Activity
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Oswald Perez shared a letter in the
Poetry group 3 days, 17 hours agoHappy Father's Day!
Oswald PerezDear Unsealers,
It’s the third Sunday in June.
At the halfway point of the month, it’s Father’s Day.
I hope that all the fatherly figures from my dad on down the line have a wonderful day. And everyone has a wonderful Sunday.
I’ve added a photo of my family taken after my sister’s college graduation in 2007. From left to right: my dad, sister, mom and I.
After all that, this is my Father’s Day message:
On this, the third Sunday in June
It’s a day to celebrate fathersMy dad. My friend’s dads.
My friends who are dads themselves. Dad’s to be. New dads.All the fatherly figures
Grandfathers. Stepfathers. Uncles.With arms held aloft
For those who have difficulty celebrating this dayAnd a toast in memory
To the fatherly figures who are no longer with usI can’t thank my dad enough
For being a pillar of my life
Through so many challenging days
If not for him, I don’t rock n rollFrom me to you, the world over
A Happy Father’s Day to all!-
That’s a beautiful and heartfelt Father’s Day message! Your words perfectly capture the spirit of the day, celebrating not just fathers, but all the fatherly figures who shape our lives. The photo adds a lovely personal touch. It’s wonderful to see such appreciation and love. Wishing you and all the fathers in your life a joyous and memorable day!
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Oswald Perez shared a letter in the
Poetry group 2 weeks, 3 days agoWelcome, June!
Oswald PerezDear Unsealers,
It’s the first day of June.
Though, you wouldn’t know it by the way the wind is raging outside right now. It’s actually chilly. As if the season’s are signaling that a change is up ahead.
With the new month beginning, it’s only right to welcome it in. I’ll do so here…
Time is flying by
The month of June has arrivedThirty new days are here
Spring’s around, not much longer
There’s a hint of warmth ahead
Summer’s nearA month to honor our fathers
And be in awe of the Pride on displayOtherwise, it’s another blank slate
Of wondering how to fill timeTo keep the dancing days going
Or, take a beat to clear my headSix months into the year
With the halfway point of 2025 almost hereI wonder silently…
How did we get here?
Where’s everything going?-
Oswald! I so look forward to these poems each month! They allow me to pause and reset and also feel excitement for the upcoming month. It’s a pause and be present moment which are always so nice. Hope it warms up soon there! Thank you for sharing and thank you for being such a beautiful part of The Unsealed. <3 Lauren
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Oswald Perez shared a letter in the
Poetry group 1 months, 1 weeks agoHappy Mother's Day!
Oswald PerezDear Unsealers,
It’s the second Sunday in May.
For a good part of the world, it’s Mother’s Day.
This day can bring up all sorts of emotions. From joy, to sadness and longing. It’s okay to feel all the emotions.
I want to wish my mom, Lauren’s mom and all the mom’s in The Unsealed, a Happy Mother’s Day! I hope it’s a good day.
And now, for a poem marking the day:
On the second Sunday of May
We honor all of the mothersMothers-to-be, grandmothers. My friends who are moms.
Aunts, stepmothers, new moms, and pet moms
All motherly figures. Mi mamáWith all the love and grace
For those who have difficulty celebrating this day
And the mothers who are no longer with usAs mothers are the backbone
Of our lives and the world itselfI wouldn’t be who I am if not for my mom
Tenacious, spirited, and kind
I can’t be grateful enough for herMothers need to be honored.
On this day, and every dayFrom me to you, from NYC to the world…
Happy Mother’s Day! -
opwriter submitted a contest entry to
Write A Letter To A Place That Changed You 1 months, 1 weeks agoBienvenue à Paris!
Oswald PerezDear Unsealers,
Bienvenue à Paris!
October 8th, 2012
After a long night’s journey into daylight, we’ve arrived in Paris. It’s just my sister and I with no parents for the very first time.
It still feels surreal to climb the steps of the Blanche Metro station. Metropolitan above our heads in wrought iron, the Moulin Rouge on the other side of the street. We’ve made it to our home base in Montmartre.
