Fondly

Fondly

I still think of you fondly, she said to him.

Fondly? It might as well be “pondly,”
a stagnant body of algae-laden water.

No, fondly as in how the sun kisses
a watercolor portrait.
The paints have faded, leaving a dark outline of the images.
Faint pastel colors remember and blush at
the passion and vibrant colors
they knew that adorned my world.

When I think of you fondly,
the flaws and mistakes are erased
and only the delightful moments are outlined.

Writers' Resolutions

This was forwarded to me and I saved it. Now, I must remember it and live it.


I will write every day. Whether it's an e-mail or a short story, I will write carefully and well, and I will take my writing seriously.

I will accept that which I cannot change. I will accept the rejection that comes with the submission process. I will graciously accept other writers' successes without whining about my own frustrations. And I will accept where I am in my writing career.

I will always have a certain number of submissions circulating while I work on still more pieces.

I will master the query letter, the synopsis, and the book proposal. Period.

I will set manageable and attainable goals—and stick to them. I will break down daunting tasks into realistic goals and enjoy the satisfaction of checking them off my list.

I will try different types of writing and explore new markets. Experimenting in new genres will make me a more well-rounded writer, and I may discover a new talent!

I will read more. I will pay careful attention to character development, plot, and dialogue, and I will emulate those traits in others' writing that appeal to me as a reader.

I will finish unfinished projects and revise old work. In the process, I may find a gem of a piece that risked languishing forever unread.

I will attend a writers' conference and make new contacts. I will find a conference that showcases one of my favorite authors, and I will make the most of the experience.

I will get organized. I will create a workspace that lets my creative juices flow, and I will organize the business side of my craft. If I set myself up as a serious writer, others will treat my writing as a serious endeavor as well.

I will claim my dream of being a writer—and I will not let anyone take my dream from me. I will take criticism into consideration, but I will not let it define me.

I will extend a helping hand to at least one other writer. It's not a competition, after all, but a road we're all traveling together.

I will treat myself kindly. I will celebrate my successes and view rejections as a learning experience.

I will remember that writing is my passion and not necessarily an easy path, and I will treasure the process as I go.

Quotes

If there is a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, you must be the one to write it.
- Toni Morrison

A poet looks at the world the way a man looks at a woman.
- Wallace Stevens

The poet doesn't invent. He listens.
- Jean Cocteau

Word

A word is dead
When it is said,
Some say.
I say it just
Begins to live
That day.
- Emily Dickinson

2 AM and I'm still awake, writing a song
If I get it all down on paper, its no longer
Inside of me, threatening the life it belongs to
And I feel like I'm naked in front of the crowd
Cause these words are my diary, screaming out loud
And I know that you'll use them, however you want to
-Anna Nalick ("Just Breathe")


LORD POLONIUS: What do you read, my lord?
HAMLET: Words, words, words.
-William Shakespeare


I felt he found my letters and read each one out loud.
I prayed that he would finish but he just kept right on ...
Strumming my pain with his fingers,
Singing my life with his words,
Killing me softly with his song,
Killing me softly with his song,
Telling my whole life with his words.
- Robert Flack

Mermaids Among Us

The next generation of women was born
with feet like eggplants.
They married men of the Soil, had
a child born of the Earth and they
stood on the chilly plains with lean legs.

Yet in the moonlight, their blood
ebbed and flowed with the sea.
Their tears were like salty jewels.
They didn’t know why they craved
the sonorous music of blue oceans,
the flavor of green kelp and
the sage teachings of the dolphins.

They adorned themselves with coral
and shells, yet felt empty.
“This is absurd,” they reminded themselves
secretly.

With feet planted on the still and dry ground,
they hid this story deep inside.
They gave generously to the Earth and divided themselves
to attend the needs of the Soil.

In their dreams, they heard the call of the Ocean.
Their legs returned to their natural state, and
they flipped, jumped and warmed their souls in waters
caressed by the moon.

Inspired by “A Survival Guide for Landlocked Mermaids” by Margot Datz

Flaws

Running my hands over
your chest and feeling the
flaws. Not knowing
if it is your skin
or my fingers.

Butterfly On My Leg

Butterfly On My Leg

It was when I sat in the darkness
of my own anger at my loss
that I suddenly noticed the soft and subtle flickers.
White wings came together like an angel's hands in a greeting.
The black eyes studied me.
She moved with steady steps on my calf.
Could I not feel anymore?

I did not move as I looked down. I could feel each footstep.
The wings were translucent, shimmering with
silken fibers. Yet they were opaque.
I wanted to see.
I wanted to feel.
I need to hear.
I strained and did hear the little one's words to me.
Fly with me.
I explained I couldn't.
I must remain to guard my losses.
Her voice beat consistently.
Fly with me.
I told her I could not.

She flew higher and floated to my ears.
She told me of succulent lavendar and heathers,
the inebriating scents of the green grass,
and being quenched by the dew warmed by the rising sun.

She said she understood. She knew.
It was only when she left her cocoon
was she able to savor the lushness of life.
The dark confines were cozy and safe.
But, hunger raged. The fatigue.
The desire to break out, stretch her wings and senses.

She began with a tiny punch.


*~*~*~*~*~*~
This was a writing prompt in my poetry journal - "Imagine a butterlfy lands on your leg."