Day 43 of The 100 Day Poetry Project

 Day 43 of The 100 Day Poetry Project

Another version of a My Body poem today.

I love to read and write so this version of my body feels natural. We all have a story. The story of our lives contains many different chapters and we have so many layers that only we can decipher.
I hope you can relate.

Day 42 of The 100 Days Poetry Project

 Day 42 of The 100 Days Poetry Project

I listened to Naomi Shahab Nye read her poem Cross That Line this morning and I knew immediately that I had to write a poem about the Cellist of Sarajevo and the concrete roses that are now all over the city as a physical reminder of the war and genocide that took place there. If you've never heard of Vedran Smailovic, Google him. There is an excellent fictional book about him by Stephen Galloway and YoYo Ma has a song about him. There is even film footage of him on Youtube. Vedran played Albinoni's Adagio G in minor every day for 22 days risking his life. The siege of Sarajevo in Bosnia lasted for four years, from 1992 to 1996. It is the longest siege of a capital city in modern history. If you want to know who inspires me, it's the man known as The Cellist of Sarajevo.

Day 41 of The 100 Days Poetry Project

 Day 41 of The 100 Days Poetry Project

Well, I was almost done with this poem when I fell and broke my left arm, the humorous in 3 places, and ended up needing 3 stitches above my left eyebrow. My left arm is my dominant arm and writing hand. It's a huge bummer but I'm hanging in there.

The deer and I were both amazed the dog didn't try and chase them. It was kind of crazy how they listened to me and followed my direction and crossed the street into the woods. I could feel a deep understanding between us.

Day 40 of The 100 Day Poetry Project

 Day 40 of The 100 Day Poetry Project

You know since I started this project 40 days ago, I have discovered there is a poem in everything. I feel like I am living in a poem and I only need to pay attention for it to make itself known to me and that happens when I have time to think or just be in solitude. If I don't know what to write about, I usually take a walk, and by the time I get home, I have some ideas of what I should write about. In some ways, it's overwhelming to think that there is a poem in everything because then there are so many poems to write.

Do you see poems everywhere?

Do you have a poet's eye?

Day 39 of The 100 Day Poetry Project

 Day 39 of The 100 Day Poetry Project

Today I'm longing for the safe arms of the magic tree I wrote about yesterday. It rained all day, hailed too and it was sort of depressing. I'm glad I have my journal to write down my thoughts and to get out my pain and sadness. It's definitely a form of therapy.

I love creating art in my journal and the last 6 months that I've been art journaling. I love it and every day can't wait to paint, collage, or draw at the end of the week.

Do you keep a journal?

Day 38 of The 100 Day Poetry Project

 Day 38 of The 100 Day Poetry Project

I spend a lot of time in the nature preserve by my house. I'm there almost every day. It holds unlimited treasure and inspiration for poems. The tree I'm writing about today is located there. It has really long limbs that bend to the ground as if about to scoop you up and take you on an adventure in the night. It feels magical and it makes me feel safe. Like I can climb in its arms and it will protect me. Today while walking there at sunset I heard an owl, and a raccoon just walked by my patio door demanding a mention in the poem I was writing. The raccoon stopped and we contemplated each other. for a brief moment.

Do you have a magic tree?

Day 37of The 100 Day Poetry Project

 Day 37 of The 100 Day Poetry Project

I wrote this on International Women's Day and I wanted to honor the women in my life with a poem. Women's work is so often demeaned and women work really hard. I wanted to honor women and the work they do today through my grandma who was a hard-working woman. All of my grandmas were hard-working women and I'm a better person because of them. This poem is about my dad's mom, Marjorie. She loved to read and play the piano as well as crochet. She taught me to crochet and I still have the blanket she made me when I was 10. I love you a bushel and a peck Grandma.

Day 36 of The 100 Day Poetry Project

 Day 36 of The 100 Day Poetry Project

It was almost 60 degrees today in the Twin Cities and it truly felt like Spring.
I went for a walk and paid attention to what I heard and saw. It is a muddy mess out there but the birds are singing and that makes me so happy. I really miss hearing them sing when they are gone in the winter. I hope you were able to enjoy the beautiful day today. We are not out of snowstorm danger yet.

Day 35 of The 100 Day Poetry Project

 Day 35 of The 100 Day Poetry Project

I wrote another "My Body" poem. When I first started writing them they were much darker. It's interesting to see how I've grown and changed through my poems. I'm healing and I'm not as mad at my body as I used to be. Someday I will publish all my- My Body poems in a book.

I went to the Fraconia sculpture park today with my daughter and it was incredible and I was so inspired by the many artists and their creativity. Hence, My Body is a sculpture. We are all works of art.

You are a work of art!

Day 34 of The 100 Day Poetry Project

 Day 34 of The 100 Day Poetry Project

I'm a member of the walking wounded working desperately to try and heal. Writing poetry is healing for me and it helps me get my pain out so I can try and heal my inner wounded child. Sometimes people hurt me, people, who are supposed to love me and as a result, I'm feeling wounded.

We are all wounded so take care of yourself. Love yourself.

Day 33 of The 100 Day Poetry Project

 Day 33 of The 100 Day Project

Today I've been thinking about what it means to be rich. Wealth should not just be measured in money and jewels but should be measured in other ways as well.

So tell me, how rich are you? How do you measure your wealth?