The winding streets going uphill. Past the Cafe 2 du Moulins, and Amelie’s portrait inside. The pink exterior of the cabaret, Au Lapin Agile, and the bronze bust of the chanteuse, Dalida.
At the top of the hill, the sacred heart of Paris. Arriving at the front doors of the imposing Basillaca de Sacre Coeur.
Even on a gray evening, one could see Paris’s skyline as far as the eye could see.
It was not the fever dream that’s been the last few months we’re actually in the City of Lights.
This moment happened with a huge measure of serendipity. Back in May, I got a phone call from Time Out New York saying that I won a round trip flight for two to Paris on XL Airways France.
I couldn’t believe it. I enter their contests every week and don’t win them. Until now.
The reality of the situation only hit me days later, after receiving a congratulatory email from the airline. And even then, I didn’t want to believe it until my feet touched down at Aeroport Charles DeGaulle.
As the days went on, where didn’t we go?!
Versailles, climbing up the Arc de Triomphe the D’Orsay, the Louvre, La Tour Eiffel. Cruising along the River Seine.
There were not so great moments too.
An allergic reaction, excessive wine consumption, and a missed train to London caused problems.
But we made it through the situations to enjoy the trip.
Thirteen years, and one more trip to Paris later, I realize how much the city held my story.
By showing for better and worse, that I can be more than the cerebral palsy allows.
I will say it every time… J’adore Paris!
Voting starts July 26, 2025 12:00am
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Oswald Perez shared a letter in the
Poetry group 1 months, 2 weeks agoWelcome To The Month of May
Oswald PerezDear Unsealers:
It’s the first day of May.
This feels surreal, given that January felt like it happened a century ago. But four months have now come and gone.
As I do, it’s time to welcome in the new month:
A welcome to May
The fifth month of the yearIt feels like a lifetime since January
When I wondered, “Why isn’t the year moving faster?!”Thirty-one new days are here.
With spring blooming, in full flightThe month to honor mothers
To remember those who gave the last full measure of devotion to the countryIt’s a blank slate ahead as another calendar page turns
After a busy April of writing poetry & dancingWith warmer days on the horizon
It’s time to emerge from hibernation.-
I always look forward to these monthly poems. They feel so refreshing and like a sense of renewal – a fresh start and something to look forward to for each month. Your spirit, energy and heart comes through in these pieces and I absolutely love it. Thank you for sharing and thank you for being part of The Unsealed. <3 Lauren
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Oswald Perez shared a letter in the
Poetry group 1 months, 4 weeks agoHappy Easter!
Oswald PerezDear Unsealers:
It’s Easter Sunday.
For those that celebrate the day, I hope that it’s an enjoyable day for you. I hope that everyone has a wonderful Sunday, no matter where in the world you are.
Here’s to the hope and possibility after the lenten season has concluded.
With a nod to the Urbi et Orbi message from the Pope in Rome, this is my message from NYC to the world:
After forty days of Lent
Easter Sunday has arrivedA day to celebrate
The rising of the son of GodWith euphoric joy in the holiest spirit
We praise all that life bringsWith the world blooming all around
Everything’s possible!From me to you and yours
From NYC to the world…Happy Easter!
¡Felices Pascuas!Pazko on!
Bona Pasqua!Joyeuses Pâques!
Buona Pasqua!
Cásca Shona!Feliz Páscoa!
Καλό Πάσχα!
Sretan Uskrs! -
Oswald Perez shared a letter in the
Poetry group 3 months agoA Welcome To Spring
Oswald PerezDear Unsealers:
At the time of writing, there’s less than ten minutes before the vernal equinox. Winter comes to a close.
The first grass grows, the days get longer.
It’s the time of year where come back inside from lunch will be difficult.
I feel a sense of possibility in the air.
