I’m stuck in this place
but my mind wanders like eyelashes
that float through the wind
carried by luck filled wishes.
If only I could be like that,
lighter than air and free.
Tag: art
WALKING THROUGH THE MUSEUM
There’s art that pulls at your heart strings
so strongly you think your heart
might rip right out of your chest.
There are oceans and languages
between us but we still feel this art
like we’re sharing pieces of our souls.
Days when your world’s on a tilt
I take it all so personally
Can’t seem to let the wrong words go
I just want to stay in bed all day
Shut the blinds and close out the world
Call in sick to work
Think about texting my selfish ex.
I’m just having one of those days
where I’m grinding my teeth
just to make it through.
– July 2019
How to stop from getting in a relationship rut Part 2
Here are a few more tips and tricks to help keep your relationship healthy.
Write a list or note of some things you appreciate about your partner
As a relationship gets older, you might start taking your partner for granted or start expecting more instead of appreciating all that they already do. Sometimes you need to remind yourself of all the great things they do for you and with you so write a note listing some of the reasons you love your partner. Probably the most important part is the step that comes next, which is sharing that love note with your partner and letting them know that you see the little things they do for you and how much you appreciate them.
Sharing the love you have for them can warm them up and open them up to show how much they appreciate you as well. A simple note can help ease any resentment that your partner may have been feeling because they felt unappreciated. Reading this note could also spark your partner to want to keep up with doing little things to show their love.
Go see art together and get inspired from your heart
As a poet, going to a concert or seeing a play really inspires me. I feel the emotions of the performance expanding my heart and cracking open my chest. Art is really good for your soul and with that, can be really good for your relationship. You’re both feeling that inspiration and adrenaline that’s putting your mindframe into a better place. You’re usually experiencing art as a night out to relax so you’re letting go of work life stress and spending quality time together. Art can make you feel good and when you feel good, you want to do good. That’s great for any aspect of your life, including your relationship.
Spend time apart
You may wonder if spending time apart is a backwards step to getting out of a rut but it could be really healthy for the relationship. The relationship may have gotten into a rut because you’re spending all this time together but none of it is quality time and that is definitely not doing any good for your relationship. You come home from work stressed just to have household chores greet you at the door. Your partner may vent about their day which just piles more stress on to you. Or you could start to feel resentment for them either adding to or just not pitching in enough with the household chores. Either way, the intense emotions are just closing in on you and you feel no space is just your own.
This is a good time to regain some of that personal space and put in some me time. Time apart gives you time to detox all those negative emotions you’ve started to associate with your partner. It gives you time to miss your partner and realize you cherish what they do to help relieve your stress from work and the house. It gives you time to evaluate yourself and the relationship. It’s healthy for you which means it will always be healthy for the relationship.
Interview with Poet Kate – Installment 9
Today we’re lucky to interview Kate from the Philippines! I’m always so excited when this blog gets to travel internationally! Kate’s been writing poetry for a number of years now, honing her craft during her college days. She is an artist that enjoys art in many forms including reading and music. Let’s here from Kate now!
What’s your perfect setting for writing?
I do not have a perfect setting for writing. Most of my works are out of “spur of the moment”. Like, for example, ‘Poems About Love’ series were written when I was about to go home from work, or sitting in the couch at home while watching Nat Geo. It naturally comes to me, and sometimes it doesn’t. I get writer’s block, too, and when the creative juices come back, I take advantage of what kind of theme or topic that I will be writing. That’s how I write, I think.
Is there a recurring theme you communicate through your art?
The recurring theme of my art is about love, and not just romantic love, but all aspects of love. Although that is the case, views and likes that my blog receive are for the posts that are about romantic love. That is why I put more focus on it than most of the other aspects. I heed the “pulse” of the readers.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I first considered myself as a writer when I started writing poems during my college days. I had a lot of poems that were lost in time. Some poems and stories were about my friends in relation to their experience in love, and sometimes, based on my own, too. Like, if you have read ‘Ain’t No Sunshine’, I know that at first look, it’s a title of a song, but it’s about my heartbreak from the person whom I considered my ‘sunshine’. The titles are generally connected to the content, and I highlight the significance of the title to my poetry.
What did it feel like the first time someone else read your work?
I feel happy, of course! Most people that I know do not appreciate the works that I have written. They find it cheesy or just not in their liking. But when I am told that it’s good, it fuels me to write even more. It drives me to be more passionate to write for the appreciative reader/s that I have.
If you want to hear more from Kate you can check her out on
Blog
Interview with Poet Alice Fawn – Installment 8
Alice Fawn is bursting with creative talent from her poetry, singing songwriting, writing, and even teaching yoga. Alice carries out her day in an art form with grace. She heals your body, mind, and soul through all of her creative work. Let’s dive into some of her many projects now.
How would you describe ‘Soft Fairytales’ in one sentence?
The fairytales I’ve written are dreamy, soft and empowering. They are pleasant magical journeys wherein the message is always the same: You have a purpose. Powerful beauty is already within you . Kindness and compassion matter.
This is unconventional for a fairytale. Classically, they are generally a bit dark and dramatic.
