Firs and pines closely observe us as we take a self-guided tour through their homeland, strolling slowly, while enjoying occasional granite-hopping. We donāt believe theyāre bothered by our company because our vibes of respect are as profound as their whispers of wisdom. The lizards entertain as they run like sprinters in a race across the smooth stone, reaching higher elevations to avoid our footsteps, and of course, their safety is critical. All this we do beneath the brilliant blue canopy of sky ā the color of my husbandās eyes. Debris crowds our minds, and our awareness is keen. But the warmth of tranquility pushes aside the mess like whisky leisurely flowing through our bodies. Rough edges of the universe begin to soften in this fairytale land. Then what a view! Beauty in its quietude glistens just for us. No other voices share our space, just the tree-tapping of a woodpecker. Each singular sparkle represents a glimmer of hope for the future. In its golden splendor, the sun smiles and delights in our reverence. An ideal getaway for rejuvenation never to become lackluster.
head-spinning events cause turmoil in heart and mind lake water beckons
This year life seem to have happened more than once, so reading the books I have lined up has been slow. But today I share two that earned 5-star reviews. Two completely different and wonderful books, except with poetry being the common denominator. I hope you don’t leave empty-handed!
Haiku for the Midnight Hour challenges the traditional poetic art, according to author, Dawn Pisturino. She takes this syllabic form to a creepy level by experimenting with darker images and ideas. Pisturino emphasizes that her book is for those who eagerly anticipate Halloween and who like being alone in the dark. Well, I wouldnāt say that I like being alone in the dark. And āfrighteningā anything, whether in a book or on the big screen isnāt my genre. However, I became intrigued, so I turned the pages of my paperback from beginning to end and read with mettle on a beautiful morning while welcoming the sunrise. Others might enjoy reading these haiku one evening when the sky has darkened, and the creatures of the night have come alive. Iām a fan of Pisturinoās writing, so I truly enjoyed this fast-moving, creative collection that is divided into seventeen chapters. A few favorites are:
Footsteps
Footsteps creep lightly on the stairs. Whoās there? Lights out. Heart freezes in chest.
Echoes
Tapping on the door echoes through the house, doorknob slowlyā¦slowlyā¦turns
Cinderellaās Shoe
Cinderellaās shoe a cheap imitation from a foreign country
The āFamilyā section presents a whole new definition of family!
Sweet baby Jeanie crawls on the floor snacking on insects as she goes
From being home alone, to dealing with monsters, fairy tales, damsels in distress, angels and demons, and crystal balls, prepare yourself to be entertained! If youāre looking for the perfect book to read for the upcoming ghostly event at the end of October, I invite you to curl up with this riveting poetry collection, light a candle or keep the lights on ā whatever makes you comfortable. But donāt let fear prevail ā allow yourself to become captivated by Pisturinoās fabulous imagination for the midnight hour. Highly recommended for all poetry enthusiasts!
Square Peg in a Round Hole by Robbie Cheadle and her son, Michael, is a remarkable collection of poetry, art, photography, and micro fiction. The book begins with Robbieās candid introduction where she voices, āI have always been an outlier, a square peg in a round hole. As a small girl, I was different than my classmates. My life revolved around books and my taste in reading material was always eclectic.ā I could relate to some aspects of Robbieās younger years, which was only the beginning of her drawing me into this amazing work of art.
I appreciate Cheadleās voice on important issues such as the plight of animals and the distressing state of our planet. Her love for nature, which resonates strongly, is apparent through her expressive language. Whether she writes in freestyle or syllabic poetry, or micro fiction, Cheadle opens up about her experiences, both joyful and challenging. She includes love, illnesses, career, and death. These topics live with all families, so this collection truly hits home. It is difficult to choose a favorite. But Iāll share a few poems and pieces of artwork that stand out.