With that, a welcome to the new season:
When the first grass grows
It’s the surest sign of time
Rising up from the groundThe seasons are changing
With winter’s icy grip retreating
Spring has finally arrivedA time where everything’s in bloom
Trees, grass and flowers tooUnder equal hours of day and night
The world comes alive againThe new season will unfold in ninety two days
Possibility is in the airAs the next part of the year begins
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Aww Oswald, I love how your poems set the tone for the time of year. It really allows me and reminds me to take a moment to be present. Your poems always put me in the moment, which is so important in life. Thank you for sharing and thank you for being part of The Unsealed. I am going to feature your piece in our newsletter today. <3 Lauren
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Oswald Perez shared a letter in the
Poetry group 3 months agoBeannachtaí na Féile Pádraig oraibh!
Dear Unsealers:
It’s the seventeenth day of March.
So the adage goes, we’re all a little bit Irish today. With that in mind, I hope that everyone has a wonderful St. Patrick’s Day with all the luck.
As I’ve done since 2021, I’ve written my own Irish blessing, and it goes like this…
On this, the 17th day of March
A blessing from me to youMay the sun shine upon you
Blue skies above, green grass belowRainbows to appear when you’re near
A life lived joyfully, without many tearsFor your troubles to be less
The craic always kept in good cheerAll the shamrocks bringing luck
With the warmth of Eire’s heart, soulThere’s one more thing to say
To everyone on the Emerald Isle…Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig oraibh-
Oswald, I’ve always loved the fun and celebratory spirit of St. Patrick’s Day. After all, who doesn’t want to feel a little luckier than usual? I love how your poem captures the positive and uplifting nature of the holiday and also pays homage to the Irish. Thank you for sharing!
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Oswald Perez shared a letter in the
Poetry group 3 months, 1 weeks agoInternational Women's Day 2025
Oswald PerezDear Unsealers,
It’s the eighth day of March.
A Happy International Women’s Day to all the women of the world. From my mom, my sister, all of my female friends and relatives. And to all the women in The Unsealed.
In honor of your strength, kindness and tenacity, comes this poem…
On International Women’s Day 2025
A salute to all the women
Family, relatives, friends and acquaintances
In every corner of the worldMay they keep making this world a better place
Bringing their light, tenacity and strength
Into these trying days and nightsMay we learn from their compassion
Their willingness to stick up for what’s rightI wouldn’t be the person I am
Kind, compassionate and fierce
If not for my mom and sister
The two most important women in my lifeHere’s to the women of the world
Celebrated on this 8th day of MarchAnd every single day of the year!
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Oswald, this poem is such a sweet tribute to the women you’ve encountered. It is obvious, based on your kindness and compassion, that some top tier ladies have influenced you! As a woman, your words mean a lot to me even though I do not know you personally. Thank you for supporting and uplifting the women in your life and for sharing your lovely poetry!
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Oswald Perez shared a letter in the
Poetry group 3 months, 2 weeks agoMarch On!
Oswald PerezDear Unsealers,
It’s the first day of March.January took a century to go by. February passed through quickly.
March is a month of transition.As the clocks will turn ahead an hour in a week. More daylight on the commute home from work.
The countdown to Easter begins. The Lenten season begins on Ash Wednesday.A month that honors women, and brings cerebral palsy to the forefront. And a moment marking five years since the world as we knew it was upended.
March is a month when the seasons begin to change. It begins in the last days of winter and comes to a close at the start of spring.
All in thirty-one days.
As with every month, a welcome in verse:
March
Month number three, in 2025The month comes in like a lion
As winter’s chill and hints of spring trade daysThirty-one days lie ahead.
A season of transitionFrom clocks moving ahead
Equal hours of night and dayA month of solemnity
The countdown to Easter begins.It’s also Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month.
And five years since the AwakeningThe month goes out like a lamb
As the first blooms arrive-
Oswald, I love how you always usher in a new month with hopeful anticipation! March feels like a month of transition to me as well. As winter fades away and spring begins to show its colors, we feel a sense of possibility….unless we are talking about five years ago when March stood for something completely different. Thank you for sharing this piece!
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Oswald Perez shared a letter in the
Poetry group 4 months agoHappy Valentine’s Day!
Oswald PerezDear Unsealers:
It’s the 14th of February.
A Happy Valentine’s Day to those who celebrate the day!
This is my message for this year. A time where love, kindness and compassion are needed more than ever before. Don’t give into the cynicism and darkness.