How do you think you’ve evolved creatively?
I am open to whatever expression wants to flow through next. I had no idea that I’d be writing poetry, fairytales, or even children’s books! I thought I was just a singer who made up lyrics. If we take away labels and expectations, we can be surprised at what comes out!
What do you hope readers will take away from your children’s book, Ginny’s Cloud?
I hope readers delight in the whimsy of the story. I aim to inspire children to have heart based connections with others.
What is your background in spirituality & yoga? how does it influence poetry/ creative process?
I am a yoga teacher and healer, and I tune in every morning with a brief meditation. This helps me to stay elevated and more calm throughout my day. The quieter my mind, the richer the ideas! I am open to receive. Sometimes a phrase will drift into my consciousness seemingly out of nowhere. I believe this can only happen when I am still.
Why is writing important to you?
Its nice to have a solitary creative outlet. It often feels like a form of meditation. I hope to uplift and empower people through my work.
When did you start singing? How did you make the jump to starting this new project?
I remember singing and humming as a child. In a rock band, it’s hard to sing pretty the whole time, and lyrics get lost. My current project, Aurora Aura , came about because I realized that my lyrics were important, and the ethereal quality of my voice needed to be heard. Aurora Aura has guitar looping by Dustin Sebes and melody/lyrics by me.
If you’d like to see more of Alice, connect with her here!
Musical Instagram
Poetry Instagram
Interview with Poet Robin Williams – Installment 7
This month’s Poet is talented beyond her years with 6 publications in just 2 years! Robin Williams’ poetry is as much of a fighter and activist as she is, standing for equality, lgbt+ rights, mental heath, and more. Along with poetry, Robin lets her creativity out in short stories, polymer clay designs, and hand-made crafts. This artist is just getting started, so let’s get to know Robin now!
Your poems focus heavily on an array of sensitive subjects, are there poems that are just so raw that they will never be shared with an audience?
Every poem I’ve ever written has most likely been shared with an audience. There are times I do write a piece that is very raw and I question myself if it should be shared, but a big part of me thinks that it must be shared. I feel that not only am I reflecting myself through my art to heal and analyze, but that someone somewhere is doing the same thing when reading my poetry. Together, we face the raw moments in life and I think that really makes a difference to those who feel like they’re alone in the world.
What was the idea behind publishing April Showers Bring May Flowers and Scars of Apollo just one day apart?
Scars of Apollo had been a planned announcement for almost a year and a half. April Showers bring May Flowers just sort of swept in through the window during the poetry month of April. It really all was just a spur of the moment but it made sense in the end. SoA was to bring healing, to share healing, and ASbMF delivered that healing further through being a collection for donations.
With six published collections (which is extremely impressive in 2 years time!), do you have a favorite?
(Thank you!) My books are literally my children and as every parent knows, to pick a favorite is the worst thing you could do. But I must say, yes, I have a favorite. Scars of Apollo has really brought me so much growth and positivity that my life has taken a trek in the best direction. Of course, I’m very proud of my other works, but SoA is my future and I like that alot.
I know you stand for a lot of causes, is there anything that’s really inspiring your current poetry in particular?
I’m at a mix between wanting to stir up some work that introduces readers to what I believe in, (I’m tasting a bit of witchcraft at the moment) and really breaking down my past year in reporting sexual assault. I think many people find it hard to not only grasp the horrible events many face, but hard to also share those events. I’ve seen my poetry taking on the role of a fighter who is many emotions; anger, guilt, regret, happiness, relief, and determination. Pulling strings from all parts of myself has set a sail within that I hope more people will board.
How did you get into creating polymer clay designs?
It all started with YouTube. I consider myself very crafty; I enjoy getting my hands messy, leaving paper scraps everywhere, and letting glue stick to the table and my fingers. When I came across some videos of how to craft the polymer clay, I was immediately intrigued and purchased some clay the next day. From there, I went through trial and error to get the creations I wanted. It turned out to not only be a fun activity in my spare time, but proved to be a little therapeutic. I’ve even decided to include some in my new subscription boxes!
To get in touch with Robin or purchase one of her many creations, you can reach out –
Interview with Poet Eeva Maria al-Khazaali – Installment 6
Today’s Poet is greeting us all the way from Finland! Eeva is well educated in the arts as she has studied Creative Writing in Orivesi College of Arts, Performing Arts in University of Bedfordshire, and Film Studies in University of Wolverhampton. Her work is now being translated into English and it’s an honor to be supporting her in this next step of her writing career.
The summary of your collection That I Would Dream About It had a line that really stuck out to me – “she is obsessed about the idea of women writing history and making their own stories heard”. How does this drive affect your work and your thoughts on the poetry community?
I feel that it is crucially important to make those stories heard that have been silenced and who don’t have their voices heard in the society. It is the stories (and poems) of the unrepresented minorities who need this the most. I would like to write herstory, instead of history – literature that tells a women’s stories instead of the history of white privileged men. In the poetry community of my home country I have walked in the middle of networking meetings and events to take my place in the midst of men.
