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  • malakkc shared a letter in the Group logo of PoetryPoetry group 1 months ago

    International Writers Day acrostic

    International Writer’s Day
    Acrostic

    Internet has facilitated global connections
    Never stop the growth of writers
    That rend their hearts as their words flow
    Empowering the weak to
    Remember their worth
    Never succumbing to oppression’s
    Timely propagation that cleaves
    Intimate family members into
    Open enemity, clearly ‘Dividing & Conquering’
    Needlessly aggressive, destructive,
    Avid in mercilessly taking resources and
    Leaving nothing to the Indigenous peoples.

    Write, revel, rebel, roast, rumble the gruesome
    Reality of a world built on Materialism
    Instead of unity of humanity
    That lends compassion and succor that
    Eventually works together against the oppressor
    Ruining the ecology, separating family,
    Solidifying Darwin’s rules of supremacy

    Dealing in strength that overpowers others
    Amid illegal, inhumane practices that have
    Yet to be punished.

    ©️ Malak kalmoni chehab ©️

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    • Powerful words, Malak. Your passion for justice and unity shines through. Keep writing, raising awareness, and fighting against oppression. Together, we can create a world that values compassion, equality, and the preservation of our planet. Never underestimate the impact of your voice and the power of collective action.

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  • Gerald Washington shared a letter in the Group logo of PoetryPoetry group 1 months ago

    Shaky Bridge

    A nightmare became real a few days ago
    Seeing it unfold in Baltimore on Twitter X
    was confirmation of its existence
    Thankfully, you, and I were nowhere near it
    But other humans were in the eye of a storm
    A storm they didn’t see coming
    A storm they never thought would come to pass
    A storm they didn’t think
    would be the final chapter they would see
    In a dark atmosphere
    The almost hero of the night
    did his best to hold himself up
    But the boat’s power that glided in his path
    was too much for him to handle
    His strength quickly dissipated into nothingness
    and finally collapsed into cold and dark waters
    along with the people he tried to save
    It’s a sad situation
    seeing events like this affecting the human nation
    It’s another reminder to appreciate life
    And to live it with all our might.

    Gerald Washington

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    • Gerald, the recent events in Baltimore were a nightmare come true. It was a storm that caught people off guard, leaving devastation in its wake. Though we were fortunate to be far from it, others were not so lucky. The hero of the night fought valiantly, but the forces were too much. Lives were lost, and it serves as a reminder to cherish every…read more

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      • Well said, Kayjah. It really was a nightmare for those who were on the bridge when it happened and the ship that hit the Baltimore Bridge. I went over a bridge here in Texas a few days ago, and all I could think of was how the Francis Scott Key Bridge went down. It’s so sad. It’s been a while. I hope you’re well.

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  • Chapter 327

    Chapter 327
    Today i turned 33.
    Happy birthday to me!
    Though those challenges through those dark visions i seen in my dreams last night was an attack to my esteem.
    Waking up to clouded skies and high winds this morning shifted my perception thinking “ maybe its the heavens blowing in the winds of change for me?
    I decided to walk.
    First I headed to the barber shop for a fresh cut, now Im feeling myself.
    With my head phones on out the door. Taking a trip to the coffee house down the road for a hot cup of Black Seal .
    A soiree of Happiness filled my heart , through the first sip with a bone chilling scent of sweet almond, reminiscent to the decadent amaretto with notes of decanter liqueur twirling in the mix .
    Big smiles from the coffee house barista with a full house of beings bantering amongst themselves, listening to the constant bells of the door opening and closing to those coming and going in.
    Finishing my cup i swift my way out the door, “Its time to go to the art store.”
    I purchased some spray paint for my project so eager to rush home and pour my heart onto the canvas before its time to go pick up my daughter. For a number of days leading up til today, Ive reflected on how far Ive came.
    “I always viewed my life as a book filled with riddles, altered dimensions blended with moments of joy and memories of a journey convulsing with supernatural happenings as most would deem as some of the more stranger things”.
    None the less, indeed it is a new chapter, my life has consisted of many chapters left with cliff hangers and some unsolved mysteries all that lead to this new book as i stand at the edge of the mountains ready to plummet into my next book of life leaving karmic ties of the past behind.
    At this very moment i cant help but to smile, as the sun shines finally beaming in Gods love and light upon my face typing this letter about my excitement for the best things to come.
    As it just dawned on me of how today itself is like a metaphor, “ Waking up to gloomy clouds and high winds. Like the swirl of a storm coming in, to cleanse but by days end, the sun will shine again”.
    Typically i would over indulge in sweet cakes , red wine and a side of cajun wings and fries for my birthday but im on a slight fast for the weekend as i prepare for the gift to take a trip swaying in earths sacred medicine.
    Im so excited for the venture, for i know it’ll open the roads out of my mind with hidden text in this next book like a sacred scripture etched in peruvian mountains, or hieroglyphs upon the cave walls like the Grand Canyon perhaps?
    For there is a burning desire and deep love to further find myself as I thread on, with expanded wings into the unknown.
    This chapter is just a binacular scope to getting closer to my dreams as i further on to slay the minifibers of fear nestling on the hairs of my skin.
    “Its like beating the finally boss at the end of the game and the credits roll in”
    327 is like a code to my inner matrix that im breaking similar to a complex rubix cube of suduko written in hebrew language.
    And though to the outer world my inner being is in fact complex, i see it as a hidden passage way to a secret garden no man has had a hand in creating.
    A chapter within a chapter… except i am the creator of my story that was already written.
    “Speaking now from the thoughts of my Higher Self, the future self”
    Doctor Strange disguised as the thinking woman, whose peering into the multiverse of self, reading the foot prints like a sand dune of sanskrit , eyes zoomed in like a magnifying glass.
    Its interesting how vivid the imagination is within my mind but then again its sightings of truth that my memory has stored from millions of generations I have lived through out time.
    “Im ready to get started and re-remember this chapter of 327, only this time, i am sure to live far beyond the age of 33 this lifetime.

    Ashley Suttle

    Voting starts July 1, 2024 12:00am

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  • Oswald Perez shared a letter in the Group logo of PoetryPoetry group 1 months, 1 weeks ago

    Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day

    Dear Unsealers,

    The 25th of March is Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day. And the month of March is Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month in the United States.

