Dear Unsealers,

As I’ve done on the first day of each month for the last three years, I write a poem to welcome in the new month. It’s crazy to think that five months have already passed, and so much has happened since 2023 began. A new temporary job after eight years in my previous one, co-hosting an open mic for poets with disabilities and attempting to move forward on becoming an independent adult. So many poems and writings created, with many people past and present making stops in my life.

Now, the summer is beginning to take hold prior to the season’s formal beginning. June is a blank slate right now, there’s a lot of space to fill between now and the 30th.

Without further ado…the poem:

Welcome, the month of June!
As the year is flying by

The sixth month is here already
30 new days have arrived

A month of transition
Spring’s ending and summer’s on the horizon

Endless days of blue skies shining
Longer twlight leads the warm nights

A blank slate is on tap right now
It won’t stay that way for long

It’s time to close out
An eventful first half of the year

Dear Unsealers,
The following message is in honor of Mother’s Day.
For all the mother’s of the world. And the aunts, grandmothers, pet moms, mothers to be and all the motherly figures of the world.
With an extra moment of love for those that find today difficult and for those whose mother is no longer with them.

The poem:

A message of love & praise
For all the mothers, aunts, grandmothers and motherly figures

An appreciation for all that you do
And everything that you’ve done

As the anchors for a better world
Caring, inspiring, nurturing & loving

With an extra sprinkle of love
To those that see this day as difficult
For those that miss their moms

One day doesn’t do justice to moms
Whose impact is recognized every day of the year

From me to you, I wish everyone

A Happy Mother’s Day

I wrote this poem back in March, but it’s come back to life now. With a nod to Dr. Nicole LePera, the holistic psychologist.

The Coccoon Phase

A time where I hold back
To dissapear from the world
Figuring out who I am

As the strands wrap around me
There’s no space left
For worries, doubts or fears
All I see is the cocoons interior

Inside…
It’s all white & empty

Full of blank space
Separated from all that’s been

As I sit within the silence
Planning my metamorphosis
Wings of inner strength form

Given time…
I will emerge frozm the cocoon

To fly high in the sky

Dear Unsealers,
I usually write a poem to welcome in each month. To make it feel welcome. In this case, I welcome in the month of April. As the second quarter of the year has only just begun.

The poems goes something like this…

A welcome to the month of April

As a quarter of the year has gone by
The second quarter begins

30 new days ahead
Spring starts to open up

A month of devotion
In honor of the earth, deities and poetry

New life rises from the ground
And sprouting leaves in the trees

With the day’s longer, warming light
Alternating between the April showers

The fourth month of the year is here
With all the promises of renewal

And that’s no fooling!

Dear Unsealers,

I wrote this poem as an Irish blessing for St. Patrick’s Day. But I didn’t get the chance to post it here.

The poem is as follows:

A blessing from my three leaf clover

May the sunshine shine upon you
The warmth of the light comforting

For rainbows to appear in the sky
As their colors bring joy & hope
The gray skies parting

A sense of belonging
In the company of loved ones
Those you hold dearest in your heart

The clover came over from Ireland
May its luck find you, as it did me

Here’s to a Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Seo chugainn Lá Fhéile Pádraig Shona duit!

Dear Unsealers,

This note is something that I’ve done for the last two years. As my friend Chari Pere posted about the things that she had done in the last year. The following is this years list.

In the last year…

I’ve moved on from a job of eight years and found a new, albeit temporary job

The trip to Italy happened after a two year delay

I took in the view from the roof garden of The Met

The Roger Waters concert at MSG happened after a two year delay

I’ve taken to reading and posting my poems on Instagram, Youtube, Swell & Tiktok

I had a mini Made To Do This reunion in person, meeting Rachel Jackson, Kristina Tickler Welsome & Jayati Vora for dinner

I awoke the abundant me

I took in the beauty of “The Beautiful Blue Danube” and clapped along to “The Radetzky March” during the Salute To Vienna concert .

I’ve completed Amy Kay’s “Poem A Day” challenge during NaPoWriMo

I got to see the musical “Company” during it’s Broadway run

I got to meet Victoria Williams during her stay in NYC

I challenged myself by taking Megan Falley’s “Poems That Don’t Suck” course

I’m hosting an open mic for writers and poets with disablities on 3/30

I have my next trip booked for the end of September, to Greece; with one more on the cards before the year ends.

I’m taking steps to become a more independent adult

I know this list doesn’t cover everything that’s happened in the last year.

I’m trying to move my life into a more positive direction

It doesn’t feel like things are happening, though

I won’t stop trying to make forward progress with my life.

Dear, Unsealers;
I wrote this poem after seeing the full moon on Monday evening. In my backyard, the words came out.

The poem is as follows:

Under the full moon

Zoomed in at full light
A luminous sight tonight

The transition happening before my eyes
Between day and night
Clouds above, with patches of clear sky
With the colors of the evening shine

A moment of stillness after a long day
Far away from all the noise
Of the office, commute and my mind

As I step back towards the lights
And conclude the day at my door

There’s one more thing to silently say…

Goodnight, moon!

Dear Unsealers,

My name is Oswald Perez. I’m a poet and writer that lives in New York City. I’m also a person that has Cerebral Palsy.

I’m thankful to have found this group. It took a bit of effort on my part to take the leap and become a member of the group.

As I happened to be scrolling one night and came across the sponsored advertisement for the group. After asking for the Zoom link for one of the candid conversations, I knew that this would be a new landing spot for me.

I’m in the midst of trying to become my ideal self, or something close to it.

Among my goals in life, I want to become an independent adult and a writer/speaker. Someone tells his story of inspiration to those that need to hear the message. That it’s okay to embrace every inch of yourself and not let the circumstances of the past define who you are in the present moment.

And a person that chronicles everything that he’s doing. His travels, hopes, dreams and ambitions for books, posts on various feeds and videos.