āThe Visitor,ā which is written from the perspective of Eleanor, a Hadada bird, is absolutely delightful. āThe Watcherā speaks about canned hunting, an appalling concept. As an animal lover, this poem made my heart ache. āTo a Lionā is profound. Here is an excerpt:
Youāve seen your peers shot ā their heads stuffed and Mounted Victims of canned hunting Perpetrated by fools who do not appreciate your beauty Or the vital role you play In the maintenance of the African ecosystems And all its amazing creatures
Now, you are experiencing the effects of climate change A situation to which you have not contributed But you will pay the price, innocent or not There is no justice In this man-made world of materialism Which runs on greed and a hunger for power
Cheadle also paints gorgeous pictures through her elegant words, such as in āWhite Orchid on Blackā ā
Fragile as china/delicate petals cluster/around slender throat
Her Micro Poem 6 elicited a memory that will never fade. I feel like this poem is written for my husband and me. 1991 brought us our first child, our daughter, but also took his mom away. A bittersweet year full of heartache and celebration.
Newborn childās clock starts/elderly personās clock stops/yet time, marches on
When Cheadle began to share her sketches and paintings, they added breadth to her talent and skill in the art world. They are all gorgeous, but a few favorites are Sky, an oil pastel of an elephant silhouetted in a twilight sky, Sunflowers at Dawn, and a watercolor painting of a male lion. In addition to Cheadleās stunning drawings, paintings, and photography, she includes her incredible fondant and cake art. Baking has always been part of my life, especially for special events and holidays ā my momās tradition that I carried on. And yet, Cheadleās baking raises the bar to an almost unreachable status. She then moves towards a conclusion in her compilation with Ekphrastic poetry inspired by photography of Wayne Barnes. And then the beautiful collection closes with emotional poetry by her son, Michael, who undoubtedly, follows in his momās talented footsteps. There is an emotion for everyone to be felt in this collection. Highly recommended for all poetry fans!
I am also helping Maggie Watson out by spreading the word for her new poetry collection that you can pre-order now. The release date is October 7th where the paperback will also be available. Maggie opens up about her experience with domestic abuse and how she made it to the other side. ā¤ļø
Fall into gentle poetry by clicking on the image to purchase your copy. Thank you! š§”
Thanks for dropping in today, and now you have three new amazing books to add to your library! So, don’t forget to pick up your copies! ~ Lauren ā¤ļøššš»
I am thrilled to share Maggie’s lovely review of my book that is about 14 months old. The excitement began in July of last year, and I’m grateful to say that it’s continued. I am humbled to receive almost thirty 5-star reviews.
But first of all, let me introduce you to Maggie if you haven’t had the pleasure of meeting her:
I am Maggie Watson, an Indie Poet and Author from Scotland. My poetry journey began at the start of the pandemic in 2020. At that point, I had no idea it would then become such a big part of my life. We can all agree that those years were very difficult, and I found the "lockdowns" particularly hard. So I began putting pen to paper, merely to get my sense of isolation and frustration down on paper. Fast forward to December 2020 and "The Madness of Corona" was published (by a publishing house). As happy as I was seeing my name on an Amazon product page, I was embarrassed by the content ( but heh, we all started out at some point). I knew I wanted to do better, and knew I could do better, so I decided to try and self-publish as a goal to aim for. Self-Publishing is not difficult, only time-consuming. In February 2021 I released "Me and My Shadow" and later that year I also released "Once Upon a Time". Looking back though,I would say that I was going for the achievement factor and still not paying much attention to the quality of my writing! In 2021 I joined the Instagram writing Community. I will always be grateful for the love and support shown to me by my fellow writers (especially when my account was hacked). I would say being on there brought an improvement in my writing because the standard is so high, as it is here on WP! I recently took the decision to leave IG and this blog will now be my main platform. Last year(2022) my work was included in an Open Skies Anthology. I also had my work accepted by Glass Gates Publications and Gypsophila Zine (see my Other Publications Page) as well as releasing "A Jar of Stars" and "In the Shadow of My Pen : A Collection of Poetry and Prose. This year has been my most successful to date as far as submissions go,including Gypsophila Zine again and also Spillwords. My new Collection "Ephemeral Encounters (Her Book of Words) has also just been released. I write for the love of writing, and I always hope someone can take something from my wordsš.