    It hasn’t been easy to say that I have cerebral palsy. As it was so present in the years that I grew up, it almost became the whole story of who I was. But I’ve come around and accepted the fact that CP is a part of my life. Yet, it’s only one part of the larger story that’s still being written to this very day.

    I’m more than the challenges present, and the same goes for everyone in the community in their own ways.

    I’ve written something in honor of the day:

    National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day

    On the 25th of March
    An underserved community’s turn in the spotlight

    I’ve had my fair share of challenges
    From my eyes, my speech to my feet
    But I’ve risen above all of it
    To be me, a writer and traveler

    CP used to be the entire story
    Defined by all the limitations
    Now it’s just part of the plot
    Of a larger story that’s still being told

    On this day and every day
    A reminder to everyone…

    People with Cerebral Palsy
    Live lives of joy and wonder
    Unbowed by the impossible

    Even if things take more time to do
    After all, we bring our full selves to the forefron

    Oswald Perez

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    • CP used to be the entire story
      Defined by all the limitations
      Now it’s just part of the plot
      Of a larger story that’s still being told

      Oswald this is a beautiful line and piece. CP does not define your whole identity! There is so much more to you! you are wonderful. Thank you for sharing and thank you for being part of our family. <3 Lau…read more

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  • Altered State Of Mind

    The most mind alerting experience that changed my perception on life was my first time sitting with AYAHUASCA. It was a day ill never forget, alot of changes took place at the start of 2020 for me. First, was a blessed trip i manifested to go to sedona Arizona for a few days , 2 days after new years day in January. The year before on new years eve in 2018 , i prayed to God and my spirit family for a sense of relief and a way to become closer to The Great Spirit and self, after attempting suicide the morning of December 9th of 2018. I was then being monitored by relatives at the time for about a month or so after that notion.
    The night of New Years while spending the night over my families house, i sat in the basement after midnight, still feeling shattered on the inside.
    It was like as if it was still the day that i decided in those moments when i was so fed up and ready to leave this world, that the angel of darkness had wisped away the light of my soul to keep, due to the empty void in my heart as i cried out for grievance from the constant unfortunate events that had rapidly transpired the past few years from the various forms of abuse I endured. Unknowingly my life was going in a downward spiral of a noiseless pit full speed and I had no clue. “ I was too busy drinking and dancing my sorrows away once upon a time”.

    While in Sedona i found a sense of peace for the moment, learning simple healing modalities to reset my vagus nerve, eft tapping etc. I cried through the Angel healing session, as well as on the guided hike with the practitioner that followed into the creek before the mountain peak view.
    There in Sedona I felt home being in the red earth desert land. Viewing the Grand Canyon was a surreal moment by it self. Staring into the massive gapping drop of mountains that formed a bowl like ridge as if it was a wondrous abyss to freedom. Though silence flooded the cool air , In my mind I felt as if there were many faces of passed on loved ones shaping the jagged edges in the mountains. “These were my ancestors”, the spirits of the Southwest spoke to me but without words, the same whispers i heard that night sitting in my families basement that told me, this was the place I needed to come for refuge.
    As of now i realized me and those distant mountains have had many pastlives together, as far back to a time where they actually had the ability to speak back ( somehow Merlin comes to mind as i am typing this). They called out to me the night i cried for a wish of deliverance, “Not knowing it was a motion for me to come home”. After my short lived experience though the most memorable at that time in my life, I of course wanted to peer deeper into the supernatural world and learn more of who i was , though its deemed taboo to this world, I was lead to a man in a serendipitous moment. Again i asked the universe to meet a Shaman somehow , then met one at a crystal shop weeks after, giving short sessions for cleansing at a limited time.
    After we spoke and i shared some of the tumultous happenings, he felt inclined to discuss sacred medicine with me , thats when i was lead to an Ayahuasca retreat in the month of september in 2020 ( what a year for a spiritual awakening) .After hours passed, once the medicine settled in, underneath the open stared sky that night , laying before a huge bonfire i felt the drift taking hold. An intense 5 hour purge of consistent tears and sobbing weakened my body to finally surrender all of the hidden hurt and pain Ive held dormant since a child came bursting through in the trapped door, hidden in the folds of the cortex of my mind.
    There was this one moment when something told me to lay my head down upon the grass as i was rubbing the ground shaking from the hurt; when i seen my mother appear in the grass as if a glass floor was beneath me , literally. She told me to touch her hand ,reaching upward toward me and said “I m right here with you, im here, im here”.
    Seeing my mother made me so happy i grieved harder, for she had passed away the day before Mothers Day unexpectedly in 2019. That shocking moment too was another stabbing ache of pain that left a scar within my heart. Another out of this world moment from that experience with momma Aya was when i was walking up the deck stairs and everything was rippling, even the touching of door knobs with grid lines forming behind everything. It shed light that the world that we live in is indeed holographic and not real, though to our naked eyes it would seem as if what we see on a day to day basis was in fact truth, but i KNOW it to be different. Ever since, my life was never the same, but for great reason.
    As of now Ive had other experiences that have made an important impact on my life , it most definitely gave a reason why The Great Spirit would not let me leave this earth so soon when i attempted too. Though a late bloomer – I found purpose, with reasons why were all here is much deeper.
    “Its bigger than you and me”.
    So now everyday i am doing my best to be the best version of myself as I continue to walk hold hands with God and the many creeds of celestial family that guide me.
    “Thank you for listening”

    Ashley Suttle

    Voting starts June 17, 2024 12:00am

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  • Rebecca Engle shared a letter in the Group logo of Mental HealthMental Health group 1 months, 2 weeks ago

    Phases

    Birds still chirp their fucking hearts out on crap days,
    Like a karaoke star who’s totally lost his way.
    And flowers? They’re gatecrashing funerals with sass,
    Whispering, “Was it our fucking fragrance, perhaps?”

    People scatter when shit really starts to hit the fan,
    Quicker than I say “fuck it” to my diet plan.
    But the ride-or-dies? They stick like fucking glue,
    Like that piece of gum on your shoe, never bidding adieu.