I hope that you feel love and loved today, no matter where in the world you are.
This is my message of love:
On the 14th day of February
We celebrate the spirit of loveFor friends, family, and loved ones
For anyone that you hold, near and dear to your heartThe feeling of love and kindness is needed
Now, more than ever beforeIt is easy to feel cynical amid all the advertising.
Candy hearts and greeting cards are everywhere.Cupid’s arrow shot across the bow
To everyone in this worldMay love spread to all corners
On this day and every single day of the yearFrom me to you, with all the love I can give
Happy Valentine’s Day!-
Oswald, I agree that love, kindness, and compassion are needed today more than ever before! You never know what someone else is experiencing, especially with so much of our contact being digital. If you give someone a smile and an encouraging word, it can truly make a difference in their day. We should all make an effort to spread love wherever we…read more
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jjoshua submitted a contest entry to
Write a love letter to something (not someone) that you love 4 months, 1 weeks agoThe View
Janet JoshuaThe View
Wow, it’s insane how the world looks at you .
Do you think you’ll be enough for maybe one or two.
Is it too much to ask to see you just more than once?
I can’t imagine what you have to go through inside to present yourself
These people must be dunce if they don’t want you.I love opening the door and smelling your scent
The smell is on my pillow from having you close to me
If I have you too much, I might have to repentI’m super lucky to have you all to myself
I’m not selfish, but with you, I have to be .
You’re so fit, dark like chocolate, juicy meat on your body.
I rather have you any day over a plate of shellfish.Do you know when I fell in love with you?
I fell in love with you as a child.
I took one look at you and said “you’re going to be all mine “and that’s true.
I couldn’t wait to become an adult and see how you grew. How you flourished.
I love you even more as an adult.
Who would have known.People fight over you all the time.
I can’t blame them.
You pair so well with a glass of wine.
I love seeing you come out, and it’s actual steam coming out of you because you’re so dam hot !
You’re beautiful, soft and well matured.
You’re moist and refreshing and the best cure.The scent of cloves as you walk by
The smile on my face when I see you.
When we are in a restaurant, and I’m with my friends, I count the minutes to see your sexy blend.You sit well on top of colored grains
My heart can’t take it anymore.
I’m going to go insane.
As you come over to me, I lose everything in my brain.
Is this what actual love feels like?I enjoy you, I love you, and I can’t get enough of the view.
I have to have you
I’m sure you do too.
Look at you!
Look at that view!
Oxtails, rice and peas with plantains too!Voting is closed
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Janet, I love this letter! I was wondering how in the world you managed to find such an amazingly perfect human, but it all made sense when I realized that you were referring to your favorite meal! I guess it is less likely to let you down and more likely to leave you satisfied! Thank you for making me smile and sharing your experience!
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awwwwh! Thank you so much EC. I’m hoping my next man gives me the same feelings as I have when I eat oxtails. It’s genuine pure hearted love! We need that! Thank you for giving me your feedback. I wrote it in 10 mins
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opwriter submitted a contest entry to
Write a love letter to something (not someone) that you love 4 months, 2 weeks agoTo My Morning Cup of Tea...
Oswald PerezDear Unsealers:
I start each day with something brewing. Literally.
I rip open the bag of tea and pour the hot water in my cup. As the cup steeps, the aromas reach my nose. Scents of Jasmine, Bergamot and Peppermint take hold. I open the box of tea and see so many options, with bags having a specific color assigned to them. It’s like the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, right down to the black and gold embossing on the Harney and Son’s box.
But the cup of tea matters to me more than just simply having something warm in my body on wintry days.
In each cup of tea that I brew, I feel a sense of peace. I do not get started on the litany of reschedule case requests until I finish my cup of tea at my desk. Otherwise, it’s the sign to everyone that I’m taking a moment for myself.
The cup of tea, as is, is enough for me. I don’t add milk, cream or sugar to it. I don’t make it sweet, except for a drop or two of honey.
Having tea as a part of my day goes back a long way.