I've read Ephemeral Encounters and loved it, but Maggie has just released another new collection of poetry:
You can pre-order Pieces of Me in e-book format, which will be released on October 7th, along with the paperback. Since I have a strong affinity for paperbacks, I’m holding out! But I love Maggie’s beautiful and evocative writing, so I know her new book will be another wonderful addition to my home library.
Now, I invite you to visit Maggie by clicking on the link below to read her full review of my collection of poetry, Ever So Gently.
Dear Family and Friends, I am thrilled to share that my poem, “An Invitation” is published on Spillwords Press today as a Featured Post! Thank you to Dagmara and her team for accepting my submission. It is always a great honor to have my writing featured on this wonderful platform, and to be in the company of many talented authors.
An Invitation
Smooth granite invites contemplation and reflection. Please, take a seat, relax, watch the lakeās ripples perform their water dance. Does the shimmering surface remind you of stars presenting a ballet in a brilliant night sky?
Note the tall pines swaying in the breeze, you can gently sway, too, if you feel the need. Let the depth of your soul bathe in the beauty...
You can read the full poem here, and please don’t leave without giving it a ā¤ļø. You only need to log in if you’d like to leave a comment, and I’d love to read your thoughts. But either way,Iād appreciate your support! š¤
Thank you again to Dagmara K. and her team! I am truly grateful! ā¤ļøš·
I have returned to the land of the living, feeling much better from a week of Covid, about 90% so. I’m still taking it easy because Covid isn’t meant to be taken lightly. But I’m grateful to feel human again. I’m sharing a poem I wrote from one of our day trips with our daughter in Tennessee. We visited The Natchez Trace Bridge, which I will share photos and a piece of writing (in progress) a little later. But the poem today is about our drive along The Natchez Trace Parkway. A brief history is also included. I hope you enjoy the journey…
Photo taken at one of the stops on the parkway.
The Old Natchez Trace ā pulled from the National Park Service
The Old Natchez Trace is one of the oldest transportation routes in North America; its human use dates back 10,000 years. The Old Trace consisted of a network of trails. For centuries, American Indians traveled and traded along this corridor, which traverses the homelands of the Natchez, Chickasaw, and Choctaw nations.Ā The parkway is a 444-mile scenic drive that connects Nashville, Tennessee to Natchez, Mississippi. Ā It’s a National Scenic Byway and All-American Road that’s open to motorists, hikers, and bikers year-round.Ā
The Natchez Trace Parkway
The tires roll on the graceful parkway flanked with thicket of forest on both sides. My imagination turns whimsical where fairies, gnomes, and unicorns coexist within the density of the woodland. I exit my tenacious thoughts stirred from world events, and I revel in wide-open spaces and a vast valley that continues forever.
Hemlocks, maples, and pines dot small sections, and I delight in leaves skipping across the road, letting the grass catch them in soft embraces.
Our car leapfrogs with a lone cyclist, but you wouldnāt label our journey a race. It is a gift to savor where the clock does not personify a dictator.
My eyes watch butterflies ride the gentle breeze and crickets hop among the myriad of greenery. A smile finds its way, and I am lost in the wonder of every living creature and how each feels about our presence in their homeland.
Autumn ensures her presence to come with hints of golds and crimsons. I can almost smell the cinnamon. I can almost taste the pumpkin. What a delicious season to welcome!
When we reach the end, I direct my mindset to remain in such a magical state because not only am I in the best company of two loved ones, but my mind and soul feel exhilarated to release heavy cargo.
Instead, after leaving the heavenly national park, I find it meditative to observe a man with silver hair contained beneath a ball cap, sitting in his chair on his massive, mowed lawn, simply watching the grass grow.
Let us all immerse into the tranquility of stillness where time is nothing but irrelevant.
