Spillwords publishes “Treats only, Please!”

On October 24, 2024October 24, 2024 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Poetry81 Comments

I don’t like scary movies! As a teenager, I saw my fill, and the movie that did me in was The Amityville Horror! I was housesitting with my best friend, Melissa, and why we thought going to see this movie was a good idea, I’ll never know. But into the night, every strange sound in the house just about ejected us from our beds! The toilet gurgling, the wind outside, the creaking of the house, the refrigerator whine, our imaginations! Now, as an adult, the news of world events and events in my own country are frightening enough! Who needs Jason, Michael, Chucky, or Freddie?!!! 👻

So, when I read about Spillwords asking for Halloween submissions, I thought, hmmm, scary isn’t my genre. Then I reminisced to the Halloween nights when our children went trick-or-treating in their cute costumes, and behold, a fun, light poem was born. 😁🎃 I’m thrilled that Spillwords liked it enough to publish it in their Halloween collection. My heart is filled with gratitude to Dagmara K. and her team for sharing my writing again within such a talented community.
And now for a snippet…

Treats only, Please

Creepy cackles from tall, looming trees
startle their jumpy heartbeats as they walk.
Shadows discreetly follow the echoes
as they timidly proceed down the block.

Young voices repeat with conviction,
“It’s just a night for entertainment”
There’s no need for…

To read the full poem, fly on over to Spillwords by clicking here, and I hope you’ll give it a 🧡 while you’re there! If you have any thoughts, don’t be shy, leave a comment! Does my backstory and poem resonate with you?
Thanks SO much for your support! 👻🎃

I appreciate your visit, and wish you a wonderful weekend ahead!
Stay well, happy, and safe! ❤️🍁

Lauren Scott, Baydreamerwrites ©2024 – All rights reserved.
Photos courtesy of Spillwords

Website: baydreamerwrites.com
Author Of The Month, May 2023 Spillwords Press
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Author, More than Coffee: Memories in Verse and Prose
Author, Finding a Balance: A Collection of Poems
Author, New Day, New Dreams: A Poetry Collection
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Co-Author, Poetry Treasures 2: Relationships
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Who says miracles don’t happen?

On October 20, 2024 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Poetry109 Comments

Last Wednesday morning brought us
a stunning sunrise and double rainbow.
I wasn’t able to get photos,
but a friend of mine grabbed her cell phone and captured these!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Who says miracles don’t happen?

I’m sharing a poem from my recent poetry collection
that ties in with the miracles of rainbows:

Darker than the Deepest Sea

Life is like a package wrapped in festive paper.
The matching ribbons fascinate in their delicate,
entwined company, fingers gently unravel,
heartbeats increase from excitement.
We lift the lid, peek inside, letting our
inner child frolic to the forefront of our minds.

But unlike recyclable paper, the gift of life
cannot be tossed back into the universe.
There is no spare awaiting on the sidelines,
and we should be mindful that the contents
require tenderness with instructions solely
for each one of us individually,
because as visible as a ruby rose
in a garden of white daisies…
we are beautifully unique.

Once we follow these
with gratitude and vivacity,
the purpose of our gift will reveal itself
as naturally as moonlight on a night
darker than the deepest sea.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When you leave my site today,
please remember how precious life is,
and how beautiful you are!

And as Maya Angelou said,
“Try to be a rainbow in somebody else’s cloud”.
❤️❤️❤️
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Clock

On October 17, 2024October 17, 2024 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Poetry79 Comments

You stare at the clock anticipating an answer, and the clock has no idea of the power lying in its hands. The infuriating face meets your stare as if to ask, “What?” You hold onto the words that fell from the tongue like a lifeline since your life resides on the edge. Trust lived in your heart at the time. But syllables soar far above your reach with no substance. The answer has yet to reveal itself. Waiting is a lifetime occupation. So, your fingers form a steady grip around the bottle as you tip it over, pouring…You watch the golden liquid glide over the cubes like ocean waves rolling over ice glaciers. Your logical self desires to perform a task of importance, a distraction, to trick your thoughts and busy your hands. But then your eyes find the clock again. Mind and body become stuck, paralyzed from emotions out of your control, and the only thing that makes sense is indulging in another sip. The burning down your throat is one sensation you can truly understand.

a crutch of liquid
soothes frustration of vagueness
living in darkness

Lauren Scott, Baydreamerwrites ©2024 – All rights reserved.
Photo by Jordan Benton on Pexels.com

Never Lackluster

On October 14, 2024 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Poetry75 Comments

Firs and pines closely observe us as we take a self-guided tour through their homeland, strolling slowly, while enjoying occasional granite-hopping. We don’t believe they’re 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 – the color of my husband’s 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

Silent Cell Phone

On October 12, 2024October 13, 2024 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Poetry69 Comments