From my college days, when I would pop into the Starbucks around the corner from John Jay College’s campus to order a cup before class began. To my first taste of my favorite type of tea, Jasmine Green during afternoon tea at the Athenaeum Hotel in London in October 2012. At my previous job, I would go to markets and bodegas to bring in multiple boxes of tea to have a range of options over the course of the work week. This ritual lasted for my eight years of employment there.
The cup of tea has made a comeback in recent days. From spending my birthday last December being with pots of tea at the Warren Street Hotel. To the boxes of tea from Palais des Thés that my friend Umara gifted me for my birthday and Christmas gifts. The Advent Calendar had a bag of tea for every day that led up to Christmas Eve. The green and gold box added a dose of holiday spirit to my desk each morning.
I’m so grateful that I decided to re-introduce this ritual to my morning routine.
I need to find my moments of peace when I can in this hectic world that we live in. Having a cup of tea in the morning helps toward that goal.
Voting is closed
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Oswald, whether tea, coffee, or some other beverage is what they need to start the day, I think everyone can relate to your passion for a nice cup of tea. Taking time for ourselves each day is so important to our wellbeing. The ritual of pouring your cup and waiting for the tea to steep helps center you and get in the right mindset to start the…read more
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Oswald Perez shared a letter in the
Poetry group 4 months, 2 weeks agoWelcome, February
Oswald PerezDear, Unsealers:
I know, I’m a day behind as it’s the second day of February.
But it’s time to welcome in February all the same. After a whirlwind December and a long, drawn-out January.
This is the shortest month on the calendar. Twenty-eight days. Here’s hoping this month isn’t nearly as eventful as the last one was.
With that being said, it’s time to welcome in the new month…
Welcome, February!
After the longest January imaginable
The shortest month of the year opens the doorTwenty-eight new days ahead
Days of love, kindness, and compassion abound
Honoring the saints, Brigid of Kildare and ValentineOf reminding ourselves
We’re in this world together
Through all of the twists and turns that come alongDays of finding voices and verses
With the Poetic Summer fast approachingEven if the weather outside still reminds us of winter
There’s hope of brighter days coming our wayA blank canvas for the month ahead
One that goes by in the blink of an eye-
Oswald, you hit the nail on the head with this poem. January was such a long month and it was full of ups and downs, at least for me. There is something special about the fleeting nature of February. I hope that yours is full of love and happiness! Thank you for sharing.
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shelle-belle submitted a contest entry to
Write a poem about your goals for 2025 5 months, 2 weeks agoBack to School, Back to me.
Michelle A RubyBack in October of 2024, I attended a fundraiser for the safehouse that helped me through my time of great need in healing.
I was a nervous wreck, and had managed to talk myself into going after weeks of back and forth, pros and cons.
Would I fit in there?
Would I belong there?
Was I good enough to sit with the donors that had at one time changed my life for the better?
I didn’t know anyone at all. My mind raced with so many thoughts. Thanks to my daughter, I was able to go.
I had no idea, that walking through those doors, held a life changing surprise for my future.
I walked to the front and asked where my seat was. They couldn’t find my reservation and once again, I started to feel as if I was not where I belonged. They came back to the table and pointed to table 18. He handed me my information and I walked off to the table that would soon be the beginning of my dream come true. I’m not sure they want their names out there, but they are my heros. Angels in human form.
I will never forget the kindness shown to me that evening, as we sat through the horror stories and memories of a beautiful woman’s murder. She was a sister, a daughter, a mother. A wife. Taken away from this world far too early by the hands of a violent man.
The speaker was Denise Brown. Most of you may, or may not, remember her beautiful sister as Nicole Simpson- Brown. She was brutally murdered many years ago. This story, was very tragic.
I tried so hard to stay strong, to not let myself disassociate through the triggering words as they pierced my heart, and took my breath away.
They sat beside me, and just gently touched my shoulder asking if I was doing okay. I had to take a few breaks, I got up from the table and went into the bathroom to clean my face up just a bit. To breathe, and ground myself.
When the speaker was over, we all discussed a bit of my story.
At the end of the evening, I walked out with two numbers on my flyer and a possibility of a college scholarship. At first, I didn’t know if I would be hearing anything back, but the next day, I received a call from them. They decided to move forward with my scholarship!