Day 32 of The 100 Day Poetry Project

 Day 32 of The 100 Day Poetry Project

Today's poem is a memory. I'm a pretty friendly person and enjoy talking to strangers and this man was so friendly. I was with my husband who is nice but doesn't like to talk to people he doesn't know. Anyways long story short, this lovely black man hugged my husband first and then hugged me and it was something that affected both of us deeply and my husband talks about it often. How he was hugged by a stranger in the skyway. It just doesn't happen every day! I think this experience changed him. He realized how important a simple act of kindness is.

Day 31 of The 100 Day Poetry Project

 Day 31 of The 100 Day Poetry Project

Yesterday, I fell and sprained my knee and I immediately wondered what the universe was trying to tell me. Today, my poem really reflects how God, the universe, or whatever you want to call, the great beyond, communicates with us. Many of my messages come from the animals who visit me and literally climb my stairs and look in the patio door or the front door. I've had deer look in the front door and this week a squirrel and a feral cat climbed my stairs and stared right at me. So pay attention to what your spirit guides are trying to say. Know that the universe is in love with you.

Day 30 of The 100 Day Poetry Project

 Day 30 of The 100 Day Poetry Project

This is a true memory of duck hunting with my dad and brother. I was probably 7 or 8 years old and my brother was 6 or 7. The year probably 1974 or 75. I remember putting the decoys in the water and it seemed like forever we sat in the boat waiting for a bird to fly by. It was probably 2-3 hours. I can't remember if we got a bird or not, I don't think it matters. It's the experience that is important and the memories we made that day. Thanks, Dad.

Day 29 of The 100 Day Poetry Project

 Day 29 of The 100 Day Poetry Project

I have a complicated relationship with my body and my thighs. I know some of you can relate. As I age I am learning to appreciate my body for what it does for me and trying to change my negative narrative to a positive one.

Day 28 of The 100 Day Poetry Project

 Day 28 of The 100 Day Poetry Project

I got my vaccine today and on the way to the clinic at the Mall of America, I heard Joe Cocker's song, You are so beautiful and I thought I should write a poem about beauty. This is a poem I wrote for my children and for any person who doesn't think they are beautiful.

I'm going to let you in on a little secret. You are so beautiful. So breathtakingly gorgeous. Hug yourself and breathe in the beautiful and be the wonderful you.

Day 27 of The 100 Day Poetry Project

 Day 27 of The 100 Day Poetry Project

Well, I had no ideas for a poem today and then I went for a walk at sunset with a red lab, a puppy of 10 months, that I'm boarding named Miko and she was the inspiration for the poem. I absolutely love golden hour as it is my favorite time of the day. Sunset was stunning tonight and in the golden light of the sunset and the golden-brown weeds and the red lab who blended in, the poem found me - it was magical.

Day 26 of The 100 Day Poetry Project

 Day 26 of The 100 Day Poetry Project

Today I was thinking about some of the past trips I have been on and how blessed I am to be able to travel. I really miss traveling.

Where are you planning to go first when it's safe again to travel?

I'm planning to go to Ecuador.

Day 25 of The 100 Day Poetry Project

 Day 25 of The 100 Day Poetry Project

I just found out that I will be going back to school to report for in-person learning. It's been a whole year teaching distance learning. This is causing some anxiety and I've been thinking I can't wait to travel again and go on a vacation. Well, pretty much my vacations have all been spent in my backyard or in the woods near my house. Sometimes a nearby park. So to all of us who have been vacationing in our backyards for over a year. This poem is for you. I can't wait for the warmer Spring sun and the birds to return to Minnesota.

Day 24 of The 100 Day Poetry Project

 Day 24 of The 100 Day Poetry Project

Last night as I was falling asleep the words "I found a poem" came to me. So I spent today thinking about finding a poem and then a gray squirrel walked onto my patio, climbed the steps, and then looked in my patio door and I knew I met my poem. I've been having a lot of animal encounters lately and so I visited a cat today for my side job and the cat literally smelled my face. It kind of tickled. When I look back at the poem it really makes you think - did I find the poem or did the poem find me?

Day 23 of The 100 Day Poetry Project

 Day 23 of The 100 Day Poetry Project

Today I was inspired by Rumi's poem The Guest House. It's one of my favorites. The words hope addict came to me and then the image of opening the door to let in things we may or may not want to enter. So today I just played with words.

Some days this is hard and I have to search for inspiration and other days the poem just flows out of me easily.

Day 22 of The 100 Day Poetry Project

 Day 22 of The 100 Day Poetry Project

I had a visiting dog over the weekend and we went for several walks following the multitude of deer trails in the snow. It was a fun adventure for both of us and we never saw a single deer even though we were looking for them.

This is one of the reasons I love the snow because I can get off the path and follow the deer trails.

Day 21 of The 100 Day Poetry Project

 Day 21 of The 100 Day Poetry Project

Poetry is a painting with words and your imagination is the canvas. Word Portrait is about me. It's hard to pin yourself down with words because you are always changing and yet are always the same. I see myself differently than you see me and you see things about me I've yet to recognize.

Day 20 of The 100 Day Poetry Project

 Day 20 of The 100 Day Poetry Project

I woke up today with a pounding migraine. I've been dealing with migraines my whole life and I literally feel like an angry person lives in there and wants to get out. How I'm feeling gets a prominent place in today's poem. If you suffer from headaches and migraines you know the pain is debilitating.