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My Favorite Tip for Writing with Limited Time

Earlier this year, my schedule made it so difficult to fit in writing time. Teaching 7 classes, some over their enrollment limit, and being the main transportation source for my kids to their sports and other activities made life overwhelming at times. It’s a good kind of overwhelming, because I enjoy my job, and IContinue reading “My Favorite Tip for Writing with Limited Time”

After-Shock

She’s nobody’s foolto think she deserved some reprievefrom these headwinds and chaos,the tumultuous dayswhen she was caught up in the storm.Now, she spins circles,finds the air is still loadedwith the damp heaviness that forbodes a second storm. I wrote this poem for the Wea’ve Written Weekly prompt #165, which was provided this week by BobContinue reading “After-Shock”

Summer Haze

Sneaking snacks on the back porch,sneaking jokes under blankets,we slip away into sweet dreams as the Northern Lights trace patternsacross our sleeping bags. This is just a little poem about summertime thoughts. We have an upcoming camping trip that I’m pretty excited about– the urge to watch the sunset over Lake Superior and roast marshmallowsContinue reading “Summer Haze”

The Last Train Whistle

History loosens the thread holding us together,until it unravels,slipping down beyondthe space that held our thoughts.It tricklesbeneath remnants ofthe trestle bridgethat once carriedtowards the dream of possibilitycounterhinged in history,until the train whistle’slast call. I wrote this poem for the Wea’ve Written Weekly prompt #164, which was provided by Sheila. She asks us to write aboutContinue reading “The Last Train Whistle”

Battle worn

lately, so many careen around blind corners,tearing the edging,walloping mailboxes, smashing towards strangerslately, I find I’mhelpless to wander,inching down the incline,nose-deep in the sunset, opposite the flow of traffic Today marks Day 2 of summer school for my kiddos, which means more free time to write, walk, and weed the garden– hurrah! I love theContinue reading “Battle worn”

Lemon These Throats

Sliding beyond the brow, the bend of where noise began. We lemon these throats behind us, whispered under night’s edge. We focused on the impossible, bravely kicking up the dust until we become invisible. We scoured our hells, but they couldn’t make runway for the undergrowth. How many more days will we spend, leaderless, hoveringContinue reading “Lemon These Throats”

Time’s Calm

The stillness of that year,captured in still frames,plucks at my veinslike the IV needle.We drive to the hospital,to empty waiting rooms,to masked facesand empty eyesto perdition,or so it seems.Still, that waiting room haunts me,awakening masked emotions.But time passes smoothlythrough the eyes of a needle,until the ghost of that year fades,wavering in my mind’s eye,and IContinue reading “Time’s Calm”

Wide-Open Field

the hallway holds a spiraling blur of blinding light,eternal and etherworldly.I step through with hands shading eyes,trying to glimpse the world ahead.For the longest time, it remainedcordoned off,a heavy blockage impenetrable,the stone path held in place by gatesonly partially of my own making:the limit of struggle,the toxins of trauma,too many brick blocks boarding me up.Now,Continue reading “Wide-Open Field”

Spring River

Spring welcomes us home:a vivid splay of vibrant greensto warm the eyesand raise the hearts.The sliver of riveronce spied between the tangles of bare branchesnow blooms and overflowslike so many flowers along its bank.Sunlight stirs us on,beyond the hour we once huddled indoorsto bask in orange rays that skitteracross Earth’s surfacelong into the evening.We stayContinue reading “Spring River”

Tour Guide

Take the trail that’sRarely comfortableA meandering footpathNewly discoverable Soon we’re lostFollowing the tangibleOr we’re trail-crossedRambling irrefragable Make a choice firstAnd commit to inevitableTangling words cursedInside poetry infrangibleOpen the world’s thirstNoble and intangible I wrote this poem for the Wea’ve Written Weekly prompt #156. This week’s prompt is from Carol Anne, who asks us to doContinue reading “Tour Guide”