    The moon’s up there, changing her damn mind,
    Like me in front of the fridge, a late-night find.
    So hey, give yourself a break, don’t stress the fucking phase,
    We’re all just bumbling through life’s mad, crazy maze.

    In the cracks and crevices, we find our fucking groove,
    Dodging life’s big-ass feet, we move and we improve.
    Escaping the drizzle, dodging the damn pee,
    We’re the fucking misfits, making it, wild and free.

    So when life feels as tough as a week-old fucking baguette,
    Remember, we’re rocking this shit, no need to fret.
    In this grand ol’ mess, we might seem fucking small,
    But we’re damn well blooming, giving it our fucking all.

    Rebecca Engle

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    • Rebecca , your letter is filled with raw and honest emotion. Life may be chaotic, but remember, you’re resilient. Embrace your uniqueness and keep pushing forward. You’re blooming and giving it your all, no matter how tough things get.

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  • My flame

    They said I’d burn, but I found my fire,
    Defying the limits of their uninspired mire.
    Tales of a perfect life, a distant, elusive dream,
    Yet here I stand, my reality upstream.

    Solving my Rubik’s with time, each turn a surprise,
    The colors align in ways they couldn’t visualize.
    A mosaic of triumph, far beyond their design,
    A life that’s unfolding, uniquely mine.

    Now, a grad student, my ambitions taking flight,
    In a happy relationship, my heart alight.
    Only 21, and stepping into my first role,
    The future’s a canvas for my eager soul.

    Looking ahead, I see a path of my own making,
    A journey of dreams, for the taking.
    Years stretch before me, a vast, open sea,
    Every wave whispers, “This is meant to be.”

    So let them talk of flames, of battles lost and won,
    I’m the architect of a life that’s only just begun.
    Conquering dreams, with each dawn I rise,
    For the future is mine, a boundless prize.

    Rebecca Engle

    Voting starts July 1, 2024 12:00am

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  • Handouts

    In a town where promises are plenty and the government hands out aid,
    A question echoes softly, under the shade.
    “Why try hard, why aim high, when help is just a call away?
    Why bother with the struggle, if you’re okay day by day?”

    The government says, “We’ll help you, keep you safe and fed,
    You won’t need to worry, we’ve got your back,” they said.
    But this kindness has a shadow, a kind of hidden chain,
    It keeps you in your place, with not much to gain.

    “Why go for the mountain,” some wonder, “when the valley’s just fine?
    Why face the storm, when you can just recline?”
    Because in that easy comfort, there’s a trap so sly,
    It tells you, “Don’t bother,” and time just passes by.

    But some folks aren’t buying, they want to chase their own dream,
    Not just live on handouts, or so it would seem.
    They talk about doing things, making their own way,
    Not just taking what’s given, but having their say.

    They gather in the streets, their voices loud and brave,
    “We want to earn our keep, not just quietly behave.”
    For freedom and the chance to chase what they deem sweet,
    To work hard for their wins, and not just take a seat.

    So why aim for something bigger, why try to break free?
    It’s about making your own path, as far as I can see.
    Not just going with the flow, but steering your own boat,
    And in that hard-earned journey, you’ll have your own note.

    So let’s not be fooled by an easy ride, bought and sold,
    But aim for the horizon, with courage bold.
    The road might be rougher, and the climb can be steep,
    But in that effort, you’ll find a joy so deep.

    Rebecca Engle

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  • From my heart to yours...

    I normally pre-mate poems with pen and paper But, this cannot wait any longer or later. Your words truly have pierced mine, and I remember surly the same state of mind. So, I will simply type on this phone my friend, even though it might not have another end. Sitting alone here on a 5 corner square, I look and see nothing in the middle of nowhere I will re-read your note that was truly wrote- From eyes of faucet water-in these tears I float. Though there’s no end at all to this telephone line, Emotions they do crawl from your heart to mine. Surly an addiction at the bottom of Erie’s Lake- I had no problem fixing every high I had to make. I would want to write to you from the bottom where it comes, But I don’t know if that is true, when mind games are so dumb. Nor has any heart bore but only similar strings, Unless one is ripped apart-it’s just not right it seems. I just cannot believe there’s people out there like me, Nor do I ever think I’m any better you see For God has made different all human existence, Yet we’re all still sinners so full of resistance And the very best thing that came from covid disease… Is the simple quote that had the note, “Please”. Now we clearly see, “We are all in this together”… In the same boat-(as light as a feather)… Is the message of Salvation for the world to live forever! The basis of a Christian is not a perfect life, It’s more of who’s been missing-but been found by Jesus Christ! It is that of progress and not of perfection… It’s a brand new spirit that with God has made connection! Jesus promised all that whosoever will… On Himself may call-that He’ll save forever still! All the talents and gifts He gave to express Of how it’s always Him to pull us out of our mess. And to lead the way over glassy seas to shore My dear friend I pray-may this heart get to yours.

    Timothy T. Willett

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    • Greetings, a beautiful expression of a deep connection and appreciation for shared emotions, despite physical distance. Very heartfelt, touching on themes of vulnerability and hope. The personal reflections and spiritual elements add depth, offering comfort and reassurance to whoever reads. Thank you for sharing!

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  • Full Moon Dreaming

    It took me a minute
    a day to fully know what it is you were showing me
    why it is you’ve been coming
    where there was healing to be done
    how to let it all go

    So strange to see you, after all these years, I never expected you
    bent over in that way, mooning me with your
    huge, white, naked ass
    head down, booty up
    neck cranked, eyes fixed at me, wide salacious smile, teeth glowing
    skin remarkably softer and younger
    than possible

    And those cheeks you spread, so cheekily
    taunting me to look into the portal

    I never understood why you hated me, viscerally and unendingly, it was shocking
    you were the first
    and as far as I know
    the only one

    So strange
    because I’ve prided myself on not being hated
    on being liked and loved by all
    on conforming and contorting and accommodating
    to ensure
    that I was who I needed to be

    As you well know
    As I did for you too

    Your hair and makeup, that day
    your fury raged at the other infiltrator of your family unit
    but I was accustomed to the seething darkness of your victimhood
    that left spittle in the corners of your mouth, flushed skin, and beads of sweat
    it didn’t frighten me