It isn’t a sudden realization that fell from the sky like an unexpected deluge of rain – that she’s alone without him. But the insight flashes on every wall in the house like a persistent advertisement on television. Dodging its audacity staring her in the face is impossible. Its reflection glowers back at her in each mirror. And yet, don’t misconstrue, this share of vulnerability isn’t about loneliness. Her ‘me’ time is welcomed at the right time, but when he’s gone, there’s no pretending. Too many miles stretch in between her address and loved ones. Friendships reside in the past. Staring at the silent cell phone lying on the table, she wishes it to buzz and shimmy closer to her. The doorbell longs to chime in days of old. No one to laugh with, no one for idle conversation, no one to care. The only noise is the reassurance that she is alone, and it booms through her aching heart like a relentless bass beat.

life partner brings joy
‘me time’ brings satisfaction
friends faded with time

Gobblers by Masticadores publishes “Let Man Lay Down Rifles to be Ally”

On October 7, 2024 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Blogging, Gobblers by Masticadores, Poetry48 Comments

I’m pleased to announce that my poem “Let Man Lay Down Rifles to be Ally” is published on Gobblers by Masticadores today! I am very grateful to Manuela Timofte and her staff for publishing this special piece.
I hope you all enjoy!

Let Man Lay Down Rifles to be Ally

If only humans could absorb lessons
From the largest mammals walking the earth.
Their big hearts bursting with kind expressions,
A principle understanding golden worth.

If only humans would shed their black greed,
Knives and guns stealing an innocent life.
Torturing for the sale of ivory
Beneath a darkened sky, spine-chilling cries...

To read the rest of the poem, please click on the link below. And if you don’t already follow Gobblers, please do. You’ll discover amazing talent and thought-provoking writing. Thanks for stopping by!

Let Man Lay Down Rifles to be Ally

An October Fright

On October 5, 2024October 5, 2024 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Poetry76 Comments

Sunset would soon reveal itself
On this day not quite the thirty-first.
Late afternoon brought warm temps,
He shifted the car into reverse.

Looking in the rear-view mirror
Ready to part from the stall,
His eyes blinked several times,
What he saw took disturbing gall.

A clown from a horror film
With head bent to the right –
He thought, “What the hell?”
Celebrating defense of daylight!

Mind and body didn’t easily scare,
Toughened by the screen.
But trepidation began to build,
Though not in the least to be seen.

However, he swiftly chose to ignore
Since the dashboard clock continued to tick.
No weapon glistened in light of day,
Time did not allow for a lunatic.

The right move was decided
To turn the other cheek.
Pointless to provoke,
yet, he wasn’t acting weak.

The sedan attempted to roll back
As the clown surprisingly stepped aside.
Avoiding contact with those eyes,
the accelerator was applied.

A form of frightening entertainment,
Ages ago, clowns, fun and comical.
Their smiles joyful, but now creepy.
An event surely psychological.

Nevertheless, a happy ending for this tale –
Altercation dodged, he thankfully stayed safe.
But fun appears in interesting forms –
This afternoon, dreadfully, eerily displayed.

(The inspiration for this poem came from my son’s unsettling experience in college years ago. It turned into a timely post for the spooky event approaching at the end of this month.)

Thanks for stopping by, and watch out for those clowns! 🤡

Let Man Lay Down Rifles to be Ally

On October 3, 2024 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Poetry80 Comments

I was finally able to take some photos of these wonderful elephants that I pass by every day. They’re on the side of the building for Johnny Doughnuts. And I always think of my good friend, Resa, because she is the discoverer of fabulous murals that she shares on her blog, graffitiluxandmurals.com. After reading The Elephant Whisperer by Lawrence Anthony and An Elephant in My Kitchen by Francois Malby-Anthony, I fell head over heals with these magnificent animals. But as we all know, poaching is rampant for elephants. I can’t even wrap my head around this horrific deed and the heartless humans behind it. Anyway, a poem began to brew and a sonnet began to form. The iambic pentameter isn’t perfect, but so be it. Thus, I offer you my ‘somewhat sonnet.’

Let Man Lay Down Rifles to be Ally

If only humans could absorb lessons
From the largest mammals walking the earth.
Their big hearts bursting with kind expressions,
A principle comprising golden worth.

If only humans would shed their black greed,
Knives and guns stealing an innocent life.
Torturing for the sale of ivory
Beneath a darkened sky, spine-chilling cries.

Allowing these creatures to play their part
Would aid ecosystems they occupy.
No bullets tearing through a gentle heart…
Let man lay down rifles to be ally.

But greed, a power tough to relinquish –
Is this a pipe dream best to extinguish?

(I end with a question to ponder, but a rhetorical question because good-hearted man will always fight the greedy heartless to protect these amazing mammals that are vital to the ecosystems they inhabit.)