It is not when your heart is full
that you feel the weight of all that you have
It’s when you pull away
Driving out under cover of darkness
Leaning south
down the water road
Strings begin to pull
Leading from my heart to theirs
Stretched taut over the miles-
Water color sky
Bruised by morning-
A magic word not yet imagined
For the steel blue water
Interrupted by black boats across the bay
in this spare morning light
Away, away again
To somewhere else
Where it’s too noisy to hear my heart
Or to notice that spider thin thread
I left behind on the road
that leads me back to home.
Poetry Day: Dark Sky
When you’re blinded by the light
you never see the stars
waiting there for you
I could only see
the pieces of the world
That you lit up for me
Until I found the strength
to leave your blazing light-
To step into the dark
And wrestle down my fear
Of what I couldn’t see
Taking in a breathe
to anchor my resolve
Then I looked up…
A hundred million stars
were staring back at me
A whirling universe
You never let me see
Blinded by your light
Kept firmly in your sight
I never would have known
What waited here for me
I looked up-
A hundred million stars
Were staring back at me
Endless possibility
You never let me see
Blinded by your light
Til I stepped into the dark
And I looked up.
David Magro photo: “The Explorer”
Where the hell have you been?
So, I’m a writer. Which means I have a “real job” and I write when I can. Which, for me, is when it’s not peak wedding season.
I have a venue in Northern Michigan. It’s a really great little venue that’s in high demand for couples looking for a fairytale wedding. So, from May until late fall, I am up to my ears in timelines, floor plans, flowers and cake…on the dance floor…in the carpet…in my hair. Don’t ask.
This season, we started adding other events to the calendar during the weekdays; weddings on the weekends. Except recently, when I had to flip the building from a wedding to a chef dinner to a wedding to a private party to a catering job outside the venue and then a wedding again. I should just change my name to Allied Van Lines given the furniture moved around in here. But I am not complaining. I love what I do. And I especially love bringing people together to celebrate whatever they are moved to celebrate.
I’ve always been that person. You know, the one that everybody called to say, “What’s happening this weekend?” And if nothing was happening I would make something happen. Now I get paid to do that.
Love it. Just can’t do any writing while I’m freaking out at midnight wondering if the linen order was right or if it’s going to rain forcing the couple’s ceremony out of the marina park and into the venue two hours earlier.
Weddings are great places to people watch. It’s a smorgasbord of every group and family dynamic you can imagine and a few you really don’t want to imagine. Great hunting grounds for character building for stories.
In October, the 13th to be exact, I have five female authors converging on the venue for Books, Babes & Booze- a cocktail reception/book signing/panel discussion. Can’t wait!
So that’s where the hell I’ve been since May. I’ll be back writing soon. OK. Soonish.
In the meantime, you can follow my flower trail at www.willowbrookmill.com
NaPoWriMo Poem #30: My Job Now
This is the final entry for the April 2019 National Poetry Writing Month Challenge: 30 Poems in 30 Days. This has been so interesting and like any creative endeavor, it makes me want to go make something else. I think I’ll do some painting next…
But for now, for Paul, who filled the world for 27 years and now forever…
~~~~~~~~
My Job Now
It’s said that if a writer loves you
That you will never die
and I’m here to tell you
that it’s true-
A thousand times
Your eyes are seen
Your words are heard
Your wild heart is revealed-
Each reader who stumbles
onto your pages
starts the clock again
on your life as
they discover you-
As if you were still so young
As if you were still here
As if your heart still beat strong and true
It’s my job now
To make them not forget you
And so you come along with me
When I grab my pen and notebook
And
Together
We’ll write the tales you never got to live.
NaPoWriMo Poem #29: That’s Ever Been
Poem #29 of 30
That’s Ever Been
When he says
My God, you’re beautiful
Believe it
Believe it
Believe it
Like a radio wave
Continuing out into the universe forever-
So are the moments when
You come to know yourself
Through someone else’s eyes
Believe it
Even when you cannot reconcile
That love flushed observation
With your image in a mirror
Remember that it happened
There is no never in the universe-
Only everything that’s ever been
NaPoWriMo Poem #28: Shatter
Poem #28 a Haiku
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Shatter
We all have a story
That we will never share out loud
Or our hearts will shatter
NaPoWriMo Poem #27: War Hammer
a Ten Word Poem. #27 of 30
War Hammer
Voice
of the people
gathering here.
New weapon forged-
Numbers
NaPoWriMo Poem #26 Hop Dream
Poem #26 of 30
Hop Dream
Soil readied
precious petals planted
Weeks
Before the sun
hugs the ellipse
Up the wire lines
They run
Building verdant necklaces
as they go
Each gem
a magic part
Of drinks for gods
and queens
NaPoWriMo Poem #25: Cocoon
#25 of 30
Cocoon
Time presses
into itself
until six months is
just a day
Every time I get it right
I have to leave again
Gone-
To that other home where
Parts of me live out
Those same parts that cocoon
over winter
Dream of color and sound
Hidden beneath a cold,
white blanket
And in the moment
of making the most of a home
and its quiet refuge-
it’s time to emerge
and soar
again
somewhere else
How I love the warm nest
I have made
But how I also love the flying
NaPoWriMo Poem #24 Woman’s Best Friend
Poem 24 of 30-
Woman’s Best Friend
Most of my life has been spent
in the good company of dogs-
Shoulder bumping my leg as we walk;
reminder that they were still there.
Dangerous tails clearing coffee tables
Missing holiday turkey when left unattended
Drive by face lickings
Peaked ears at strange noises after midnight
From shared warmth
sleeping pup, nuzzled on my neck
to stretched out long against my back
My ear pressed to a sturdy chest
to hear a heartbeat
I could listen to forever.
My dearest creature friends
who gave
all their love
all their loyalty
all their lives-
It’s so quiet now,
except for the river of tears I make
upon their leaving