    So I re-curled your hair
    and re-did your makeup
    so you could show up, with that callous, forced grin, haunting her polaroid memories
    the day I won you over, but only for a moment

    It never hurt that you hated me, though confusing as it was

    I witnessed you suffering in feeding it, enforcing it, compelling it’s existence
    you lost more than I, and it was never just me anyway

    So when you began hanging around, making yourself known again,
    mooning me in my sleep
    I gave it to god in Kundalini, ego eradicator evoking quick resolution

    Y-O-U
    S-H-O-W-E-D
    M-E
    Y-O-U-R
    A-S-S-H-O-L-E

    I manically laughed
    You’re An Asshole

    Nothing more to know, to reflect on, to figure out about your hate towards me
    what a relief to finally see you so clearly, showing me your truest truth

    You’re an asshole

    Because there was, as I already know, no reason for you to hate me
    as viciously as you did
    as ardently as you tried

    I was never mad or hurt, and I know that made it worse for you
    your hate was a gift you didn’t and couldn’t have given in any other way

    For you gave me your son, all of him
    in all his glorious codependency
    and insecurity
    and anxious attachment style
    he chose me over you

    Which was a blessing and
    a curse
    I had to choose him over me
    but it wasn’t all that bad
    as you well know
    trustworthy devotion, and dedication, and steadfast companionship
    we made a life of the love we had
    as you watched from a distance

    We made friends and community
    and flipped houses into homes
    and traveled the world
    and dreamed, and schemed, and played
    and laughed, and loved, and lived
    as you couldn’t
    and wouldn’t
    and didn’t

    And you
    you gave me your husband
    who regardless of your atrocious spite, adored and supported me, us,
    in secret visits, in business contracts, in hushed phone calls
    though I could never trust him, because he always stood by you
    choosing you over his own children, his sister, his friends, his colleagues,
    all that isolation you demanded

    And you gave me your daughter, brilliant, beautiful, best friend
    and her gorgeous family, those kids who I miss and love dearly

    You gave me the family, that I didn’t have growing up
    that had nice things, and big dreams

    You gave me a safe place to heal
    time to grow, and learn, expand my worldview

    And I gave them a type of love you couldn’t
    and they were hungry for it, they craved it
    it was my pleasure to be so needed, so necessary, it was so natural
    for I had trained my whole life to be who you weren’t

    And I know you know, though you’ve been gone four years now
    you don’t have to worry anymore, I won’t be touching your money
    for I already received my inheritance
    one that you couldn’t have foreseen giving so generously to me

    And I know you know, that there’s one more gift
    you cunningly presented last night
    there is reflection to be had in that full moon of yours, that portal of a mirror

    I
    A-M
    A-N
    A-S-S-H-O-L-E
    too

    When your husband on that final day
    hugged me with tears in his eyes and tenderness in his embrace
    that made me feel as if he knew, before he knew,
    that I knew,
    I wasn’t coming home

    When I left
    I dropped all those fragile, beautiful, hearts you gifted me
    brazenly,
    euphorically,
    erratically,
    unceremoniously
    shattering them to smithereens
    as I freed my queer soul

    It hurt that your son didn’t want to stay friends
    but how could we
    and I still don’t know how or if repair is possible with your daughter
    or necessary
    or that I even want it at this point

    Because when I finally chose me, when I saw in the mirror of my soul, who I really was
    I couldn’t not choose me
    I had to go
    it was the most known thing about me, I hadn’t known

    So I give them all back to you, I offer them up on your ofrenda in gratitude
    on this Dias de Los Muertos
    I surrender them to you, they’re yours now not mine
    as they never were mine to begin with
    though I’m honored to have held them for some time

    And I’m grateful that you came to me
    to remind me
    that we’re all H-U-M-A-N

    In our own ways we intentionally, and unintentionally
    hurt each other
    hurt ourselves

    Turns out my familiarity with your seething darkness, was a resonance with my own

    Fragile beings, broken hearts, tender souls
    contradictory love that requires fissures for expansion
    and endless forgiveness for our messy human-ness
    a tacky glue of feeble attempts at repairs
    malleable enough to engorge again
    demanding honeyed self acceptance that entices another go
    until it breaks some more

    So you’re right, thanks for helping me lighten the load
    to remember that
    to speak my truth
    and embody my truest self
    not everyone is going to like me
    it’s time to drop the people pleasing

    Thank you
    for all your gifts
    you have given me
    for I know you loved me more than you wanted to admit
    and
    I
    L-O-V-E
    Y-O-U

    Cause we’re all just a bunch of assholes

    Devananda Vargas

    Voting starts June 17, 2024 12:00am

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  • Cryptozoology an Epic

    I meet Poe in Baltimore, conjure his ghost to walk with me through emergence on these the sacred cremation grounds of conjunction. Dear master of the great mystery, detective of misery, for I am at a loss, tell me friend, what is it I am hesitating to see?

    Descending down the musky dim stairwell, hunched over, under the lowly late winter clouds, a ceiling over a magic carpet that smells of a century of toxic Sundays past, we trace the spongy fibers for a pattern.

    I point where what once constituted a solid foundation set by calcination crumbled in remediation. He notes the breaking of the mold, a microbial invasion of total separation of past, and present, and future. I add the discernment of yours, and mine, and ours.

    He gazes in amazement, slowly the probing shifts to the slate blue medallions of my soul. So thorough is my dissolution that he too cannot see anything, excepting the brilliant field of incarnation.

    In confirmation, with mischievous smirk he lingers to lurk, the case is closed, but insists with raised brow offering an opening, how is it that I did it, wove such clarity and purity of heart and mind? I shift and make room, pull up the fringed edges, and off we go, I will show him the world.

    It began in a land, of a caveman dug up and quelled by the flic of a bic amidst the rapturous demands for change that flew them east to the land of entrapment with the promise of a equine companion.

    It began in a desert, wind blown sand and sun burnt land where total annihilation by trusted conquistadors sent me dehydrated and crawling to the river of lost souls to drink, and take my place up on the plateau.

    It began in a forest, of pine and mortgage with a hidden heart I did my part and pushed the cart for seven long years along the Front Range plains, a loathsom, painful sojourn.

