational trauma it leads to. It will have readers questioning how well any of us know those we love and how far we’re willing to go to protect them.

I enjoy a riveting thriller or mystery as long as the story isn’t too graphic. Fitting the puzzle pieces together to solve a crime fascinates me. And Perfect was a perfect and compelling read! So, if you enjoy these genres too, pick up your copy! The story will grab a hold of you!!

Thank you, dear friends, for stopping by! I’ll be reading blogs today and into the week. ❤️🙏

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© Lauren Scott, BaydreamerWrites.com

Lauren Scott is a recent Pushcart Prize Nominee who enjoys small-town living in the Bay Area with her husband, Matt, of thirty-seven years. Their daughter and son live out of state, and with frequent visits and technology, this family of four remains close. Lauren has published four collections of poetry, a memoir in verse and prose, and her first children’s book. She has been a guest on several podcasts, and her writing is featured at Spillwords Press, Gobblers and Masticadores, and LatinosUsa. At Spillwords Press, she was awarded Publication of the Year (Poetic 2026), Author of the Month (May 2023) and Publication of the Month (June 2025, October 2024). Her work was named Honorable Mention in The Smalls Too 2026 Poetry Contest from the California Writer’s Club. Lauren’s work is published in several anthologies. She is currently working on her second children’s book and a collection of poetry. Lauren’s muse discovers inspiration from family, spending time outdoors, and marveling at the mysteries of life. 

Poetry that will make you smile and touch
your heart. ❤️

A Poem for Earth Day – Resolution

On By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Poetry82 Comments

With a mind of their own
feet move forward,
a breeze swirls about
giving my jacket wings,
redwoods listen
as I whisper questions,
answers appear
from around their trunks.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Have a lovely Earth Day, get outdoors if you can,
do your small part to take care of our beautiful planet,
and thanks for stopping by!💚

© Lauren Scott, BaydreamerWrites.com
Photos taken in Marin County, CA

Lauren Scott is a recent Pushcart Prize Nominee who enjoys small-town living in the Bay Area with her husband, Matt, of thirty-seven years. Their daughter and son live out of state, and with frequent visits and technology, this family of four remains close. Lauren has published four collections of poetry, a memoir in verse and prose, and her first children’s book. She has been a guest on several podcasts, and her writing is featured at Spillwords Press, Gobblers and Masticadores, and LatinosUsa. At Spillwords Press, she was awarded Publication of the Year (Poetic 2026), Author of the Month (May 2023) and Publication of the Month (June 2025, October 2024). Her work was named Honorable Mention in The Smalls Too 2026 Poetry Contest from the California Writer’s Club. Lauren’s work is published in several anthologies. She is currently working on her second children’s book and a collection of poetry. Lauren’s muse discovers inspiration from family, spending time outdoors, and marveling at the mysteries of life. 

Please click on the image to purchase! xo

Honorable Mention in a Big Poetry Contest!

On By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Poetry87 Comments
Photo by olia danilevich on Pexels.com

In March I submitted 3 poems to The Smalls Too Poetry Contest through the California Writers Club. I found out about this contest through Shawn, whose podcast I was a guest on last year talking about my book, King Copper. Shawn is a member of the California Writers Club, Redwood Writers Chapter.

There were close to 200 poets submitting their work and 450 poems in total that were sent in. The two award-winning authors who were the judges had to read those 450 poems to choose a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winner, along with 10 Honorable Mentions. Thus, they had to select 13 poems out of 450!

I didn’t hold my breath, but I was surprised and excited to receive the email from one of the judges, informing me that my poem “Wings” was selected as an Honorable Mention, and it will be included in their anthology to be released later this year.

So, you can see by the numbers why I am THRILLED!!

A little more context regarding the rules…each poem had to be eight lines only (poetry with meaning and brevity), and could be written about any topic. I’m sharing “Wings” below:

I was also invited by Shawn to attend the Redwood Writers Chapter meeting yesterday, which I did and really enjoyed. Everyone was so nice and I am looking into joining as well. The timing feels right. Thank you to Shawn, Crissi, Les, Robin, and Roger for the warm welcome!

