Let’s Try Something New

In September I saw a CFS from Dust Poetry Magazine for chairs, photos of empty chairs, and a voice in me said, yes, send them something, do it, send something in. I don’t know if it is the current state of the world, but my inner me is becoming my outter me and I gotta tell ya it is really working out. I’ve submitted more stand -alone pieces this year than I ever have. Some have been received well and some have been thoroughly rejected.

I feel like I have nothing to lose at this point and everything to gain.

Photo by Danielle MacInnes (Unsplash 2017)

It can be that way for you too. I encourage you to do that thing you want to do. Do it now. Don’t wait! It might turn out or it might not. Thats ok. You’ll still learn something and have an experience.

As far as the submission went: It turned out, y’all!! My photo was including in a cool gallery of chairs! Check out the link and, I don’t know, look at my chair! Dust Poetry Mag Gallery

ICYMI: Coming April 2021

Greetings beautiful people! So much has happened this year! Some good, some extremely bad, and all the in between. I hope you’re all adjusting and doing what you need to do for your mental and physical wellbeing.

I’ve been writing, thankfully. I don’t 100% know how but it’s what keeps me going. Having to focus on that has been so helpful.

And just in case you missed the announcement Friday BLF Press is publishing my 1st chapbook of poems.

“This is Not About Love explores the complexities of human emotion and relationships via memory, experience, and imagination. Smith reminds us that love is not a singular emotion, and romantic relationships are not paramount to happiness.”

If you’re interested in reviewing, contact BLF Press (info@BLFPress.com) and you can preorder by clicking here

Release Date: April 6th 2021

National Poetry Month Day 30 – The Finale

What a month! 30 poems 30 days! Congratulations! While this challenge was great in so many ways I am likely never doing it again. The unnecessary anxiety that hit late in the evening was too much!

I asked for a few suggestions on social media on what to write today’s poem on. I got some great suggestions: doors/beginnings and endings, triscuits (lol I wrote a short and silly bop for my friend Kristie).

The suggestion that is today’s poem was an elegy for April – Thanks, Stephanie!

Fare Thee Well 

Like most things that come
and go, we must mourn
appropriately- April 2020!

So much changed. So much
still to come. We don’t 
know. But we hold fast
and let go. Let go!

National Poetry Month Day 29 –

Day 29! I don’t know what to say. A poem a day keeps the blahs away (unless you’re living through a pandemic and then it’s really hit or miss). Tonight’s poem is my attempt at a William Carlos Williams creation called Triversen (six tercets to put it simply).

#29

The way she joked
made me laugh deeply, 
but I should have wondered. 

Those quick to give a laugh,
or anything really,
are usually hiding. 

Laughter hides them
from what they fear
and makes it easier.

Easier to walk away,
say goodbye, when
the hard time comes.

I don’t know what
it was that scared
her enough to leave. 

She was funny and
so absolutely beautiful 
when she laughed.

National Poetry Month Day 28 – It’s Gettin’ Real

Have y’all seen those Navy/Pentagon UfO 🛸 videos? Oh my goodness! What I’ve always known is coming out! But also the government thinks we are some dum-dums. This year is all about the truth coming out! I thought an echo poem would best speak to that.

#28

UFOs in the sky now?
Now
the government thinks we’re fools!
Fools
killing us one by one by one!
Un-
do what they’ve done to your
  minds.
Mind 
what your parents & teachers
 taught you!
You
matter! This life is up to you!!

National Poetry Month Day 27- Cinquain

Just a couple days left in April. I’m determined to get a few more poetic forms in. Today’s poem is a cinquain, or five liner. Dedicated to my Tiny Cat who occasionally shows an interest in my feet.

#27

My cat 
thinks my foot 
is a toy under the blanket. 
Even if I’m still
my toes will not be safe.

National Poetry Month Day 26 – Stillness

Day 26! It’s getting harder to crank out poems every day. This is the last week so I feel like I need to push myself. We’ll see what happens. Over all this has been a pretty good challenge.

#26
When the words don’t come 
or they stick 
to your tongue 
get up and move. 
Stretch toward the sun.

Crown yourself with flowers
and oils;
cleanse in nature’s showers
for hours and hours.

Laugh, cry, yell;
make room for the new
that will come like the crisp ring of a bell!

Rest! Close your eyes!
Close your eyes!
Close your eyes!

National Poetry Month Day 25 – Affirmation

Today’s poem/piece is a simple affirmation. I need an extra bit of motivation as I’ve been working on a sestina that isn’t quite there yet. I’ll get it, I’m sure. Hope this motivates and inspires you too.

#25

I observe. 
I think. 
I reflect. 
I create. 
I am.

Now I think tacos are in order! Enjoy your weekend! 💖

National Poetry Month Day 24 – Out of the Blue

Happy Friday! Happy 24th day of National Poetry Month! How you doing? You good? I’m good. I hope you are.

I wrote today’s poem after reading a short article about glowing sand. Photoplankton and other dilly-bops give it its color. And I decided to play with the word blue and create a rhyme scheme of my own. Here we go:

Blue Bayou 

Away, you and I
to Manzanita 
where the sand glows
blue and the water soothes.
We’ll be surrounded by
blue. We’ll float (or fly) however we choose. 
And of each other we’ll be
blue; taking time to pursue 
our coming together.

This turned out pretty clean. I like the play of the word blue (*note I am using the italicized blue here to mean informed/know as W.M. Thackeray used “blue” in his writing about women.) I thought I’d give it a shot.