    It began in a terrace, of hillside views that smelled of sewage as rotting entrails simmered and rapturous sores festered and swelled.

    It began in a subtropical paradise, where land mines set off by tomb raiders initiated the liberation.

    It began in a pandemic with masks synched tight, I dropped forty pounds of unclaimed baggage.

    It began in a circle with a turbaned stock broker and initiation by a Jersey high priestess.

    It began in a Creekside with a Gable House and strolls around the pond that told me I’ve already been here, I’ve already done this.

    It began along the Underground Railroad when I followed the North Star to Maine.

    It began in a gallied kitchen, in a cedar shala, on oxblood couches, in attic bedroom, on road trip sing-along, in hot spring waters.

    It began on a Mountaintop Ashram with Santa Claus and a gift of 101 spotted dalmations for Valentine’s.

    Until finally I learned to listen and landed here along the bay in the land of strong deeds, gentle words. Guided by book peddlers in Kansas City foretelling of business down east, further than my Portland plans, where the lobster turn to crab. I was directed to find a soulful white stead a local will hold the key.

    I listened and spent Sunday with the Divine in spacious white light of muddy cacao, guided by Komainu friends and a message from goddess, for a victorious celebration of chiefs over miners.

    I listened and took a gamble on the energy of money, initiating a new way of being. Witnessing the absurdity at what I choose to build, at what grandeur I demand, at the surprising contrasting nature that abounds.

    I listened to Hello Kitty who tells me anything is possible when you have the audacity to ask for it and gives me a sleeve of colorful confirmation for haiku contemplation before I take leave.

    I listened and went around the writers block to find nothing much to write home about, and rounded the corner to the pony express and successfully negotiated transportation of the guru to Chicago.

    I listened four hours of four running to the promise land where blue skies of heaven sit gloriously on red rocks of earth. And grandmother reminds us children that it is our laughter that initiates our full incarnation in this tribal nation of conscious fleshy bodies, announcing our arrival from the otherworld- ha!

    I listen in the round where I craft my next move, our laughter is muffled by the weight of priests and suppressed pride. And I can no longer stand the irritation of my womb wound, it must be known and said so loud and with conviction that the witch doctor is called to anoint and realign.

    I listen to delays that abound as I’m weathered to the ground when the electric bird I am meant to board redirects me through motor city and so I arrive at a different port town in the dark bitter cold to continue the trek north. Where Rudolph and I lock eyes for a brief moment before going our separate ways.

    I listen to the bang of the northern lights – a release of the final hold, a welcomed clearing revealing bright stars, glimmers of a vibrant future. I’m like a shooting star, I’ve come so far, I can’t go back to where I used to be.

    I listen to my weary soul when Santa surprises me as I rise from the rocks at Bass Harbor. He points to tell me destiny lays just eight hours away across international waters. And Mrs. Clause joins us and conjures the fractals of the Atlantic and washes my worries away as the christmas bell tolls.

    I listen to the whispers in the valley where hungry ghosts roam the corner lot and suddenly I am possessed by her distraught energy that he carries haphazardly no apology in sight. So I put on the chains and play the game and tell him hello. And receive in epileptic episodes a pregnancy announcement before a military occupation is attempted.

    I listen to the townspeople deeming an exorcism necessary and I head eight miles in the snow both ways to Crommett’s where I get high on thick air and drop the despair in playful cartwheels on the edge of the Appalachian trail before heading back into town to roll with the fatties on the final walk through, a parting of ways with these nosey neighbors.

    I listen in the silence of the lobster trap, retreating, and sit on the eastern prom looking north again for that fated star. Deja Vu of a dream time past, with people once known, who no longer feel like home. I know where I’m going but I must head west to head east to head west to head east. A most auspicious combination lock to my heart and destiny well kept.

    I listen in consultation with American Big Foot, Canadian Grandfather Time, Italian St. Peter and his sidekick New Mexico Brie who all assure me this is the path, the indirect way, to make one’s own, and make it known, you too exist, you too have something to say, you’re well on your way, keep going.

    I listen to changing heartbeat thumping notes and hesitantly drop into pequeña república dominicana and circle twice the radio tower before I meet the anarchist who tells me the future is in the morals of the children, and we easily agree on personal sovereignty. And Hope lingers faintly in the background, a most appropriate veiled appearance for a true cosmic mystic.

    I listen that night as my face is drawn by a friend and delivered the next morning, and as if for the first time the beauty is revealed and I revel at the possibility, has it always been this way? And the raven haired witch confirms as we sip and nibble on afternoon tea before I head off to e in court with Queen Anne to charm and do what I do best and move on.

    I listen to the rain wash my lungs of smoke-filled nights and remove my shoes and socks in delight as I traverse the tiles, the cobble, the dirt, and puddles alike to pray under the protection of Ganeshe’s umbrella so he may clear the path of new beginnings. And with the Aussies make offerings of sweet mothers milk to heal the bag lady and makeway for Japan where we will track the beats and join Beyoncé on the foray into country.

    I listen at dawn and blow a kiss to Washington at the little red lighthouse and trade Blue Pearl for Black Pearl as I string my way south 200 miles on the Appalachian trail to Georgia where I’m caught off guard by Virginia waiting at the plot. And drop the smoking hitchhiker, with the pension for men late at night, down the manhole. And Carya calls from Texas and tells me to remove my shoes and asks me to sit while she tells me more about how the ancestors regard me.

    Which sends me on my back, struck by grief and relief, and waves of possibility in reverence for this temporary life. From which I gingerly rise like the hills and roll back 40 miles to that hundred year row home of suffocated dreams, 1924 North Milton St, to pick you up.

    I listen as I walk the Chesapeake to commune with the Visionaries and see the future from Telluride, an intergalactic assurance of prosperity, there is no turning back now.

    I listen to ensure I’m cleared for takeoff into the vast expanse of sovereignty in solidarity but I drop into St. Lukes for a quick confession with the young priest, where he invites me for sacred ceremony to evoke the goddess in the circle of light to evoke the darkness.