For those of you who have followed me through this series, I’m so grateful. But what makes me happy is that you’ve enjoyed the journey with Clay the Camper van at our favorite lake in the Sierra Mountains. I’m sure you can tell that each piece of writing is different from the last because I don’t want your eyes glazing over from repetition. š And if you’ve missed the prior posts, you can click below:
On one of our hikes, as I made myself comfortable on a smooth slab of granite (Part 3), I fell deep into a lovely reflection about the man who I’m sharing this camper van journey with, not to mention, the phenomenal journey of life. And so, the poem below evolved. I hope you enjoythis touch of romance for a Monday…
Stunning marriage of lake and clouds.
Marinate
Let my words marinate… Did you feel unworthy of being loved? Maybe I felt the same. Perhaps, everyone does at some turn of the sun and waxing of the moon.
But you, my love, are deserving of all constellations. Iād reach high in the velvet sky and gently cup the brilliance in my hands, devoting all to you. The light in you coupled with their luminescence would be a spectacular collaboration.
We are not perfect. We are imperfectly perfect for each other. We ‘see’ each other. Never are we dismissed by words or actions. Never are we invisible like shade in the night.
Did you realize that together we have witnessed 13,140 sunrises and sunsets? Itās wild to envision the abundance of colors in our life!
Oh, gray managed to seep into some chapters, but our arms saved each of us from falling and surrendering. Why give darkness the spotlight when the light wishes to shine?
So, let my words marinateā¦ I love you! Our love is as timeless as the pairing of wine and cheese. And Iām excited to witness by your side the wonder of more magic from the sun!
For with you, I have everything I need. I have no need to look beyond. For with you, I have won the golden ticket. ā¤ļø
For those of you who have followed me since Part 1, thank you!I thought today’s Part 3 would make a good Friday post. On a morning hike, I became inspired to write, and once we returned to camp, I had to jot down my thoughts fast before they drifted away. So, if you missed Part 1, which will provide the full context of this series, you can check it out here, and for Part 2 click here. I hope you enjoy! ā¤ļø
An Invitation
Smooth granite invites contemplation and reflection. Please, take a seat, relax, watch the lakeās ripples perform their water dance. Does the shimmering surface remind you of stars presenting a ballet in a brilliant night sky?
Note the tall pines swaying in the breeze, you can gently sway, too, if you feel the need. Let the depth of your soul bathe in the beauty. Permit calm into your core slowing the anxiety in your weary bones. No worries weigh heavy on your mind. Simply absorb natureās tranquility, enhancing your mindset, and sensing your body slipping into a state of bliss.
The sun touches the stone like the caress of an adored lover. Feel the warmth seeping into your skin and open your eyes to the wonder around you, to the tail-free lizard heading somewhere fast alone.
When you feel like you canāt keep up with a world spinning out of control,
When joy has been suffocated by tragedies incomprehensible, and you fear it won’t breathe sweet air again,
When hope has been emptied to the last drop and you fear it won’t be replenished,
Consider yourself truly blessed with this precious moment, transporting you to a safe place of escape.
On of our hikes, we discovered a pond, and a fun poem came to mind for Part 2 in my camper van adventure series. If you missed Part 1, you can read it here. Enjoy!
Mr. Frog
I wonder if a frog lives in that pond or a family of three or even beyond.
A green meadow surrounds with evenings of hoots – an enchanting location to plant their roots.
With each step of silence Iām quiet as can be. Mr. Frog, please show your wide eyes to me.
When I was five I found a frog as big as a football but not huge like a hog.
I named him Sam, a fine name for him, but it was a tossup between Sam and Tim.
Now you know the reason I simply love frogs as much as my heart loves all breeds of dogs.
And this is why I wish Mr. Frog would pop up soon to bid me the finest day, and tonight, the brightest moon!
Meet the frog that I named Sam made by my mom when I was a little girl. He is comprised oflove, corduroy, and beans.
Baydreamer Writes ~ Lauren Scott, Author & Poet 