Author: Krystal A. Smith

K.A. Smith is a writer of poetry and fiction.

National Poetry Month Day 4 – A List Poem: Things I need more of

A week or so ago I watched Rupi Kaur’s Instagram live poetry workshop. She did a list poem that I thought was pretty nifty. It was called A List of Things to Share w/the World. I wrote my list that day and loved it. I thought I would do one today for day 4 of National Poetry Month. The title is part of the poem. 

A List of Things I Need More of

Laughter
Sunshine 
Sweetness 
Dance music 
Stability 
Quiet
Encouragement 
Strong coffee, a stiff drink
Hugs/touch

Kisses on my face

This was just a quick poem off the dome this morning. I like it. It’s real and not too complicated. Thanks for reading!

National Poetry Month: #3 – Layers

Day three of National Poetry Month and I’m already more excited and creative than I’ve been in months. Here’s day 3 poem.

Layers

tangled sheet over legs
warm wiggling toes
knee perched
against hip
laying nose to nose 

wild hair forms a curtain 
falls against 
hands & lips & face
fingers chase the laughter
from every hiding place

a gasp, a sigh, roll into one
content 
relaxed 
though not yet done

names become prayers 
that rise like heat
honored, cherished, loved
beneath a tangled sheet

Thanks for joining me on this #30Poems30Days journey. What are you writing?

National Poetry Month: Poem #2-The World Gains Nothing

It’s April 2nd and day 2 of National Poetry Month. Here is another lunchtime poem. 

The World Gains Nothing
 
The world gains nothing
when I deny myself 
pleasure.
 
She gains nothing
when I’m unwell, un-rested. 
I must give
myself
time and tenderness. 
 
I must give
myself to me.
 
I must give myself the world.

I’ve been tinkering with this one for a minute. Swapping out words here and there, adding and taking away punctuation. It may come to exist in a different final form, but this is what it is right now.

Thanks for reading. If you’re writing poetry this month/doing #30Poems30Days, link to your poems in the comments. I’d love to read them and share.

National Poetry Month Huzzah: New Poem #1 Sweet Soul

It’s National Poetry Month! Happy April 1st.

I keep going back and forth on whether I should attempt 30 poems in 30 days. That’s a poem a day. I’ll do as many as I can starting today.

Sweet Soul

Sweet soul
deep joy, gratitude 
flowing
in/out/in

Breathe Love
provide

Spirit grows
with each step

Hope you’ll join me in writing some poems this month. Link to your poems in the comments. #30Poems30Days

The Latest

My latest poem Cycles is up at Entropy Magazine

It’s about water, flow, memories, and so much more. Take a moment to read it and feel free to share with me what it makes you feel and think about.

Also, my January 2020 newsletter is out. Make sure you’re signed up so you don’t miss a thing.

Tuesday I got word from a new magazine that one of my pieces was accepted for February. Huzzah! I’m very excited and Thankful. I was so hype all day after finding out (and I’m still hype over it). 2020 is doing great things. I’m doing great things.

Fall Back – Revisiting Previous Work

Happy Sunday readers, writers, and friends. I hope your weekend has been all that you needed. Our clocks went back an hour and while we’re falling back I’m looking back at some of my old writing. Of course I made some changes (us writers can’t help ourselves; a chance to edit something we swore was complete is irresistible).

Supernova

When stars shimmer

                   are they really

          just winking

at each other?

                     Are they blushing

             brightly, trying

         to figure

Does she like me

                 As much as I

          like her? Do they

         burn, burn, at

the core the way

                   I do for you?

               Imagine

            a heat red-

hot enough to

             blaze blue.

         I love

      you with

   the energy

of stars, two

stars exploding.

******************

This poem and some other writings are accessible for free on my Patreon . I’ll be posting contributor only pieces there as well. Pledge $1, $5, $10, or more a month for those and other rewards.

Quick!

I have laughed

and laughed

and laughed today.

I feel closer to

the child I

used to be

Closer

to the Woman

I am becoming

I feel light

like sugar spun

around a paper cone

like a bird

with lift

and purpose.

Quick,

before I

fly away

take my picture.

Turned Off in the Best Way

This past Saturday I made the decision to turn my phone off for several hours in order to get things done.

It was effective and refreshing.

At 9am Saturday morning I quickly scrolled through my apps and email then simply turned my phone off.

I turned on some music and got to work on tasks that needed my attention. I sat down to read. I played and snuggled my animals. I took a nap.

And yes, I did reach for my phone (less than I thought I would) throughout that time I was “disconnected” but I managed to regroup and refocus.

I stayed off the gadget until about 5pm. It was really nice. I think this is definitely something I need to do more often and I absolutely understand why people step away from social media and take breaks. It’s good for us.

What are some of the ways you “disconnect” or “step away” from time to time?

Finding Strange and Simple Joy in Krystal A. Smith’s “Two Moons” — Gather the Magic: sources on Activism and survival

Two Moons: Stories (2018) by Krystal A. Smith is the simplest joy you can give yourself, especially if you are Black and a lover of speculative work. A few years ago, it was rare to find a gem such as this. You had to hunt for it. But now, especially with more focus on the work […]

Finding Strange and Simple Joy in Krystal A. Smith’s “Two Moons” — Gather the Magic: sources on Activism and survival