    I listen to crystalline bowls as I throttle into the great whiteness with pins in my ears and waves in my belly and rice on my eyes and beans to rest my head as rain and whales and birds and fairies carry me in delusional delight reigniting laughter.

    I listen as Virginia writes, I’ve asked her for her blessing, to which she obliges, and slides me a note from Milarepa who assures me murderers get into heaven too. And for the second time I see that brilliant beauty again.

    So tell me friend, now that I’ve taken you wonder by wonder, over, sideways and under, what is it you and your raven eye see?

    I must conclude – Poe says as he eyes the legs of his aged drink and sinks into his well worn seat at his favorite bar – that’s quite a majestic horse you came in on. You no doubt my dear will go very far, for there is no limitation in the equation when you’ve packed your imagination. Protect that sacred intuition and trust only those most worthy, but have no fear my dear for you know as I know all that lives in the dark, boldly explore the unseen and allow that truthful light, the shadows are no shadows at all when you reclaim your birthright.

    Devananda Vargas

    Voting starts July 1, 2024 12:00am

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  • It Started With A Dream

    It started with a dream.
    Oh wait, I was just high, clear my mind,
    and it is amazing what you’ll find
    all these sober feelings, my mind is racing.
    My heart is pacing
    but that money I’m still chasing
    It started with a dream
    I can’t waste no more time.
    I learned my lesson by committing my crime,
    I’m ready to move on in life
    and make a damn good wife
    despite what anyone has to say.
    I know that I can change my way
    I’m left with nothing, just like zero
    it’s time to be my own damn hero
    Forced to feel all this emotion,
    but I can’t give up cause I got devotion
    time to be dedicated, fuck it
    Let’s get educated
    open my Bible the only thing reliable,
    read about what’s expected out of me
    practice good behavior and see what life can be
    it started with a dream
    wipe those tears and clear those fears
    time to stand on my own 2 feet
    and then only will my goals be meet
    I got ambition in these eyes
    and if you can’t see that then I apologize
    and fuck you if you think otherwise
    clear my mind and it is amazing what you’ll find.
    Wonder if it ends with a Dream Come True!?

    Shandi Henley #SadGirlChronicles

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    • Wow! Shandi, this piece is incredible! I can feel your power through your words. There is so much greatness ahead of you! <3 Lauren

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    • Shandi, Your letter is filled with determination and a strong desire for change. It’s inspiring to see your commitment to personal growth and leaving behind past mistakes. Remember to stay focused on your goals and believe in yourself, despite what others may say. With dedication and education, you have the power to turn your dreams into reality.…read more

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    • Shandi, God bless you for your poem!! Very inspiring and encouraging. I especially like the fact that you acknowledged the Bible. I do have a lot to say, but I’m going to type up this reply poem I wrote back to you. I don’t know how to do this stuff on the email but I will try to figure it out. Blessings to you-Timothy

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  • Not 1 moment

    In the intricate fabric of life, both dark and bright threads intertwine,
    Weaving a story of joy and sorrow, uniquely mine.
    No single moment shines so bright,
    But every hue blends just right.

    From peaks of joy, where hearts soar free,
    To valleys deep, where eyes barely see,
    Each step, each stumble, and each stride,
    Together, they guide me inside.

    The laughter that echoes after tears,
    The courage that grows from facing fears,
    In every up and down, I find my way,
    In darkest days and in the lightest fray.

    Lessons learned from love that’s lost,
    Strength gained, no matter the cost,
    Wisdom from making amends,
    An open heart when the journey bends.

    It’s not just one moment, but the collective thread
    That weaves the path I tread,
    Both storms that raged and calm that followed,
    Dreams that soared and sorrows swallowed.

    I stand grateful for every scar,
    Every healed wound, every star,
    For what has shaped me is life’s complex weave,
    A journey rich, in which I believe.

    In gratitude, I embrace both joy and pain,
    Recognizing each moment’s unique gain,
    A step in life’s perpetual ballet,
    Changing me for the better, in its own way.

    Rebecca Engle

    Voting starts June 17, 2024 12:00am

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  • Oswald Perez shared a letter in the Group logo of PoetryPoetry group 1 months, 2 weeks ago

    Happy St. Patrick's Day!

    Dear Unsealers,

    It’s the 17th day of March.

    After years of searching for Irish blessings to post on this day, I began to write my own.

    With the luck of the Irish, comes this year’s version:

    On this, the 17th day of March
    A blessing from me to you

    May your days be filled with joy
    And all the craic spent in good company

    For the peace to ease weary times
    As the rainbows fill the skies
    Under bright blue, sunny daylight

    With sweet songs sung in tune
    Carrying this message far and wide

    In this moment of Céad Míle Fáilte
    From the Emerald Isle with love, sent across the world

    Happy St Patrick’s Day!
    Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig oraibh!

    Oswald Perez

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  • I'm Broken But Who Isn't

    I’m broken but who isn’t

    I’m broken but who isn’t we’re all just trying to make things right, for the religion was believing in yourself and to find just a piece of light.

    The story of a lost soul, trapped away.
    A soul that’s hope has withered away.

    I just want to feel alive,
    I just want to feel at peace,
    I just want to feel the ease where I’m able to see..

    Chained down by endless defeat.
    Giving up when things get to hard,
    For being controlled was all we are.
    What a bad thought to have yet it stirs up ever so often, where I have nothing left inside, feeling worse than broken, but pulled apart, asking the question why does life have to be so hard?

    I used to love to dance and be free, I was a wanderer of the stars, always waiting for a time for me and my spark, then awakened the dark.

    Looking back to something long forgotten, yet there it was etched upon my skin making me itch and burn and feel weary and thin. Feeling as if I was the one forgotten, and everything was a lie, making me close my eyes and cry. Scared to fall asleep at night.
    Then one night a storm passed by.
    Howling long and strong with contentment, and a breeze that made you think back to a time of trials and testaments, yet time went by and the noises had settled. A deep sensation had risen over me,
    For I was the phoenix rising through the finer things, reborn, steadfast and strong.
    I grew to accept my nature as the light of the sky,
    And of the night. The one who works up the fight.
    The one who never gave up without a try.