I have never been so happy in my entire life, yet so scared at the same time. You see, second chances like this, an opportunity such as this, they don’t just happen every day.
In 2025, I have been given the gift of a college scholarship. I’m going back to school.
I’m going to start slow, and ease my way into things as I am very nervous. The paperwork was finalized this week. I’m picking out my classes on the 13th of January.
I’m not sure that I will ever be able to thank this beautiful couple for the gift that they have given to me, but I do know, that I am going to give it my everything, and keep pushing through. Nothing, and I mean NOTHING can stop me now. I am going back to school, and in the process, returning to the me that I have always known. I am smart, I am motivated, and I am going to crush this! Here’s to never giving up! Here’s to finding my way back to the me that I have always been capable of, but had been hidden. Next stop, Associates Degree. In 2025, I am celebrating second chances, and I am celebrating ME! COLLEGE HERE I COME!Voting is closed
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Oswald Perez shared a letter in the
Poetry group 5 months, 2 weeks agoWelcome To 2025!
Oswald PerezDear Unsealers,
As I write this post, it’s 5:45 AM on January 1st. Daybreak hasn’t happened yet.
But the smoke has cleared from last night’s celebrations, and blue skies appear.
I hope that 2025 is a good year for all of us. A year that’s filled with all the joys and minimal difficulties.
To that end, this is my welcome to January and the year itself:
At midnight on New Year’s Eve
A new day, month, and year begin365 new days have arrived
With renewed optimism and joyA reminder for 2025 and beyond…
Every day is a wonder to behold
Be the light that spreads out into the worldWherever your pursuits lead
I’m cheering you on all the wayFor the days of Auld Lang Syne
A toast, with all the cups of kindness yetI wish everyone, everywhere
A Happy New Year! -
Lauren Brill shared a letter in the
Poetry group 5 months, 3 weeks agoForgotten
NasheshiaForgotten in the hidden emotions I feel,
Behind the weed and underneath the alcohol,SEEN too much,
HEARD too much,
KNOW TOO MUCH
Forgot to SPEAK UP
Because I didn’t know any better
And because you said I didn’t need any help,So I’m just another “mad black woman” who can do bad all by myself because you said
black people don’t need therapy
I listened
I believed you but I forgot to believe me
I was lost because I forgot I was innocent -
Oswald Perez shared a letter in the
Poetry group 5 months, 3 weeks agoMerry Christmas!
Oswald PerezDear Unsealers,
It’s Christmas Eve!
December has gone by so fast. It felt like it was five minutes since I was celebrating my birthday at the very start of the month.
Now, we’ve reached the conclusion of Advent and head into the twelve days of Christmas.
I hope that wherever you’re celebrating the holiday, it’s done in the company of people that you love. With an extra moments of arms held aloft for those that find this time of year difficult to celebrate.
For those of you that celebrate this day, I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas!
The following is my Christmas message for this year:
Time went by so fast, didn’t it?
December came in and went like a jingled blurAfter twenty four days wait
A celebration of the savior’s birthAs the bells ring out, people gather
Friends, family and loved onesFor it’s Christmas Day at last
With love and kindness towards allWherever you are in the world
I wish for you all the peace todaySaid many times in many ways
From me to you, from NYC to the world…Merry Christmas!
¡Feliz Navidad!Joyeux Noël!
Frohe Weihnachten!Nollaig Shona!
Feliz Natal!Buon Natale!
Καλά ΧριστούγενναSretan Božić!
Bon Nadal!-
Lovely expression of love and the reason for the season 🌹
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Thank you for this warm Christmas poem. Sharing light onto those who are having a tough holiday season! I really enjoyed reading this. It took me back to when I was younger and enjoyed the Christmas holiday spirit.
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Oswald Perez shared a letter in the
Poetry group 6 months, 2 weeks agoWelcome To December
Oswald PerezDear Unsealers,
It’s the second day of December. I hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving.
I had an extra reason to celebrate this weekend, as it was my sister & I’s 39th birthday yesterday. From all the well wishes, to afternoon tea at the Warren Street Hotel in Tribeca, it was an overwhelming day filled with joy.