I have faced so many young male art students and artists in my life that have said that I am a little girl, especially when I was not yet published, that I will not be able to ever do anything important with my life and my writing. I have proven them wrong with hard work and resilience, despite what people had told me before.
What does it mean for you personally and your writing career to have your work translated and marketed in a second language?
Personally, I learned to speak English at the age of 5. It means a lot to me to have translated my own work in something that I could call my second language. I have spoken English for so long that it felt comfortable to write the translation myself. Having my words in English, out there in the great big world, has made me more confident on impacting lives around the globe. Finland, where I am from, has a very small population and even less actual readers of poetry. This means that my words would have never had the chance to spread wide if it wasn’t to being published in English, too. It excites me to see the world take my book away, whatever it may.
Your line breaks are very deliberate and well thought out, what’s been your thought process behind that writing style decision?
The free verse poetry made a break-through in my home country post-world war II, in the 1950’s. It was then when the lines started to finally break in the middle of the verse. The feminist poets of that time have made me understand the special qualities of language in a line break: it sounds more sinister, more mature, more like literature. (Insert some laughter here). Instead of writing in monotone, I can use the style of writing in a more vivid and rhythmic way, even if I will never write verses in rhyme. But maybe then I will be old school again when the spoken word and rap will have their way and everything will be tied to rhyme again in poems. I just have personally hated rhyme in poems all my life and my line breaks as the necessary structure.
What growth did you notice from your first collection to your second?
I saw tremendous growth from my debut collection to my second book! I could have not believed how much my expressions could expand and live through-out those years in between of these books. My debut was prose poetry in a dramatic narration. It was an experiment as such but now I feel so free doing what I do, writing in free verse with a clear voice, as lucid as I can. I have always admired writers who have managed to write in such precise ways – and now, in my early 30’s I feel I have finally reached the point where I can rely on my senses and my experiences in life enough to speak not only for myself but to aim to speak for all others who might not have had the chance to speak for themselves before.
You’ve started a new project, I Want You, have you always wanted to make a jump into movies?
My full-length debut movie is indeed in post-production at the moment. I have always been interested in the poetics of film. As a young writer I was fascinated by the relationship of light, space and time in fine art and in correlation to writing. I did little research on how light is written about and watched a lot of art house movies a decade ago, not knowing one day that research would be taken to a film set and action.
Marguerite Duras wrote a film that inspired me back then a lot: Hiroshima mon amour. An idea to write about in a language for the silver screen had me dream about it ever since I saw the movie. I am saying that language can be gentle like light – or ashes. It can portray a world that was once hidden or invisible and our movie, I Want You, tries to experiment on those aspects of cinematic expression and poetics of film in a dialogue that is written as a narrative voice over the whole movie.
It was not a jump I had planned to go from poems to screenwriting. It just happened one day when I went to a 24/7 gas station to write. I wrote for 8 solid hours and came back home tears in my eyes, realizing I had written my first real movie. Now I am on to my second movie script with a team. I cannot speak a lot about that project yet but it is about a very sensitive and fragile topic. I will let you know more when it goes to production!
Click here to get your copy of Eeva’s collection That I Would Dream About It!
Blog Tour Interview: An Interview with Poet Megan O’Keeffe — The Literary Librarian
What gave you the idea for Where I Ache? Or what inspired you to write it?
Where I Ache focuses on various aspects of mental health, such as depression and self esteem, which are definitely important to me and my writing. Mental health can be such a delicate topic and often gets avoided because of that. In fact, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to publish this book because I didn’t know if I could put that vulnerability out there. But then I reflected that because of the silence, people with mental illness feel even more alone, so then I knew I wanted to publish this collection, so that the readers could be their own little community of support and unity.
Interview: An Interview with Poet Megan OKeeffe
via Interview: An Interview with Poet Megan O’Keeffe — The Literary Librarian
Quarterly Favorites Recap
Every 3 months this year I’m going to review some favorite things that have been going on in my life. It will be fun to see how things progress and change as the year goes by!
- Favorite show: I just finished season one of I’m Sorry on Netflix, it was funny and I didn’t have to be paying 100% attention all the time which is just how I like my shows. Similar show that I’m also enjoying is I Feel Bad on Hulu. Both funny, cool moms struggling through life sitcoms.
2. Favorite tweet: Check out who I said would be a good trivia partner
3. Favorite blog post: Was when I announced my next Poetry Collection!!!
4. Favorite phase /word to say: I recently started watching Letterkenny on Hulu and they frequently say “Pitter Patter let’s get at’er” so I’ve been parroting that a lot. More Letterkenny quotes here Letterkenny Sayings. (I got to the second season but stopped watching the show, it’s an acquired taste for sure).
5. Favorite thing you did: I went on a trip to California with my boyfriend! It was great to experience something new together and see him so happy and energetic! We also learned I’m a very hangry person… ( sorry for being moody)
6. Favorite artist: I’ve been in some stressful moods due to school work and listening to Post Malone always helps.
The Urban Flair Etsy Shop
7. Favorite Poem: Your Loss is one I recently published on the blog even though I wrote it back circa 2011. I’ve really been enjoying going through my old poems and seeing which ones are still holding up with time. This one is short but still holds substance, Take a look!