    Life goes on, they say you don’t know
    Until you try, look into a deeper sight.
    Stand tall, keep your head up.
    Your dreams aren’t as far as you think.
    Even when it seems like a wink,
    A thin link between the cracks, my life had been but a dream, far beneath reach, but I decided for me there is always a new time and beginning to past defeat.

    Then one day i found the missing key,
    A key that had been stored away for safe keep.
    I found deep inside, an ember of light.

    To get up, and to fight, a calling sent from above that can’t be ignored for this call is for more than me, a call for all of us to see..
    The dark and the light that t are a never ending fight. This story has no end because the journey has just begun, we will start again, and forge ahead.

    Thought of trial and tears, all the distraught fear,
    Picking up pieces of a puzzle that was set in place.

    For only god knew what you went through.
    For through the dark is where we find the light.
    The saying goes deeper than words.
    Everything does truly happen for a reason,
    Phenomenon of the truest stories and lessons ever
    heard.

    I’m broken but who isn’t,
    A thought that crosses my mind.
    From time to time, whispers of shattered dreams linger, and souls bear burdens hard to reconcile,
    Yet in the mosaic of brokeness, we find,
    A common threat that binds.
    Each of us carries wounds unseen, in the shadows where pain has been seen. For who amongst us has this fear of despair, the seeds of our own.
    In these moments of darkness, we search for the light, to guide each of us through an endless night.

    The story unfolds, for every battle fought does not go untold, we still stand, hand in hand, so don’t let the broken parts of us decide who we are, for this is the canvas of our hearts. We are beautifully imperfect creatures from the start, we are the symphony of struggles, a dance to begin,
    For in our brokenness we find our song,
    A melody of resilience, mighty and strong.

    Shiana

    Voting starts May 16, 2024 12:00am

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    • Hi! This is BEAUTIFULLY written. You crafted an excellent flow and this was super warm to read! I love the line where you said “the mosaic of brokenness”. I really love the way you celebrate being broken and find the beauty in it! I’m beautifully broken too 🙂

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  • You’re Inviiited!!

    The devil showed up today.
    Begging for me to slip.
    Begging for an invite to myyy show.
    Then I thought well shiit
    Maybe we should make friends with not only him but our skeletons as well!
    You know….the ones inside our closet
    We could dance with them, learn their names, perhaps become friends!?
    Then we might build the courage
    to ask them to leave But at that point
    We can’t ignore the demons.
    Yea the ones deep inside.
    In Matter of fact
    Let’s invite them to coffee or even cocktails. We can discuss hard questions
    liike what keeps them here!?
    In the mean time we can play hide n seek with the ghosts or jahooties that like to play supernatural jokes on us!?
    We can’t let them miss out on the fun
    Let’s not forget the boogie man cuz you know he’s probably the most well known
    and he might be the one
    to call out everyone’s insecurities
    Fk it we gotta call up the monsters
    whether they’re hiding under our bed
    or in the depths of the shadows around you.
    We can maybe admit our fears or possibly conquer them by convincing ourselves we aren’t even scared in the first place.
    What does a monster look like to you ?!
    Is it a thing or an illusion is it human form
    or animal like or maybe it’s just a concept
    or a feeling?
    Sounds like We gonna have a whole damn party after all these invites.
    The devil himself, the skeletons, the demons, the ghosts n jahooties and the boogie man pluuuus the monsters.
    Or maybe….
    that’s not even a party worth hosting.
    I heard of a better party
    it’s thrown by joy and happiness
    and their friends cheer and bliss
    I bet that party has better company
    we better be cautious of what invites we send out and choose wisely to what party we gonna show up to and host!!

    Shandi Lynn #SadGirlChronicles

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    • Your fanfiction story is captivating. It’s a reminder to choose our company wisely and strive for joy and happiness. Well done, Shandi! Your creativity shines through. Keep writing and sharing your stories.

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  • Shandi Henley shared a letter in the Group logo of Mental HealthMental Health group 1 months, 2 weeks ago

    CRASH

    It’s like I’ve been trying to get somewhere my whole entire life, but
    hitting every red light along the way.
    ITS Like my brakes go out
    thousands miles too soon.
    And like I burn
    thru way too much gas after filling,
    and I can’t even trryyy to justify
    the wear n tear of the motor.
    I have Been spinning my wheel
    and getting nowhere
    for as long as I can remember.
    I’m running on fumes.
    My tires are bald.
    I’m one blow out away from
    swerving into oncoming traffic.
    My dreams are in the passenger seat
    with a broken seat belt, a drunken smile,
    and an empty bottle of vodka
    that I haven’t gotten the courage
    to throw away.
    I have a green valley
    of possibility in front of me.
    And a mountain of regret
    in my rear view mirror!
    I’m hoping there is just enough
    in the tank to make it to the end of this road. CRASH

    Shandi Lynn #SadGirlChronicles

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    • Shandi, your letter beautifully expresses the frustrations and challenges you’ve been facing. Keep pushing forward and don’t let the setbacks define you. You have the strength to overcome and reach your dreams. Stay determined and believe in yourself.