With the birthday celebrations completed, it’s time to properly welcome in the month of December. Mother Nature signaled the change in month as it’s freezing cold here in NYC.
I can’t believe that we’ve reached the last month of 2024 already.
It’s time to close out the year on a high note.Now, for the welcome to the month of December…
Welcome to December
It’s time for the last shout!Thirty-one days left in 2024
The magic of the holidays arrivesBirthdays, Hanukkah, Christmas & New Year’s
Times celebrated in good companyFall will become winter on the 21st
Daylight will slowly, surely returnA time to reflect on where we are
And where we want to be next yearThere’s melancholy flipping the last page of the calendar
Wondering, “where did the time go?!”Let’s make the most of these days
2025 is on the horizon-
First off Happy Belated Birthday! It sounds like you and your sister had a grand time! It’s so cool that you both share the same birthday while being the same age! December is my favorite month because it gives us time to reflect and congratulate ourselves for getting through a year of trials and tribulations. I honestly love winter because as…read more
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opwriter submitted a contest entry to
Write a poem or letter about your best memory of 2024 6 months, 3 weeks agoA Letter From Croatia (Pismo iz Hrvatske)
Oswald PerezDear Unsealers:
Dobar dan iz Dubrovnika!
It’s the afternoon of Friday, October 11th, 2024.
I’m walking along the city walls surrounding the old town of Dubrovnik. With each stick tap and every step, I can see more and more of the Adriatic Sea. The old town of the city is on the horizon. Red roofs as far as the eye can see.
This is the last day of a ten-day trip to Croatia. I don’t want to go back to NYC.
I’ve seen a bit of everything as we’ve moved along.
From the urban sprawl of the capital city in Zagreb. Gritty, quirky, and fiercely proud of its place in the Balkans. The shades of gray in the sky didn’t stop the sightseeing. From the Stone Gate to the Zagreb Cathedral, there are still signs of damage from the earthquake in 2020. To the Lotrščak Tower with a canon that fires every day at exactly noon. And the local delicacy, a cheese-filled pastry named Strukli complements all the pivo and lamb on offer.
A mishap happened during our tour of the Plitvice Lakes National Park. I nearly lost one of my hiking sticks in the lake but was able to recover it One step at a time, I was able to navigate the 2.5 mile hike in the rain.
As the trip moved on, the gray skies of the continent gave way to the coastal portions.
From Split and its starring role as the backdrop for Game of Thrones to departing the mainland for the island of Hvar. The moonlit skies in the harbor overlooking our hotel, with the islands of Brac and Korcula on the far horizon.
Here we are in Dubrovnik. It’s every bit as scenic as my mind thought it would be. The city walls surround the old town, tiled streets, and views of boats in the harbor leading excursions out to the other islands off the coast.
Thirty-eight of us are in this group, and I’m the only solo traveler. As in previous trips, I didn’t let that fact deter me from befriending the group. Everyone’s been so kind to me, especially our tour guide Nikoleta.
I released my first poetry book while this trip happened, “A Poetic Journey, Staying At Home” and to my wonder and amazement, everyone took a liking to me and to my poetry. In fact, there’s a bit of a surprise during the farewell dinner later this evening.
I was worried that there would be a letdown after the epic trip to Greece the year before. But thankfully, that didn’t materialize. This was a fast-paced trip, and I enjoyed every minute once I touched down in Zagreb.
I was able to forget the delayed flight to Munich from JFK and the fact that I missed my connection to Zagreb. When you have views of the Adriatic in front of you as I do, all the negativity gets pushed aside and the joy is what remains.
It’ll be tough to say zbogom Hrvatska!
But I leave Croatia in awe of this country and all of its beauty.I hope to be back again soon, as there’s so much more to explore.
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Oswald, I so enjoyed reading your description of Croatia. I have never been but have always wanted to visit the country. It sounds like it is just as beautiful as I imagined! I am impressed with you for having the courage to travel alone and I love that you made friends with the group. Thank you for sharing this experience!
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