I hope my poem touched your heart or evoked special memories. Thanks so much for your visit, and for allowing me to celebrate this special recognition. Have a great week ahead, and I will visit you soon! ❤️

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© Lauren Scott, BaydreamerWrites.com

Lauren Scott is a recent Pushcart Prize Nominee who enjoys small-town living in the Bay Area with her husband, Matt, of thirty-seven years. Their daughter and son live out of state, and with frequent visits and technology, this family of four remains close. Lauren has published four collections of poetry, a memoir in verse and prose, and her first children’s book. She has been a guest on several podcasts, and her writing is featured at Spillwords Press, Gobblers and Masticadores, and LatinosUsa. At Spillwords Press, she was awarded Publication of the Year (Poetic 2026), Author of the Month (May 2023) and Publication of the Month (June 2025, October 2024). Her work was named Honorable Mention in The Smalls Too 2026 Poetry Contest from the California Writer’s Club. Lauren’s work is published in several anthologies. She is currently working on her second children’s book and a collection of poetry. Lauren’s muse discovers inspiration from family, spending time outdoors, and marveling at the mysteries of life. 

Please click on the image to purchase! xo

Robbie Cheadle interviews me about King Copper at Writing to be Read – Treasuring Poetry Guest

On By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Book Reviews, Books, Poetry53 Comments

Dear Family and Friends,

I am delighted to be featured again as a Treasuring Poetry guest on Writing to be Read with Robbie Cheadle! We all know Robbie and how multi-talented she is with her writing and baking, but she is also generous with putting other writers in the spotlight. However, if you haven’t met Robbie yet, here is a little bit about her…

South African author and illustrator, Robbie Cheadle, has written and illustrated sixteen children’s books, illustrated a further three children’s books, and written and illustrated three poetry books. Her work has also appeared in poetry and short story anthologies.

Robbie also has two novels and a collection of short stories published under the name of Roberta Eaton Cheadle and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.

You can find Robbie Cheadle’s artwork, fondant and cake artwork, and all her books on her website here: https://www.robbiecheadle.co.za/

Please visit us at Writing to be Read to read the interview by clicking on the link below.
I appreciate this opportunity with Robbie very much. 🙏

Treasuring Poetry – Lauren Scott talks about her latest poetry book, King Copper, and a review

Robbie’s beautiful review:

King Copper is a beautiful collection of poems paying tribute to the life of the poet’s dog, Copper. We become incredibly connected to our pets and they are part of our families. As a result we experience great grief and loss when they pass over the rainbow bridge. Lauren’s recordings of magical moments in her relationship with Copper and the joy he brought her and her family are a delight to experience. These emotions are described in Lauren’s micro poem, Temporary Smiles:

“Memories of joy
bring temporary smiles
tears wash them away”

The Preface and Still to Soon prose sections share a bit about Copper, his introduction into the poet’s family and his subsequent life with them, and his passing. He lived to a good old age of 14 1/2 and is sorely missed by his family. The book includes some lovely photographs of Copper with various family members.

This collection is fairly short but it is a worthy read and will help ease other hearts aching from the loss of a beloved pet.

Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope to see you at Writing to be Read!
Have a wonderful Wednesday! ❤️

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© Lauren Scott, BaydreamerWrites.com

Lauren Scott is a recent Pushcart Prize Nominee who enjoys small-town living in Northern California with her husband, Matt, of thirty-seven years. Their daughter and son live out of state, and with frequent visits and technology, this family of four remains close. Lauren has published four collections of poetry, a memoir in verse and prose, and her first children’s book. She has been a guest on several podcasts, and her writing is featured at Spillwords Press, Gobblers and Masticadores, and LatinosUsa. At Spillwords Press, she was awarded Publication of the Year (Poetic 2026), Author of the Month (May 2023), and Publication of the Month (June 2025, October 2024). Lauren’s work is included in several anthologies. She is currently working on her second children’s book and another collection of poetry. Her muse discovers inspiration from family, spending time outdoors, and marveling at the mysteries of life. 

Please click on the image to purchase! xo