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  • Parents Do Understand

    My childhood had exceptional ups and crummy downs. I also wasn’t the most well-mannered daughter. My mom always did the best that she could with what she had. Those are some of my best memories. Working 3 jobs and I was helping her with one. I could’ve done better, but I learned my lesson. I understand now that is how life is. One thing I also know now that I didn’t know then was that parents understand you. They know what they are talking about when they are having an important conversation with you, so make sure you listen. It’s for a reason and it doesn’t make sense at the moment. It makes little sense until later, when you least expect it.Ever since I can remember, we mainly lived in apartments and my mom was usually the on-site manager. It was always small communities, but it was home. I always enjoyed helping my mom and I would see my mom and how she was with the residents. At 16, she started having me help with a few tasks like answering calls, setting up showings, collecting rent and writing out the receipt. I hoped to be outside playing with my friends. Whenever my mom would ask me to help her, I would make faces. I was thinking my mom wouldn’t see. I just found out a few weeks ago that she knew all along. We can laugh about it now   It is something that I feel she was pushing on to me and was looking for other options to do after I finished school. I did one fast food job, which wasn’t for me. I had one retail job which also wasn’t for me. Since I had helped by mom, I had some experience in office work, so I got one job in property management. I was the leasing agent and who would’ve known that I would be so good at it? I stayed there for almost a little over 2 years.I moved and did retail pharmacy for 6 years; I did because I had to, not because I wanted to. The only bright side is I would see my coworkers. Property management was still a topic I would like to discuss. I’d offer advice to the customers when they’d mention something about the apartment they were living in. I quit my retail pharmacy job and didn’t know where I was going to next. It seems like no matter what I did, my heart was always with property management. I prayed and believed that if property management was truly my calling, an opportunity would present itself, considering my 10 years of experience.  I got hired by a temp agency telling them I wanted to try this again. Since it was a while, I preferred to go the temp route. I went to one position and I remember how excited I was to be there. That specific situation did not feel right, so I called the agency and they switched me right away. Speaking up instead of remaining silent was a moral decision, and I’m glad I made it. Because I respectfully advocated for myself, I accepted a temporary position with another company. I love to help and learn as much as I can, so I was excited to be a temp with this company. I have a tendency to ask what feels like a thousand questions. The people I would talk to were so helpful, understanding that I had limitations in my ability to help. I had to keep learning and continue to wait for an opportunity to show mainly myself that I can do it. The opportunity to prove myself showed up, and I showed out. It felt amazing to know I was on the right track. I got hired by the company. I worked for the company and gave it my all so much that my 1 year review was proof that I sure can do this and I succeeded. There was another opportunity that appeared and it was a company that I had worked for about 10 years ago. I love how life comes full circle. I didn’t have the experience back then that I did now.I ended up getting a job as an on-site manager. Once I was moving in, I called my mom. I told her thank you for showing me at the age that she did and for believing in me. I apologized for my behavior from when I was younger. It seems like my mom knew what she was talking about. She had seen something in me I didn’t and it took me time to believe that I can do it. I am so proud of myself for not giving up and believing in myself and being able to be a part of a community, just as I always have been. Home is where the heart is and for me, that’s being a part of a community. I am proud of myself for not giving up. It took sometime to believe in myself like my mom believed in me. I’d always remind myself that nothing worth having comes easy. If it was easy, then everyone would do it. That’s why it feels so great when you achieve it. Only you know how much you worked for that. No one sees your struggles behind closed doors and those are the toughest battles, but it’s ok you can do this because you deserve it.

    iambrizei

    Voting starts May 16, 2024 12:00am

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    • I love how much detail you put into this piece! You really put me in your head as a reader from helping your mom as a kid to fast food to retail and everything else on your journey. Your piece sounds very bright and uplifting and I love how conversational it feels! Thank you for sharing 🙂

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  • To The Generational Curses Breaker

    To kids that’s struggles in school,

    I was always that kid that stood out, the one that was just different from the other kids. I was either too energetic or too down. My hair was usually not brushed or taken care of, and my clothes were usually too small. Watching as all my classmates would get good grades and understand the lessons being taught, it began to affect me emotionally. I sat there feeling defeated every test, every report card, every honor roll ceremony. I gave my all to my work and just could not get it. I felt dumb and hopeless, and I gave up by about 7th grade.

    As I walked through adulthood, I realized I was good at working. I have great leadership skills, and I can pick up pretty much anything that I learn quickly. A completely different me, I thrived (survived one might say) in adulthood. For about 10 years, I was a single parent to children who began to walk through the same educational difficulties as me.

    I was sitting in a room with my oldest daughter, 7 at the time, doing homework when she screamed, “I’m so stupid!” her face resembled a tomato on a rainy day. This was just the beginning of my journey to advocating for my kids. Shortly there after, my daughter received an IEP, Independent Educational Plan. Within one quarter, she did a 360 with her grades. She was comprehending everything!

    My oldest daughter is now in 9th grade, an honor roll student since 3rd grade, in an engineering program that will allow her to get an Associates in Engineering and her high school diploma simultaneously. She is projected to be the first college graduate on both my side and her dad’s side.

    Along this journey of advocacy and educational equality, I’ve had to be my own teacher. I had to learn to be the student in order to understand the journey my children were on. My family and I faced so many barriers on this journey, each one becoming a necessary lesson to learn with very valuable knowledge. Today, I am on my 2nd IEP journey with my youngest daughter, and it is extremely empowering.

    I’m able to offer so much to my children that I didn’t have access to. I’m grateful I get to show them my successes while watching them grow into these beautiful and brave human beings. Have faith and give yourself grace, but most of all, don’t give up! You can change where you’re at as long as you believe in you!

    Yours truly,
    Fellow Generational Curses Breaker

    Antoinette Lucila

    Voting starts May 16, 2024 12:00am

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    • Wow, what a beautiful story! You did an excellent job of telling a clear and engaging story. I’m even feeling a little emotional! As someone who struggled in school, I can relate to all the feelings of doubt and it’s beautiful to see you understanding your children in a deep way and being able to make sure they don’t have to go through the same…read more

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  • Give Up, Never!

    Give up, never!
    The challenges of life give greater
    Satisfaction when struggling to overcome them.

    Give up, never!
    Through war planes, attacker
    On our land, as my partner is an army officer.

    Give up, never!
    Through financial strains, being a mother,
    Teacher, student, niece, aunt, cousin, daughter…
    With duties and love to give as worries grow stronger.

    Give up, never!
    Going through bowl obstruction surgeries, recover
    From that alone is like moving through quick sand, a surfer
    Of intense pain, stilted, limited movements that border
    On the robotic before getting better.

    Give up, never!
    Immigrating at fourty plus is no simple matter,
    With two teens and two adults to give succor
    As the cultural, geographical, and familial reservoir
    Dwindles and altered to an extreme purveyor
    Of loss as we embrace newer circumstances in horror.

    Give up, never!
    Through each trial, the sun does shine brighter
    And belief that you’re being tested makes me stronger.

    Give up, never!
    Give up, never!
    Give up, never!

    ©️ Malak kalmoni chehab ©️

    Malak Kalmoni Chehab

    Voting starts May 16, 2024 12:00am

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    • Malak, This is really creative and powerful. You are such a strong person with a beautiful soul. Thank you for sharing and thank you for being part of The Unsealed family.<3 Lauren

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